Mad Kids #11 part deux

Here's the actual comic from the previous post.

During SDCC 2007 I was introduced to an editor at MAD Magazine and he encouraged me to start submitting stuff to them. It was a great opportunity that just "dropped into my lap," something that has never happened to me before. Although it was never something I had actively pursued, it was kind of a childhood dream realised. I LOVED MAD when I was a kid. So, I started submitting work (a lot of it I have already posted here.) The above pic is the first one they bought.

As a little back story to the comic, this is actually based on an idea I've had since I was a little kid. No, I didn't think about single panel gags when I was a kid. I did think it would be funny if someone thought that the outside was "CLOSED" instead of that they were just looking at the back of the "Yes We're OPEN" sign.

My original submission looked like this...


MAD got back to me and said that they wanted to purchase this one but, thought it might be better for MAD Kids, and that the characters should be changed to fit that demographic better. Sam, the Art Director, also suggested more of an Urban New York Pizza joint instead of a San Francisco Coffee Shop (I was picturing it taking place at a coffee shop across the street from Golden Gate Park.)

So, I made the changes and presto, a few months later it was in the magazine. This was a GREAT experience. Editorial and the Art Director were fantastic to work with, and every idea they had made the comic better, clearer, and funnier. I hope to do more work for them.