Today in Comics History, April 4: Happy birthday, Bob Rozakis!

Born on this day: Bob Rozakis, DC Comics writer (Action Comics, The New Adventures of Superboy, Detective Comics, World's Finest comics, The Batman Family, 'Mazing Man, Freedom Fighters and lots more), editor, and "The Answer Man"; DC's Executive Director of Production, co-creator of Mister E, Bumblebee, 'Mazing Man, Hero Hotline, Quakemaster, and more!


from Amazing World of DC Comics #1 (DC, July 1974)

Today in Comics History, March 6: Happy birthday, Al Milgrom!

Born on this day: Al Milgrom, writer, penciller, inker, and editor for too many comics to list from Marvel, DC, Archie, Dark Horse, Atlas/Seaboard and the proverbial many more!


from The Mighty Marvel Calendar 1976, 1977 and 1978 (Marvel, 1975, 1976, and 1977)


from Marvel Age #27, 51, 87, 99, and 111 (Marvel, June 1985, June 1987, April 1990, April 1991, and April 1992); text by Jim Salicrup (#27), Mike Carlin (#51), Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (#87 and 99), and Mike Lackey (#111); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by George Roussos (#27), Paul Becton (#51), Gregory Wright (#87), and Renee Witterstaetter (#99)

Today in Comics History, November 2: Happy birthday, Steve Ditko!

Born on this day in 1927: comics writer/artist Steve Ditko, who created and co-created "a few" characters along the way of his lengthy career...


"DC Profiles #58" from DC Comics cover-dated April 1980

Today in Comics History, February 6: Happy birthday, Rich Buckler!

Born on this day in 1949: comics artist Rich Buckler (Justice League of America, All-Star Squadron, Mighty Crusaders, Secret Society of Super Villains, The Warlord, The Unexpected, World's Finest Comics, The Avengers, Astonishing Tales (where he created Deathlok), Black Panther (where he co-created Killmonger), Fantastic Four, The Spectacular Spider-Man, The Big Bang, Eerie, Creepy, and many more)! He's also the author of three books about working in the industry: How to Become a Comic Book Artist, How to Draw Superheroes, and How to Draw Dynamic Comic Books. He certainly was an expert in all three!


from Mighty Marvel Calendar 1976 and 1977 (Marvel, 1975 and 1976), and Marvel Age #98 (Marvel, March 1991), text by Chris Eliopolous and Barry Dutter, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme

Today in Comics History, December 21: Happy birthday, Ben Oda!

Born on this day in 1915: the great Ben Oda, longtime comics letterer at DC, EC, and many other houses! His distinctive lettering style enchanced thousands of comics, ncluding Detective Comics and Batman, Action Comics and Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Four Color, Baris Karloff Tales of Mystery, The Twilight Zone, Eerie, Vampirella, MAD, the Super DC Calendars, and hundreds more!


"DC Profiles #59" from DC Comics cover-dated February 1980

Today in Comics History, December 9: Happy birthday, José Delbo!

Born on this day: comics artiost José Delbo (Wonder Woman, Detective Comics, Hogan's Heroes, The Monkees, Billy the Kid, Yellow Submarine, Batgirl, World's Finest Comics, The Twilight Zone, The Transformers, NFL SuperPro, many more)!


from DC Comics cover-dated September 1981


from Marvel/Star comics cover-dated June 1988
Happy birthday, José!

Today in Comics History, November 23: Happy birthday, Sol Harrison!

Born on this day in 1917: Sol Harrison, longtime art director, production manager and colorist at DC Comics.


from Fifty Who Made DC Great one-shot (DC, 1985)

Today in Comics History, November 18: Happy birthday, Bob Smith!

Born on this day: comic book artist/inker Bob Smith, especially known for his work at DC (Detective Comics and Batman, Warlord, Robin, House of Mystery, World's Finest, and more)!


"DC Profiles #43: Bob Smith" from DC Comics cover-dated November 1978

Today in Comics History, November 12: Happy birthday, Don Newton!

Born on this day in 1934: comic book artist Don Newton (Batman, Detective Comics, World's Finest Comics, Adventure Comics, Aquaman, The New Gods, The Phantom, more; co-creator of Jason Todd, the Yolanda Montez Wildcat, and Nocturna)!


"DC Profile #78: Don Newton" in DC Comics cover-dated October 1981

Today in Comics History, October 15: Happy birthday, Vince Colletta!

Born on this day in 1923: Vince Colletta, longtime artist and (controversial) inker for the big comics publishers, especially Marvel and DC, where he worked over the artwork of many major artists!


from (left) Marvel Comics Memory Album Calendar 1977 (Marvel, 1976); and
(right) Marvel Age #58 (Marvel, January 1988), text by Mike Carlin, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Paul Becton

Today in Comics History, October 2: Happy birthday, Ramona Fradon!

Born on this day: legendary comics artist Ramona Fradon, an incredibly important and influential artist in comic books: she co-created Metamorpho, drew lots of great Aquaman, Superman, Batman, House of Mystery, Super Friends, Plastic Man, and Brenda Starr comics, and so much more!


from DC Comics cover-dated 11/80
You can buy Ramona's original artwork or commission art from her at the Catskill Comics website!

Happy birthday, Ramona!

Today in Comics History, September 1: Happy birthday, Gaspar Saladino!

Born on this day in 1927: Gaspar Saladino, long-time letterer and logo designer for DC comics (and Marvel too!)


"DC Profile #86: Gaspar Saladino" in DC Comics cover-dated January 1982, by Michael C. Carmichael
Happy birthday, Gaspar!


from The Amazing World of Superman (DC, 1973)
And a Merry Letterer Appreciation Day to you, too! (It's also Spirit letterer Abe Kanegson's birthday!)

Today in Comics History, August 30: Happy birthday, Jack C. Harris!

Born on this day: comics scripter Jack C. Harris (Secrets of Haunted House, Superman Family, Wonder Woman, Men of War, Detective Comics, Sgt. Rock, House of Mystery, Kamandi and lots more)! He also co-created the DC/Marvel Universe-spanning character Annex and wrote his miniseries, which means he doesn't get royalities on it from two companies!


"DC Profiles #9: Jack C. Harris" from DC Comics cover-dated June 1977

Today in Comics History, August 5: Happy birthday, Steve Mitchell!

Put your hands or hoofs together to give birthday appleause for Steve Mitchell, production manager, illustrator and comic book inker (Batman/Detective Comics, Static, Wonder Woman, Iron Man, Green Lantern, more)!


from DC Comics cover-dated September 1978

Today in Comics History, August 4: Happy birthday, Martin Pasko!

Born on this day in 1954: Martin Pasko: comic book (Superman/Action Comics/Superman Family, Justice League of America, Doctor Fate, Wonder Woman, Kobra, Swamp Thing, E-Man, Star Trek, Roger Rabbit, more), and TV writer/story editor (Batman: The Animated Series, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Superman: The Animated Series, Thundarr the Barbarian, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Fantasy Island, The Twilight Zone, Max Headroom, Roseanne and many more)!


from DC Comics cover-dated December 1977
Happy birthday, Marty!


from 1st Issue Special #9 [Doctor Fate] (DC, December 1975)

Today in Comics History, July 24: Happy birthday, Trevor Von Eeden!

Born on this day: Trevor Von Eeden! (The extra "E" is for "Eeden!") You'll find his distinct artwork on Black Lightning, Batman, World's Finest Comics, Black Canary, the 1983 Green Arrow miniseries, Power Man and Iron Fist, Spider-Woman, and much more! i first discoevred his work when he did a couple fill-in issues on Batman and the Outsiders and I fell in love with his style immediately. What I didn't know then was thet he was only 25 at that time! In fact, he was only 16 when he started at DC (great shades of Jim Shooter!) and 17 when he co-created Black Lightning with Tony Isabella! (Tony isabella has a little quibble with this billing: he prefers to be billed as "creator" and Trevor as "co-creator." Hmmm, who drew the character, without which he wouldn't be a comic book hero?) Von Eeden also created DC's Thriller with Robert Loren Fleming, and Von Eeden created the excellent Original Johnson graphic novel series.


from the letters column of Black Lightning (1977 series) #2 (DC, May 1977), by Mike Gold

Today in Comics History, July 20: Happy birthday, Dick Giordano!

Born on this day in 1932: comics penciller/inker and editor Dick Giordano! He's drawn Sarge Steel, Strange Suspense Stories (his artwork there stolen and reappropriated by Roy Lichenstein), Action Comics (Atom, Human Target, Green Arrow), Batman, The Brave and the Bold, Love Romances, Modesty Blaise, Elongated Man in The Flash and Detective Comics, Doctor Strange, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, Lois Lane (Rose and Thorn), and much more, including inking such prestigious books as Superman vs. Muhammad Ali, Wonder Woman, Thor, Atari Force, John Byrne's Man of Steel, Neil gaiman's Sandman, Batman, Green Lantern/Green Arrow, Bloodshot, and Crisis on Infinite Earths! And the proverbial multitude of others! And his own instructional book Draw Comics with Dick Giordano! (Amazon ad) He co-founded Continuity Associates with Neal Adams! He co-created Leslie Thompkins and Talia al Ghul! What hasn't this guy done?



house ads from DC Comics cover-dated December 1970 (top) and November 1971 (bottom)

Today in Comics History, July 17: Happy birthday, Jim James!

Born on this day: Jim James, the triple comics art threat who pencilled, inked, and/or colored books like Legion of Super-Heroes, Superman Family, The Unexpected, Ghost, Dragonlance, Eerie, 1984, House of Mystery, Moon Knight, and lots more!


"DC Profile #70" in World's Finest Comics #268 (DC, April 1982), by Mike W. Barr
Happy birthday, Jimmy!

Today in Comics History, June 9: Happy birthday, George Pérez!

Oh boy, this is a hard one to get through.

Born on this day in 1954: the late, great comic book writer and penciller George Pérez (accent on the first E!), who passed away so very recently (May 6, 2022). George has drawn...well, let's just say every comic book character at Marvel and DC. Sometimes even all on the same cover. And: one of the nicest people in the business! Oh boy, do I miss him.


from FOOM #8 (Marvel, December 1974)

Today in Comics History, June 4: Happy birthday, Josef Rubinstein!

Born today: comic book artist and inker Josef Rubinstein (Amazing Spider-Man, Silver Surfer, Uncanny X-Men, OHOTMU, Captain America, Wolverine, and many more)!


from Marvel Age #30, 54, and 90 (Marvel, September 1985, September 1987, and July 1990); text by Jim Salicrup (#30), Mike Carlin (#54) and Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (#90); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by Andy Yanchus (#30), Paul Becton (#54) and Renee Witterstaetter (#90)
Who knows what darkness hides in the blackness of inks? The Shadow of Joe Rubinstein knows (here with cute-as-a-button Ann Nocenti)!


from "Editori-Gal" in Marvel Fanfare (1982 series) #12 (Marvel, January 1984), script by Ann Nocenti (?), pencils and inks by Al Milgrom, letters by Rick Parker (?)
Guaranteed to make you feel old: the phrase "That was back in 1971 — Joe's pushing twenty now."


"DC Profiles" from DC comics cover-dated October 1977
Can you find Josef Rubinstein at Superman's wedding?

from Superman: The Wedding Album one-shot (DC, December 1996), pencils by Dan Jurgens, inks by Jerry Ordway, colors by Glenn Whitmore, letters by Bill Oakley
(Click top picture to honeymoon-size)
Happy birthday, Joe!