Spy Vs. Spy - Publication History

Publication History

Prohías was a prolific cartoonist in Cuba and known for political satire. Prohías' parodies of newly-installed Cuban dictator Fidel Castro attracted criticism, and faced with the loss of work, possible arrest and threats of execution, he fled to the United States on May 1, 1960 – 3 days before Castro took over the last of the Cuban free press. Prohías sought work in his profession and travelled to the offices of Mad magazine in New York City on July 12, 1960. After a successful showing of his work and a prototype cartoon for Spy vs. Spy, Prohías was hired.

Prohías completed a total of 241 strips for Mad magazine, the last appearing in Issue #269 (March 1987). He cryptically 'signed' each strip on its first panel with a sequence of Morse code characters that spell "BY PROHIAS". During an interview with the Miami Herald in 1983, Prohías reflected on his career, stating "The sweetest revenge has been to turn Fidel's accusation of me as a spy into a moneymaking venture." Prohías, however, was censored by Mad magazine publisher William Gaines on at least one occasion: the strip that eventually appeared in Mad magazine #84 (Jan. 1964) was altered as the Spies were depicted as drinking and smoking (Gaines had a strong anti-smoking stance).

Prohías eventually retired due to ill health, and died aged 77 on February 24, 1998. The strips continued, with writer Duck Edwing and artist Bob Clarke creating the majority. As of Mad magazine #356 (April 1997), Peter Kuper took over as writer and artist for the strip.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Art Spiegelman noted that "Getting published is very important to a young cartoonist, and I somehow have Antonio Prohias to thank for helping kick off my career."