Today in Comics History, October 29: Happy birthday, Winona Ryder!

This is an expanded and updated version of the classic post "Comic Book Winona Ryder!," originally published November 1, 2013.

Born on this day: Winona Laura Horowitz, but she lets me call her Winona Ryder.

Is she in any comic books? Hmmm...



from Alien Resurrection #1 (top) and #2 (bottom) (Dark Horse, October-November 1997), script by Jim Vance, pencils and inks by Eduardo Risso, colors by Dave Stewart, letters by Gary Fields

Today in Comics History, October 29, 1929: The Burp Heard Round the World

from "I Shrink, Therefore I'm Small" in Simpsons Comics #8 (Bongo, January 1985), script by Gary Glasberg, pencils by Luis Escobar, inks by Tim Bavington, colors by Nathan Kane, color separartions by Electric Crayon, letters by Richard Starkings

Today in Comics History, October 29, 1936: Polly's initial plan of just not telling Helen and hoping she doesn't notice is quickly discarded

from "Conquest of Darkness" in Real Heroes #13 (Parents' Magazine Press, March 1946), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, October 29: Happy birthday, James Boswell!

Born on this day in 1740: James Boswell, writer, diarist, Scottish laird and biographer of his friend Samuel Johnson.



"Script Sleuths" from Batman (1940 series) #66 (DC, August 1951), text by Barbara Fairbanks, art by Raymond Perry
Happy birthday, Boz!



from "Excerpts from Boswell's London Journal 1762-1763" in Weirdo #3 (Last Gasp, Fall 1981), by Robert Crumb

Today in Comics History, October 29, 1987: Early newsprint experiments in second color printing go poorly

from "Introducing the Dove Corps" in Joker 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular one-shot (August 2020), script by Denny O'Neil, pencils by José Luis García-López, inks by Joe Prado, colors by Marcelo Maiolo, letters by Clem Robins

Today in Comics History, October 29: Happy birthday, Batton Lash!

BoTD in 1953: comics writer and artist Batton Lash, creator of Wolff and Byrd (Supernatural Law), with work in Paradox's Big Book series and Archie comics, including writing the classic Archie Meets the Punisher!


from Marvel Age #138 (Marvel, July 1994)
Happy birthday, Batton!


from "A Con to Remember" in Archie #538 (Archie, September 2003), script by George Gladir, pencils by Stan Goldberg, inks by Bob Smith, colors by Barry Grossman, letters by Bill Yoshida

Today in Comics History, October 29, 1853: Pirate captain forgot to write his final word: 'Arghhhhhhhhhh!'

from "Ghost Ship!" in Crypt of Terror (1950 series) #19 (EC, August 1950); script, pencils, and inks by Al Feldstein, letters by Jim Wroten

Today in Comics History, October 29: Happy birthday, Tom King (but not the one you're thinking of)!

Born on this day: comics' Tom King! No, no, not that one: the other guy, the Bongo artist for Simpsons Comics and Futurama Comics, seen here (in red) with editor Bill Morrison (in yellow)!


from "Backstage at Bongo" in Bongo Comics [Free-for-All] Free Comic Book Day 2006 (Bongo, May 2006), creators uncredited and unknown
Happy birthday, Tom King!

Today in Comics History, October 29, 1987: Simon bends over backwards to work blue

from Survivors' Club #3 (DC/Vertigo, February 2016), script by Lauren Beukes and Dale Halvorsen, pencils and inks by Ryan Kelly, colors by Eva de la Cruz, letters by Clem Robins

Today in Comics History, October 29: Oh come on, comics, they're sixteen

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 29: 1957's kids have not yet invented the concept of simply "lying" to their parents

from "The Trick Is to Treat All the World's Children!" PSA in DC Comics cover-dated December 1957

Today in Comics History, Octover 29, 1986: Biggest news story of the year, and they buried it on the sports page

This is an updated version of a post originally (post-)dated October 29, 1986.

We warned you on October 9!


from Strange Adventures #117 (DC, June 1960), script by John Broome, pencils and inks by Murphy Anderson

Today in Comics History, Two Weeks to Election Day: "Obsessed? But you're the one who keeps showing me dirty surgery diagrams!"

from Catwoman: Lonely City #3 (DC/Black Label, June 2022); script, pencils, inks, colors, and letters by Cliff Chiang

Today in Comics History, October 25, 2008: "Obsessed? But you're the one who keeps showing me dirty origami!"

from The Invisibles (1997 series) #21 (DC/Vertigo, January 1999), script by Grant Morrison, pencils by Chris Weston, inks by Ray Kryssing, colors by Daniel Vozzom, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, October 25: Happy birthday, Al Hartley!

Born on this day in 1921: comics writer and artist Al Hartley, who worked for Standard/Nedor/Pines and Marvel/Timely/Atlas, including more than a decade on the Patsy Walker books!


from "Meet the Gang in the Merry Marvel Bullpen" in Marvel Tales Annual #1 (Marvel, September 1964)

Today in Comics History, October 25, 1985: "Obsessed? But you're the one who keeps showing me dirty pictures!"

from Watchmen #6 (DC, February 1987); script by Alan Moore; pencils, inks, and letters by Dave Gibbons; colors by John Higgins

Today in Comics History, October 24, 1951: And that's how Jimmy Neutron wound up testifying before the January 6 Committee

from "7 Year Old Genius!" in Weird Fantasy (1951 series) #7 (EC, May 1951), co-plot by Bill Gaines; co-lot, co-lot, script, pencils and inks by Al Feldstein; colors by Marie Severin; letters by Jim Wroten
Of course Al Feldstein would pick October 24 on which to set this story: it's his birthday! (Next year: a full birthday post, I promise, Al!)

Today in Comics History, October 24: Happy birthday, Tini Howard!

Born on this day: comic book writer Tini Howard, who's scripted Excalibur, Catwoman, Death's Head, Batman: Urban Legends, Age of Conan: Bêlit,, Boom's Power Rangers, and more! She's the co-creator of the Strikeforce team and series at Marvel and IDW/Black Crown's Euthanauts and Assassistas with Gilbert Hernandez!


"Bullpen Bulletins" from Marvel Comics cover-dated May 2021
Happy birthday, Tini!

Today in Comics History, October 24, 1947: Hey Walt, you suck

from Comic Book History of Animation #3 (IDW, January 2021); script by Fred Van Lente; pencils, inks, and letters by Ryan Dunlavey; colors by Adam Guzowski

Today in Comics History, October 24, 1937: Orson Welles still can't remember the name of that Greer Garson movie about Dunkirk

from The Twilight Zone: The Shadow #2 (Dynamite, May 2016), script by David Avallone, pencils and inks by Dave Acosta, colors by Omi Remalante, letters by Taylor Esposito

Today in Comics History, October 24: Happy birthday, Mindy Newell!

Born on this day: comic book writer, editor and Illustrator Mindy Newell (Amethyst, Catwoman, Wonder Woman, Legionnaires 3, Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes, Lois Lane, lots more)!


from New Talent Showcase (1984 series) #5 (DC, May 1984)

Today in Comics History, October 24: Solomon Grundy hunts everywhere for those bags of little candy pumpkins

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 24: Happy birthday, Leo Morey!

Happy birthday today to Leo Morey, born 1899: pump magazine illustrator (Amazing Stories, Analog, Astounding, Detective Novel Magazine, Dime Sports, Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine, Science Fiction Quarterly and many more) and comics artist (Outlaws, Sick, Startling Comics, Yellowjacket Comics, Adventures into the Unknown, Exciting Comics, Sinister Tales, Forbidden Worlds, Beware! and much more)!


from "The Biggest Man in the World!" in Unknown Worlds #4 (ACG, December 1960), script by Richard Hughes as Shane O'Shea, pencils and inks by Leo Morey
Don't get him confused with professional buffoon Steve Lombard's college pal (altho' this character might have been named after Leo!):


from Superman (1939 series) #384 (DC, June 1983), script by Cary Bates, pencils by Curt Swan, inks by Dave Hunt, colors by Anthony Tollin, letters by Ben Oda
Happy birthday, Leo!

Today in Comics History, October 24: Network 23 grows ever closer to finding the elusive Max Headroom

from Spectacular Scarlet Spider #2 (Marvel, December 1995), script by Todd DeZago, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Bill Sienkiewicz and Jimmy Palmiotti, colors by John Kalisz, color separations by Malibu, letters by Clem Robins

Today in Comics History, October 24, 1990: Extremely obvious diary entry is made

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, October 24, 20XX: If you follow this logic, Doom shoulda been ruling earth in 2002

from Doctor Doom #2 (Marvel, January 2020), script by Christopher Cantwell, pencils and inks by Salvador Larroca, colors by Guru-eFx, letters by Cory Petit

Today in Comics History, October 24: Batman Begins...to regret putting steaks in Alfred's pockets

from "Good Boy" in Batman Annual (2017 series) #1 (January 2017), script by Tom King, pencils and inks by David Finch, colors by Gabe Eltaeb, letters by Deron Bennett

Today in Comics History, October 23, 1990: Comics: They're Just Not for Anyone Anymore

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, October 23, 1945: Jackie Robinson joins the League of Multi-Colored Suits

from Jackie Robinson #1 (Fawcett, Summer 1949), script by Charles Dexter, pencils by Clem Weisbecker, inks by John Jordan

Today in Comics History, October 23: Looking through left lens of 3-D glasses provides an entry for "Today in Comics History"

from Batman: The Imposter #3 (DC/Black Label, February 2022), script by Mattson Tomlin, pencils and inks by Andrea Sorrentino, colors by Jordie Bellaire, letters by Steve Wands

Today in Comics History, October 23, 1942: Thank you for flying Amelia Earhart Airlines

from "Indestructible Eddie Rickenbacker" in True Aviation Picture-Stories #3 (Parents' Magazine Press, June 1943), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, October 23, 1962: Khrushchev demands that the studio restore the Snyder Cut

from Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #4 (DC, January 2013), script by Len Wein, pencils and inks by Jae Lee, colors by June Chung, letters by John Workman

Today in Comics History, October 23: Kang's bootleg calendar store is busted by the Avengers

cover of Avengers Forever (1998 series) #5 (Marvel, April 1999), pencils by Carlos Pacheco, inks by Jesús Merino, colors by Steve Oliff and Tony Kelly

Today In Comics History, October 23, 1988: Invention of Levi's loose-fitting camouflage cargo pants

from "Dirty Play" in Psi-Force #29 (Marvel/New Universe, March 1989), script by Fabian Nicieza, pencils by Hector Collazo. inks by Chris Ivy, colors by Marc Siry, letters by Rick Parker