Just got my copies of volumes 1 & 2 of the new book “If You’re CRACKED You’re Happy: The History of CRACKED Magazine” in the mail today and I’m very excited to start reading it. I’m actually in the book because I did a bunch of work for CRACKED magazine right before they folded and it was really a lot of fun. I was also a huge CRACKED fan growing up and John Severing was my biggest inspiration as an artist. I still have a couple hundred magazines in my studio that I still look through when i need a laugh or to see some great art.
Not many people realize this because CRACKED always played second banana to MAD but over it’s 45 year run CRACKED has been home to many of the greatest comic book artists in history. It’s true! Inside the pages of CRACKED you can find artwork by Spider-Man artist Steve Ditko, Daredevil and Tomb of Dracula artist Gene Colan, fantastic “realistic” science-fiction/horror artist Gray Morrow, Flash Gordon and Star Wars artist Al Williamson, Frontline Combat artist Russ Heath, the creator of the original ‘Human Torch’ Carl Burgos, Sgt. Fury and original Ghost Rider artist Dick Ayers, the creator of the Sub-Mariner, Bill Everett as well as the big daddy of them all, the creator of the Marvel Universe Jack ‘King’ Kirby!
I know you know that the legendary MAD artist Jack Davis worked for CRACKED but did you know that MAD artists Don Martin, Angelo Torres, Bill Wray, Tom Richmond, Al Jaffee, Will Elder, Duck Edwing even John Ficarra and Lou Silverstone have worked for CRACKED!
CRACKED magazine has been overflowing with amazing talent for nearly half a century! No
wonder it’s considered the ‘Worlds’ Humorest Funny Magazine” !
