Al Jaffee dead at 102: Mad magazine cartoonist created popular Fold-In
the New York Times on Monday. He died of multi-system organ failure at a New York hospital.The magazine’s site posted a tribute to the “incomparable” Jaffee, with current and former staffers honoring him as a “humble and kind creator,” “wholly creative soul,” “at heart, a rascal,” “a national treasure” and more.“Al was, at heart, a rascal,” said John Ficarra, a former Mad editor-in-chief who worked with Jaffee for more than 35 years, according to the tribute. “He always had a playful twinkle in his eye and brought that sensibility to everything he created.”“Al Jaffee was an incredibly gifted man who touched our hearts and never failed to make us laugh,” Jim Lee, chief creative officer and publisher of DC, said in a statement on the site. “He garnered the highest accolades and praise in the world of illustrations and comics.“Tim Heintjes, editor of Hogan’s Alley, an online magazine about cartoon arts, also announced the news on Twitter.“I’m very sad to report that the great Al Jaffee has died,” Heintjes wrote.