Today in Comics History, April 14: Happy birthday, Potiphar!

Born on this day in 1960: Potiphar, the mercenary who asks the question "what's a potty for?" Actually, upon consultation with my New Critical Comparative Bible and Koran for Bulls, "Potiphar" is a character in both the Hebrew Bible and the Koran who had Joseph (of Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat fame?) as a slave but elevated him to become his household's major domo, until Potiphar's Wife (the apt-titled "not named in the scripture) messed that all up by trying to seduce Joseph and then accusing him of rape when Joseph resisted. (Looking back at my big-ass Bible) Really? That's who this guy is? Why didn't you just name him "Mark Hazzard, Merc?" That name wasn't being used anymore!


from Psi-Force #23 (Marvel/New Universe, September 1988), pencils by Ron Lim
Oh well, happy birthday anyway, Potiphar!

Today in Comics History, April 14, 1912: You just know that guy has money invested in driftwood

from "The Tragedy of the Titanic" in Real Fact Comics #7 (DC, March 1947); script by Jack Schiff, Mort Weisinger, and/or Bernie Breslauer; pencils by Curt Swan (?)

Today in Comics History, April 14, 1912: The haunting siren song of Celine Dion leads men to their doom

from "A Voyage into Forever!" in Strange Journey #3 (Farrell, February 1958), cover: artist uncredited, interior: pencils by H.C. Kiefer, inks by the Iger Shop

Today in Comics History, April 14, 1865: Oh, you jerk Booth, look at his hands, he'd already surrendered

from Picture Stories from American History #4 (EC, Summer 1947), script by Jerry Coleman, pencils and inks by Allen Simon

Today in Comics History, April 14: Dazzler time-travels from the seventies, apparently

from Children of the Atom #2 (Marvel, June 2021), script by Vita Alaya, pencils and inks by Bernard Chang, colors by Marcelo Maiolo, letters by Travis Lanham

Today in Comics History, April 14: Happy birthday, Dave Gibbons!

Born today, so wish him a happy birthday as you cycle down the lane: Dave Gibbons, comics writer, artist, and letterer (2000 AD, Watchmen, the Martha Washington series, Doctor Who, Green Lantern, World's Finest, The Secret Service, "For the Man Who Has Everything," and much more!


from Power Comics #3 (Eclipse/Acme, July 1988)
Did I mention Watchmen? Let me mention Watchmen again.



from Comic Book Comics #5 (Evil Twin, March 2011); script by Fred Van Lente; pencils, inks, and letters by Ryan Dunlavey
Here's Dave as Tornado super-editor Big E! And League of Extraordinary Gentlemen artist Kevin O'Neill as "Billy!"! (No ID yet on Percy or Sam — let us know if you know!)


cover of Tornado #8 IPC, 12 May 1979)
Happy birthday, Big E! You too, Dave!

Today in Comics History, April 14: Happy birthday, Joe Rosas!

Born on this day: comics colorist Joe Rosas (X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, Wolverine, Hulk, Excalibur, Force Works, Fanatastic Four, etc.)!


from Marvel Age #100 (Marvel, April 1991); text by Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter; pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Renee Witterstaetter; image mildly edited to correct typo
Happy birthday, Joe!

Today in Comics History, April 14: Jennifer is skeptical

from She-Hulk Annual (2019 series) #1 (Marvel, October 2019), script by Alexandra Petri, pencils and inks by Andy MacDonald, colors by Matt Milla, letters by Joe Caramagna

Today in Comics History, April 14, 1910: Peanut business expands

from "The Train That Wasn't There!" in Journey into Mystery #27 (Marvel/Atlas, October 1955), pencils and inks by Bob Powell

Today in Comics History, April 14, 1861: Owl hoots are roused

from "First Shot!" in Frontline Combat #9 (EC, November 1952), script by Harvey Kurtzman, pencils by John Severin, inks by Will Elder, colors by Marie Severin, letters by Ben Oda
Oh boy! The War is over! Hooray, hooray, hooray!


Whoops.

Never mind.

Today in Comics History, April 14, 1861: Abraham Lincoln teaches the crowd how to spell "yay"

from Picture Stories from American History #4 (EC, Summer 1947), script by Jerry Coleman, pencils and inks by Allen Simon

Today in Comics History, April 14, 1960: New Amalgam comic blends Batman and the guy who says "Hee-haw!" to George Bailey

from Batman: Creature of the Night #3 (DC, June 2018); script by Kurt Busiek, pencils, inks, and colors by John Paul Leon, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, March 25: Don't worry, I won't use this panel again even though it's good date value

from "Heartline" in Chamber of Chills Magazine #23 (Harvey, May 1954), pencils by Manny Stallman, inks by John Giunta, letters by Joe Rosen

Today in Comics History, April 14, 1865: Or again, maybe he was

from "Scoops...Pictures to Remember" in Real Fact Comics #3 (DC, July 1946); script by Jack Schiff, Mort Weisinger, and/or Bernie Breslauer; pencils and inks by George Roussos

Today in Comics History, April 14, 1986: Marty has a time stalker

from Back to the Future (2015 series) #14 (IDW, September 2016), script by John Barber and Bob Gales, pencils and inks by Emma Vieceli, colors by Jose Luis Rio, letters by Shawn Lee

Today in Comics History, April 14: Rebecca Cross bets Jessica Jones her mother won't notice she's missing an entire month

from Alias #11 (Marvel/MAX, September 2002), script by Brian Michael Bendis, pencils and inks by Michael Gaydos, colors by Matt Hollingsworth, letters by Richard Starkings and Jason Levine

Today in Comics History, April 14, 1865: Aside from that, yes, actually, Mrs. Lincoln did enjoy the play

Today in comic books, and, for that matter, real life:


from "News Snapshots: Past and Present" in It Really Happened #10 (Pines, August 1947), creators unknown
Yes, it's It Really Happened, the comic book where it really happened! As opposed to the comic book Jack Kirby's We Wish It Happened!:


from The New Gods (1971 series) #1 (DC, February 1971), script and pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Vince Colletta, letters by John Costanza
And if you think that's impressive, just imagine what Vince Coletta erased!

Anyway, Lincoln was relaxing at the theatre, and on with the show! Say, I wonder what Lincoln was enjoying so much?





from (top to bottom) It Really Happened #10; the Marvo the Magician story in Lightning Comics (1940 series) v.2 #1 (Ace, June 1941), creators unknown; "The Super Stunt-Man!" in Superman (1939 series) #26 (DC, January 1944), script by Bill Finger, pencils by Joe Shuster and Ira Yarbrough, inks by George Roussos (?); from "Vaudeville Section" in Fat and Slat #4 (EC, Spring 1948), script and art by Ed Wheelan
Yes, that's how it really happened.

...

Naw, I'm jus' foolin' ya. Here's how it actually "went down," as the kids say today.


So. That happened.

Then, today tomorrow and twelve days from now in comics history, this happened:


Hmm. I think I prefer my version better. Sorry, Mr. Lincoln!

More President Lincoln getting assassinated comics here. So many there ought be an entire tab on TV Tropes for this.

Today in Comics History, April 14, 1865: Abraham Lincoln is assassinated

from Classics Illustrated #142 [Abraham Lincoln] (Gilberton, January 1958), script by Benjamin P. Thomas, pencils and inks by Norman Nodel

Today in Comics History, April 14, 1865: Abraham Lincoln is awesominated

from Time Lincoln: Apocalypse Mao one-shot (AntarcticNovember 2010); script, pencils, and inks by Fred Warren; colors by Robby Bevard and Wes Hartman



from Time Lincoln: Jack to the Future one-shot (Antarctic, January 2011); script, pencils, and inks by Fred Warren; colors by Robby Bevard and Wes Hartman

Today in Comics History, April 14, 1865: ?????!????!!!!?????!!!!?

from DC Comics Presents Annual #2 (DC, 1983), script by Elliot S! Maggin, pencils by Keith Pollard, inks by Mike DeCarlo assisted by Tod Smith, colors by Gene D'Angelo, letters by Todd Klein