Today in Comics History: They lost on Second Jeopardy

Hey, remember back on February 3, where the Vision Twins were accused of shaking down their classmates for their lunch money, Pokémon cards, and this week's cool new Marvel Comic book releases? Naw, me either. But they were j'accused, and it looked a little bit like this:


Cover of The Vision (2016 series) #4 (April 2016); pencils, inks, and colors by Mike Del Mundo
Well, whatever you can say about that scene (like, Vin Vision is much taller than three apples), you can say this: it definitely happened on February 3.

Or...did it?


Cover of The Vision (2016 series) #4, second printing (May 2016); pencils, inks, and colors by Mike Del Mundo
What? Marvel changed the cover just because this book got reprinted six months later? Hmmm, on the positive side, that absolutely does help to identify the second printing from the first in the best way aside from putting the words "Second Printing" on the cover. But it does point out the deficiency in our Earth-616 school districts where the new pair of kids have to face a kangaroo court every month. Although, kangaroo court? That sounds like fun! "Your honor, I'd like to pocket this motion."

Anyway, at least we've heard the last of that.

...

But please do come back again on July 12!

Today in Comics History: 'Cause baby you're a firework

Hey, it's the you-only-can-celebrate-it-every-four years birthday of Superman! Who is a little red cheaty-pants on the outside, because he also gets presents on Clark Kent's birthday, June 18. Wanna read more about Supes's most disatrious birthday party? No, not the one where Jimmy Olsen turned into a giant turtle and ate the cake, but Superman Annual #11's "For the Man Who Has Everything," in a blog post right here on this very blog that I wrote twelve years ago. How it that possible? I've only seven! Which is a very good age to be.


Panels from Superman Annual (1960 series) #11 (September 1985); script by Alan Moore;
pencils, inks, and letters by Dave Gibbons; colors by Tom Ziuko
Superman's birthday is so popular

(I shall now pause for you to shout "HOW POPULAR IS IT?!?")

...Superman's birthday is so popular that even Harley Quinn dreams about it.


Panel from Harley Quinn Valentine's Day Special one-shot (April 2015), script by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti, pencils and inks by Aaron Campbell, colors by Hi-Fi, letters by John J. Hill
Whoa, HQ! Better not let Poison Ivy catch you dreamin' about Superman! And for that matter, being Robin to Batman. Although I suspect she'd enjoy the little green shorts.

Anyway, Happy Birthday, Superman! To another 82 years and beyond!

Today in Comics History: Don't call me Chief Bucky

Panels from Super Soldier #1 (Amalgam/DC, April 1996); co-plot and script by Mark Waid; co-plot, pencils, inks, and letters by Dave Gibbons, colors by Angus McKie

Today in Comics History: Darn, I wish I was your lover

Hey, today is Sadie Hawkins Day! By tradition, a day when women ask men out for dates, dining, dancing, and a little bit o' dis 'n' dat, instead of the other way round. Seriously, these days you can do this any time, kind ladies, and I hope you do. (Waiting by my telephone.)

Sadie Hawkins Day was created and popularized by extraordinary cartoonist and terrible person Al Capp in the classic comic strip Li'l Abner.


L'il Abner, (November 14, 1935), by Al Capp
Now, don't get her mixed up with Sophie B. Hawkins, who really wishes she was your lover, but there's no need to swear, Ms. Hawkins. Me, I'm hopin' to be chased and kissed by Jane Wiedlin today!

There's several references in comics about girls who got all fired up about catching themselves a boy. Really, that's pretty much every month in Archie Comics.





Panels from "The Big Chase" in Pep #411 (March 1987), script by George Gladir, pencils by Stan Goldberg, inks by Rudy Lapick, colors by Barry Grossman, letters by Bill Yoshida
Ha ha! It's funny because Moose is gonna put Archie in the hospital! Mind you, this is the final issue of Pep, a comic book published since 1940, so it's entirely possible Moose killed Archie here. The world will never know.

But now let's look in on the wacky life of Young Animal's keen teen Shade the Changing Girl, who's simply MAD(ness vest) about the boy!


Panel from Shade the Changing Girl #6 (May 2017), script by Cecil Castellucci, pencils and inks by Marley Zarcone, colors by Kelly Fitzpatrick, letters by Saida Temofonte
Run, Wes, run!

In short: Sadie Hawkins Day, won't you? Play us off, Sophie B. Hawkins!



What did I say about the potty language, Ms. Hawkins!!!

Today in Comics History: Batman is really looking hard for a birthday gift for Conlan Seale

Panels from "Death Mask" in The Batman Chronicles #1 (July [Summer] 1995), script by Doug Moench, pencils by Brian Apthorp, inks by Terry Austin, colors by David Hornung, letters by Todd Klein
The Batman Chronicles is a great anthology-type series featuring different characters from Batman's friends and foes in each story. And of course ya gotta love the first text page from Batman Chronicles #1:

Today in Comics History: Wow, James T. Kirk really gets around

Panel from "Colonel David (Mickey) Marcus — Fighter for Freedom" in Real Fact Comics #21 (July-August 1949),
script by Jack Schiff, Mort Weisinger, George Kashdan; letterer unidentified
This panels is actually about Colonel David "Mickey" Marcus. Read more about him.

Today in Comics Real History: They battled up Iwo Jima hill / Two hundred and fifty men / But only twenty-seven lived / To walk back down again

The comics you are about to see are products of their time. They may depict some of the ethnic and racial prejudices that were commonplace in American society. These depictions were wrong then and are wrong today. While the following does not represent the comics industry view of today's society, these panels are being presented as they were originally created, because to do otherwise would be the same as claiming these prejudices never existed.

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Panel from "Scoops... Pictures to Remember" in Real Fact Comics #5 (DC/National, November-December 1946), pencils and inks by George Roussos



Panels from "Iwo Jima" in Marines in Battle #1 (Marvel/Atlas, August 1954), pencils and inks by Gene Colan


Panel from "A Jap in Every Hole" in Attack! (1958 series) #54
(Charlton, October 1958), script by Joe Gill (?), pencils by Don Perlin (?)



Panels from "Was It Worth It?" in Fightin' Marines #26 (Charlton, August 1958); script by Joe Gill (?);
pencils, inks, and letters by Sid Check


Panels from "Dateline — Iwo Jima!" in Battle #70 (June 1960), plot by Stan Lee (?), script by Larry Lieber (?),
pencils and inks by Carl Burgos, colors by Stan Goldberg, letters by Artie Simek


For a less rah-rah comic book retelling of the Battle of Iwo Jima, I highly recommend the entirety of EC's Frontline Combat #7, available in many reprint formats.


Cover of Frontline Combat #7 (July-August 1952); script, pencils, and inks by Harvey Kurtzman,
colors by Marie Severin, letters by Ben Oda



from "Iwo Jima,", script and vellum layouts by Harvey Kurtzman, inks by Wally Wood, colors by Marie Severin, letters by Ben Oda



from "Mopping Up," script by Harvey Kurtzman, pencils and inks by Jack Davis, colors by Marie Severin, letters by Ben Oda

Today in Comics Real History: Cassino Royale

War! Huh! What is it good for? Absolutely nuthin'. (Say it again!)

Okay, okay, I'll give you one good thing we got from war: the amazing artwork of Sam Glanzman.


Splash page from Combat #9 [8b] (July-September 1963), pencils and inks by Sam Glanzman
The first four paras of the Wikipedia article give very good background information. More important to our interests, read about Sam Glanzman here.

Today in Comics History: Spidey gets back to where he once belonged

Panel from Marvel Team-Up (1972 series) #10 (June 1973), script by Gerry Conway, pencils by Jim Mooney, inks by Frank Giacoia, colors by Stan Goldberg, letters by Charlotte Jetter

Today in Comics History: The Grateful Dead Go to Monte Carlo

Panel from Combat #9 [8b] (July-September 1963), pencils and inks by Sam Glanzman
Many thanks to "Mighty" Mike Sterling for pointing this panel out to the world!

Today in Comics History: A kiss is just a kiss

Panel from Doomsday Clock #10 (July 2019), script by Geoff Johns, pencils and inks by Gary Frank, colors by Brad Anderson, letters by Rob Leigh

Today in Comics History: Deadpool has a heart

Page from Deadpool (2016 series) #26 (April 2017), script by Gerry Duggan, pencils and inks by Scott Hepburn, colors by Java Tartaglia and Irma Kniivila, letters by Joe Sabino
Oh course, I know your question right now is


And that's a very good question. But remember, this is a Deadpool comic book%#151;so it might get a little bloody. Still sure youy wanna see it? Scroll down past the spoiler space below!

























I WARNED YOU!