Today in Comics History, April 23: Happy birthday, James Buchanan!

Born on this day in 1791: the 15th President of the United States James Buchanan, who, let's face it, wasn't all that great. More to the point, it's nigh-impossible to find actual references to him in comic books because search results are clogged up by you know who. But I did find a couple comic appearances. Hey, comic books: can you sum up the entirely of his career in two pages? You bet they can!:



from Life Stories of American Presidents one-shot (Dell, November 1957), pencils and inks by John Buscema, letters by Ben Oda
Following his death, General Córdova was pressed flat and turned into a stamp of a lion by Colonel Gumm.


"All-American Stamp Page" from All-American Comics (1939 series) #25 (DC/J.R. Publishing, April 1941), creators uncredited and unknown
Much later, like all Presidents, he became a zombie and fought Deadpool.


from Deadpool (2013 series) #4 (Marvel, March 2013), script by Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn, pencils and inks by Tony Moore, colors byt Val Staples, letters by Joe Sabino
There. That's all you need to know about James Buchanan.

Today in Comics History, July 23, 1930: Poor guy didn't even get a picture next to his obit in a comic book

from "Hop Harrigan's History of American Aviation" in All-American Comics (1939 series) #26 (DC/J.R. Publishing, May 1941); text, penils, and inks by Jon Blummer

Today in Comics History, July 8-10, 1929: Harold & Kumar Go to Pizza Hut

from "Hop Harrigan's History of American Aviation" in All-American Comics (1939 series) #26 (DC/J.R. Publishing, May 1941); text, penils, and inks by Jon Blummer

Today in Comics History, November 15, 1940: Since paper is made with wood, you could beat Green Lantern to death with this newspaper

from "[Fix the Fight Game]" in All-American Comics (1939 series) #22 (DC/All-American, January 1941), script by Bill Finger, pencils and inks by Marty Nodell as Mart Dellon, letters by Carrie Nodell

Today in Comics History, September 14, 1911: Gruesome man in green hat paws at your mail

from "Hop Harrigan's History of American Aviation" in All-American Comics #22 (DC, January 1941); text, pencils, and inks by Jon L. Blummer

Today in Comics History, August 27, 1910: The message was "Guess where I'm texting you from?"

from "Hop Harrigan's History of American Aviation" in All-American Comics #22 (DC, January 1941); text, pencils, and inks by Jon L. Blummer

Today in Comics History, August 1, 1934: Airman breaks eight records mishandling them in baggage claim

from "Hop Harrigan's History of American Aviation" in All-American Comics #29 (DC, August 1941); text, pencils, and inks by Jon L. Blummer

Today in Comics History, July 24, 1534: Chalk up win number one bajillion for the white man

from "The Story of the French in America" in All-American Comics (1939 series) #65 (DC/All-American, April 1945), script by M. C. Gaines and W. W. D. Sones, pencils and inks by Allen Simon

Today in Comics History, July 16, 1940: Hundreds perish in tragic train wreck just so this guy can get a cool origin story

from "[The Origin of Green Lantern]" in All-American Comics (1939 series) #16 (DC/All-American Comics, July 1940), script by Bill Finger; pencils, inks, and letters by Martin Nodell
Here's that Earth-2 origin story retold in an eighties comic!


from "The Tale of the Green Lantern" in Secret Origins (1986 series) #18 (DC, September 1987), script by (who else?) Roy Thomas, pencils and inks by George Freeman, colors by Anthony Tollin, letters by Jean Simek
How do we know this happened on July 16? Why, thanks to this fly on the wall. OH YES THANK YOU VERY MUCH DOOMSDAY CLOCK rassing frassin Doomsday Clock


from Doomsday Clock #7 (DC/Black Label, November 2018), script by Geoff Johns, pencils and inks by Gary Frank, colors by Brad Anderson, letters by Rob Leigh
Well, I guess everything is okay herOH DOCTOR MANHATTAN YOU ARE A JERK


And so, Doctor Manhattan continues to be a jerk:


from Doomsday Clock #9 (DC/Black Label, May 2019), script by Geoff Johns, pencils and inks by Gary Frank, colors by Brad Anderson, letters by Rob Leigh
OH COME ON NOW DOCTOR JERKHATTAN


MAKE UP YOUR FREAKIN' MIND


from Doomsday Clock #12 (DC/Black Label, February 2020), script by Geoff Johns, pencils and inks by Gary Frank, colors by Brad Anderson, letters by Rob Leigh
And that's why Alan Scott was the first Green Lantern. DESPITE.

Today in Comics History, June 4, 1935: Curtiss Robin breaks the record formerly held by Alley Kirstie

from "Hop Harrigan's History of American Aviation" in All-American Comics #45 (DC, December 1942); script, pencils, and inks by Joe L. Blummer

Today in Comics History, May 20, 1498: Vasco da Gama claims India through the cunning use of flags

from "The Stories of John Cabot and Vasco da Gama" in All-American Comics #62 (DC, December 1944), script by Max Gaines and W. W. D. Sones, pencils and inks by Allen Simon

Today in Comics History, May 8, 1919: We all agreed to never mention those other two flights

from "Hop Harrigan's History of American Aviation" in All-American Comics (1939 series) #45 (DC, December 1942), text and art by Joe L. Blummer

Today in Comics History, April 19, 1775: Silencer not used on gun

from "The Story of the First Shots of the Revolution" in All-American Comics #2 (DC, June June 1945), script by M. C. Gaines and W. W. D. Sones, pencils and inks by Allen Simon

Today in Comics History, April 1: Happy birthday, Sheldon Mayer!

Born this day in 1917: Sheldon Mayer, writer, editor, artist, and one of the greatest comic book creators of the 20th century. He's one of my favorite-ever comic book masters.


from Fifty Who Made DC Great one-shot (DC, 1985)

Today in Comics History, January 29, 1935: Harry Richman convinces Glenn Miller that air flight is safer than ever

from "Hop Harrigan's History of American Aviation" in All-American Comics #45 (DC, December 1942); script, pencils, and inks by Joe L. Blummer

Today in Comics History, January 27: Happy birthday, Atom (I)!

Born today, so get out the little candles and a mini-cake: Al Pratt, The Atom!


from Super DC Calendar 1976 (DC, 1975), letters by Ben Oda

Today in Comics History, January 19, 1911: Bi-plane goes both ways

from "Hop Harrigan's History of American Aviation" in All-American Comics #22 (DC, January 1941); text, panels and inks by Jon Blummer

Today in Comics History, January 12, 1938: What the Vision was really built out of

from "Hop Harrigan's History of American Aviation" in All-American Comics (1939 series) #45 (DC, December 1942), text and art by Joe L. Blummer

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 253: Alphabet Antics House Ads Week, Day 3

DC Comics alphabet house ads
I: from Superman #41 (July 1946)
J: from Detective Comics #114 (August 1946)
K: from Superman #42 (September 1946)
L: from Adventure Comics #109 (October 1946)

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 252: Alphabet Antics House Ads Week, Day 2

DC Comics alphabet house ads
E: from Superman #39 (March 1946)
F: from Star Spangled Comics #54 (April 1946)
G: from Adventure Comics #103 (May 1946)
H: from Detective Comics #112 (June 1946)