I was going to ask, 'How many people remember Don Martin?", but then, how many remember Blackfox himself?

considering that Don Martin was actively working for MAD magazine up until shortly before his untimely death I'd say he is more popular among comic fans. but in my opinion both died way too early.

Martin had actually parted ways with MAD several years before his death over a dispute, and spent his final years contributing to MAD's competitor, Cracked. But he's still best remembered for his work at MAD and that's the association that most folks make with Martin.

And his work's still fairly well known today, I think, as having been one of the most iconic of MAD's artists. There was a humongous collection of all of his MAD cartoons a very few years ago -- a massive two-volume edition that looks very fine on any bookshelf.

aha. the last I saw of him that seemed original was somewhen late 90's, in the german MAD magazine. there was also an epitaph (don't remember exactly, when) of the "choke onb your laughter" kind.

so this means a lot of Don's works in MAD before his death was rehashed?

Well, Martin's work never appeared in MAD again, following his departure (except in the reprint paperbacks and specials). I can't speak for the German edition; perhaps there was a delay before the last of his MAD work was printed there... or else they were just reprinting the older work.

possible. they changed publisher inbetween, after they realized they were behind the US edition by more than a year, and restarted with at least 60% content by german cartoonists. most issues I had sported at least one page of Don Martin. maybe it was all old content, maybe they managed to make a contract with him?

Mark was pretty good at adapting Martin's style here. Folks today probably aren't aware of some of Mark's other original art influences, such as 60's and 70's underground artist Vaughn Bode, and you'd have to see his earliest work to really see how his style changed and evolved over the years.

I miss both Don and Mark.