Today in Comics History, April 27: Happy birthday, Friedrich von Flotow!

Born on this day in 1812, so very possibly he was rock-a-byed to the soothing sounds of The 1812 Overture: German composer Friedrich von Flotow, whose best-known opera is Martha. Which is, I believe, about a similarity in mothers' names. Let's check:


"Famous Operas" from Classics Illustrated #84 [The Gold Bug] (Gilberton, June 1951), pencils and inks by Alex Blum
Well, they certainly "saved Martha" in that one there, didn't they?

Happy birthday, Friedy!

Today in Comics History, March 24: Happy birthday, Joseph Priestly!

Born on this day in 1733: chemist, philosopher, theologian, grammarian, and political theorist Joseph Priestly, who was ironically not a priest! However, he did invent carbonated water, which make him a hero in my house, because without carbonated water we wouldn't have Coca-Cola!


"Pioneers of Science: Joseph Priestley" from Classics Illustrated #31 (Gilberton, September 1948), creators uncredited and unknown
Oh yeah, he also discovered oxygen, without which we couldn't live, so I guess that's pretty good, too. Happy birthday, Joe!

Today in Comics History, February 29: Happy birthday, Gioachino Rossini!

Yes, here it is, the event we've all waited four years for: Gioachino Rossini's birthday, born on this day in 1792, which means he's only... (does math with hoofs, wishes I had more that four hoofs)...fifty-eight years old this year! That's mighty young at heart for the classic composer of the famous operas William Tell aka The Lone Ranger, Otello (please don't be mad at him just because he misspelled Shakespeare's tragic Moor), and of course The Barber of Seville, a hair-raising comic opera:


from "Famous Operas: The Barber of Seville" in Classics Illustrated #55 (Gilberton, January 1949), creators uncredited and unknown
Of course, we're all familiar with the plot and music of The Barber of Seville thanks to that famous short cartoon featuring a wascally animal character, right? And here it is!

excerpt from Looney Tunes "Rabbit of Seville" (Warner Bros., 1950), story by Michael Maltese, directed by Chuck Jones, starring the voices of Mel Blanc and Arthur Q. Bryan, with the music of Gioachino Rossini
Okay, actually the original gag of that last paragraph was going to lead you unexpectedly to not a Bugs Bunny cartoon, but one with Woody WOodpecker, until I actually watched it and went yeeeeeesh at its dodgy depiction of a Native American. (Look at it at your own risk.)

Happy birthday, Gioachino Rossini!

Today in Comics History, November 29: Happy birthday, Gaetano Donizetti!

Born on this day in 1797, so you'll have to speak up if you're gonna wish him a happy birthday: Gaetano Donizetti, Italian composer of over 70 operas, all of them so familiar to the kids reading comic books that you barely need to explain who he is, thanks to his many comics appearances! So let's just show off this one.


"Lucia di Lammermoor" from Classics Illustrated #61 (Gilberton, July 1949), creators uncredited and unknown
See? isn't that more to-the-point reading than just showing off all the times he teamed up with Wonder Tot? Happy birthday, Gaetano, you crazy opera but, you!

Today in Comics History, October 10: Happy birthday, Giuseppe Verdi!

Born on this day (or maybe yesterday) in 1813: Giuseppe Verdi, composer and lyricist, best known for his famous operas Rigoletto, Il trovatore, Aida, Falstaff, Otello, and La traviata and many other works! Here's Batman and Robin singing one of them, so you know Verdi hit it big in comics!


from "The Grand Opera Murders!" in Batman (1940 series) #40 (DC/National, April 1947), script by Don C. Cameron (?), pencils by Dick Sprang, inks by Gene McDonald, letters by Joe Letterese (?)

Today in Comics History, September 14, 1814: Comic books would like to remind you that today's the anniversary of the writing of "The Star Spangled Banner," our traditional, unsingable, racist national anthem

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published September 14, 2012.


cover of Magic Comics #36 (David Mckay, July 1942), painting by Edgar Franklin Wittmack

Today in Comics History, August 20, 1672: Based on the novel The Blue Tulip

from Classics Illustrated #73 [The Black Tulip] (Gilberton, July 1950), script by Ken Fitch, pencils and inks by Alex Blum

Today in Comics History, August 9, 1910: White man announces plan to do something; everybody expected to drop what they're doing to help

"Pioneers of Science: Roald Amundsen, Discoverer of the South Pole" from Classics Illustrated #76 (Gilberton, October 1950), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, July 16: Happy birthday, Roald Amundsen!

Born on this date in 1872: Roald Amundsen, sailor, author, explorer, discoverer of the South Pole, first navigator of the Northwest Passage, and history's only acceptable Roald!


"Pioneers of Science: Roald Amundsen, Discoverer of the South Pole" from Classics Illustrated #76 (Gilberton, October 1950), creators uncredited and unknown
He probably also discovered penguins.

Today in Comics History, March 5, 1770: When Johnny goes marching away from home

from Classics Illustrated #169 [Negro Americans: The Early Years] (Gilberton, Spring 1969), pencils and inks by Norman Nodel

Today in Comics History, March 4, 1836: I suppose you're wondering why I called you all here today

from Classics Illustrated #129 [Davy Crockett] (Gilberton, November 1955), pencils and inks by Lou Cameron

Today in Comics History, March 1, 1836: Alamo not forgotten yet

from Classics Illustrated #129 [Davy Crockett] (Gilberton, November 1955), pencils and inks by Lou Cameron

Today in Comics History, February 20, 1895: Rest in Power, Frederick Douglass

from Classics Illustrated #169 [Negro Americans: The Early Years] (Gilberton, Spring 1969), pencils and inks by Norman Nodel

Today in Comics History, February 10, 1863: It's a nice day for a tiny wedding

"Courtship in Miniature" from Classics Illustrated #88 (Gilberton, October 1951), creators uncredited and unknown
That's a nice love story, right?


Oh hey, Wikipedia, is that true?


(tugging on my collar, looking away nervously) Yeeeeeesh.

Today in Comics History, January 14, 1911: Famous Polar explorer frees Willy

"Pioneers of Science: Roald Amundsen, Discoverer of the South Pole" and from Classics Illustrated #76 (Gilberton, October 1950), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, December 3: Happy birthday, Joseph Conrad!

Born on this day in 1857: writer Joseph Conrad, author of Lord Jim, The Secret Agent, Heart of Darkness, and The N-Word of the 'Narcissus.'



from Classics Illustrated (1947 series) #136 (Gilberton, January 1957), cover artist unknown; interior story, pencils, and inks by George Evans

Today in Comics History, August 6: Happy birthday, Alfred, Lord Tennyson!

Born on this day in 1809: English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson! (You may know him better as Batman's butler.) Now, Tennyson has never starred in a comic book stories (aside from Bette Kane periodically saying "Tennyson anyone?"), but he's been adapted into comics more than once!

from New Adventure Comics #12 (DC/Nicholson Publishing Co., January 1937), illustrated by Henry Kiefer
(Click picture to half-a-league-size)

Today in Comics History, August 5: Happy birthday, Ambroise Thomas!

Happy birthday, Ambroise Thomas, born on this day in 1811, composer of the opera Mignon (all about steak) and Hamlet (all about ham). He was the first of today's popular "Meat Opera" composers and for that is rightfully hailed as "Father of Beef."


"Mignon" from Classics Illustrated #89 (Gilberton, November 1951), creators uncredited unknown
There! Now you know the story of the opera Mignon, and knowing is half the battle, if the battle is knowing the meat-titled opera of Ambroise Thomas. Next week: Hamlet, a little pig you just can't keep down on the farm.

Today in Comics History, June 17: Happy birthday, Charles Gounod! (or, "Lois Lane Should Never Babysit")

Born on this date in 1818: French composer Charles Gounod, who wrote the operas Faust, Roméo et Juliette and others, and many short pieces including the popular Funeral March of a Marionette ("The Alfred Hitchcock Theme")! And because we don't want to go to the opera tonight (geez, it's a Friday, let us rest!) here's another patented BullysNotes Guide to the Famous Operas! Memorize it and forget it!


"Famous Operas: Faust" in Classics Illustrated #74 (Gilberton, August 1950), creators unkcredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, June 17, 1775: A whole lotta looking for the whites of a whole lotta eyes

from "Historical Almanac" in Real Fact Comics #21 (DC, July 1949), pencils and inks by Joe Kubert