Spy vs. Spy: The Complete Casebook

"Spy vs. Spy: The Complete Casebook" collects the complete run of the late Antonio Prohias' comic strip from 1961-1987, published by MAD Magazine. The title characters are two equally sinister agents--one dressed in black, the other in white--who constantly war against each other with many a different scheme. On occasion, the Spies are joined by the Gray Spy--a female operative who always triumphs over the Spies, who are blinded by their love for her. This book also contains artwork by Bob Clarke and Peter Kupfer. There are also extras in this book, including photographs of Spy merchandise, unpublished sketches and essays by Prohias' friends at MAD. This book has a secret agent, film noir feel to it. It appears that the comics were easily inspired by The Shadow--but to a greater extent, the Cold War.

AWESOME!!!!!!! I can't describe how excited I am about this book! I am eight years old and am a loyal, dedicated fan of MAD Magazine. But I have always LOVED Spy vs. Spy. When I first started reading MAD, Spy Vs. Spy was the main reason I read the Magazine. And this book features EVERY single Spy Vs. Spy Comic Strip ever made. So if you love Spy Vs. Spy (and/or a Fan of MAD but also a somewhat minor fan) and you're planning your Xmas list, add this to it! Also, if you like this book, you might want to consider adding the following to your list as well as this book. "Spy Vs. Spy" the video game for game boy color. (Yes I'm Talkin about the original game. So what if it's old? That does not mean it stinks. IT ROCKS!!) PETER KUPER I SALUTE YOU!!!!

If you're a fan of Spy vs. Spy you'll love this book. A compilation of Spy vs. Spy cartoons plus a history of Spy vs. Spy, how & why it got started, etc. When I used to buy MAD magazine Spy vs. Spy was the cartoon I looked for & anticipated the most. I bought this for my kids & they love it also, even though many of these cartoons are older than they are. This is timeless reading.

I'd give this book 5 stars regardless, because I've always loved Spy v Spy -- and this book delivers the goods: Every Spy v Spy Prohias worked on in his life.But, what REALLY sets this book apart is the the wealth of OTHER material: His other MAD features, cover ideas, and a lot of biographical information covering his life in Cuba and the comics he did there. How many of MAD's contributors can say they were chased out of Cuba by an angry mob (with Fidel himself leading the pack)?But, the bottom line is the material: If you like Spy v Spy, you'll love this book. The extra material is just icing (albeit extremely intersting and diverting icing) on the cake.

As a reader of Mad for over 36 years, I am so glad to see an anthology of "Spy vs Spy". Antonio Prohias' dialogue-less, joyfully savage satire of the Cold War (and war in general), was always a favorite of mine. One spy gruesomely doing in the other, only to have him resurrected the next month (or a few pages later) to gleefully subject his counterpart to a savage Rube Goldbergesque death of his own (the precursor to Kenny in "South Park"?)Included in this book are all the Spy vs Spy's ever printed in Mad, along with all the "Spy vs Spy vs Spy" strips, in which the gray lady spy always gets the best of her male counterparts, Prohias' work in Cuba (that got him a request to leave from Castro) as well as Prohias' other stips from Mad. While "Spy vs Spy" goes on in Mad, it's just not the same. The new strips are OK, but lack the Prohias touches such as the extended fingers (like Dr. Suess on acid). With Prohias,Don Martin and Dave Berg gone, we are losing the giants. Here for the ages is one of the reasons Mad Magazine is one of our country's great treasures.