Saturday, February 11, 2023

Today in Comics History, February 11: Talia sighs and vows to make her dad finally wear those golf shirts she gets him every Father's Day


from Batman: Killing Time #3 (DC, July 2022), script by Tom King, pencils and inks by David Marquez, colors by Alejandro Sánchez, letters by Clayton Cowles

Today in Comics History, February 11: Happy birthday, Eva Gabor!

Born on this day in 1919 (and she's still the youngest Gabor sister): Eva Gabor, actor on Green Acres...


from "TV Scenes Worth Waiting For!" in Cracked #74 (Major, January 1969), pencils and inks by Lugoze

...the voice of Duchess the cat in The Aristocats...



from "The Alley Avengers" in The Aristokittens #5 (Western/Gold Key, October 1974), pencils and inks by Sparky Moore, letters by Bill Spicer (?)

...and of Miss Bianca in The Rescuers films!


from Disney's The Rescuers Down Under (Disney, 1990), artist uncredited and unknown

Happy birthday, Ms. Gabor! Who doesn't love Eva Gabor? Who doesn't love Green Acres?


from Predator (1989 series) #1 (Dark Horse, June 1989), script by Mark Verheiden, pencils by Chris Warner, inks by Sam de la Rosa and Randy Emberlin, colors by Chris Chalenor, letters by David Jackson

Today in Comics History, February 11: Happy birthday, Ericka Moran!

Born on this day: comics colorist Ericka Moran (The Amazing Spider-Man, Punisher: War Zone, Silver Surfer, Uncanny X-Men, and more!)! Find her below in the Marvel Bullpen and give her a cake!



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

Happy birthday, Ericka!

Friday, February 10, 2023

Today in Comics History, February 10, 2021: Comic book attempts to reach you concerning your vehicle's extended warranty


from The Nice House on the Lake #12 (DC/Black Label, February 2023), script by James Tynion IV, pencils and inks by Álvaro Martínez Bueno, colors by Jordie Bellaire, letters by AndWorld Design

Today in Comics History, February 10: Happy birthday, Irv Watanabe!

Born on this day in 1919: Hitoshi Irving Watanabe, better known to us as Irv Watanabe, master letterer on so many Marvel Comics during the 1970s that I'd be surprised if there isn't a book he worked on! But he's also been working an an illustrator and letterer since the Golden Age, including much uncredited work for the Charles Biro/Bob Wood Shop!



Biro-Wood Staff Christmas Card, circa 1949, from The Comic Book Makers by Joe Simon and Jim Simon (Vanguard, May 2003), artist uncredited

Happy birthday, Irv!

Today in Comics History, February 10: Happy birthday, Karla Pacheco!

A very happy birthday today to comics-writin' and sea-farin' pal Karla Pacheco, who's written the utterly spideriffic recent seris of Spider-Woman, Bettie Page, that Fantastic Four 2099 one-shot with a heart-breaking twist, and even a story in the so-distinguished-it's-French Métal Hurlant!


from Spider-Woman (2020 series) #1 (Marvel, May 2020), text by Karla Pacheco



"Dynamite Dispatch" in Dynaice Comics cover-dated April 2020

A happy birthday to ya, Karla. Love your writing, love you lots.


from Spider-Woman (2020 series) #4 (Marvel, September 2020), text by Karla Pacheco

Today in Comics History, February 10, 1863: It's a nice day for a tiny wedding


"Courtship in Miniature" from Classics Illustrated #88 (Gilberton, October 1951), creators uncredited and unknown

That's a nice love story, right?


Oh hey, Wikipedia, is that true?


(tugging on my collar, looking away nervously) Yeeeeeesh.

Thursday, February 09, 2023

Today in Comics History, February 9: Happy birthday, Jo Duffy!

Born on this day: comics editor and writer Jo Duffy, scripter on Power Man & Iron Fist, the '80s Marvel Star Wars, Fallen Angels, Crystar, Marvel Comics Presents, Marvel Fanfare, Catwoman, Glory, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark and much more!


from Mighty Marvel Calendar 1979 (Marvel, 1978)



from Marvel Age #26, 50, 87, and 98 (Marvel, May 1985, May 1987, April 1990, and January 1991); text by Jim Salicrup (#26), Mike Carlin (#50), and Chris Eliopolous and Barry Dutter (#87 and 98); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by Gregory Wright (#87) and Marie Javins (#98)

By the way, that last calendar panel is misleading (aka wrong). Duffy didn't write Akira, she did the English adaptation of the original work by Katsuhiro Otomo with translation by Yoko Umezawa.



Today in Comics History, February 9, 1972: I don't know much about art but I know what I like to steal*


from Dick Tracy (Chicago Tribune Syndicate, January 10, 1980), script by Max Allan Collins, art by Rick Fletcher

*Art.

Today in Comics History, February 9, 2021: No, Molly, it's a trap!


from The Nice House on the Lake #12 (DC/Black Label, February 2023), script by James Tynion IV, pencils and inks by Álvaro Martínez Bueno, colors by Jordie Bellaire, letters by AndWorld Design

Tuesday, February 07, 2023

The Adventures of Bully: Whoever pulls this steak knife out of this hamburger bun shall be rightful king of Bullsylvania


Today in Comics History, February 7, 1987: Firestorm: Threat or Menace?


from The Fury of Firestorm (1982 series) #63 (DC, September 1987), script by John Ostrander, pencils by Joe Brozowski, inks by Dick Giordano, colors by Nansi Hoolahan, letters by John Workman

Monday, February 06, 2023

Today in Comics History, February 6: Snaky birthday, Ronald Reagan!

Born on this day in 1911, the 40th President of the United Snakes, Ronald Reagan. I'm absolutely no fan of Reagan, so I'm definitely not gonna wish him a happy birthday (more like...). But I do choose to salute him the way I remember him best...


cover of Captain America (1968 series) #344 (Marvel, August 1988), pencils by Ron Frenz, inks by Al Milgrom

...as a slithering snake-man Captain America got to punch in the face.



Today in Comics History, February 6: Happy birthday, Rich Buckler!

Born on this day in 1949: comics artist Rich Buckler (Justice League of America, All-Star Squadron, Mighty Crusaders, Secret Society of Super Villains, The Warlord, The Unexpected, World's Finest Comics, The Avengers, Astonishing Tales (where he created Deathlok), Black Panther (where he co-created Killmonger), Fantastic Four, The Spectacular Spider-Man, The Big Bang, Eerie, Creepy, and many more)! He's also the author of three books about working in the industry: How to Become a Comic Book Artist, How to Draw Superheroes, and How to Draw Dynamic Comic Books. He certainly was an expert in all three!


from Mighty Marvel Calendar 1976 and 1977 (Marvel, 1975 and 1976), and Marvel Age #98 (Marvel, March 1991), text by Chris Eliopolous and Barry Dutter, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme




Today in Comics History, February 6: Happy birthday, Mark Bernardo!

Born on this day: comics writer, colorist, and editor Mark Bernardo (X-Man, Spectacular Spider-Man, Spider-Man Unlimited, Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man, and the Spider-Man Peanut Butter promo comics, among others!


"Marvel Pro File" from "Bullpin Bulletins" in Marvel Comics cover-dated April 1997




Today in Comics History, February 6, 1902: That's gotta be one very untidy plot of ground


from "Stranger Than Fiction" in The Funnies (1936 series) #8 (Dell, May 1937), script by Richard Thomas, pencils and inks by Walter Galli

Today in Comics History, February 6, 1899: Orator balances long-winded speech balloon over his head


from Picture Stories from American History #4 (EC, Summer 1947), script by Jerry Coleman, pencils and inks by Allen Simon

Today in Comics History, February 6, 1778: Ridiculous French accent is invented


from "The Story of the War of Independence" in Picture Stories from American History #2 (EC, 1946), script by M. C. Gaines and W. W. D. Sones, pencils and inks by Allen Simon

Today in Comics History, February 6: Happy birthday, Mamie Van Doren!

Put on your 3-D glasses because it's time to salute Miss Mamie Van Doren on her birthday today! Mamie's the titular star of Untamed Youth and Girls Town (both spoofed on MST3K), High School Confidential, The Las Vegas Hillbillys (prequel to Hillbillys in a Haunted House), Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women, Sex Kittens Go to College (well, good for them!) and Francis Joins the WACS, but she didn't make many appearances in comic books, unless you count this amalgam gal in a dog-face world blend of her and Brigitte Bardot spotted in Duckburg among the race cars, lasers, and aeroplanes:


from "Sitting High" in Walt Disney's Comics and Stories v.21 #5 [#245] (Dell, February 1961); script, pencils, and inks by Carl Barks; colors by Western Publishing Production Shop; letters by Garé Barks

Happy birthday, Mamie van Ducken Doren!

Kitty Pryde 🐈‍⬛: Even kittys have nightmares

Kitty Pryde just woke up crying and crying (MEW! MEW! forlornly) so I think she had a bad dream and I cuddled her until she finally fell asleep again.


Sweeter dreams, Kitty Pryde 🐈‍⬛.

Sunday, February 05, 2023

Kitty Pryde 🐈‍⬛: "No! I am not ready to go to bed!"

"In fact, I am going to pounce!"


Today in Comics History, February 5: Happy birthday, Hank Aaron!

Happy birthday to Hank Aaron, one of the greatest players of Major League Baseball, born on this day in 1934. His sensational home run record of 755 beat out Babe Ruth's previous record and cemented his place in history. 25 times an All-Star player, World Series champ and National League MVP in 1957, and inspiration for MLB's Hank Aaron Award — Aaron is a legend of sports. Why, even the whitest of white teenagers had a poster of Hank Aaron on his wall!


cover of Pep #302 (Archie, June 1975), pencils by Dan DeCarlo, inks by Rudy Lapick, colors by Barry Grossman, letters by Bill Yoshida




Kitty Pryde 🐈‍⬛: Gotta buy her a hammock


Kitty Pryde 🐈‍⬛: Important cat possessions recovered from under the couch

For the life of me I do not remember these toys, but she's got 3,000 of them, and you can't return 'em, because they've got spit all over 'em...


"Thank you, Bully!" says Kitty Pryde 🐈‍⬛!


Fifteen minutes later update: Annnnnnnd the red one is back under the couch.