Today in Comics History, October 10: Happy birthday, Ed Wood!

Born on this day in 1924: filmmaker, actor, writer and cross-dresser Ed Wood Jr., maker of some of the finest bad movies (or worst good movies) in Hollywood (Glen or Glenda, Bride of the Monster, Plan 9 from Outer Space, Night of the Ghouls, and more)!


from "The Edward D. Wood, Jr. Players Trading Cards" in Any Similarity to Persons Living Or Dead Is Purely Coincidental (Fantagraphics, 1986), by Drew Friedman
Me, I like Ed Wood's films. They're passionate, goofy, and at least fun. And no matter what anybody tells you, they are not the worst films ever made.




from The Big Book of Weirdos (DC/Paradox, April 1995), script by Carl Posey, pencils and inks by Mitch O'Connell, letters by Rod Ollerenshaw
Happy birthday, Ed! I hope you're in Cashmere Heaven.


Fan-made video of the RiffTrax version of Plan 9 from Outer Space (Reynolds Pictures, Inc., 1957), edited to look like a Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode

Today in Comics History: Happy birthday, Criswell!

Born on this day in 1907, Jeron Criswell King, better known to B-movie fans as The Amazing Criswell! Wikipedia: "an American psychic known for wildly inaccurate predictions." You may remember him from the opening sequence of Plan 9 from Outer Space, written and directed by America's only cinematographical artiste, Ed Wood!


from "Ed Wood Jr." in The Big Book of Weirdos (DC/Paradox, April 1995), script by Carl Posey, pencils and inks by Mitch O'Connell, letters by Rod Ollerenshaw
Criswell died in 1982. Ya think he predicted that?


from "The Edward D. Wood, Jr. Players Trading Cards" in Heavy Metal v.9 #1 (Heavy Metal, April 1985); script, pencils, inks and letters by Drew Friedman
Happy birthday, Criswell, baby! I predict birthday cake tonight!


"Criswell Predicts," opening scene of Plan 9 from Outer Space (Reynolds Pictures, Inc., 1957),
written, directed, edited and produced by Ed Wood

Today in Comics History, January 16, 1926: The first episode of "I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue" is not a huge success

from "The BBC Riot Panic" in The Big Book of Hoaxes (DC/Paradox, November 1996), script by Carl Sifakis, pencils by Lee Moder

Evel Knievel Week, Day 3: Who knows what Evel lurks in the hearts of men?

So, who's the greatest and most popular star-spangled hero whose exploits fab artist Cliff Chiang has illustrated? No, no, not that woman of wonder with her satin tights, not this week in this feature. After all, it's Evel Knievel week! Ever wonder why those toys I've been featuring this week were so popular? Who tried to jump over sharks before the Fonz? And what the heck was up with that "swagger stick"? Cliff Chiang explains it all for you in these panels from The Big Book of the '70s!







Panels from "The Decade of Evel" in The Big Book of the '70s (May 2000), script by Jonathan Ridgeway, art by Cliff Chiang


Wednesday Bonus! Even the mysterious and macabre Ghost Rider was not immune to the cult of Evel!


Panel from Marvel Spotlight #7 (December 1972), script by Gary Friedrich, pencils by Mike Ploog, inks by Frank Chiaramonte, letters by Herb Cooper