Today in Comics History, August 13, 11:57 PM: Another dead medical examiner on the landing. Don't know who keeps leaving them there

from Young Justice (2011 series) #9 (DC, December 2011), script by Greg Weisman and Kevin Hopps, pencils by Christopher Jones, inks by Dan Davis, colors by Zac Atkinson, letters by Dezi Sienty

Today in Comics History, August 13, 8:12 PDT (11:12 PM EDT): Superboy misidentifies guy

from Young Justice (2011 series) #9 (DC, December 2011), script by Greg Weisman and Kevin Hopps, pencils by Christopher Jones, inks by Dan Davis, colors by Zac Atkinson, letters by Dezi Sienty

Today in Comics History, August 13, 11:03 PM: Undercover Martian, midnight fantasy, ooh ooh ohh

from Young Justice (2011 series) #9 (DC, December 2011), script by Greg Weisman and Kevin Hopps, pencils by Christopher Jones, inks by Dan Davis, colors by Zac Atkinson, letters by Dezi Sienty

Today in Comics History, August 13, 1990, 10:58 PM: They smile in your face / All the time they want to take your place / The sand punchers

from Spectacular Spider-Man (1976 series) #169 (Marvel, October 1990), script by Gerry Conway, pencils and inks by Sal Buscema, colors by Bob Sharen and Renee Witterstaetter, letters by Rick Parker

Today in Comics History, August 13, 1990, 10:47 PM: Edna Gorch fails her perception roll

from Spectacular Spider-Man (1976 series) #169 (Marvel, October 1990), script by Gerry Conway, pencils and inks by Sal Buscema, colors by Bob Sharen and Renee Witterstaetter, letters by Rick Parker

Today in Comics History, August 13, 1990, 10:32 PM: Puma Man! He flies like a moron!

from Spectacular Spider-Man (1976 series) #169 (Marvel, October 1990), script by Gerry Conway, pencils and inks by Sal Buscema, colors by Bob Sharen and Renee Witterstaetter, letters by Rick Parker

Today in Comics History, August 13, 1990, 10:06 PM: The Daily Bugle gets knocked down; doesn't get back up again

from Spectacular Spider-Man (1976 series) #169 (Marvel, October 1990), script by Gerry Conway, pencils and inks by Sal Buscema, colors by Bob Sharen and Renee Witterstaetter, letters by Rick Parker

Today in Comics History, August 13, 1943: Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself blue, who is neither naked nor showing his penis

from Doomsday Clock #10 (DC, July 2019), script by Geoff Johns, pencils and inks by Gary Frank, colors by Brad Anderson, letters by Rob Leigh

Today in Comics History, August 13, 3:28 PM: Even comics characters find Captain Atom boring

from Young Justice (2011 series) #9 (DC, December 2011), script by Greg Weisman and Kevin Hopps, pencils by Christopher Jones, inks by Dan Davis, colors by Zac Atkinson, letters by Dezi Sienty

Today in Comics History, August 13, 19XX: Green Arrow sees if he can win the teddy bear

from Justice League of America (1960 series) #4 (DC, April 1961), script by Gardner Fox, pencils by Mike Sekowsky, inks by Bernard Sachs, letters by Gaspar Saladino
How do we know it took place on August 13? Well, maybe not exactly, but at least sometime during the previous week!



from Green Arrow (2001 series) #19 (January 2003), script by Brad Meltzer, pencils by Phil Hester, inks by Ande Parks, colors by James Sinclair, letters by Sean Konot

Today in Comics History, August 13: Bryan Adams has a bad start at writing the lyrics of "Summer of '69"

from Riverdale One-Shot (April 2017), script by Brian E. Patterson, pencils and inks by Elliot Fernandez, colors by Thomas Chu, letters by John Workman

Today in Comics History, August 13: Happy birthday, Elektra Natchios!

This is an combined, expanded and updated version of two posts originally published August 13, 2013.

Hey, it's the birthday of infamous Daredevil ex Elektra Natchios!


from Elektra: Assassin #1 (Marvel, August 1986), script by Frank Miller, painted art by Bill Sienkiewicz, letters by Jim Novak
Happy birth-day, Elektra! Don't do anything that'll make you lose your security deposit on the way out!

Also on this day, Elektra racks up her first kill. (hearing all the booing): IT'S FICTION PEOPLE


I mean, it's not as if her Dad died on her birthday, too...oh wait.



from Daredevil (1964 series) #168 (Marvel, January 1981), script and breakdowns by Frank Miller, finishes by Klaus Janson, various colorists as "Dr. Martin", letters by Joe Rosen
Well, maybe better don't mention her birthday, Matt. I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it.

Today in Comics History, August 13, 2014: The Anti-Pomegranate Lobby Suddenly Becomes More Vocal

from The Wicked + The Divine #20 (Image, June 2016), script by Kieron Gillen, pencils and inks by Jamie McKelvie, colors by Matthew Wilson, color flats by Dee Cunniffe, letters by Clayton Cowles

Today in Comics History, August 13, 1990, 8:13 AM: She-Hulk bets on television promotion

from Spectacular Spider-Man (1976 series) #168 (Marvel, September 1990), script by Gerry Conway, pencils and inks by Sal Buscema, colors by Bob Sharen and Renee Witterstaetter, letters by Rick Parker

Today in Comics History, August 13: Ms. G. Honey reprimands me for reading her comic as I'm only seven, but this bit is okay

from Gun Honey #3 (Titan, November 2021), script by Charles Ardai, pencils and inks by Ang Hor Kheng, colors by Asifur Rahman, letters by David Leach

Today in Comics History, August 13, 1926: Free prize inside every box of Arnold's Corn Flakes: a fan letter to August Derleth!

from Providence #11 (Avatar, November 2016), script by Alan Moore, pencils and inks by Jacen Burrows, colors by Juan Manuel Rodriguez, letters by Kurt Hathaway

Today in Comics History, August 12: Mummy Come Home

Hey you! Remember this enigmatic entry on August 5?


from "The Spawn of the Witch Queen" in Captain America Comics #20 (Marvel/Timely, November 1942), pencils and inks by Al Avison (?)
Well, now we can finally tell you what that August 12 diary entry said!


It's basically the mummy version of Bruce Wayne adopting Dick Grayson. Aw, I bet he had the cutest little outfit in red and green and yellow with the letter "M" on his chest.

Today in Comics History, August 12, 1966: We now pause this blog for a smoke break

from The 'Nam #8 (Marvel, July 1987), script by Doug Murray, pencils by Michael Golden, inks by John Beatty, colors and letters by Phil Felix

Today in Comics History, August 12, 1989: "Over New York? No. I don't think I'll ever get over New York."

from Jenny Sparks: The Secret History of the Authority #2 (WildStorm, September 2000), script by Mark Millar, pencils by John McCrea, inks by James Hodgkins, colors by Ian Hannin, letters by Bill O'Neil

Today in Comics History, August 12, 1951: Batter finds it hard to miss 18-foot tall baseball

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

Today in Comics History, August 12: A cautionary tale, but obviously only applicable in the 1950s, not now

from "Year of the Flood!" in Weird Fantasy (1950 series) #13 (DC, May 1950), creators uncredited and unknown
You know what to do on November 12.

Today in Comics History, August 12, 1779: Milton Bradley's first attempt at a life-size version of Battleship proves costly and deadly

from "Battle for Bagaduce" in Semper Fi #8 (Marvel, July 1989), script by Michael P. Palladino, pencils and inks by Sam Glanzman, colors by Phil Felix, letters by Pete Ciccone

Today in Comics History, August 12, 1922: Letters to throw away instantly, Exhibit "A"

from Providence #11 (Avatar, November 2016), script by Alan Moore, pencils and inks by Jacen Burrows, colors by Juan Manuel Rodriguez, letters by Kurt Hathaway

Today in Comics History, August 12, 1898: New British electric kettle startles nation

back cover of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen #6 (WildStorm/America's Best Comics, September 2000), pencils and inks by Kevin O'Neill, colors by Benedict Dimagmaliw

Today in Comics History, August 12: Happy birthday, Jane Wyatt!

Born on this day in 1910: actor Jane Wyatt, known for her TV role of Margaret Anderson on Father Knows Best and many movie roles (Great Expectations, Lost Horizon, Hurricane Smith, Treasure of Matecumbe and many more). Here she is in 1961's The Two Little Bears with Brenda Lee and...let's say, uh...Jimmy Olsen.


from Brenda Lee: Life Story one-shot (Dell, July 1962), art by Tony Tallarico (?)

Today in Comics History, August 11, 1999, 11:59 PM: Well. That certainly was a how-do-ye-do, wasn't it? Now for some champers and a bacon sarny

from The Invisibles (1999 series) #2 (DC/Vertigo, May 2000), script by Grant Morrison, pencils and inks by Marc Buckingham, colors by Daniel Vozzo, letters by Todd Klein
And then I like to think you wrap it all up with a cheery song that sounds like a celebration. Waiter!


"The Return of the Los Palmos 7" by Madness (2 Tone, January 1981), by Mike Barson, Daniel Woodgate, and Mark Bedford
And the world keeps on a-turning.

Goodnight!

Today in Comics History, August 11, 1999, 11:11 PM: Turn off your mind relax and float down stream / It is not dying / It is not dying

from The Invisibles (1999 series) #2 (DC/Vertigo, May 2000), script by Grant Morrison, pencils and inks by The Pander Bros, colors by Daniel Vozzo, letters by Todd Klein
(Click picture to Invisi-size)

Today in Comics History, August 11, 1999, 11:11 PM: Round 'bout about then those Invisibles boys were in a mess o' trouble

from The Invisibles (1999 series) #3 (DC/Vertigo, April 2000), script by Grant Morrison, pencils and inks by Chris Weston, colors by Daniel Vozzo, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, August 11, 1999, 11:09-11:10 PM: I love it when a plan comes together

from The Invisibles (1999 series) #3 (DC/Vertigo, April 2000), script by Grant Morrison, pencils and inks by Chris Weston, colors by Daniel Vozzo, letters by Todd Klein
Actually, that Chicago sequence should be 5:09 PM, but I didn't wanna annoy Grant Morrison by buggin' him about it.

Today in Comics History, August 11, 1999, 11:08 PM: Well, there's something you don't see every day, Chauncey

from The Invisibles (1999 series) #3 (DC/Vertigo, April 2000), script by Grant Morrison, pencils and inks by Jill Thompson (top) and Chris Weston (bottom), colors by Daniel Vozzo, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, August 11, 1999: "I am Boris Johnson and I endorse the message in this panel."

from The Invisibles (1999 series) #3 (DC/Vertigo, April 2000), script by Grant Morrison, pencils and inks by John Ridgway, colors by Daniel Vozzo, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, August 11, 1999: The following is a party political broadcast on behalf of the Conservative Party

from The Invisibles (1999 series) #3 (DC/Vertigo, April 2000), script by Grant Morrison, pencils and inks by John Ridgway, colors by Daniel Vozzo, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, August 11, 1925: H.P. Lovecraft gives the first negative TripAdvisor review

from Providence #11 (Avatar, November 2016), text from "He" by H.P. Lovecraft, written in August 1925


title page of "He" in Weird Tales (Popular Fiction Publishing, September 1926), art by G. O. Olinick

Today in Comics History, August 11, 1999: 🎶 Somebody's gettin' married 🎶

from The Invisibles (1999 series) #4 (DC/Vertigo, March 2000), script by Grant Morrison, pencils and inks by Jill Thompson, colors by Daniel Vozzo, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, August 11: Happy birthday, Pat Brosseau!

Born on this day: comics letterer Pat Brosseau! You've seen his wonderful words in Legion of Super-Heroes and Legionnaires, Wonder Woman, Wolverine, Batman, Doctor Strange, Shadowpact and many more!


from Marvel/New Universe comics cover-dated July 1987
Happy birthday, Pat!

Today in Comics History, August 11, 1999: King Mob lists all the regrettable Invisibles spin-off comics

from The Invisibles (1999 series) #4 (DC/Vertigo, March 2000), script by Grant Morrison, pencils and inks by Jill Thompson, colors by Daniel Vozzo, letters by Todd Klein
This is the first of the three infamous Invisibles "jam comics" which featured a variety of artists in each issue, some not always serving the story as well as others. It's an uneven mix, especially considering this is winding up to the explosive finale built up since 1994 and eventually encompassing 59 comic book issues (and a short story or two in Vertigo preview books). Much more about this after the break: