Today in Comics History, February 16: Happy birthday, Ron Wilson!

Born on this day: Ron Wilson, prolific comics penciller of many Marvel covers as well as interiors for books like Captain America, The Defenders, The Avengers, Hulk, What If...?, Luke Cage: Power Man, Masters of the Universe, Marvel Comics Presents and many more, but especially his long run depicting my favorite Marvel character, the ever-lovin' blue-eyed Mr. Benjamin J. Grimm, in the pages of The Thing, Marvel Two-in-One, and Fantastic Four!


from Mighty Marvel Calendar 1976, 1977, 1978, and 1979




Ron's one of the select few of Marvel creators who got a birthday listing in virtually all the Marvel calendars, both in the first round of wall calendars in the 1970s as well as the back page cartoon calendars in Marvel Age during the '80-'90s!


from Marvel Age #26, 50, 98, and 110 (Marvel, May 1985, May 1987, March 1991, and March 1992), text by Jim Salicrup (#26), Mike Carlin (#50), Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (98), and Mike Lackey (#110); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme and Darren Auck (#110); colors by Renee Witterstaetter (#98)
In my eyes he's one of the greatest artists of Ben Grimm...heck, Ron Wilson would be on my top ten of Marvel artists, period! And here's Ron on the splash page of a nose-ified Iron Man comic, along with many other members of the Marvel Bullpen!



from Iron Man (1968 series) #85 (Marvel, April 1976), co-plot by Len Wein, co-plot and script by Roger Slifer, breakdowns by Herb Trimpe, finishes by Kim Seong Hwan, colors by Marie Severin, letters by Gaspar Saladino
And here's the Thing beating up Ron and Ann Nocenti because John Byrne insulted Ben! Geez, Byrne, when can't you keep your big mouth from gettin' you into trouble?



from "What Th'?!" in The Thing (1983 series) #7 (Marvel, January 1984), script and pencils by John Byrne, inks by Hilary Barta, colors by Bob Sharen, letters by Clem Robins
In addition to pencilling some of the Marvel Universe's top heroes, Ron's also created or co-created a bunch of them, like Sharon Ventura (Ms. Marvel II/She-Thing), Wolfpack, and the character American Eagle, first spotlighted in a 1978 issue of Marvel fan magazine FOOM:



from FOOM #22 (Marvel, March 1978)
The American Eagle finally saw print in a 1981 annual of Marvel Two-in-One, which teamed him up with Aunt Petunia's favorite nephew:



from Marvel Two-in-One Annual #6 (Marvel, 1981), script by Doug Moench, pencils by Ron Wilson, inks by Gene Day, colors by George Roussos, letters by Pierre Bernard Jr.
Very unusually for those days (even today it's rare!), Ron got a complete "created by" credit for American Eagle on the splash page!


Wilson also created, plotted, and drew Super Boxers, one of the early books in the Marvel Graphic Novel series. It's long out of print but a lot of fun. It's well worth seeking out in the back issues of your local comic book shop (tell 'em a little stuffed bull sent ya!). Here's Ron and Dave Cockrum arguing about whose GN would sell more, Ron's Super Boxers or Dave's The Futurians!


from "The Super Boxers Meet the Futurians" in Marvel Fumetti Book #1 one-shot (Marvel, April 1984), script by Mike Carlin, photos by Vince Colletta, special effects by Bill Sienkiewicz, letters by Michael Higgins
Updated on February 16, 2023: New material printed beloew in green.

Didja ever read about the time Jim Shooter was in a boxing ring against Ron Wilson? oh man, that must have been a very tempting opportunity to Ron Wilson to think about knowing out his boss.


"SHooter's Page" from Marvel Fanfare (1982 series) #13 (March 1984), by Jim Shooter
We love ya, Ron! A very happy birthday to you!


from The 1975 Mighty Marvel Convention Program Book (Marvel, 1975), photograph by Michele Wolfman