Today in Comics History, April 28: Happy birthday, Dick Ayers!

Born on this day in 1924: Dick Ayers, comics penciller/inker (Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commanders, Two-Gun Kid, Strange Tales, Rawhide Kid, Tales to Astonish, Journey into Mystery,The X-Men, The Avengers, etc.) and co-creator of the Golden Age Ghost Rider (Magazine Enterprises), Asbestos Man, Plantman, Red Raven, the Leatherneck Raiders, and Sharon Carter, and more!


from (L) Marvel Tales Annual #1 (Marvel, September 1964),
(R) Fantastic Four Annual #7 (Marvel, November 1969)



Dick is especially fondly remembered for his run on Marvel's Sgt. Fury, in which he managed to self-insert himself into the wartime action! Here, he and Stan fly the Howlers out of Nazi territory!


from Sgt. Fury #22 (Marvel, September 1965), script by Stan Lee, pencils by Dick Ayers, inks by Carl Hubbell, letters by Artie Simek
I'm not 100% certain this is canon, but I love the idea: Dick and scripter Gary Friedrich parachute into WWII to accurately depict Fury and the Howlers in the comics!


from "Gary and Dick Up Front!" in Sgt. Fury Annual #4 (Marvel, August 1968), script by Gary Friedrich, pencils by Dick Ayers, inks by John Severin, letters by Irv Watanabe
Most of the Howling Commandos have a beef with Friedrich and Ayers about how they're being portrayed in the comics! Take it up with Stan, ya goldbricks!





Fury Annual #6 has a lovely wrap-around story: Stan calls all the Fury creators into the office to meet SHIELD-era Nick to pick which tales should go in the annual!



from "The Howling Commandos Through the Past Darkly!" in Sgt. Fury Annual #6 (Marvel, August 1970), script by Gary Friedrich, pencils by Dick Ayers, inks by John Severin, letters by Jean Simek
Dick (maroon suit), Gary Friedrich (orange hair), Roy Thomas (blond hair) and John Severin (brunette) are all there to advise Nick Fury.



After the story conference, Nick takes 'em all out to the movies — to see the recently-released Patton! Roy wanted to see The Aristocats, but he was outvited.


One of my favorite fourth-wall bustin' Marvel Comics is Sgt. Fury #100, which gathers the Commandos together at a reunion in 1972 to commemorate their 100th issue! The comic creators are there, of course! (and there's Dick in a close-up!)

from Sgt. Fury #100 (Marvel, July 1972), script by Gary Friedrich, pencils by Dick Ayers, inks by Mike Esposito, letters by Artie Simek
(Click top picture to Stan's ego-size)
Don't even try to wrap your mind around this meta-concept. COMICS!


We wish you a happy birthday, Dick Ayers, and keep your ammo...er, pencils...dry!


from 1975 Mighty Marvel Convention Program Book (Marvel, 1975), photograph by Michele Wolfman