Thursday, June 09, 2022

Today in Comics History, June 9: Happy birthday, Bob Bolling!

Born today in 1928 (and still with us!), comic book writer and artist Bob Bolling, creator, writer and artist of the acclaimed Little Archie, and, for Marvel/Star Comics, Wally the Wizard! He also created Doctor Doom! Mad Doctor Doom, that is...Little Archie's bad scientist nemesis!


from Marvel Age #30 (Marvel, September 1985); text by Jim Salicrup, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Andy Yanchus

Ol' Mad Doc premiered in an issue dated Fall 1962. Marvel's Dr. Victor von Doom premiered in a comic dated July 1962. Great minds: thinkin' alike!


Although they're not as well-known or -remembered as the Carl Barks Duck stories, I'd argue that Bolling created a series of tales as high-adventure and as innovative as the Uncle Scrooge stories themselves! If you think you know Archie, you've never read Little Archie!


(reprint?) in Archie Giant Series Magazine #549 [Little Archie] (Archie, August 1985), pencils and inks by Bob Bolling

We wish you a very happy birthday, Mr. Bolling, and many more!


from Little Archie in Animal Land #1 (Archie, 1957); pencils, inks, and letters by Bob Bolling

1 comment:

Blam said...

When I dipped into my sister's pile of comics for a change of pace, I was happiest when there was Little Archie to be read.