Today in Comics History: Tony Stark was able to build this in a cave! With a box of scraps!

Panel from newuniversal: 1959 #2 (September 2008), script by Kieron Gillen, pencils and inks by Greg Scott and Kody Chamberlain, colors by Val Staples, letters by Ed Dukeshire

Today in Comics History: The manhunt continues for Baskin's partner

Panel from newuniversal: 1959 #2 (September 2008), script by Kieron Gillen, pencils and inks by Greg Scott and Kody Chamberlain, colors by Val Staples, letters by Ed Dukeshire

Today in Comics History: The Ginsu knife is invented

Panels from newuniversal: 1959 #2 (September 2008), script by Kieron Gillen, pencils and inks by Greg Scott and Kody Chamberlain, colors by Val Staples, letters by Ed Dukeshire

Today in Comics History: Comic book actually titles its final issue "The Fist of Love."

Splash page from Psi-Force #32 (June 1989), script by Fabian Nicieza, pencils by Rodney Ramos, inks by Chris Ivy, colors by Nel Yomtov, letters by Rick Parker

Today in Comics History: Phil is thoroughly sick of Bob's elephant impression

Panel from newuniversal: 1959 #2 (September 2008), script by Kieron Gillen, pencils and inks by Greg Scott and Kody Chamberlain, colors by Val Staples, letters by Ed Dukeshire

Today in Comics History: The verdict is given on Ed Wood's Plan Nine from Outer Space

Panel from newuniversal: 1959 #2 (September 2008), script by Kieron Gillen, pencils and inks by Greg Scott and Kody Chamberlain, colors by Val Staples, letters by Ed Dukeshire

Today in Comics History: Really bright background suddenly helps hide rotoscoping of building in foreground

Page from newuniversal: 1959 #2 (September 2008), script by Kieron Gillen, pencils and inks by Greg Scott and Kody Chamberlain, colors by Val Staples, letters by Ed Dukeshire

Today in Comics History: The new Flash is a jerk

Splash page from D.P.7 #23 (September 1988), script by Mark Gruenwald, pencils by Paul Ryan, inks by Danny Bulanadi, colors by Paul Becton, letters by Janice Chiang

Today in Comics History: Lester gets Betty and Veronica mixed up again

Panels from newuniversal: 1959 #2 (September 2008), script by Kieron Gillen, pencils and inks by Greg Scott and Kody Chamberlain, colors by Val Staples, letters by Ed Dukeshire

Today in Comics History: Dueling thought balloons leave Marvel to form their own comic book company

Panel from The Draft one-shot (July 1988), script by Mark Gruenwald and Fabian Nicieza; pencils by Herb Trimpe; inks by Kyle Baker, Mike Gustovich, Klaus Janson, Lee Weeks, and Keith Williams; colors by Michael Higgins; letters by Jim Novak

Today in Comics History: There's a little too much spaghetti sauce in Veronica Kelly's calzone

Panel from newuniversal: 1959 #2 (September 2008), script by Kieron Gillen, pencils and inks by Greg Scott and Kody Chamberlain, colors by Val Staples, letters by Ed Dukeshire

Today in Comics History: Comic causes all readers to take scalding shower and scrub with Brillo

Panel from "Family Tree" in Star Brand #14 (July 1988); script by Howard Mackie, pencils by Kieron Dwyer, inks by Joe Rubinstein, colors by Gregory Wright, letters by Michael Heisler



Oh.

Today in Comics History: Colorist forgets what a quarter to midnight looks like

Panel from newuniversal: 1959 #2 (September 2008), script by Kieron Gillen, pencils and inks by Greg Scott and Kody Chamberlain, colors by Val Staples, letters by Ed Dukeshire

Today in Comics History: Lester has a drink at the Dennis Franz-looklike bar

Panel from newuniversal: 1959 #2 (September 2008), script by Kieron Gillen, pencils and inks by Greg Scott and Kody Chamberlain, colors by Val Staples, letters by Ed Dukeshire

Today in Comics History: The new Universe: The World Inside That Window, If You're a Peeping Tom

Panels from Psi-Force #24 (October 1988), script by Fabian Nicieza, pencils by Mark Bagley, inks by Mike Witherby, colors by Nelson Yomtov, letters by Rick Parker

Today in Comics History: Mysterious phone call more important than Bugs Bunny, so I call no way

Panels from Psi-Force #25 (November 1988), script by Fabian Nicieza, pencils by Graham Nolan, inks by Mike Witherby, colors by Nel Yomtov, letters by Rick Parker

Today in Comics History: Debut, Max Lord of Earth-555

Curiously, April 4 is a quiet day on Earth-616, in the Marvel Universe. On a peaceful day like today, the X-Men play softball, Peter Parker goes out for a lovely picnic with his best girl (Gwen Stacy, Mary Jane Watson, Debra Whitman, Felicia Hardy, Cindy Moon, or any assortment or one or another), and Jarvis continues his spring cleaning.

But April 4 is not a quiet day in the New Universe of Earth-148611, just down the road and outside your window (oh no! someone has stolen your window!) You see, everyone's been caught in The Draft, which is an ill wind that blows nobody any good. And Windy has stormy eyes that flash at the sound of lies! It's her paranormal power ever since the White Event.



Panels from (top) The Draft one-shot (July 1988), script by Mark Gruenwald and Fabian Nicieza; pencils by Herb Trimpe; inks by Kyle Baker, Mike Gustovich, Klaus Janson, Lee Weeks, and Keith Williams; colors by Michael Higgins; letters by Jim Novak
and (bottom) Psi-Force #23 (September 1988), script by Fabian Nicieza, pencils by Graham Nolan, inks by Mike Witherby, colors by Nelson Yomtov, letters by Rick Parker
Not to mention that The Pitt (a big hole in the ground where Pittsburgh used to be) is slowly settling into sludge, making it even more difficult to fill with rich delicious My-T-Fine chocolate pudding:


Text page diagram from Justice #24 (October 1988)
Meanwhile (meaning 29 years previously), in the newer newuniverse (Earth-555, where is where they make all the fictional phone calls to), young Tony Stark is having the best day ever!


Panel from newuniversal: 1959 #2 (September 2008), script by Kieron Gillen, pencils and inks by Greg Scott and Kody Chamberlain, colors by Val Staples, letters by Ed Dukeshire
Oh wait. I did that wrong. Worst day ever. Worst day.

(whistles "Iron Man" theme as I walk away)

Today in Comics History: Dr. Benton Quest has just seen the first Iron Man movie

Panels from newuniversal: 1959 #1 (September 2008), script by Kieron Gillen, pencils and inks by Greg Scott and Kody Chamberlain, colors by Val Staples, letters by Ed Dukeshire

Today in Comics History: In the New Universe, weeks become days, and they run in reverse

Panels from The Draft one-shot (July 1988), script by Mark Gruenwald and Fabian Nicieza; pencils by Herb Trimpe; inks by Kyle Baker, Mike Gustovich, Klaus Janson, Lee Weeks, and Keith Williams; colors by Michael Higgins; letters by Jim Novak
Wait, is it March 31 or two weeks before March 29?!? The world may never know.

Today in Comics History: The White Event causes calculus to become startlingly erotic

Panels from The Draft one-shot (July 1988), script by Mark Gruenwald and Fabian Nicieza; pencils by Herb Trimpe; inks by Kyle Baker, Mike Gustovich, Klaus Janson, Lee Weeks, and Keith Williams; colors by Michael Higgins; letters by Jim Novak