There are news stories (like this one) that Al Jaffee, who has been drawing for MAD since dinosaurs roamed the Earth, is retiring. Actually, Al retired a number of months ago but it's being announced now because MAD has an issue out this week devoted to Mr. Jaffee.
The Washington Post piece leads off with "MAD magazine's iconic back-page Fold-In is about to fold it in." I don't think that's the final word on it forever. MAD has already run one Fold-In by someone else and even if the current editors don't want more by artists who aren't Al Jaffee, I'll bet there will be some someday. This special issue has one that Al drew some time ago to be his last one but they held it until now. With the mix of old and new material that now fills the magazine, it has not been too noticed that all of Jaffee's work in the magazine lately has been reprints.
Some of us noticed it…and it saddens us, though we can completely understand. Al's longevity and devotion to his work is the stuff of which legends were made. Children who hear of it in the future will not believe a human being could do much fine work for so long. Pick up the new issue this week and see a tiny sampling of all he's done.