Best Cartoons of the Year

From 1942 to 1966, Crown Publishers released 24 issues of Best Cartoons of the Year, a series that gathered the year's sharpest single-panel gags and comic strips from leading magazines. Anchored by the steady contributions of cartoonists Jerry Marcus, Gregory D'Alessio, and Jack Markow, the book served as a time capsule of mid-century American humor, preserving the work of syndicated and magazine artists for an audience eager for a laugh in a changing world. Its annual format made it a reliable fixture on newsstands, offering a curated slice of the era's visual wit.