Mark J. Cohen (November 19, 1942[1] – December 18, 1999) was an American collector of comic books and comic book art, and a prominent cartoonists' agent and dealer in original comics art. He was an occasional contributor to the Gasoline Alleycomic strip.
Biographyedit
Cohen was a native of Stockton, California. As a collector of cartoon art, he amassed an estimated 9,500 items of original Mad original art.[2] His collections of comic book art were considered among the best in the country, and parts of his collections were put on national tours.[3]
One notable part of Cohen's collection was begun in 1971, when he decided to collect cartoonists' self-caricatures. His interest was sparked upon seeing an exhibition catalog from a 1943 exhibit at San Francisco's de Young Museum titled Meet the Artist. Eventually he assembled more than 900 of such self-caricatures. In 1998, Ohio State University's Cartoon Research Library, now known as the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, published A Gallery of Rogues featuring approximately 100 cartoonists' self-caricatures from Cohen's collection. The Cartoon Research Library also mounted an exhibition of nude self-caricatures called The Comic Strip in 2000. It was composed of work from Cohen's collection, made available by his widow, Cohen having died during the time the exhibit was being planned.[4]
Cohen got to know Charles Schulz, creator of Peanuts, very well, and Schulz called Cohen his "cartoon connection" because of the many cartoonists he met through him. After Schulz' death, the cartoonist's wife started the Charles Schulz Museum, and Mark Cohen became a member of the board of directors. This truth of this statement is unlikely, since Mark Cohen died before Charles Schulz. Cohen's wife, Rose Marie McDaniel, later became director of the museum.[6]
A portion of the Gasoline AlleySunday strip (May 3, 2009) in which the artist paid tribute to collaborator Mark Cohen.
Cohen died at 57 at his home in Santa Rosa, California on December 19. Cancer was said to be the cause of death. His obituary in The New York Times states that Cohen's "comics collection, including about 3,000 books autographed by cartoonists -- many with original drawings -- and hundreds of other cartoon-related items, from Dick Tracy badges to Little Orphan Annie decoders, has been donated to Ohio State University, the repository of the National Cartoonists Society".[2]
His friend, the cartoonist Wiley Miller, memorialized Cohen after his death by creating a superhero, Obviousman, in his syndicated cartoon stripNon Sequitur (comic strip) whose mission in life was to wean people away from the endless stream of information in modern society and get them to think about what is really happening. Just as Superman's "real name" was "Clark Kent," so was Obviousman's real name "Mark Cohen" and his occupation was "realtor."
Cartoonist Jim Scancarelli, in a 1997 interview, had credited Cohen as an unpaid collaborator who contributed a poem or story idea for a Gasoline Alley Sunday page about once a month.[7] Scancarelli quietly paid tribute to Cohen with a 2009 Sunday page that featured a whimsical letter Cohen had written.[8]
^ ab[1] New York Times obituary: Mark Cohen, 57, Comics Collector, Published: Monday, December 27, 1999
^ ab. Archived from the original on August 7, 2007. Retrieved December 18, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Web page titled, "Reading Room Index to the Comic Art Collection" Online bibliography page of works about cartoon and comic art, University of Michigan Library Web site (Item states: "Original Cartoon Art" (Mark Cohen) p. 72-77 in Cartoonist Profiles, no. 112 (December 1996). -- In an interview conducted by Jud Hurd, Cohen describes his business of selling original art for cartoonists."), accessed December 17, 2007
^[2] Google Books Web page with text from Whiting, Jim, "Analecta: Selected Reflections of a Cartoonist's Life", Trafford Publishing, 2005, page 165, accessed December 17, 2007
^[3]"Transcript: Comics: Charles Schulz Museum/Stephan Pastis" online interview at the Washington Post Web site, conducted by Suzanne Tobin, Washington Post comics editor, dated September 24, 2004, interview with McDaniel and others, accessed December 17, 2007
^Hogan's Alley . Archived from the original on June 7, 2007. Retrieved January 28, 2009.
The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum: Mark J. Cohen Collection guide
January 01, 1970
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Mark J Cohen November 19 1942 1 December 18 1999 was an American collector of comic books and comic book art and a prominent cartoonists agent and dealer in original comics art He was an occasional contributor to the Gasoline Alley comic strip Biography editCohen was a native of Stockton California As a collector of cartoon art he amassed an estimated 9 500 items of original Mad original art 2 His collections of comic book art were considered among the best in the country and parts of his collections were put on national tours 3 One notable part of Cohen s collection was begun in 1971 when he decided to collect cartoonists self caricatures His interest was sparked upon seeing an exhibition catalog from a 1943 exhibit at San Francisco s de Young Museum titled Meet the Artist Eventually he assembled more than 900 of such self caricatures In 1998 Ohio State University s Cartoon Research Library now known as the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library amp Museum published A Gallery of Rogues featuring approximately 100 cartoonists self caricatures from Cohen s collection The Cartoon Research Library also mounted an exhibition of nude self caricatures called The Comic Strip in 2000 It was composed of work from Cohen s collection made available by his widow Cohen having died during the time the exhibit was being planned 4 As an agent representing cartoonists in the sale of their original comic strip art Cohen s clientele included Charles M Schulz Lynn Johnston Pat Brady Greg Evans and Jerry Scott 3 5 Cohen got to know Charles Schulz creator of Peanuts very well and Schulz called Cohen his cartoon connection because of the many cartoonists he met through him After Schulz death the cartoonist s wife started the Charles Schulz Museum and Mark Cohen became a member of the board of directors This truth of this statement is unlikely since Mark Cohen died before Charles Schulz Cohen s wife Rose Marie McDaniel later became director of the museum 6 nbsp A portion of the Gasoline Alley Sunday strip May 3 2009 in which the artist paid tribute to collaborator Mark Cohen Cohen died at 57 at his home in Santa Rosa California on December 19 Cancer was said to be the cause of death His obituary in The New York Times states that Cohen s comics collection including about 3 000 books autographed by cartoonists many with original drawings and hundreds of other cartoon related items from Dick Tracy badges to Little Orphan Annie decoders has been donated to Ohio State University the repository of the National Cartoonists Society 2 His friend the cartoonist Wiley Miller memorialized Cohen after his death by creating a superhero Obviousman in his syndicated cartoon strip Non Sequitur comic strip whose mission in life was to wean people away from the endless stream of information in modern society and get them to think about what is really happening Just as Superman s real name was Clark Kent so was Obviousman s real name Mark Cohen and his occupation was realtor Cartoonist Jim Scancarelli in a 1997 interview had credited Cohen as an unpaid collaborator who contributed a poem or story idea for a Gasoline Alley Sunday page about once a month 7 Scancarelli quietly paid tribute to Cohen with a 2009 Sunday page that featured a whimsical letter Cohen had written 8 References edit United States Social Security Death Index index FamilySearch https familysearch org pal MM9 1 1 JT4T VMN accessed March 12 2013 Mark J Cohen December 19 1999 a b 1 New York Times obituary Mark Cohen 57 Comics Collector Published Monday December 27 1999 a b Archived copy Archived from the original on August 7 2007 Retrieved December 18 2007 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Web page titled Reading Room Index to the Comic Art Collection Online bibliography page of works about cartoon and comic art University of Michigan Library Web site Item states Original Cartoon Art Mark Cohen p 72 77 in Cartoonist Profiles no 112 December 1996 In an interview conducted by Jud Hurd Cohen describes his business of selling original art for cartoonists accessed December 17 2007 The Ohio State University Cartoon Research Library News Notes Online Vol XLIX No June 23 6 2000 https kb osu edu dspace bitstream 1811 28743 1 nn000606 pdf 2 Google Books Web page with text from Whiting Jim Analecta Selected Reflections of a Cartoonist s Life Trafford Publishing 2005 page 165 accessed December 17 2007 3 Transcript Comics Charles Schulz Museum Stephan Pastis online interview at the Washington Post Web site conducted by Suzanne Tobin Washington Post comics editor dated September 24 2004 interview with McDaniel and others accessed December 17 2007 Hogan s Alley Hogan s Interviews Jim Scancarelli Archived from the original on June 7 2007 Retrieved January 28 2009 Gasoline Alley May 3 2009 http www gocomics com gasolinealley 2009 05 03 External links editThe Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library amp Museum Mark J Cohen Collection guide Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mark J Cohen amp oldid 1178900084, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
