Today in Comics History, February 29: '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 diastrous 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!

Comics at Housing Works: Na na na na na na na na

Batman: He's a complicated man and no one understands him like his Catwoman (right). But you can achieve greater Batman-awareness by picking up these recent Bat-backissues I've just put up for sale at ⁦Housing Works Bookstore and Café!

Today in Comics History, February 29, 1996: Don't call me Chief Bucky

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

365 Days of Power and Responsibility, Day 60: But where's the pig?

Panels from "Charlotte's Web" in Spider-Island: I Love New York City one-shot (November 2011), script by Joe Caramagna, pencils and inks by Max Fiumara, colors by Fabio D'Auria, letters by Clayton Cowles
Ah, February 29. Where 365 Days of Power and Responsibility becomes 366. Let's...let's not worry about that until December 31, okay?

365 Days of Power and Responsibility, Day 59: Yummy, yummy, yummy, I got responsibility in my tummy

Page from Edge of Spider-Verse #4 (December 2014), script by Clay McLeod Chapman, pencils and inks by Elia Bonetti, colors by Veronica Gandini, letters by Clayton Cowles

365 Days of Power and Responsibility, Day 58: "The Idiot Nullifier! In the hands of a human!"

Panel from Mythos: Spider-Man one-shot (August 2007), script by Paul Jenkins, painted art by Paolo Rivera, letters by Joe Caramagna

365 Days of Power and Responsibility, Day 57: Spider-Dad / Spider-Dad / His hairstyle is / Pretty bad

from Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows (2015 series) #1 (Marvel, August 2015), script by Dan Slott, pencils by Adam Kubert, inks by John Dell, colors by Justin Ponsor, letters by Joe Caramagna

365 Days of Power and Responsibility, Day 56: I'm taking what they're giving 'cause I'm workin' for a livin'

Panels from Damage Control (May 1989 series) #3 (July 1989), script by Dwayne McDuffie, pencils by Ernie Colon, inks by Bob Wiacek, colors by George Roussos, letters by Rick Parker

365 Days of Power and Responsibility, Day 55: The Young Isaac Hayes Chronicles

Panel from Thor #337 (November 1983); script, pencils, and inks by Walt Simonson; colors by George Roussos; letters by John Workman, Jr.

365 Days of Power and Responsibility, Day 54: Happy 800th Time Spider-Man Has Said That Phrase*

Panel from "The Goblin Triumphant" in Amazing Spider-Man #800 (July 2018), by a whole lotta guys
*This month.

Today in Comics History, February 23, 1971: Batman is really looking hard for a birthday gift for Conlan Seale

from "Death Mask" in The Batman Chronicles #1 (DC, 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: