Al Kaufman gags it up

Al Kaufman was an American gag cartoonist whose work appeared virtually everywhere for many years. I've found over 20 examples alone in the book, YOU'VE GOT ME IN THE SUBURBS, edited by Lawrence Lariar. As you can see by the credit lines on each cartoon Kaufman's work covered a wide range of publications. His gags were witty. His drawing was solid and his inking spontaneous.

I'm unable to find out anything personal about Kaufman, birthdate or otherwise. If you have any information on Al Kaufman please share it with us.

YOU'VE GOT ME IN THE SUBURBS Copyright © 1957 Lawrence Lariar

How the future wasn't

Pappy's Golden Age mentions comic book writers and artists using their imaginations for visions of the future. Not just comic books, but mainstream publications showed visions of the future that were engineered by people who had good ideas, had put quite a bit of thought put to them, but were also far off the mark, never part of our future. Two of the three articles in this 1957 issue of MECHANIX ILLUSTRATED envision their dreams of 1965, "the future."

Paul and George--without John and Ringo--find a fire

Paul and George notice a fire in a box factory. On a Sunday. They use a nearby fire alarm and contact the fire department.

Now, maybe it's just me, but if I were the fire chief I'd have some questions: "You like to play 'firemen', do you? How did you boys just happen to be at the box company on Sunday, just when it was on fire? Taking a walk, you say? And for what reason? Do your parents know you went to the box factory? Do you boys play with matches?" Maybe the chief should have been a little more suspicious.

Artist uncredited.

From IN TOWN AND COUNTRY, Copyright © 1938 American Book Company.