Today in Comics History, November 19, 1992: Happy birthday, Erick Zermeno!

from Spider-Man 2099 (1992 series) #32 (Marvel/2099, June 1995), script by Peter David, pencils by Roger Robinson, inks by Jimmy Palmiotti, colors by Chia-Chi Wang, letters by Ken Lopez

Today in Comics History, November 19, 1863: A hush comes over the crowd as they try to calculate how many is four score and seven

from "The War Between the States" in Picture Stories from American History #4 (EC, Summer 1947), script by Jerry Coleman, pencils and inks by Allen Simon

Today in Comics History, November 19, 1804: Thor steals hammer from President Grant

from Manifest Destiny #25 (Image, January 2017), script by Chris Dingess, pencils by Matthew Roberts, inks by Tony Akins and Stefano Gaudiano, colors by Owen Gieni, letters by Pat Brosseau

Today in Comics History, November 18, 1801: Pa Ingalls builds a little house, but there's no McDonald's in the area

from Manifest Destiny #19 (Image, May 2016), script by Chris Dingess, pencils by Matthew Roberts, inks by Tony Akins and Stefano Gaudiano, colors by Owen Gieni, letters by Pat Brosseau

Today in Comics History, November 18, 1988: "My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin Kirbying in five minutes."

from Kirby: Genesis: Silver Star #1 (Dynamite, November 2011), co-plot by Alex Ross, co-plot and script by Jai Nitz, pencils by Johnny Desjardins, colors by Vinicius Andrade, letters by Simon Bowland

Today in Comics History, November 18: Happy birthday, Kim Wilde!

Born on this day: singer Kim Wilde! She's one of the Kids in America the UK!


covers of Look-In #36/1981 (ITV, 29 August 1981) and #47/1981 (14 November 1981)
Happy birthday, Kim!

Today in Comics History, November 18, 1992: Clark gets out of doing his household chores; Lois Lane is furious

cover of Heroes in Crisis #1 (DC, November 2018), art by Ryan Sook
...which means this is the day that this happened:

from Superman (1987 series) #75 (DC, January 1993), script and layouts by Dan Jurgens, finishes by Brett Breeding, colors by Glenn Whitmore, letters by John Costanza
(Click pictures to Doomsday-size)
Get well soon, Superman!

And hey, what do you do on the anniversary of this event?


from Superman (1987 series) #175 (DC, December 2001), script by Jeph Loeb, pencils by Ed McGuinness, inks by Cam Smith and Walden Wong, colors by Tanya Horie and Richard Horie, letters by Richard Starkings

Today in Comics History, November 18, 1992: Vital plot point is buried in hard-to-read text page at back of comic

from Doomsday Clock #7 (DC, November 2018), script by Geoff Johns, art by Gary Frank, design by Amie Brockway-Metcalf, colors by Brad Anderson

Today in Comics History, November 18: Happy birthday, Johnny Mercer!

Born on this day in 1919: songwriter, singer and lyricist Johnny Mercer ("Moon River", "Days of Wine and Roses," "That Old Black Magic" and so many more!



from "Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive" in Juke Box Comics #1 (Eastern Color, March 1948), creators uncredited and unknown
"Jeepers, Creepers," Johnny! You're "Too Marvelous for Words" and "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby!" "P.S. I Love You!"


Capital Records ad from Juke Box Comics #5 (Eastern Color, November 1948)
Happy birthday, Johnny!

Today in Comics History, November 18, 1963: Paul McCartney cursed with Midas Touch, turns John Lennon's head to a solid ingot

from The Beatles in Comics! (NBM, November 2018), script by Richard Di Martino, translation by Joe Johnson, art by Efix, letters by Ortho

Today in Comics History, November 18: Happy birthday, Bob Smith!

Born on this day: comic book artist/inker Bob Smith, especially known for his work at DC (Detective Comics and Batman, Warlord, Robin, House of Mystery, World's Finest, and more)!


"DC Profiles #43: Bob Smith" from DC Comics cover-dated November 1978

Today in Comics History, November 18: Like pages through the paperglass, these are the Days of Our Calendar

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, November 17, A Long Time Ago: You Bet Your Life Day

On this date in 1978, the class (?) TV spectcaular The Star Wars Holiday Special aired for the very first, and the very last, time. Opinions are divided as to the quality of the show (big furry Wookiee thumbs down on everything except the cartoon, but I like the Bea Arthur segment myself), but you can't help but admit it has had a major impact upon the Star Wars mythology. Now that it's all canon, it's fun to see where the legends got their start!

Okay, yeah, you got me. Thanks to contemporary Disney-era comic books, the celebration of Life Day and some of its characters are canon, if not necessarly anything that went on in that special. Aw, that means Harvey Korman piuring a drink into his volcano head is relegeated to Legends. But did anything good ever come out of the Holiday Special? Why yes! Like this awesome comic book cover by Francesco Francavilla!


cover of Star Wars Adventures (2020 series) #3 (IDW, February 2021), art by Francesco Francavilla

Today in Comics History, November 17: Happy birthday, Mari Aldon!

Born on this day in 1925, actor and dancer Mari Aldon (The Barefoot Contessa, This Woman Is Dangerous, Distant Drums and more). Mari's only been in a small number of films and has made even fewer appearances in comic books: namely, one. Which makes her a perfect person to wish happy birthday to in a quick post!


from "[Joyce Holden]" in Movie Love #16 (Eastern Color, December 1952), pencils and inks by Frank Fogarty
Happy birthday, Mari!

Today in Comics History, November 17: Happy birthday, Ed Brubaker!

Born on this day: comic book writer Ed Brubaker, creator/co-creator of series Lowlife, Gotham Central, Criminal, Incognito, Fatale, The Fade Out, Kill or Be Killed, Deadenders, Point Blank, Sleeper and others, plus extended runs on Captain America, Winter Soldier, Detective Comics, Daredevil, X-Men, The Immortal Iron Fist, The Marvels Project, Secret Avengers, Velvet and lots more! He co-created the characters Lady Bullseye, Vulcan, Darwin, and the Immortal Weapons!


from Marvel Comics cover-dated April 2008

Today in Comics History, November 17, 2994: Press "more" to read a contrasting rebuttal from the Emerald Empress

from Legion of Super-Heroes (1989 series) #3 (DC, January 1990), text by Tom Bierbaum and Mary Bierbaum

Today in Comics History, November 17: Batman finally deduces who stole Ace's favorite chew toy

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

Today in Comics History, November 17: And if you can't get the Dazzler album, at least go see her new band

from Dazzler: X-Song one-shot (Marvel, August 2018), script by Magdalene Visaggio, pencils and inks by Laura Braga, colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, letters by Joe Sabino

Today in Comics History, November 17, 2020: Oh no, DC, you're not fooling me again. I still haven't gotten that toaster back from Batman and Catwoman.

house ad from Aquaman (2016 series) #64 (DC, December 2020)

Today in Comics History, November 17, 1954: It may not be a jet plane, but Alan's going to marry it anyway

from "Across All Barriers!" in Forbidden Worlds #132 (ACG, February 1957), script by Richard Hughes (?), pencils by Dick Beck, inks by Pete Costanza

Now playing: Maria McKee

I got a copy of the LP version of Maria McKee's first solo, self-titled album! This is a crackerjack of an album from stem to stern. There's not a dud song on it.

Also, whoever owned this before me obviously never played it, which is a stupid, stupid, crime against great music! But at least I got a new mint version out of it!

Today in Comics History, November 16: Happy birthday, Darwyn Cooke!

Born on this day in 1962: multiple award-winning (13 Eisners, 8 Harveys, 5 Joe Shuster Awards) comics scripter and artist Darwyn Cooke, who defined so much of great comics during the 2000s: DC: The New Frontier, Catwoman, Catwoman: Selina's Big Score, Wolverine/Doop, The Spirit, The Twilight Children, Batman: Ego, Richard Stark's Parker, Solo #5, Spider-Man's Tangled Web #21 and more, plus so many great covers for DC and other publishers.

He passed away in 2016 at the age of 63. Wow, that's way too soon.


from Solo #5 (DC, August 2005)

Today in Comics History, November 16: Happy birthday, John Lewandowski!

Born on this day: Marvel writer (What If...?, Avengers, Thor, Darkhawk, Rocko's Modern Life, etc.) and editor (Avengers West Coast, What If...?, Silver Surfer, Warlock and the Infinity Watch, more) during the 1990s, John Lewandowski!


from Marvel Age #59, 94, and 107 (Marvel, February 1988, November 1990, and December 1991), text by Mike Carlin (#59), Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (#95), and Mike Lackey (#107); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Paul Becton (#59) and Renee Witterstaetter (#95 and 107)
Happy birthday, John!

Today in Comics History, November 16, 1853: Ship's log continued by Master Bates

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, November 16, 1943: J. Jonah Jameson demands: "Grandpa Parker! Get me photos of Thunderbolts!"

from Thunderbolts (1997 series) #165 (Marvel, January 2012), script by Jeff Parker, pencils by Kev Walker, inks by Terry Pallot, colors by Chris Sotomayor, letters by Joe Caramagna

Today in Comics History, November 16, 1990: George Bush acts just about the way we would expect George Bush to act

from Kirby: Genesis: Silver Star #1 (Dynamite, November 2011), co-plot by Alex Ross, co-plot and script by Jai Nitz, pencils by Johnny Desjardins, colors by Vinicius Andrade, letters by Simon Bowland

Today in Comics History, November 16: Sorry, Taylor, the real Album of the Year just dropped

from Jessica Jones (2016 series) #17 (April 2018), script by Brian Michael Bendis, pencils and inks by Michael Gaydos, colors by Matt Hollingsworth, letters by Clayton Cowles
(Click picture to Avengers-Tower-loomin'-over-us-size)
Did you pick up your copy? Scott Summers did! C'mon, you don't wanna be less cool than Cyclops, do ya?




Never forget to credit the album art artist! In this case: the uncanny Sienkiewicz!


cover of Dazzler #29 (Marvel, November 1983), painting by Bill Sienkiewicz, photograph by Eliot R. Brown

Today in Comics History, November 15: Darn, I wish I was your lover

Hey, today is Sadie Hawkins Day! By tradition, a day when women ask men out for dates, dining, dancing, and a little bit o' dis 'n' dat, instead of the other way round. Seriously, these days you can do this any time, kind ladies, and I hope you do. (Waiting by my telephone.)

Sadie Hawkins Day was created and popularized by extraordinary cartoonist and terrible person Al Capp in the classic comic strip Li'l Abner.


L'il Abner (November 14, 1935), by Al Capp

Today in Comics History, November 15: Happy birthday, Mike Gustovich!

Born on this day: comics artist and writer Mike Gustovich (creator of Justice Machine; he's also pencilled and inked Avengers, Defenders, New Mutants, and a long stretch inking the Milestone series Icon)!


from Marvel/New Universe comics cover-dated October 1988
Happy birthday, Mike!


from Marvel Age #139 (Marvel, August 1994)

Today in Comics History, November 15: Happy birthday, Michael Gallagher!

Born on this day: comic book writer/artist Michael Gallagher, who's worked on ALF, Madballs, Sonic the Hedgehog, Guardians of the Galaxy, and he's written and pencilled Marvel's comic book version of Heathcliff...


from Marvel kids' comics cover-dated April 1988
...which is an all in the family connection, as Michael is not only the son of gag cartoonist John Gallagher, but the nephew of George Gately, creator of Heathcliff!


from Marvel Age #39 (Marvel, June 1986)
Happy birthday, Michael!

Today in Comics History, November 15: Happy birthday, William Herschel!

Born on this day in 1738: astronomer, composer, and discovery of Uranus (tee hee hee hee) William Herschel! Yes, he looked up in the sky and saw Uranus! hee hee hee


from Four Color #866 (Dell, December 1957), script by Don R. Christensen, art by Tony Sgroi, colors by Western Publishing Production Shop
So let's wish Herschell a happy birthday and remember he's the one who first looked into Uranus BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA hee hee okay I'm all right now.


from "Planetary Names" in Showcase #19 (DC, March 1959), creators uncredited BWAH-HA-HA and unknown hee hee. It's funny because it's Uranus BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA

Today in Comics History, November 15, 1987: And now it's time for another episode of that America's popular forestry game show, "FELL! THAT! TREE!"

from "Choices" in D.P.7 #21 (Marvel/New Universe, July 1988), script by Howard Mackie, pencils by Ron Frenz, inks by Joe Sinnott, colors by Steve Buccellato, letters by Ken Lopez

Today in Comics History, November 15: Happy birthday, Martin Nodell!

Born on this day in 1915: comic book artist Martin Nodell, co-creator (with Bill Finger) of the Golden Age Green Lantern!


from Green Lantern (1941 series) #1 (Fall 1941)