Spy vs. Spy was the creation of Cuban political cartoonist Antonio Prohías. After drawing one too many unflattering cartoons featuring Fidel Castro, Prohías was forced to flee Cuba for the United States in 1960. Luckily, he ran into the open arms of MAD publisher Bill Gaines. Spy vs. Spy premiered in MAD magazine #60 (1961), and remained a feature of each issue until ill-health forced Prohías’ retirement in 1987. A series of other cartoonists including Bob Clarke (with gag writer Duck Edwing) and Peter Kuper have kept the feature going to the present day.

“You are about to meet the black Spy and the white Spy — the two MADest spies in the whole world. Their antics are almost as funny as the CIA’s…When it comes to intrigue, these guys make it way outtrigue. They are the only two spies we know who haven’t the sense to come in out of the cold. But they have a ball – mainly trying to outwit each other.”

