Today in Comics History, December 6, 1920: Opium addict also debt addict

from The Dollhouse Family #5 (DC/Hill House, May 2020), script by Mike Carey, layouts by Peter Gross, finishes by Vincent Locke, colors by Cris Peter, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, December 6, 1908: Minky Woodcock gets into manual calculation NFTs

from Minky Woodcock: The Girl Who Electrified Tesla #3 (Titan, July 2021); script, pencils, inks, and colors by Cynthia von Buhler; letters by Jim Campbell

Today in Comics History, December 6, 1941: Time Storm finally begins to clear up; Per Degaton puts away his rubber time boots

from All-Star Squadron #2 (DC, October 1981), script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Rich Buckler, inks by Jerry Ordway, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by John Costanza
Yes, I know the panel takes place on December 7.

Today in Comics History, December 6, 1936: Actually Doc Brown's just happened upon the weekend of the Hill Valley Classic Car Show and a theatre still playing Mia Hansen-Løve's "Things to Come" (2016)

from Back to the Future: Biff to the Future #5 (IDW, May 2017), co-plot and script by Bob Gale, co-plot by Derek Fridolfs, pencils and inks by Alan Robinson, additional inks by Jaime Castro, colors by Maria Santaolalla, letters by Shawn Lee

Today in Comics History, December 5, 1906: Mighty man-pig commands his troops with authority

from "Daredevils of Destiny" in Reg'lar Fellers Heroic Comics (1947 series) #6 (Pines, March 1948), script by by Frank Rentfrow, pencils and inks by Don Dickson

Today in Comics History, December 5: Whoa, that's gonna leave a mark

variant cover of Heroes in Crisis #5 (DC, March 2019), by Ryan Sook
(Wait a minute...who took that Poloroid?)

Anyway, that means today is the day this took place:


from Batman #427 (DC, Winter 1988), script by Jim Starlin, pencils by Jim Aparo, inks by Mike DeCarlo, colors by Adrienne Roy, letters by John Costanza
However, see April 27 for a conflicting date of these events!

In either case, Mike Sterling over at Progressive Ruin turns the whole she-bang into a nifty gif! Thanks, Mike! It shall remain in my nightmares.

Today in Comics History, December 5: We now return to Plot Convenience Newspaper, already on sale

from "About Phase" in Crime SuspenStories #19 (EC, October 1953), co-plot by Bill Gaines, co-plot and script by Al Feldstein, pencils and inks by George Evans, colors by Marie Severin, letters by Jim Wroten

Today in Comics History, December 4: Happy birthday, Pamela Stephenson!

Born on this day: actor, comedian, and psychologist Pamela Stephenson (Lady Connolly) from Not the Nine O'Clock News, Saturday Night Live, Mel Brooks's History of the World Part 1, Strictly Come Dancing, and in Superman III as Lorelei Ambrosia!




from Superman [III] Movie Special one-shot (DC, September 1983), script by Cary Bates, pencils by Curt Swan, inks by Sal Amendola, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Ben Oda
Even tho' you look like a hologram in these panels — maybe that transparency is courtesy of Superman's X-ray vision? — happy birthday, Pamela!

Today in Comics History, December 4, 1783: First meeting of the George Washington Clone Club

from "The Story of the War of Independence" in Picture Stories from American History #2 (EC, 1946), script by M. C. Gaines and W. W. D. Sones, pencils and inks by Allen Simon

Today in Comics History, December 4: Happy birthday, Jeff Bridges!

Born on this day: Academy Award-winning actor and producer Jeff Bridges! Gee, he looks familiar...oh, that's right! We saw him in Iron Man as Obadiah Stane, kickin' off the MCU! Here he is (right):


photo variant cover of Invincible Iron Man (2008 series) #1 (Marvel, July 2008)

Today in Comics History, December 4, 1951: Ex-convict seized, apparently upside-down

from "Crime Without Motive" in Crime Fighting Detective #16 (Star, June 1952), pencils and inks by R. Louis Golden
Wait, why is a newspaper reporting a 10-month old story?

Today in Comics History, December 4: Happy birthday, "Pappy" Boyington!

Born on this day in 1912: Lt. Colonel Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, Marine and WWII Flying Ace in the Pacific front.



from "'Pappy' Boyington" in It Really Happenedi #8 (Pines, April 1947), creators uncredited and unknown
Pretty much every other panel in that 3-page story is filled with racist slurs (including the bottom of the first panel), so why not instead watch Robert Conrad as Pappy in the 1976-78 NBC-T series Baa Baa Black Sheep (aka Black Sheep Squadron). Gotta be better than the comic.



Pappy birthday, Happy! Oh, you know what I mean.

Today in Comics History, December 4, 1872 and 1947: They finally find the S.S. Minnow

from "The Mary Celeste: Ship of Evil" in Black Magic (1950 series) v.2 #11 (17) (Prize, October 1952), pencils and inks by Al Eadeh, letters by Ben Oda

Today in Comics History, December 4: Happy birthday, Geof Isherwood!

Born on this day: comic book illustrator, painter, and sculptor Geof Isherwood (Silver Surfer, Conan, Daredevil, Doctor Strange, Swords of the Swashbucklers, and more)!


from Marvel Age #36 (Marvel, March 1986), text by Jim Salicrup, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Adam Philips
Happy birthday, Geof!

Today in Comics History, December 3, 1961: Brian Epstein convinces the Beatles to break up in eight years

from The Beatles in Comics! (NBM, November 2018); script by Richard Di Martino; translation by Joe Johnson; art by Ludivine Stock; letters by Ortho

Today in Comics History, December 3, 1950: Even more men continue to be afflicted by back ploks

from "Hagaru-Ri!" in Two-Fisted Stories (1950 series) #26 (DC, March 1952), script by Harvey Kurtzman, pencils and inks by Jack Davis, colors b6y Marie Severin, letters by Ben Oda

Today in Comics History, December 3: Happy birthday, Joseph Conrad!

Born on this day in 1857: writer Joseph Conrad, author of Lord Jim, The Secret Agent, Heart of Darkness, and The N-Word of the 'Narcissus.'



from Classics Illustrated (1947 series) #136 (Gilberton, January 1957), cover artist unknown; interior story, pencils, and inks by George Evans

Today in Comics History, December 3: Leifeld continues liefelding

from The New Mutants (1983 series) #98 (February 1991); plot, pencils, and inks by Rob Liefeld; script by Fabian Nicieza, colors by Steve Buccellato, letters by Joe Rosen

Today in Comics History, December 3: Happy birthday, John Warner!

Born on this day: John Warner, comics editor (Marvel's b/w magazines) and writer (Son of Satan, Flash Gordon, Dark Shadows, Deadly Hands of Kung Fu). He co-created Ulysses Bloodstone, Killer Shrike, and the Modular Man!


from Mighty Marvel Calendars 1976-1978 (Marvel, 1975-1977)
Happy birthday, John!


from The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu (1974 series) #27 (Marvel, August 1976), pencils and inks by Marie Severin

Today in Comics History, December 3, 1348: Oh man, that dragon's totally going to turn out to be Medieval Joker, right?

from JLA: A League of One (DC, January 2001), script and painted art by Christopher Moeller, letters by Bill Oakley

Today in Comics History, December 2, 1859: Didja ever think of trying to save him, Abe Lincoln...

...instead of making pithy quotes about him?


from "A Country at the Crossroads" in Picture Stories from American History #4 (EC, Summer 1947), script by Jerry Coleman, pencils and inks by Allen Simon

Today in Comics History, December 2, 1950: Roy Lichtenstein thinks he might steal this one, too

from "14 Days of Glory" in Battlefield Action #54 (Charlton, August 1964), script by Joe Gill (?), pencils (?) and inks by Ernie Bache

Today in Comics History, December 2, 1941: First recorded instance of calling a nerd "Poindexter"

from "He Flew 'Round the World to Get Home" in True Comics #15 (Parents' Magazine, August 1942), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, December 2, 1805: It helps me out here when they just title the story after the date

from "December 2, 1805" in Battlefield Action #21 (Charlton, October 1958), script by Joe Gill (?), pencils and inks by Sam Glanzman, letters by Jon D'Agostino

Today in Comics Histort, December 2, 1926: Alfred Hitchcock gets married; those birds from his movie take revenge

from Alfred Hitchcock: Master of Suspense (NBM, March 2022), script by by Noël Simsolo, translation by Monatan Kane, art by Dominique Hé, lettering by Ortho

Today in Comics History, December 1: Happy birthday, Sarah Silverman!

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published January 29, 2017.

Can you guess the surprise celebrity guest in this here Deadpool comic book?


cover of Deadpool (2013 series) #40 (Marvel, March 2015), art by Scott Kobish
Oh, wait, I told you already in the post title: It's Sarah Silverman's birthday!


from Deadpool (2013 series) #40 (Marvel, March 2015), script by Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn, pencils and inks by Scott Koblish, crayon colors by Val Staples, letters by Joe Sabino

Today in Comics History, December 1, 1984: A thinly disguised Plastic Man watches to see if Jimmy Olsen will pay the rent

from Hot Valley Days and Cocaine Nights #2 (Antarctic, January 2021), script by Matthew Spradlin, pencils and inks by Farid Karami, colors by Andrew Crossley

Today in Comics History, December 1, 1946: Extremely short judge issues the death penalty

from "Nell Baker" in Crime Patrol (1948 series) #12 (EC, June 1949); script, pencils, and inks by Al Feldstein, letters by Jim Wroten

Today in Comics History, December 1, 1950: The Marines build a comfortable tavern just for themselves and they call it...

from "Marines Retreat!" in Frontline Combat (1951 series) #1 (EC, July 1951), script and inks by Harvey Kurtzman, pencils by John Severin, colors by Marie Severin, letters by Ben Oda

Today in Comics History, December 1, 1859: Way to commit to a cause without waffling, Abe

from "John Brown" in Real Life Comics #4 (Pines, April 1942), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, December 1, 1985: Daily Planet just flat-out doxxing everybody now

house ad for Secret Origins (1986 series) #1, published in DC Comics dated December 1985, pencils and inks by Jerry Ordway, crystal ball image by Wayne Boring

Today in Comics History, December 1: Bruce never should have bought Alfred that donut-scented cologne

from "Good Boy" in Batman Annual (2017 series) #1 (DC, January 2017), script by Tom King, pencils and inks by David Finch, colors by Gabe Eltaeb, letters by Deron Bennett

Today in Comics History, December 1, 1930: Well, that's your first mistake: don't do business with skeletons

from "Paid in Full" in Astonishing #7 (Marvel/Atlas, December 1951), pencils by Harry Lazarus, inks by Harry Lazarus or Vince Alascia (?)

Today in Comics History, November 30, 1864: "Absolutely nothin'."

from Star Spangled War Stories #176 (DC, December 1973), script by Archie Goodwin, pencils and inks by Frank Thorne