Today in Comics History, June 3: Happy Birthday, Allen Ginsberg!

Born on this date in 1925: Beat poet, essayist, and philosopher Allen Ginsberg (Howl, Kaddish, Cosmopolitan Greetings, The Fall of America and more)! He was (and still is) considered, along with William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac, one of the greatest voices of his generation, and one of the writers who put the renowned and vital City Lights Bookstore at the forefront of fifties' history when they published Howl and defended against obscenity.

You all are, I presume, familiar with getting together a list of famous people born on this day and then go researching their comic book appearances, but becomes suprised and disappointed that there are no appearances in comics of Larry McMurtry or Boots "Yakety Sax" Randolph. But then along comes Allen Ginsberg with a surprisingly large number of comic book guest-starring appearances, even if you don't count Marvel's 1968 Dr. Strange/Allen Ginsberg Team-Up #1-6!


from Meet the Beats (Water Row Press, 1985 series), by Robert Crumb

Today in Comics History, March 30: Happy birthday, Tex Blaisdell!

Born today in the year 1920: Philip "Tex" Blaisdell, comics artist and editor. He was penciller and/or inker on such strips as The Spirit, Prince Valiant, Pope, and Little Orphan Annie, and on comic books like Superman, Batman, the Flash, World's Finest Comics, Green Lantern, Adam Strange, Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact, Military Comics, 4Most and lots more!


from DC Comics cover-dated January 1978
We're live ringside at the boxing bout between Superman and Muhammad Ali for the title of Champion of the Universe, and Tex Blaisdell is there in the stands! Can you spot him? (Hint: he does not have as good a seat as Batman.)

cover of All-New Collectors' Edition #C-56 (DC, March 1978), layout by Joe Kubert, pencils by Neal Adams, inks by Neal Adams (?) and/or Cory Adams (?), logo design by John Workman
(Click top picture to GOAT-size)
The winner of that match now goes on to face Ben Grimm over in Marvel Two-in-One Annual #7.

So you found him pretty fast, huh? Well, here's a clue for you all: he's on this house (of mystery) wall! Can you find him now? (Really, there's no prize or anything, I just thought you'd find it fun.)

from "Do You Dare Enter The House of Mystery?" in House of Mystery #226 (DC, August 1974), script by Paul Levitz, pencils and inks by Sergio Aragonés
(Click picture to Abel-size)
Finally, here's a thinly disguised Tex as "Tex Bumblewell" at Sam Simian's comic publisher in an Angel and the Ape tale!


from Showcase #77 (DC, September 1968), scripter ID uncertain (see here), pencils by Bob Oksner, inks by Tex Blaisdell, letters by Ray Holloway ?
Happy birthday, Tex!

Today in Comics History, June 12, 1989: Just another normal day at the First National Bank of San Simian

from Angel and the Ape (1991 series) #1 (April 1991), script and pencils by Phil Foglio, inks by Keith Wilson, colors by Tom Ziuko, letters by John Workman

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 354: Heroes with A-peel

House ads for Showcase #77 [Angel and the Ape] (September 1968); printed in (top) The Brave and the Bold #78 (June-July 1968); (bottom) Wonder Woman (1942 series) #176 (May-June 1968)
Ads designed and lettered by Gaspar Saladino



House ad for Angel and the Ape (1968 series) #1 (November-December 1968);
printed in Wonder Woman (1942 series) #179 (November-December 1968)
Comic cover art: pencils and inks by Bob Oksner
Ad designed and lettered by Gaspar Saladino



House ad for Angel and the Ape (1968 series) #2 (January-February 1969);
printed in Wonder Woman (1942 series) #180 (January-February 1969)
Comic cover art: pencils and inks by Bob Oksner
Ad designed and lettered by Gaspar Saladino



House ad for Angel and the Ape (1991 limited series) #1 (March 1991);
printed in [Batman:] Legends of the Dark Knight #15 (February 1991)
Ad art: pencils by Phil Foglio, inks by Keith Wilson, colors by Tom Ziuko

See also.

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 133

House ad for Angel and the Ape #5 (July-August 1969); printed in House of Mystery #181 (July-August 1969)
Comic cover art: pencils by Bob Oksner
Ad designed and lettered by Gaspar Saladino

Ads from the Distinguished Competition, Day 1: Monkeys and Miniskirts

The Mid-Day Matinee this week, all week: Ads from the Distinguished Competition! That's right, for once in this blog...no FF, no Daredevil, no Doctor Bong, no Squirrel Girl! (Aww.) If this quintet of Dynamically Competitive advertisements don't make you want to buy books from the guys across the street, we don't know what will!


Ad for Angel and the Ape (1968) in Justice League of America #63 (June 1968)