Today in Comics History, August 31, 1986: It's that Plymouth K-Car, isn't it

from D.P. 7 Annual #1 (Marvel/New Universe, November 1987), script by Mark Gruenwald, pencils by Lee Weeks, inks by Tony DeZuniga, colors by Paul Becton, letters by Phil Felix

Today in Comics History, August 31: Happy birthday, Rick Parker!

Born on this day: comics writer, artist, and letterer Rick Parker! You may remember him from such distinctive lettering in various Spider-Man series, G.I. Joe, Hulk, Fantastic Four, and more! (Note: Early Marvel Age calendars gave his birthday as 8/27, but Wikipedia, ComicVine and Comics.com — and a later Marvel Age calendar entry — all mark his birthday as 8/31, hence all the weird dates going on in the below panels.)


from Marvel Age #32, 56, 92 and 104 (Marvel, November 1985, November 1987, September 1990, and September 1991); text by Jim Salicrup (#32), Mike Carlin (#56) and Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (#92 and 104); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by Andy Yanchus (#32), Paul Becton (#56) and Renee Witterstaetter (#104)

Today in Comics History, August 31: Happy birthday, Hector Collazo!

Born on this day in 1967: comics artist Hector Collazo (Daredevil, Static, Avengers, Batman, Marvel Comics Presents and more).


from Marvel Age #56 (Marvel, November 1987); text by Mike Carlin, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Paul Becton

Today in Comics History, August 31: Happy birthday, Fredric March!

Born on this day in 1897: Fredric March, Academy Award-winning actor (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Best Years of Our Lives, Seven Days in May, The Desperate Hours, The Bridges at Toko-Ri and many more). What's he got in common with Superman? Why, he was an early star of Action Comics! Well, "star" doing a lot of heavy lifting there.


from "Star-Light" in Action Comics (1938 series) #5 (DC/Detective Comics, October 1938), pencils and inks by Sheldon Moldoff

Today in Comics History, August 31: Tonight's Episode: The Writer's Barely-Disguised Fetish

It's August 31 and members of the Doom Patrol have travelled back in time to put right what once went wrong! Actually, they manifested themselves in their older bodies but with their modern minds. Make sense? Of course it doesn't. Anyway, it's thirteen years ago and Cliff Steele has not yet had the accident that forces him to become Robotman:


from Doom Patrol (2004 series) #13 (DC, August 2005), script and pencils by John Byrne, inks by Terry Austin, colors by Alex Bleyaert, letters by Jared K. Fletcher
Also meanwhile at the same time thirteen years ago, Rita Farr (the Elasti-Girl who's not married to Craig T. Nelson) travels back to inhabit her own teen-age body. Annnnnnnnnd she's a teen-age fangirl for racer Cliff Steele. Gosh, John Byrne, I sure hope you don't take advantage of this and portray yet another of your inappropriate teen/adult kiss-crushes:


OH FOR F---'S SAKE JOHN BYRNE

Today in Comics History, August 31: Monsters' Ball

from House of Mystery #255 (November 1977), script by Paul Kupperberg, pencils by Ric Estrada, inks by Wayne Howard, letters by Ben Oda

Today in Comics History, August 31, 1939: Spider-Man Noir blows off Mary Jane Noir's play to see a magician saw Black Cat Noir in half

from Edge of Spider-Verse (2014 series) #1 (Marvel, November 2014); script by David Hine and Fabrice Sapolsky; pencils, inks, and colors by Richard Isanove; letters by Clayton Cowles

Today in Comics History, August 31, 2011: In honor of Diana Day, please adjust your horizontal hold

from Hellblazer Special: Bad Blood #2 (DC/Vertigo, October 2000), script by Jamie Delano, pencils and inks by Philip Bond, colors by Pamela Rambo, letters by Clem Robins