Today in Comics History, May 21: Happy birthday, Richard Ashford!

Born on this day, Marvel scripter and editor Richard Ashford (Conan the Barbarian, Conan the Adventurer, Excalibur, Infinity Watch, Iron Man, and more)!


from Marvel Age #112 (Marvel, May 1992)



Here's Richard heralding a return to greatness in the pages of the "new look" Conan (he now has a yellow oval around his "C")!


from "The Hyborian Page," the letters column of Conan the Barbarian (1970 series) #266 (Marvel, March 1993), by Richard Ashford
Sadly, Conan the Barbarian was cancelled less than a year after that.



from Conan the Barbarian (1970 series) #275 (Marvel, December 1993); cover by Colin MacNeil; interior script by Roy Thomas; interior pencils by Mike Docherty; interior inks by Ricardo Villagran, Alfredo Alcala, and Ernie Chan; interior colors by Nelson Yomtov; letters by John Costanza
Luckily Conan was back in 1994's Conan the Adventurer*! *Cancelled in 1995.


from letters column of Conan the Adventurer (1995 series) #1 (Marvel, June 1994)
That's okay! Richard also edits Marvel Comics Presents...whoops.


from Marvel Comics Presents (1988 series) #170 (Marvel, Late December 1994)
With all that, I bet you can located Richard within the blink of an eye in this photgraphically accurate picture portrayal of the Marvel Pen (Bull)!

from Marvel Age #120 (Marvel, January 1993), art by Rick Parker
(Click top picture to Bullpen-size)
Happy birthday, Richard!