Antonio Prohias

Cuban-American cartoonist

Antonio Prohias (January 17, 1921 – February 24, 1998) was a Cuban-born cartoonist. He is best known as the creator of Spy vs. Spy. The running gag is of two incompent spies-one in black clothing-one in white clothing-who consisity try to outdo each other in comic mayhem. Although one comic only identies their countries as Black/White [1] another one tells their nationalities are given in an International border cartoon in which the Black Spy from the "East" tries to sneak over to the "West" [Guarded by the "White Spy."]-although a later cartoon identies their countries as "Black SpyLand" (and presumedly "White Spyland") [2] Likewise the Spys parents [3] and their Children are cloathed as Black/white Miniature copies of their fathers[4] Even in childhood and old age the two spys began their mayhem against one another-although their feuding goes back to Caveman times and the Roman Empire[5] In the Spy Vs Spy World even innocenet human bystanders [6] toys [7] and the Spys animals are cloathed in Black/White[8][9] They even have their own Spy Cemeteries [ID only as Agent Number but no names];[10] and Fan Clubs; their newspapers are called "Spy News"[11] The Spys weopons could be anything-from antique Biplanes[12] to Jets[13] Each spy would be attached to either their own embassy or their respective Spy Hq[14]-a running gag is that each spy would try to steal secrets from the enemy spy embassy [15] On occasion Prohias would introduce a variation in which one Spy would embaress -but not kill-the enemy spy[16] Other variations-more than One spy of the same color vs enemy Spy;[17] and occasionally the introduction of a third Spy..the femme fatalee female "Grey Spy" would always trick the two love struck bumblers to their doom.[18] In Honor of St Patricks Day another Spy was introduced the "Green Spy".[19] When "Mad Magazine" had its own TV Show they would show 3D Cartoons of Spy Vs Spy shorts. After Prohias demise the Cartoon has been drawn by Kupper [20]

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