Mark Jeffrey Cohen

Background

Cohen, Mark Jeffrey was born on November 19, 1942 in Stockton, California, United States. Son of Samuel and Sadie (Tager) Cohen.

Career

He was an occasional contributor to the Gasoline Alley comic strip. Cohen was a native of Stockton, California. As a collector of cartoon art, Cohen amassed an estimated 9,500 items of original Mad original art

His collections of comic book art were considered among the best in the country, and parts of his collections were put on national tours.

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 catalogue 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 The Ohio State University Cartoon Research Library 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.

lieutenant was composed of work from Cohen"s collection, made available by his widow, Cohen having died during the time the exhibit was being planned. 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. 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.

Cohen"s wife, Rose Marie McDaniel, later became director of the museum.

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". 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.

Scancarelli quietly paid tribute to Cohen with a 2009 Sunday page that featured a whimsical letter Cohen had written.

Achievements

• Mark Jeffrey Cohen has been listed as a noteworthy Cartoonist agent by Marquis Who's Who.

Membership

Treasurer, president Northern California Certified Residential Specialists, 1980-1985. Past president Optimists Club, Santa Rosa, 1985-1986. Merit badge counselor Boy Scouts, Santa Rosa, since 1985.

Member National Cartoonists Society (Northern California chapter secretary 1989-1994).

Interests

• Avocations: original cartoon art collector, cartoon art historian.

Connections

Married Rose Marie McDaniel, May 31, 1990. 1 child, Eric S.

Father:

Samuel Cohen

Mother:

Sadie (Tager) Cohen

Spouse:

Rose Marie McDaniel

child:

Eric S. Cohen