Spy vs. Spy
Bob Clarke was an American illustrator and cartoonist, and a longtime contributor to MAD Magazine. Born Robert J. Clarke in Mamaronceck, New York, he began his career at the age of 17 as a ghost artist on 'Ripley's Believe It Or Not'. He joined the army two years later, and became an artist with the European editions of Stars and Stripes magazine.
Back in civil life, he became a commercial artist with the ad firm Geyer, Newell and Ganger, where he did designs for the Cutty Sark label and the Candyland board game. He became part of the "Usual Gang of Idiots" at MAD Magazine after the departure of editor Harvey Kurtzman. An avid prankster himself, Clarke drew over 600 features for MAD, including the Ripley parody 'Believe It or NUTS!' and several years of 'Spy vs. Spy' stories.
From: Mad #156.
The cover of Mad Magazine's issue #60 (January 1961) featured presidential candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, both congratulating them with their victory. In November 1980 an episode of 'John Darling' by Tom Batiuk and Tom Armstrong congratulated presidential candidates Ronald Reagan on the left side and upside down on the right side Jimmy Carter with their election. Whether homage or plagiarism, Mad Magazine only noticed the similarity four years later, in issue #246 (April 1984). The cover of Mad issue #233 (September 1982), also illustrated by Clarke, featured the video game character Pac-Man on its cover, parodying Time Magazine's 'annual Man of the Year' election. In a case of life imitates art Time Magazine did actually elect Pac-Man as their 'Man of the Year' four months later!
Bob Clarke passed away from complications of pneumonia in his hometown Seaford at age 87 on 31 March 2013.
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