Today in Comics History, April 4: Happy birthday, Joe Orlando!

Born on this date in 1927: artist, writer, editor and publisher Joe Orlando, whose extensive work at EC, DC, MAD, and Atlas have cemented his status as a grand master of comics art.


from Weird Fantasy (1951 series) #12 (EC, March 1952), written by Al Feldstein

Today in Comics History, July 23, 1979 and 2029: Once again, comics predicted 2023

from "Some Place Where the Sun Don't Shine" in House of Mystery (1951 series) #282 (DC, July 1980), script by Bob Ingersoll, pencils by Mike Sekowsky, inks by John Celardo, colors by Jerry Serpe, letters by Shelly Leferman
This post was suggested by faithful reader and frequent commenter Blam, who's provided a lot of date references in comics that I'll spotlight throughout 2023 in this series. Thanks, Blam!

Today in Comics History, December 24, Christmas Eve: Oh, so this is the "scary ghost stories" part

from "Small Wonder" in House of Mystery #255 (DC, November 1977), script by Jack Oleck, pencils by Ernie Chan, inks by Vince Colletta

Today in Halloween Comics History, October 31: The next appearance of these children? On the side of a milk carton

from Plop! #9 (DC, January 1975), pencils and inks by Sergio Aragonés

Today in Comics History, July 1: Happy birthday, Jack Adler!

Born on this day in 1917: longtime innovative DC Comics cover artist, colorist, and production manager Jack Adler! You'll see his work in Action Comics, House of Mystery, Sea Devils, Sensation Comics, Green Lantern, G.I. Combat, and many, many more! He did the color separation for Action Comics #1, and eventually becaome DC's Vice President of Production.


from DC Comics cover-dated June 1977

Paper Doll Month, Day 23: Mr. Cain's fashions provided by The House of Mystery, Hollywood

"Make Your Own Monster!" from House of Mystery (1951 series) #227 (October-November 1974), script by Paul Levitz, pencils by Dennis Janke

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 304/Today in Comics History, October 31: Then Cain cooked the kids into a pie and served it to Abel, because, y'know, Biblical murderer

house ad for DC lines of mystery/horror comics (c. 1976); printed in DC Comics cover-dated January 1977
Ad art by ???, designed and lettered by Gaspar Saladino

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 299: Jehovah's Witnesses?

House ad for DC Special #11 [Monsters] (March-April 1971); printed in World's Finest Comics #201 (March 1971)
Ad art by Sergio Aragonés; letters by Gaspar Saladino


Cover of DC Special #11 [Monsters] (March-April 1971), pencils and inks by Neal Adams

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 298: The gift of comic books from a Biblical murderer

House ad for DC's mystery/horror comics (and Super Friends #28) (January 1980); printed in Wonder Woman #263 (January 1980)
Ad art by ???, designed and lettered by Gaspar Saladino

Today in Comics History, January 1, 1946: The Bowery Boys movie series takes a sinister turn

from "The Calendar Man!" in House of Mystery #266 (DC, March 1979), script by Steve Clement, pencils by Maurice Whitman, inks by John Celardo, colors by Adrienne Roy, letters by Clem Robins

Today in Comics History: It is determined that crabs are almost as ugly as the swastika

Panels from "The Calendar Man!" in House of Mystery #266 (March 1979), script by Steve Clement, pencils by Maurice Whitman, inks by John Celardo, colors by Adrienne Roy, letters by Clem Robins