Today in Comics History, March 11: Happy birthday, Ray Gill!

Born on this day in 1918: comic book writer, artist and editor Ray Gill (Mighty Mouse, Super Rabbit, Pals and Pastimes and more, and the co-creator of Airman and Terry Vance). He worked at Funnies Inc. (he was the #2 guy in hierachy there after Lloyd Jacquet), and created for Lev Gleason, Timely, Novelty, Archie, Fawcett, and more in books like Marvel Mystery Comics, Blue Bolt, 4Most, Archie Comics, Target Comics (note: not about the store), Laugh Comics, Pep Comics, etc. And his brother was comic book writer Joe Gill!

Here's a nod-and-a-wink reference to Ray in the pages of a Golden Age Human Torch story. Hey, can you guess which tough guy wrote the darn thing?


from "Hot Stamp Mob!" in All-Winners Comics #6 (Marvel/Timely, Fall 1942), script by Mickey Spillane, pencils by Harry Fisk (?), inks by Edd Ashe (?)
And in this text story I've read so you don't have to, Atomic Mouse meets Ray Gill (and Charlton editor Al Fago and his wife)!

"Bum-bum-bum-Bomb" from Funny Animals #87 (Charlton, October 1954), creator uncredited and unknown
(Click picture to gratuitous cameo-size)
Happy birthday, Ray!