# Will Elder, R.I.P. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 15, 2008, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-elder-r-i-p/449488 "2008-05-15T21:27:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-elder-r-i-p/449488/1 "2008-05-15T21:27:11Z")
According to Mark Evanier’s [website](http://www.newsfromme.com) , Will Elder, one of the founders of MAD magazine and a longtime collaborator with Harvey Kurtzman, has died. No details are known, but he has been in a nursing home for some time now and his passing was not unexpected. The man was a formative influence to my entire generation, on as primal a level as Ray Charles and Captain Kirk. You have been shaped by his sensibilities whether you’re aware of it or not. The world is sudenly less funny. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-elder-r-i-p/449488/2 "2008-05-15T21:35:07Z")
Aw, damn. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-elder-r-i-p/449488/3 "2008-05-15T21:54:26Z")
But, of course, his Spirit lives on. Sigh. The passing of a great cartoon artist is always sad, there are so few of them left. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-elder-r-i-p/449488/4 "2008-05-15T22:19:42Z")
[QUOTE=C K Dexter Haven] But, of course, his Spirit lives on. [/QUOTE] That’s [Will Eisner.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Eisner) (D. 2005.) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-elder-r-i-p/449488/5 "2008-05-15T22:52:45Z")
[Here’s some biographical info on Elder, along with some samples of his work for _Mad_.](http://lambiek.net/artists/e/elder.htm) [Another sample here.](http://gatochy.blogspot.com/2008/04/bill-elder-mad-no-11-1954-dragged-net.html) ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2008, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-elder-r-i-p/449488/6 "2008-05-16T00:29:37Z")
STAKE- OUT! **DOMM DA DOM DOMM** ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2008, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-elder-r-i-p/449488/7 "2008-05-16T23:41:26Z")
There are several “Little Annie Fanny” cartoons here (NSFW, of course): h ttp://www.animationarchive.org/2008/05/will-elder-1921-2008.html ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-elder-r-i-p/449488/8 "2008-05-24T05:08:58Z")
One of the true greats. I’ll never forget coming across a compilation of Mad called The Mad Reader in 1961. It was my first introduction to Harvey Kurtzmann, Will Elder, Jack Davis and others. I almost died laughing that day. Thank you, Mr Elder. RIP.