Where do you begin with Jack Davis? I first saw his work in the UK versions of MAD magazine in the 80s but he had been producing countless numbers of comics, illustrations, record covers and film posters for decades before that. He was one of the original ‘usual gang of idiots’ from US MAD’s inception in the 50s, a regular on Tales From the Crypt, producing the cover for the later issues, as well as war comic Two-Fisted Tales and a ton of other EC Comics. He drew some of the best monsters including the classic Frankenstein which was made into a life-size cut out poster (see below).
He worked for a lot of the MAD-a-like humour titles too like, Sick, Cracked, Help and Panic as well as regular work with publications such as Time and TV Guide. He has a huge body of film posters to his name, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World being a particular classic, which in turn led to record sleeves for the soundtracks. From here he drew sleeves for music from rock to country to brass bands to soul, I have a particularly great Sesame Street album with Davis art all over it which I’ll post soon.
He was a legend of comic art, up there with Jack Kirby and Moebius, RIP
Jack Davis artwork was virtually everywhere for about 40 years: comics, bubblegum cards, advertising, children’s books, album and magazine covers. He had a truly brilliant style of line and color and was furiously working until his 90th birthday. He could do everything but his monsters were exceptional and always stunning. I’m beginning to wonder if he ever completely retired. He drew at least one last stampede of monsters for a Sex Clark Five record cover and lots of ferocious bulldogs for his beloved University of Georgia.