Today in Comics History, March 28: Happy birthday, Randy Brooks!

Born on this day in 1917: jazz trumpeter and bandleader Randy Brooks, discovered at the age of 11 by Rudy Vallee and who played on hit records like "Tenderly," "Harlem Nocturne," and "The Man With The Horn." But for some reason, his comic book biography choose to focus instead on his...youth basketball career?!?




from Juke Box Comics #5 (Eastern Color, November 1948), pencils and inks by Henry C. Kiefer
So little respect did comic books give his trumpeting that when he appeared in a DC romance comic, they didn't even mention his musical career. Also, that's not him.


from "Tears for a Dream!" in Young Romance #162 (DC/National, October 1969), pencils (and inks?) by Werner Roth, letters by Ira Schnapp
Let's celebrate his birthday with some proper trumpet. Take us out, Randy!


"The Man with the Horn" by Randy Brooks and His Orchestra (Decca, 1945), written by Bonnie Lake, Eddie DeLange, and Jack Jenney