Today in Comics History, August 3, 1850: Reichuss Mansion burned down, fell over, then sank into the swamp

from House of Secrets (1996 series) #7 (DC/Vertigo, April 1997), script by Steven T. Seagle, pencils and inks by Teddy Kristiansen, colors by Bjarne Hansen, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, August 3: Happy birthday, Jim Fitzsimmons!

Born on this day in 1917: Jim Fitzsimmons, production manager during the 1930s and '40s for Funnies Inc., the Golden Age comic book packager. Funnies Inc. supplied artwork and editorial material to publishers for comics, including Martin Goodman's Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 and Marvel Comics #1, the first Marvel Comics! But can you spot him in the panel below?


from "Hot Stamp Mob!" in All-Winners Comics #6 (Marvel/Timely, Fall 1942), script by Mickey Spillane (yes, that one!), pencils by Harry Fisk (?), inks by Edd Ashe (?)
Nope, that's not him in the center of the frame...that's Jim Hammond and Tom Raymond, aka The Golden Age Human Torch and Toro! Look immediately above HT&T and you'll spot "Upholstering by Fitzsimmons," which is a reference to Jim. The other shop names in the panel are too! Check out this essay:


from Golden Age All-Winners v.2 (Marvel, December 2006)
Happy birthday, Jim Fitzsimmons!

Today in Comics History, August 3: We're not in Kansas anymore

from Young Justice (2011 series) #8 (DC, August 2011), script by Greg Weisman and Kevin Hopps, pencils by Dan Davis, colors by Zac Atkinson, letters by Dezi Sienty

Today in Comics History, August 3: Hare-El arrives on Earth, last survivor of his exploded world Carroton

from Young Justice (2011 series) #7 (DC, August 2011), script by Greg Weisman and Kevin Hopps, pencils by Christopher Jones, inks by Dan Davis, colors by Zac Atkinson, letters by Carlos M. Mangual

Today in Comics History, August 3: Vincent Price extends his usual creepy invitation

from Clue: Candlestick #1 (IDW, May 2019); script, pencils, inks, colors, and letters by Dash Shaw

Today in Comics History, August 3, 1955: Book names names, tells tales, dooms author

from The Vain #3 (Oni, December 2020), script by Eliot Rahal, pencils and inks by Emily Pearson, colors by Fred C. Stressing, color assists by Macy Kahn, letters by Crank!

Today in Comics History, August 3: German submariners kill H.P. Lovecraft

from "The Survivor" in Weird War Tales (1997 series) #1 (DC/Vertigo, June 1997), script by Simon Revelstroke, pencils and inks by Richard Corben, colors by Ted McKeever; color separations by Digital Chameleon, letters by Richard Starkings

Today in Comics History, August 3, 1949: Walter Matthau patiently awaits the reading of the will

from "Rodgers & Hammerstein Kill a Dog" in National Lampoon v.2 #120 (Heavy Metal/National Lampoon, April 1990), script by Ed Bluestone, pencils and inks by Frank Springer

Today in Comics History, August 3, 1956: "How hard could it be?" asks Hellboy rhetorically after watching an El Santo movie

from Hellboy in Mexico (Dark Horse, May 2010), script by Mike Mignola, pencils and inks by Richard Corben, colors by Dave Stewart, letters by Clem Robins

Today in Comics History, August 3: Happy birthday, Ernie Pyle!

Born on this day in 1900: Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ernie Pyle, one of the greatest American journalist and famed for his reporting from the front of WWII.


cover of Real Heroes #16 (Parents' Magazine Press, October 1946)
Pyle is spotlighted in this biographical comic which tells how he worked alongside America's fighting forces and brought their news and stories back home. Much like cartoonist Bill Mauldin, he was respected for writing from the soldier's point of view.





from "G.I.'s Best Friend" in Real Heroes #16, pencils and inks by Sam Glankoff

Today in Comics History, August 3, 189X: Well, maybe you shouldn't have hired a raging madman as a mate

from Marvel Classics Comics #9 [Dracula] (1976), script by Naunerle Farr, pencils (and inks?) by Nestor Redondo
Did it get better after all the narration boxes were uncovered? It did not.


Demeter? Hardly knew 'er!

Today in Comics History, August 3, 1884: Frontier Jimmy Olsen is shot down by Lucy Lane of the Olllllllllld West

from "The Bank Robbery!" in Billy the Kid #97 (Charlton, December 1972), pencils and inks by Pat Boyette

Today in Comics History, August 3, 1987: "Going down, Mr. Gaiman?"

from Miracleman #17 (Eclipse, June 1990), script by Neil Gaiman, pencils and inks by Mark Buckingham, painted colors by Sam Parsons, letters by Wayne Truman


"Love in an Elevator" by Aerosmith (Geffen, August 1989), written by Joe Perry and Steven Tyler

Today in Comics History, August 3, 1977: Alan Moore makes sure he leaves some space to tell stories that take place before Watchmen

from Watchmen #4 (DC, December 1986), script by Alan Moore; pencils, inks, and letters by Dave Gibbons; colors by John Higgins

Today in Comics History, AUgust 3, 1968: First appearance, Saturn Werewolf

from "Riddle of the Random Realities!" in Strange Adventures (1999 series) #1 (DC/Vertigo, November 1999); script, pencils, and inks (and letters?) by Dave Gibbons, colors by Angus McKie

Today in Comics History, August 3: Bruce Wayne's Groundhog Day comes again and again on August 3

from "Faces" in Batman Annual #13 (DC, 1989), script by James Owsley, pencils by Michael Bair, inks by Gray Morrow, colors by Adrienne Roy, letters by Agustin Mas