Today in Comics History, January 20: Happy birthday, George Burns!

Born on this day in 1896: Comedian, actor, and star of vaudeville, radio, television and movies: George Burns! He was God, you know. But did you know he assisted Doc Savage on one of his most dangerous cases? Actually, it was actually wife Gracie who saved the day when she flew up in her rocket-assisted flying suit to deliver the bomb that blew up John Sunlight's Deadly Dirgible. Now you know...the rest of the story!


cover of Doc Savage Comics v.2 #2/14 (Street and Smith, April 1943), artist unknown
Hey, can you spot George Burns in the crowd at this comedy club among a deluge of great comedians (and a few bad ones)? Remember: you ain't nobody 'til Mort Drucker draws you!

"New Twists on Old Jokes" in MAD #314 (October 1992); script by Dennis Snee, pencils and inks by Mort Drucker
(Click top picture to Louis Anderson-size)
Ya did? So fast? Well, pfui on you! Try your peepers on this one: find George Burns on this cover!



from MAD #39 (May 1958), painting by C. C. Beall Jr.
Happy 126th birthday, George! Now say goodnight, Gracie.


from "Do the Copyright Thing" in Simpsons Comics #90 (Bongo, January 2004), script by Ian Boothby, pencils by John Costanza, inks by Phyllis Novin, colors by Art Villanueva, letters by Karen Bates

The MAD 1960 2016 calendar for Fatheaded February!

"The MAD 1960 Calendar: February" from MAD #52 (January 1960), script by Larry Siegel, art by Bob Clarke

The MAD 1960 2016 calendar for Jerky January!

Well, sorry folks: no Marvel Age Calendar for this year, because as far as I can tell, Marvel Age didn't put a calendar on the back covers of their 1988 issues. (Boo! Hiss! Get rid of those house ads!) In fact, I can't return to the Marvel Age calendars until at least 2018, when I can re-use the 1990 one; or 2019, when I can ditto with the 1985. And what with it bein' a Leap Year (gosh! I better watch myself around Shelly the Otter!), we'd have to go back to 1960 to look for a calendar we can use again in 2016! Say, now that you mention it...


"The MAD 1960 Calendar" from MAD #52 (January 1960), script by Larry Siegel, art by Bob Clarke
Why, that's just what we need, a calendar that brings us boldly into the sixties sixteen!


"The MAD 1960 Calendar: January" from MAD #52 (January 1960), script by Larry Siegel, art by Joe Orlando
Clip it out with scissors and paste it up on the wall of your seedy 1960s style apartment! (Be sure to print it out and don't cut up your computer monitor. Don't make the same silly mistake I made!)

What, me worry?

Well, to clear up the confusion the above might bring: no, I'm not on vacation, and yes, I'll be back (and sooner than two weeks!) Unexpected life events took me away from my li'l stuffed blog but I'll be back PDQ-ASAP with all the Halloweenie features of which you might be frightened (that you missed)! Stay tuned and I should be back this weekend...cross your hooves for me!

Oh, and another confusing thing: I am not on the cover of Mad. It's jus' my li'l salute o' the hoof (and an apology) to Alfred E. Neuman and the Usual Gang of Idiots:


cover of Mad #130 (October 1969)