Today in Comics History, December 17, 1903: Compared to other realities, our Wright Brothers totally suck

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published December 17, 2014.

Today in American History (not just comics, altho' they overlap, as you shall see): one of the most important technological steps forward in humanity as the Wright Brothers finally realized our dream of flying. (Insert your own lost luggage joke here.)


from "Scoops...Pictures to Remember" in Real Fact Comics #1 (DC, March 1946), pencils and inks by George Roussos
Because the name of the comic book is Real Facts, i assure you that is fact, brother, just exactly as it happened, maybe minus Lex Luthor there underneath the yellow hat. Exciting, huh?

Today in Comics History, December 17, 1762: In the eighteenth century this pretty much was sex

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

Today in Comics History, December 17, 1942: Eisenhower appealed to through time

from "American Eagle" in True Comics #11 (Parents' Magazine Press, April 1942), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, December 17: Happy birthday, Andy Mushynsky!

Born on this day: comics inker Andy Mushynsky (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Barbie, The Defenders, Power Man and Iron Fist, The Pirates of Dark Water, and more)!


from Marvel Age #36 (Marvel, March 1986), text by Jim Salicrup, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Adam Philips
Happy birthday, Andy!

Today in Comics History, December 17, 1976: The Batman gets into fungible trading cards

from Batman #285 (DC, March 1977), script by David Vern, pencils by Romeo Tanghal, inks by Frank Springer

Today in Comics History, December 17: Geez, Pete, just buy a MetroCard, it's only $2.75

from "Bridge and Tunnel" in Amazing Spider-Man Family #3 (Marvel, February 2009), script by Stuart Moore, pencils by Val Semeiks, inks by Mark Irwin, colors by Andres Mossa, letters by Dave Sharpe

Today in Comics History, December 17, 1945(?): Future Man vows to travel back in time and scan a better fiche of this story

from a low-res microfiche of "[Future Man]" in Moon Girl (1947 series) #2 (EC, Winter 1947), script by Dorothy Woolfolk, pencils and inks by Sheldon Moldoff

Today in Comics History, December 16, 1991: Mistakes were made

from Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War Prelude #1 (Marvel, March 2018), script by Will Corono Pilgrim, art by Tigh Walker, color by Chris O'Halloran, letters by Travis Lanham
Sure, mistakes were made, and they also made the front page!


from Captain America: Civil War (Marvel Studios, 2016)

Today in Comics History, December 16: Happy birthday, Bill Hicks!

Born into this world today in 1961 (and he left all too soon on February 26, 1994, at the age of 32): comedian and social critic Bill Hicks, one of the influential voices who shaped my comic and political sensibilities into what they are today. Okay, I'm only seven, I shouldn't be listening to Mr. Hicks at my tender age, but hey...we all need to.



from Preacher #31 (DC/Vertigo, November 1997), script by Garth Ennis, pencils and inks by Steve Dillon, colors by Pamela Rambo, letters by Clem Robins
I've previously written about Bill Hicks as he's portrayed in the pages of Preacher (and probably a little more eloquently) a couple times previously, so check out my older posts "It's always funny until someone gets hurt. Then it's just hilarious." and then "I left in love, in laughter, and in truth and wherever truth, love and laughter abide, I am there in spirit."


from "Epilogue" in American Splendor Special: A Step Out of the Nest (Dark Horse, August 1994); script by Harvey Pekar; pencils, inks, and colors by Joe Zabel, letters by Gary Dumm
(You can read that John Lahr New Yorker piece on Hicks here.)

Wherever you are, Bill? Still speak truth to power.

Today in Comics History, December 16, 1941: You treat her like a lady, and she'll always bring you home

from "U.S.S. Minneapolis: Unsinkable Ship" in True Comics #43 (Parents' Magazine Press, Spring 1945), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, December 16: Hickman invents milk cartons

from The New Mutants (2020 series) #9 (Marvel, May 2020), script by Ed Brisson, pencils and inks by Flaviano Armentaro, colors by Carlos Lopez

Today in Comics History, December 15, 1773: America's first ironic twist ending

"The King's Spy" from Frontline Combat (1951 series) #5 (EC, March 1952); text, pencils, and inks by Harvey Kurtzman; colors by Marie Severin (?)

Today in Comics History, December 15: Happy birthday, Helen Slater!

Born on this day: actor Helen Slater, from The Legend of Billie Jean, Ruthless People, City Slickers, and of course, the title character in the Supergirl movie!


from Fifty Who Made DC Great one-shot (DC, 1985)

Today in Comics History, December 15, 1944: Fate and/or Nazis make Glenn Miller a liar

from "The Fighting Band-Leader" in Real Fact Comics #9 (DC, July 1947); script by Jack Schiff, Mort Weisinger, and/or Bernard Breslauer; pencils and inks by Fred Ray

Today in Comics History, December 15, 1966: They never die, the old mice / They just fade and go on ice

from Comic Book History of Animation #4 (IDW, February 2021); script by Fred Van Lente; pencils, inks, and letters by Ryan Dunlavey; colors by Adam Guzowski

Today in Comics History, December 15, 1988: Muggers terrified of superheroes; gas

from D.P. 7 #30 (Marvel/New Universe, April 1989), script by Mark Gruenwald, pencils by Paul Ryan, inks by Danny Bulanadi, colors by Paul Becton, letters by Janice Chiang

Today in Comics History, December 14: Tavern on the Green makes a bold move towards no tablecloths and paper napkins from a dispenser

from The New Mutants (1983 series) #99 (March 1991); plot, pencils, and inks by Rob Liefeld, script by Fabian Nicieza, colors by Brad Vancata, letters by Joe Rosen

Today in Comics History, December 14, 1939: Explorer licks, gets tongue stuck to North Pole

"Murder in the Frozen North" in Murderous Gangsters #4 (Avon, June 1952), creators un credited and unknown

Today in Comics History, December 14, 1985: Happy birthday, Cameron Chase!

Hope you survive the exp...oh.


from Infinite Frontier #6 (DC, November 2021), script by Joshua Williamson, pencils and inks by Xermanico, colors by Romulo Fajardo Jr., letters by Tom Napolitano

Today in Comics History, December 14, 1963: Santa personally delivers the Beatles' first Christmas Number One

from Klaus and the Life & Times of Joe Christmas #1 one-shot (Boom!, December 2019); script by Grant Morrison; pencils, inks, and colors by Dan Mora

Today in Comics History, December 14, 1762: James Boswell: After Dark

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

Today in Comics History, December 14, 1953: He's not going to be able to "Oh my darlin' Clementine" his way out of this one

from Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles #5 (DC, July 2018), script by Mark Russell, pencils by Mike Feehan, inks by Sean Parsons and Jose Marzan Jr., colors by Paul Mounts, letters by Dave Sharpe

Today in Comics History, December 14: Bruce sends Alfred out shopping for some dog glue

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, December 14, 1941: Moose sighted

from Archie 1941 #2 (Archie, December 2018), script by Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn, pencils and inks by Peter Krause, colors by Kelly Fitzpatrick, letters by Jack Morelli

Today in Comics History, December 13: Liefeld finds a perfect excuse for not drawing feet

from The New Mutants (1983 series) #99 (March 1991); plot, pencils, and inks by Rob Liefeld, script by Fabian Nicieza, colors by Brad Vancata, letters by Joe Rosen

Today in Comics History, December 13, 1941: The rest of Jimmy's reply was too filthy for the letterer to reproduce

from "The Killing Punch" in Martin Kane, Private Eye #4 (1) (Fox, June 1950), pencils and imks by Wally Wood

Today in Comics History, December 13, 1939: Germans regret giving their battleship a very silly name

from "Cavalcade of England, Chapter VIII" in True Comics #49 (Parent's Magazine Press, May 1946), script by Joseph H. Park, pencils and inks by Charles Raab (?)

Today in Comics History, December 13, 2010: Meanwhile, in another scene, someone says "We're in!"

from Extinction Seed #3 (GG Studio, May 2012), script by Davide Aicardi, translation by Andrea Plazzi and Adam McGovern, layouts by Giuseppe Cafaro, pencils by Livia Pastore, colors by Alessia Nocera, flats by Costantino Costantini and Susanna Monti Nia, letters by Roberto Alviggi

Today in Comics History, December 13 (1927?): Happy birthday, Star-Spangled Kid!

Born on this day: Sylvester Pembleton, the hero known as Star-Spangled Kid I and later, Skyman!


from Super DC Calendar 1976 (DC, 1975), letters by Ben Oda
Happy birthday, Sly! Don't let the skeleton sing birthday songs about you, m'okay?



from Infinity Inc. (1984 series) #50 (May 1988), script by Roy Thomas and Dann Thomas, pencils by Vince Argondezzi, inks by Tony DeZuniga, colors by Elizabeth Safian, letters by Jean Simek

Today in Comics History, December 13, 1941: Fred Andrews loves Christmas. I mean he really loves Christmas.

from Archie 1941 #2 (Archie, December 2018), script by Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn, pencils and inks by Peter Krause, colors by Kelly Fitzpatrick, letters by Jack Morelli

Today in Comics History, December 12, 1941: Ship nicely giftwrapped for Christmas

from "U.S.S. Minneapolis: Unsinkable Ship" in True Comics #43 (Parents' Magazine Press, Spring 1945), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, December 12: "Action Comics #1. You?"

from Action Comics #1027 (DC, January 2021), script by Brian Michael Bendis, pencils by John Romita, Jr., inks by Klaus Janson, colors by Brad Anderson, letters by Dave Sharpe

Today in Comics History, December 12, 1941: Agent ordered to leave phone booth open in case Superman needs it to change in

from The Vain #1 (Oni, October 2020), script by Eliot Rahal, pencils and inks by Emily Pearson, colors by Fred C. Stressing, color assists by Macy Kahn, letters by Crank!

Today in Comics History, December 12, 1970 and 2006: Every 36 years on December 12, the Daily Planet publishes an edition, whether they need it or not

from Man and Superman 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 one-shot (DC, April 2016), script by Marv Wolfman, pencils and inks by Claudio Castellini, colors by Hi-Fi

Today in Comics History, December 12, 1938 and 1945: Executioner figured he'd schedule 'em all on the same day, get 'em over with

from (top) "The Gray Phantom" and (bottom) "The Red-Headed Monster" in Crime Must Pay the Penalty #33 (1) (Ace, February 1948), pencils by Leo Morey (top) and Al Camy (bottom)

Today in Comics History, December 12, 1941: Churchill flees war-torn England to, I dunno, kick some Zulus, maybe?

from All-Star Squadron #7 (DC, March 1982), script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Adrian Gonzales, inks by Jerry Ordway, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by John Costanza