Today in Comics History, January 12: Happy birthday, Joe Frazier!

Born on this day in 1944: boxing great and heavyweight champion of the world Joe Frazier! He beat Muhammad Ali in 1971's "Fight of the Century," which means he goes on to fight Superman at the MGM Grand this fall.

"The Champ" in this Batman comic is never identifed by name in the story — but yeah, that's Joe Frazier!



from "Batman for a Night" in Detective Comics #417 (November 1971), script by Frank Robbins, pencils by Bob Brown, inks by Dick Giordano, letters by John Costanza
Hppay birthday, Smokin' Joe!


from Black Dynamite #4 (IDW, August 2014), script by Brian Ash, pencils and inks by Jun Lofamia, colors by JM Ringuet, letters by Chris Mowry