There Is No Hope in Crime Alley 2024: Hand over those three rocks, lady

Long-time readers of this blog will know that pretty much everytime June 26 rolls around, I commemorate the death of Thomas and Martha Wayne by showing off panels of that iconic origin of Batman, because it's been portrayed in comic books two or three times.


from "The Batman Wars Against the Dirigible of Doom" in Detective Comics (1937 series) #33 (DC, November 1939), script by Bill Finger, figure pencils and inks by Bob Kane, background pencils and letters by Sheldon Moldoff
However, this year let's mix it up a little bit and show a happier ending to that trip through Crime Alley:


Nancy (United Feature Syndicate, October 10, 1953), by Ernie Bushmiller
I'm pretty sure Sluggo still got shot, but still...

Today in Comics History, June 26, 1903: Massive debt undertaken to decorate aft end of ship

from "Most Dangerous Passage" in True Comics #65 (Parents' Magazine Press, October 1947), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, June 25: Hoberman has been poked; had his dog shot; is bugged

from "The Sins of the Father..." in Action Comics Weekly #606 (DC, June 28, 1988), script by Martin Pasko, pencils and inks by Dan Spiegle, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Carrie Spiegle

Today in Comics History, June 25, 8:07 AM Pacific/10:07 AM Central: A tiny gnome is kicking Rafael's shins

from "The Sins of the Father..." in Action Comics Weekly #606 (DC, June 28, 1988), script by Martin Pasko, pencils and inks by Dan Spiegle, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Carrie Spiegle

Today in Comics History, June 25, 7:30 AM Pacific/9:30 Central: Mysterious package makes second appearance in comics within two weeks

from "If That Mockingbird Don't Sing..." in Action Comics Weekly #605 (DC, June 21, 1988), script by Martin Pasko, pencils and inks by Dan Spiegle, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Carrie Spiegle
And now, the exciting recap:


from "The Sins of the Father..." in Action Comics Weekly #606 (DC, June 28, 1988), script by Martin Pasko, pencils and inks by Dan Spiegle, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Carrie Spiegle
Wait, the handwriting on the package changed!

Today in Comics History, June 25, 9:05 AM: Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building

from "If That Mockingbird Don't Sing..." in Action Comics Weekly #605 (DC, June 21, 1988), script by Martin Pasko, pencils and inks by Dan Spiegle, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Carrie Spiegle

Today in Comics History, June 25, 12:41 AM: Yep, let's paint our super-secret stealth spy plane tomato red

from "If That Mockingbird Don't Sing..." in Action Comics Weekly #605 (DC, June 21, 1988), script by Martin Pasko, pencils and inks by Dan Spiegle, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Carrie Spiegle

Today in Comics History, June 24, 10:36 PM Pacific/June 25, 12:36 AM Central: Cops give bad news to Han Solo

from "Haunts of the Very Rich" in Action Comics Weekly #604 (DC, June 14, 1988), script by Martin Pasko, pencils and inks by Dan Spiegle, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Carrie Spiegle

Today in Comics History, June 25, 12:33 AM: Tonight, on Jackass...

from "Haunts of the Very Rich" in Action Comics Weekly #604 (DC, June 14, 1988), script by Martin Pasko, pencils and inks by Dan Spiegle, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Carrie Spiegle

Today in Comics History, June 24, 10:29 PM Pacific/June 25, 12:29 AM Central: Wow, that musta been some kind of magic trick

from "If That Mockingbird Don't Sing..." in Action Comics Weekly #605 (DC, June 21, 1988), script by Martin Pasko, pencils and inks by Dan Spiegle, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Carrie Spiegle

Today in Comics History, June 25, 12:26 AM: Artificial method to jump-start a Crisis on Infinite Earths is discovered

from "If That Mockingbird Don't Sing..." in Action Comics Weekly #605 (DC, June 21, 1988), script by Martin Pasko, pencils and inks by Dan Spiegle, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Carrie Spiegle

Today in Comics History, June 24, 11:58 PM: This is the weirdest Columbo ever

from "Haunts of the Very Rich" in Action Comics Weekly #604 (DC, June 14, 1988), script by Martin Pasko, pencils and inks by Dan Spiegle, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Carrie Spiegle

Today in Comics History, June 24, 11:45 PM: It's hard to know who to root for here, the guy with a skullface and lobotomy or the one in his footie pajamas

from "Haunts of the Very Rich" in Action Comics Weekly #604 (DC, June 14, 1988), script by Martin Pasko, pencils and inks by Dan Spiegle, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Carrie Spiegle

Today in Comics History, June 24, 11:17 PM: Amazon.com deliveries get more and more complicated

from "Haunts of the Very Rich" in Action Comics Weekly #604 (DC, June 14, 1988), script by Martin Pasko, pencils and inks by Dan Spiegle, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Carrie Spiegle

Today in Comics History, June 24, Midsummer Night: Who's the special guest at the barbecue? It's Agatha all along

from The Vision and the Scarlet Witch (1985 series) #3 (Marvel, December 1985), script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Richard Howell, inks by Jim Mooney, colors by Janet "JayJay" Jackson, letters by Lois Buhalis

Today in Comics History, June 24, 3:03 PM: We have always spied in the castle

from "Haunts of the Very Rich" in Action Comics Weekly #604 (DC, June 14, 1988), script by Martin Pasko, pencils and inks by Dan Spiegle, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Carrie Spiegle

Today in Comics History, June 24, 2:25 PM: Livin' in a box / Livin' in a Barney's box

Well, whaddaya know? It was called "Haunts of the Very Rich!"


from "Haunts of the Very Rich" in Action Comics Weekly #604 (DC, June 14, 1988), script by Martin Pasko, pencils and inks by Dan Spiegle, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Carrie Spiegle

Today in Comics History, June 24, 12:24 PM Pacific (2:24 PM Central): How very disarming, Mister Bond

from "Spread Your Broken Wings and Learn to Fly" in Action Comics Weekly #603 (DC, June 7, 1988), script by Martin Pasko, pencils and inks by Dan Spiegle, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Carrie Spiegle
Aw, what do you wanna bet the next story won't even be called "Haunts of the Very Rich"?

Today in Comics History, June 24, 2:00 PM: Noooooobody expects Barney's...oh wait, yeah, you're on the list.

from "Spread Your Broken Wings and Learn to Fly" in Action Comics Weekly #603 (DC, June 7, 1988), script by Martin Pasko, pencils and inks by Dan Spiegle, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Carrie Spiegle

Today in Comics History, June 24, 1947: Alien geese prepare to invade Earth

from UFO Flying Saucers #1 (Western/Gold Key, October 1968), script by Leo Dorfman, pencils and inks by Joe Certa

Today in Comics History, June 24, 1898: Doctor shoots to kill

"Army Doc" from M.D> (1955 series) #5 (EC, December 1956), creators uncredited and unknown