Today in Comics History, August 22: Happy birthday, D. G. Chichester!

Born on this date: comic book scripter D. G. Chichester, writer for Daredevil, Nick Fury, Elektra, St. George, Doctor Zero, Terror Inc., and more!


from "Bullpen Bulletins" in Marvel Comics cover-dated November 1989
Here's the first couple pages of an extensive interview with D. G. about Marvel's then-forthcoming Terror Inc. series.

from Marvel Age #113 (Marvel, June 1992), interview by Nel Yomtov
(Click picture to terror-size)
H. B., D. G.!

Today in Comics History, August 22: Happy birthday, Kevin O'Neill!

A very happy birthday — and we wish he were here to celebrate it with us — to Kevin O'Neill, born on this day in 1953 and passed away late last year. He's written, drawn, and colored stories in 2000 AD, Toxic, Buster, Green Lantern (the infamous back-up story that resulted in him being banned by the Comics Code Authority from ever drawing a Code-approved story every again) and more! And he's the co-creator of Nemesis the Warlock, Ro-Busters, Metalzoic, Marshal Law and,...you know where I'm going with this...one of the early twenty-first century's most important comics, his collabpration with Alan Moore on several series of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. In the pentiumtulare series Ctury, he provided portraits of Moore and himself throughgout the titular century:


"Rogues in the Gallery" from The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Century: Century: 1910 (Top Shelf/Knockabout, April 2009), pencils by Kevin O'Neill

Today in Comics History, August 22: Happy birthday, Melville E. Stone!

Born on this day in 1848: eminent newspaperman and publisher Melville Elijah Stone, founder of the Chicago Daily News and the general manager of the Associated Press. Also, judging by his name, he was probably the editor of Fred Flintstone's favorite reading material, the Bedrock News-Slab.


"Headline Heroes" from Big Town #9 (DC/National, September 1951); script, pencils, inks, and letters by Mort Drucker
Congratulations on your career, your birthday, and on being drawn by Mort Drucker, Melville Stone!

Today in Comics History, August 22: Happy birthday, Bob Brown!

Born on this date in 1915: Bob Brown, who drew Tomahawk, Tales of the Unexpected, Challengers of the Unknown, Superboy, Detective Comics, Action Comics, Daredevil, The Avengers, and many more)! He's also the co-creator of Talia al Ghul, Beast Boy, Rawhide Kid, Silver Samurai, Space Ranger and others (like district attorney Blake Tower)! Please ignore the "24" on this calendar panel: he was born on August 22.


from Marvel Comics Memory Album 1977 (Marvel, 1976)
Sadly, Bob doesn't seem ti have appear in any comics as himself, but here's a touching obituary for him and fellow creators Edmond Hamilton and John Rosenburger.


from DC Comics cover-dated August 1977, text by Mike Gold
A very happy birthday to you, Bob.

Today in Comics History, August 22, 1939: No one's made him dinner since Dorothy got swept away in that cyclone

from The Last Mechanical Monster (October 2022, Abrams Comicarts), by Brian Fies

Today in Comics History, August 22: Happy birthday, Anna-Maria Cool!

Born on this day: Anna-Maria Cool (second from left below), artist on Marvel's Barbie and Barbie Fashion comics of the 1990s, which Marvel foolishly didn't re-release this year (dumbasses! Not you, Anna-Maria!).


from Marvel Age #136 (Marvel, May 1994)
Happy birthday, Anna-Maria! Hope you got to see that movie this summer. You know the one I mean.

Today in Comics History, August 22, 2010: Moloch, mo' problems

from "Troublemaker, Part Three: ...Into the Inferno" in Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom (2010 series) #3 (Dark Horse, October 2010), script by Jim Shooter, pencils and inks by Roger Robinson, colors by Wes Dzioba, letters by Blambot!

Today in Comics History, August 22, 1988: Harvey's just annoyed he's booked to appear after "Stupid Pet Tricks"

from "The Grand Finale" in American Splendor #14 (Pekar, 1989); script by Harvey Pekar; pencils, inks, and letters by William Fogg

Today in Comics History, August 22, 1962: They then immediately wiped it to tape an episode of Keith Harris and Orville

from Beatles with an A: Birth of a Band (Fanfare, July 2014), script and art by Mauri Kunnas
Yes, I know they said "film," but I just wanted to make a Keith Harris and Orville joke.

Today in Comics History, August 22: Happy birthday, Ben Urich!

Born on this day (although it's probably non-canon, as it came from the Marvel Age calendar), newspaperman and Elektra-pincushion Ben Urich, walking ashtray! But we shall celebrate today until a canon birthday pops up within the pages oif actual Marvel Universe comics! Smoke 'em if you've got 'em (cue that photo of me with a candy cigarette).


from Marvel Age #104 (Marvel, September 1991), text by Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Renee Witterstaetter
Happy birthday, Ben! Elektra says she's sorry but she hopes you got the point.

Today in Comics History, August 22, 1776: Okay, just look at the part I've got circled here, otherwise you're gonna spoil it for yourself on the 27th and 29th

from "The Story of the War of Independence" in Picture Stories from American History #2 (EC, 1946), script by M. C. Gaines and W. W. D. Sones, pencils and inks by Allen Simon

Today in Comics History, August 22: We now return to Josephine Baker, P.I., already in progress

from Miss Don't Touch Me (NBM, October 2014), script and colors by Hubert, translation by Joe Johnson, pencils and inks by Kerascoët, letters by Ortho

Today in Comics History, August 22, 1934: The answer to that question from yesterday?

...is nope.


from "Gang War in Brooklyn" in Crime Cases Comics #27 [#4] (Marvel/Timely, March 1951), pencils and inks by Joe Maneely, colors by Stan Goldberg
Remember back in the days when tough guys called dollars "iron men?"


The story continues...on August 26! Be there or be short several iron men!

Today in Comics History, August 22, 1806: Banksy strikes during the California Spanish Mission era

from Django/Zorro #5 (DC/Vertigo/Dynamite, March 2015), story by Quentin Tarantino, script by Matt Wagner, pencils and inks by Esteve Polls, colors by Brennan Wagner, letters Simon Bowland