Today in Comics History, October 15: Happy birthday, Samm Schwartz!

Born on this day in 1920: comics artist Samm Schwartz, whose extensive work for Archie brought Jughead up from supporting character to the popular position of Archie Comics' Mr. Spock within the pages of Archie's Pal Jughead and the reluanch simply titled Judgead. Samm's the creator of "Big" Ethel Muggs and he co-created Tippy Teen for Tower Comics (later reprinted as Vicky by Atlas Seaboard)! After the closure of Tower, he worked on similar stories for DC's Date with Debbi and Debbi's Dates, which were astonishingly two concurrent different comics!


from Archie (2015 series) #8 (Archie, July 2016), essay by Mark Waid

Today in Comics History, October 15: Happy birthday, Vince Colletta!

Born on this day in 1923: Vince Colletta, longtime artist and (controversial) inker for the big comics publishers, especially Marvel and DC, where he worked over the artwork of many major artists!


from (left) Marvel Comics Memory Album Calendar 1977 (Marvel, 1976); and
(right) Marvel Age #58 (Marvel, January 1988), text by Mike Carlin, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Paul Becton

Today in Comics History, October 15: Happy birthday, Bob Fujitani!

Born on this day in 1921: comics artist and writer Bob Fujitani, who drew for Avon (Eerie Comics), Dell (Four Color, Turok, Son of Stone, King of the Royal Mounted), Western/Gold Key (Boris Karloff Thriller, Lassie, March of Comics), Harvey (Speed Comics, Green Hornet Comics), Lev Gleason (Lovers' Lane, Crime Does Not Pay, Desperado), Marvel/Atlas (Strange Tales, Two Gun Kid, Astonishing, Adventures into Weird Worlds), and more, including drawing the Rip Kirby daily and ghostwriting the Flash Gordon strip. He's the co-creator of Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom for Gold Key and Captain Truth in Cambridge House's Gold Medal Comics*!


from Super Weird Heroes Vol. 1: Outrageous But Real! (IDW/Yoe Books!, 2018), essay by Craig Yoe
*There's a couple sources that claim the artist co-creator of Captain Truth is Mac Raboy, but hey, it's Bob Fujitani's birthday, so today we ignore those.

Happy birthday, Bob!

Today in Comics History, October 15: Happy birthday, Cam Kennedy!

Born on this day: Scottish comics artist Campbell "Cam" Kennedy (2000 AD, Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, The Light and Darkness War (co-creator), Star Wars: Dark Empire and Boba Fett, Batman, The Spectre, The Punisher and more)!


from The Light and Darkness War #1 (Marvel/Epic, October 1988)
Happy birthday, Cam! I'm sure Judge Dredd and Rogue Trooper wish you the same!


from 2000 AD prog 460 (IPC, 8 March 1986), pencils and inks by Cam Kennedy

Today in Comics History, October 15, 1944: US troops disembark from the U.S.S. Peter Max

from "The Coast Guard Lady" in Real Fact Comics #4 (DC, September 1946), script by Jack Schiff, Mort Weisinger, and Bernie Breslauer

Today in Comics History, October 15, 1966: Rest in peace, Michael Albergo, Jr.

from The 'Nam #19 (Marvel, June 1988), script by Doug Murray, pencils by Wayne Vansant, inks by Geof Isherwood, colors and letters by Phil Felix

Today in Comics History, October 15, 2021: Bizarro conquers America's teenagers through Satanic backwards messages in headlines

from Earth-Prime #2: Superman and Lois (DC, June 2022), text by Adam Mallinger

Today in Comics History, October 15, 1954: Happy birthday, Jorge Sans!

from Astonishing Times #1 (Comixology/Dark Horse, 2020), script by Frank Barbiere and Arris Quinones, art by Ruairí Coleman, colors by Lauren Affe, letters by Taylor Esposito

Today in Comics History, October 14, 1988: And thus Dokken was born

from Hot Valley Days and Cocaine Nights #2 (Antarctic, January 2021), script by Matthew Spradlin, pencils and inks by Farid Karami, colors by Andrew Crossley

Today in Comics History, October 14, 1982: Woman's slacks expertly zip-a-toned

from Hot Valley Days and Cocaine Nights #2 (Antarctic, January 2021), script by Matthew Spradlin, pencils and inks by Farid Karami, colors by Andrew Crossley

Today in Comics History, October 13: NYC Mayor Abe Beame decides to charge Spider-Man sixty million dollars for his unpaid parking tickets

from Peter Parker, The Spectcaular Spider-Man (1976 series) #1 (December 1976), script by Gerry Conway, breakdowns by Sal Buscema, figure finishes by Mike Esposito, background finishes and colors by Dave Hunt, letters by Joe Rosen

Today in Comics History, October 13, 1988: Brando flubs his screen test for Marathon Man

from "The Pounding" in Justice #26 (Marvel/New Universe, December 1988), script by Fabian Nicieza, pencils by Rodney Ramos, inks by Mike Gustovich and Val Gustovich, colors by Gregory Wright, letters by Rick Parker

Today in Comics History, October 13: Rabbit Season Duck Season

from Four Color #615 [Daffy Duck] (Dell, February 1955), pencils and inks by Phil De Lara

Today in Comics History, October 13, 1979: Cop warns against using that font

from Hot Valley Days and Cocaine Nights #2 (Antarctic, January 2021), script by Matthew Spradlin, pencils and inks by Farid Karami, colors by Andrew Crossley

Today in Comics History, October 13, 1807: The kids from Miri's planet attack La Rochelle

from Spin Angels, Volume 1: Operation Judas #1 (Soleil/Delcourt, July 2015), script by Jean-Luc Sala, translation by Christina Cox-De Ravel, art and colors by Pierre-Mony Chan, letters by Studio Charon

Today in Comics History, October 12, 1985: Catchy opening sentence kicks off new diary

from Watchmen #1 (DC, September 1986); script by Alan Moore; pencils, inks, and letters by Dave Gibbons; colors by John Higgins

Bully Eats Food: Popeyes Chicken

As the commercials say: It's a Popeyes night!




Hey Popeyes, didja like my Tweet?

Today in Comics History, October 12, 1985: Dr. Manhattan interrupted while proofreading senior yearbook

from Watchmen #4 (DC, December 1986); script by Alan Moore; pencils, inks, and letters by Dave Gibbons; colors by John Higgins

Today in Comics History, October 12 (Let's Poke Fun at Columbus Day Special): "Our standards are over! Lower the guns!"

from "The Story of Old Glory" in Real Life Comics #4 (Pines, April 1942), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, October 11, 1985 (and 1992): Ozymandias prepares to play with his Watchmen action figures

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published October 11, 2013. Yes, because of freakin' Doomsday Clock.


from Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #6 (DC, April 2013), script by Len Wein, pencils and inks by Jae Lee, colors by June Chung, letters by John Workman

Today in Comics History, October 11: Happy birthday, Joe Simon!

Born on this day in 1913: comics legend (writer, artist, editor, publisher) Joe Simon, co-creator of Captain America and Bucky, the Newsboy Legion and Boy Commandos, Boys' Ranch, Prez, Brother Power the Geek...


from Boys' Ranch #1 (Harvey, October 1950)

Today in Comics History, October 11: After this day, Judge Dredd declares death upon all blueberry pickers. It's the law.

from "Black Magic" in Green Lantern (1960 series) #1 (DC, July 1960), creators unidentified and unknown
Many thanks to the amazing Nat Gertler for helping me ID this panel after I had mislabeled it!

Today in Comics History, October 11, 1992: Mothman flies into a giant light bulb

from Doomsday Clock #1 (DC, January 2018), script by Geoff Johns, pencils and inks by Gary Frank, colors by Brad Anderson, letters by Rob Leigh

Today in Comics History, October 11, 2026: A new life awaits you in the Offworld Colonies, Karl Valley, and you won't even have to renew your passport there

from Catwoman Annual 2021 (DC, August 2021); script by Ram V; pencils and inks by Kyle Hotz, Fernando Blanco, and Juan Ferreyra; colors by David Baron, letters by Tom Napolitano

Today in Comics History, October 10: Mister Nobody flies the Nobodywing across the moon

from Batman: The Long Halloween Special #1 one-shot (DC, December 2021), script by Jeph Loeb, pencils and inks by Tim Sale, colors by Brennan Wagner, letters by Richard Starkings

Today in Comics History, October 10: Johnny, you liar, last night you were watching One Tree Hill

from Human Torch (2003 series) #1 (Marvel/Tsunami, June 2003), script by Karl Kesel, pencils by Skottie Young, inks by Joe Seung and Pierre-Andre Dery, colors by Studio F, letters by Cory Petit

Today in Comics History, October 10, 1918: If you don't like conchiglie, I'm sure we can find you another pasta

from The Stretcher Bearers (Naval Institute Press/Dead Reckoning, April 2022), co-script and art by Reid Beaman, co-script and letters by Ryan Beaman
I mean, you want rigatoni? Fettuccini? Penne? Linguine? Tortellini? Spagehtti with a dog attachjed to the other end of the strand?


Oh.

Today in Comics History, October 9: Fortnight-long attack of giant calendar pages concludes

from "Momentus, Master of the Moon!" in Superman (1939 series) #355 (DC, January 1981), script by Cary Bates, pencils by Curt Swan, inks by Frank Chiaramonte, colors by Adrienne Roy, letters by Ben Oda

Today in Comics History, October 9, 1986: Whoops Apocalypse

This is an updated version of a post originally (post-)dated October 9, 1986.

Mike W. Barr never forgets a plotline!

Please stay inside today and do not go out for at least three to four thousand years.


from The Outsiders (1985 series) #27 (DC, January 1988), script by Mike W. Barr, pencils and inks by Erik Larsen, colors by Adrienne Roy, letters by Albert DeGuzman

Now Playing: The Best of Sam Cooke

Every since Randi bought me a vinyl copy of The Go-Go's Talk Show this year, getting back into LP records is a new hobby for me and John. We are now attempting to replace all the records John threw away 15 years ago. Dumb John! Aw, I'm sorry, John. Don't cry.

Luckily we're not interested in a lot of brand-new music, so we're not going absolutely wild.

On the other hand: a vinyl reissue of Raymond Scott's "Powerhouse?" SEND ME THAT RECORD.

Today in Comics History, October 9: And that's why Chuck Taine is undefeated

from "The Bouncing Ball of Doom!" in Strange Tales (1951 series) #131 (Marvel, April 1965), co-plot and script by Stan Lee, co-plot and pencils by Bob Powell, inks by Dick Ayers, colors by Stan Goldberg, letters by Sam Rosen

Today in Comics History, October 9, 1881: Explorers prove mathematical theory that 12≠150

"The Fight That Failed" in Jumbo Comics #105 (Fiction House, November 1947), by Henry Wysham Lanier