Today in Comics History, May 28: Happy birthday, Scott Koblish!

Born today: comic book penciller and inker Scott Koblish (Deadpool, Despicable Deadpool, Punisher War Journal, Uncanny X-Men: First Class, Excalibur, Doom 2099, OMAC, and more)!


from "Happy Deadpool-Versary" in Marvel Comics #1001 (Marvel, December 2019), script by Brian Posehn, pencils and inks by Scott Koblish, colors by Val Staples, letters by Clayton Cowles

Today in Comics History, May 28: Happy birthday, Morrie Kuramoto!

Born on this date in 1921: Mamoru "Morrie" Kuramoto, production artist and letterer at Timely and Marvel Comics.


from (left) Mighty Marvel Calendar 1980 (Marvel, 1979), and
Marvel Age #29 (Marvel, September 1985), text by Jim Salicrup, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme

Today in Comics History, May 28: Happy birthday, Ian Fleming!

Happy birthday today (born in 1908) to one of the great writers in literature, Ian Fleming, author of that classic of dangerous men and fast cars, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!

Oh, and he also wrote some books about some spy or somebody.


"The Man Behind the Typewriter" in Showcase #43 [Doctor No] (DC, March 1963), writer uncredited and unknown
Happy birthday, Ian!

Today in Comics History, May 28, 1898: Battleship fires comical sound effects at enemy

from Picture Stories from American History #4 (EC, Summer 1947), script by Jerry Coleman, pencils and inks by Allen Simon

Today in Comics History, May 28, 2064: "Little Boy Blue" voted most popular interior paint color

from "Class of 2064: Class Trip" in New Talent Showcase (1984 series) #1 (DC, January 1984), script and letters by Todd Klein, pencils and inks by Scott Hampton, colors by Shelley Eiber

Today in Comics History, May 28, 1941: That's why Jorts the Cat never got his own cartoon

from Comic Book History of Animation #2 (IDW, December 2020); script by Fred Van Lente; pencils, inks, colors and letters by Ryan Dunlavey

Today in Comics History, May 28, 1952: And that's why they only came second in the National League

from The Amazing Willie Mays one-shot (Eastern Color, September 1954), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, May 27: Happy birthday, Vince Westerband!

Happy birthday today to Vince Westerband, creator of the webcomic Life In Strangeville and Marvel editorial assistant in the early '90s!
from Marvel Age #89 (Marvel, June 1990); text by Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter; pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Gregory Wright
Happy birthday, Vince!

Today in Comics History, May 27: Happy birthday, Sam Snead!

Born today in 1912: professional golfer Sam Snead, one of the top in the field across sixty years of tournament play. And, a favorite golfer of my dad, who was a pretty avid golfer himself!


"Tough Dollar" in Ace Comics #27 (David McKay, June 1939), by Jack Sords


from "Oddities in Sports" in True Comics #61 (David McKay, June 1947), by Phil Berube
Happy birthday, Sam!

Today in Comics History, May 27, 1988: Daredevil has his feelers out for news

from "Drug War Rages" in Amazing Spider-Man Annual (1964 series) #22 (Marvel, September 1988), plot by Tom DeFalco, script by David Michelinie, pencils by Mark Bagley, inks by Mike Esposito, colors by Bob Sharen, letters by Rick Parker

Today in Comics History, May 27: Happy birthday, Mark Wheatley!

A happy birthday to comics writer/artist Mark Wheatley (Mars, Blood of the Innocent, Jonny Quest, Dalgoda, Black Hood, Breathtaker, and more)!


from Direct Currents #30 (DC, June 1990)

Today in Comics History, May 27, 1918: Delicious cream-filled chocolate cakes are invented

from The World Around Us #11 [The Illustrated Story of the Marines] (Gilberton, July 1959), pencils and inks by Gerald McCann

Today in Comics History, May 26: Happy birthday, Stevie Nicks!

Born on this day: singer/songwriter Stevie Nicks, one of my favorite artists! They say women, they will come and they will go, but she is like a cat in the dark and then she is the darkness.

Stevie in the comics? Of course! Starting with this cartoon illustration:


from Boys' Life (Boy Scouts of America, September 1980), creator unknown

Today in Comics History, May 26: Happy birthday, Tom Mandrake!

Born on this day: comics artist Tom Mandrake (Grimjack, Firestorm, The Spectre, Martian Manhunter, Arion: Lord of Atlantis, Swamp Thing, Sgt. Rock, Sidekick, Detective Comics, The Punisher, Call of Duty: The Precinct, Fringe, and more).


from New Talent Showcase (1984 series) #1 (DC, January 1984)
Happy birthday, Tom!

Today in Comics History, May 26: Happy birthday, Raina Telgemeier!

A big smilin' happy birthday to pal Raina Telgemeier, arguably the most important name in comics today (Okay, Dav Piley, we'll count you too)! Her graphic novels (Smile, Sisters, Ghosts, Guts, Drama, The Babysitter's Club) have sold over twenty million copies and have opened the YA GN market to massive expansion and large percentages of sales in bookstores.



cover of (top) Smile (self-published, 2004), by Raina Telgemeier
, and (bottom) Smile (Scholastic/Graphix, February 2010), by Raina Telgemeier

It's not an overstatement to say that Telgemeier has saved comics by popularizing comic/graphic novel storytelling for a new generation. Superheroes may come and go, but love for the comics medium is assured for another few decades.


from Ghosts (Scholastic Grafix, September 2016)
And hey, she draws a handsome bull.


"Bully" by Raina Telgemeier (New York Comic Con, April 2008)
Happy birthday, Raina!

Today in Comics History, May 26: Happy birthday, James Arness!

Born today in 1923: James Arness, film/TV actor, known for playing Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke, TV's longest-lasting western! Also: in that very same comic book!





from Gunsmoke (1957 series) #6 (Dell, November 1957), script by Paul S. Newman, art by Jim McLaughlin
He also once met Ben Grimm, which makes my Six Degrees of Separation connection to Arness only two points!!

(Pictured, L-R: Amanda Blake and Arness of Gunsmoke, Alfred Hitchcock, possibly director André DeToth.)


from Fantastic Four (1961 series) #9 (Marvel, December 1962), script by Stan Lee, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers, colors by Stan Goldberg, letters by Artie Simek
Happy birthday, James!


from "Guest Shots" in MAD #61 (March 1961), script by Tom Koch, pencils and inks by Mort Drucker
Hey wait, this means I'm only three points away from Peter Graves! And I didn't even go to the University of Minnesota!

Today in Comics History, May 26: Happy birthday, John Galvin!

You might have noticed this previously in the Herb Trimpe thread, but it's also the birthday of John Galvin from the Marvel Comics mailroom in the 70s, 80s, and 90s!


from Marvel Age #53, 89, and 101 (Marvel, August 1987, May 1991, and May 1991); text by Mike Carlin (#53) and Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (#98 & 101); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by Paul Becton (#53), Gregory Wright (#89) and Renee Witterstaetter (#101)
Eliot R. Brown has a couple of great photos of that period's Marvel Mailroom and John over at his blog! One • Two

And say, just where is the Mighty Marvel Mailroom in the Bullpen? You'll find John there!

from Marvel Age #120 (Marvel, January 1993), art by Rick Parker
(Click top picture to Bullpen-size)
Happy birthday, John!

Today in Comics History, May 26: Happy birthday, Herb Trimpe!

Born today in 1939: comics artist Herb Trimpe, perhaps best known for his work on the Incredible Hulk, but he's also penciled very nearly every major Marvel character in books like The Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Spectacular Spider-Man and Marvel Team-Up, Iron Man, Sgt. Fury, Nick Fury, Dr. Strange, Marvel Two-in-One, Star Wars, What If...? Spitfire and the Troubleshooters, and gosh, a whole lot more!


from (top) Might Marvel Calendar 1979 and 1980 (Marvel, 1978 and 1979), Marvel Age #29 (Marvel, August 1985), text by Jim Salicrup, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, and
(bottom) Marvel Age #53, 89, and 101 (Marvel, August 1987, June 1990, and June 1991); text by Mike Carlin (#53) and Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (#89 and 101); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by Paul Becton (#53) and Renee Witterstaetter (#89 and 101)

Today in Comics History, May 26: Happy birthday, James Felder!

Happy birthday today to James Felder, comics editor (Daredevil, Over the Edge, Deadpool, Marvel Comics Presents, Spider-Man Unlimited, more) and cartoon writer (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ben 10, Ultimate Spider-Man and others)!

Here he is at a summer spa retreat wit' Tom DeFalco and Mark Gruenwald!


"The Bull's Eye" from "Bullpen Bulletins" in Marvel Comics cover-dated November 1993, by Rick Parker
Especially as a birthday treat: can you scour the '90s Marvel Bullpen and locate James Felder! Here's a couple hints: he has a corner office and he's really quite itty-bitty teen-weeny.

from Marvel Age #120 (Marvel, January 1993), art by Rick Parker
(Click top picture to Bullpen-size)
Happy birthday, James!

Today in Comics History, May 26, 1988: Now I want to read more about the alligator that ate the drug lord

from "Drug War Rages" in Amazing Spider-Man Annual (1964 series) #22 (Marvel, September 1988), plot by Tom DeFalco, script by David Michelinie, pencils by Mark Bagley, inks by Mike Esposito, colors by Bob Sharen, letters by Rick Parker

Today in Comics History, May 26, 1967 and Ten of a Kind #428: Welcome the Rolling Stones

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published June 6, 2011.

It was fifty-five years ago today...since the release of my favorite rock album that includes a fake paper moustache of all time, The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band! Happy Birthday, Sarge! (And Band!)

Today in Comics History, May 25: Happy birthday, Diana Prince! (Both of 'em!)

Born on this day, per the 1976 Super DC Calendar: Diana Prince, US army nurse who moved away to South America, leaving her identity to be used by Wonder Woman!


from Super DC Calendar 1976 (DC, 1975), letters by Ben Oda

Today in Comics History, May 25, 1977: And also with you

from "May the 25th Be with You" in Marvel Comics Presents (2019 series) #4 (Marvel, June 2019), script by Daniel Kibblesmith, pencils and inks by Pere Pérez, colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, letters by Joe Caramagna
Happy 45th Birthday, Star Wars! Your AARP card is in the mail.

Today in Comics History, May 25, 1990: There's Man-Thing About Ted

from The Incredible Hulk (1968 series) #389 (Marvel, January 1992), script by Tom Field, pencils by Gary Barker, inks by Mark Farmer, colors by Glynis Oliver, letters by Joe Rosen

Today in Comics History, May 25, 1775: Revolutionaries tired of shaving messily with only one blade instead of the refreshing smoothness of five blades

from "Bunker Hill" in Battlefront #10 (Marvel/Atlas, March 1953), script by Carl Wessler, pencils and inks by John Romita, Sr.

Today in Comics History, May 25, 1951: Baseball game called on account of a crisis on infinite earths

from "Home Run That Killed Brooklyn" in Baseball Thrills #3 (Ziff-Davis, Summer 1952), pencils by Ross Andru (?), letters by Ben Oda