Paul Coker Jr. (March 5, 1929 – July 23, 2022) was an American illustrator. He worked in many media, including Mad, character design for Rankin-Bass TV specials, greeting cards, and advertising.

Career

Coker was born in Lawrence, Kansas, the son of Bernice (Rutherford) and Paul Coker. One of his first professional works was in 1946 when he designed Chesty Lion, the mascot for Lawrence High School. His first appearance in Mad was in 1961; he went on to illustrate over 375 articles for the magazine. Beginning in 1967, Coker was a production designer on more than a dozen Rankin/Bass specials and shorts, including Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town, The Year Without a Santa Claus, Rudolph's Shiny New Year and The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town. In 1968, he illustrated the Mad paperback "MAD for Better or Verse"; written by Frank Jacobs, it was the first of eight all-new paperbacks drawn by Coker. In 2002, the magazine also published a collection of "Horrifying Cliches", the long-running feature that featured Coker art. Coker collaborated with writer Don Edwing on two comic strips: "Lancelot" and "Horace and Buggy".

Works

Rankin/Bass Productions