Paul Coker | |
---|---|
Born |
Paul Coker, Jr. 1929 Lawrence, Kansas, U.S. |
Occupation | Illustrator |
Signature | |
Paul Coker (born Paul Coker, Jr., 1929 in Lawrence, Kansas) is an American illustrator. He has worked in many media, including Mad, character design for Rankin-Bass TV specials, and advertising.
Coker's first appearance in Mad was in 1961; he has since gone on to illustrate over 375 articles for the magazine. Beginning in 1967, Coker was a production designer on more than a dozen Rankin/Bass specials and shorts, including Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town, The Year Without a Santa Claus, Rudolph's Shiny New Year and The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town. In 1968, he illustrated the Mad paperback "MAD for Better or Verse"; written by Frank Jacobs, it was the first of eight all-new paperbacks drawn by Coker. In 2002, the magazine also published a collection of "Horrifying Cliches," the long-running feature that featured Coker art. Coker collaborated with writer Don Edwing on two comic strips: "Lancelot" and "Horace and Buggy."