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, July 3: Happy birthday, Franz Kafka!

Born on this day in 1883 in the Kingdom of Bohemia (Face it, you didn't know he came from Bohemia! The only thing I knew about Bohemia was that there was a scandal there), writer and cockroach enthusiast Franz Kafka, who woke up this morning not quite feeling himself. Hey, Franzie, what kinda cake would you like for your birthday?


"Baking with Kafka" from Baking with Kafka (D+Q, October 2017), by Tom Gauld

Today in Comics History, May 19: Happy birthday, Grace Jones!

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published May 19, 2022.

Born today: model, singer, and actor Grace Jones! Last year, I apologized for not being able to find any comic book appearances of her. I've since found/remembered a few and some friends chipped in!


cover of the pop culture and comics magazine Starlet #1/1980 (Semic (Finland), January 2, 1980)

Today in Comics History, March 4, 19XX*: Jessica Drew: not only a bad private detective, she also shouts when she types

from Dazzler #17 (July 1982), script by Danny Fingeroth, pencils by Frank Springer, inks by Vince Colletta, colors by Don Warfield, letters by Janice Chiang
*Probably 1982.

Today in Comics History, December 31, New Year's Eve: But it was in the pages of Dazzler comics, so it wasn't

from Dazzler #8 (October 1981), idea by Tom DeFalco, script by Danny Fingeroth, breakdowns by Frank Springer, finishes by Vince Colletta, colors by Don Warfield, letters by Karin Nemri and Janice Chiang

Today in Comics History, December 28: Happy birthday, Ralph Macchio!

Born on this day: Ralph Macchio!


"Glory of Love" by Peter Cetera (Warner Bros., 1986), from the movie The Karate Kid Part II (Delphi V Productions, 1986), starring Ralph Macchio and Noriyuki "Pat" Morita
No, no, no...that's the wrong Ralph. We're talkin' about comics writer and editor Ralph Macchio (writer on Marvel Two-in-One, Thor, Avengers, X-Men Adventures; editor for Marvel's black-and-white series, Daredevil, Spider-Man line, Ultimate Comics; and much more)!

Sharin' your birthday can be tough, so let's get some Ralph love in here. (Caution: definitions of "Ralph Love" may vary from county to county. Please check local and municipal restrictions before engaging in Ralph love.)


from Marvel Age #36 (Marvel, March 1986), text by Jim Salicrup, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Adam Philips

Today in Comics History, November 17: And if you can't get the Dazzler album, at least go see her new band

from Dazzler: X-Song one-shot (Marvel, August 2018), script by Magdalene Visaggio, pencils and inks by Laura Braga, colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, letters by Joe Sabino

Today in Comics History, November 16: Sorry, Taylor, the real Album of the Year just dropped

from Jessica Jones (2016 series) #17 (April 2018), script by Brian Michael Bendis, pencils and inks by Michael Gaydos, colors by Matt Hollingsworth, letters by Clayton Cowles
(Click picture to Avengers-Tower-loomin'-over-us-size)
Did you pick up your copy? Scott Summers did! C'mon, you don't wanna be less cool than Cyclops, do ya?




Never forget to credit the album art artist! In this case: the uncanny Sienkiewicz!


cover of Dazzler #29 (Marvel, November 1983), painting by Bill Sienkiewicz, photograph by Eliot R. Brown

Today in Comics History, August 26: Yeah, that better include helping this bull get tickets for that Dazzler show, dude

from The United States of Captain America #1 (Marvel, August 2021), script by Christopher Cantwell, pencils and inks by Dale Eaglesham, colors by Matt Milla, letters by Joe Caramagna

Today in Comics History, August 18: Happy birthday, Robert Redford!

Born on this day: actor, director, and whatta dreamboat Robert Redford! He was on the cover of a Marvel comic book issue #1!


from ALF #1 (Marvel, March 1988), photograph plus pencils by Dave Manak, inks by Marie Severin
But it's true: the real Bob hasn't appeared in many comic books, but here's a genuine modeling job that paid off big for him in the comics world!


cover of Young Love (1949 series) v. 4 #1 [#31] (Prize, March 1952), photographer uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, April 14: Dazzler time-travels from the seventies, apparently

from Children of the Atom #2 (Marvel, June 2021), script by Vita Alaya, pencils and inks by Bernard Chang, colors by Marcelo Maiolo, letters by Travis Lanham

Today in Comics History, October 5: Don't forget your appointment today, Lois

from Dazzler #27 (Marvel, June 1983), script and pencils by Frank Springer, inks by Vince Colletta, colors by Andy Yanchus, letters by Janice Chiang

Comics Within Comics Month, Day 13: Say, why does Dazzler have Nightcrawler and Iron Man on the cover of her first album?

Y'know, it makes sense that Dazzler's first album...



Panels from Uncanny X-Men (2013 series) #9 (September 2013); script by Brian Michael Bendis, pencils and colors by Chris Bachalo; inks by Tim Townsend, Mark Irwin, Al Vey and Jaime Mendoza; letters by Joe Caramagaa


...would be the cover of her first comic book!


Cover of Dazzler #1 (March 1981), painted art by Bob Larkin

Back in the funky '70s the party didn't ever stop

Hey, remember when Spider-Man went to the opening night of Star Trek: The Motion Picture?

Nope, me neither.


Panels from The Amazing Spider-Man #203 (April 1980); script by Marv Wolfman; breakdowns by Keith Pollard; finishes by Mike Esposito, Jim Mooney, and "Friends"; colors by Bob Sharen; letters by Jim Novak
Despite being cover dated 1980, how seventies is this comic? Well, besides ST:TMP(TGOFTL), this ish also guest-stars...The Disco Dazzler! Why, it's the most seventiest comic book of them all!


Hey, look in that last panel...Klingons! That's Marv Wolfman's wily plug in the pages of this Spider-Man for his own Star Trek comic!


Page from Star Trek #1 (Marvel series, April 1980), script by Marv Wolfman, pencils by Dave Cockrum, inks by Klaus Janson, colors by Marie Severin, letters by John Costanza
Oh, ho ho ho ho, it's a comment on the insanity of blockbuster movies and theatergoers in the 1970s!


Spider-Man, Dazzler, and William Shatner's hairpiece were arrested on multiple counts of being too seventies for the eighties. In a moment, the results of that trial.

Sorry, no post tonight...

...so here's a gratuitous pin-up of Dazzler!


Pin-up page from Dazzler #2 (April 1981)

Same Story, Different Cover: Burn baby burn, burn that mama down

L: Marvel Team-Up #109 (September 1981), cover art by John Romita, Jr. and Bob Wiacek
R: Marvel Tales #232 (Mid-December 1989), reprinting Marvel Team-Up #109, cover art by Todd McFarlane
(Click picture to I Will Surviveasize)


By the way, those caption boxes you can't read on Marvel Tales #232?:

She's a mutant! He's a non-mutant! Would you like to be a mutant too? ... When Spidey, Paladin, and Dazzler team up, it's just got to be a...Critical Mess! (Whoops...we meant mass!)

365 Days with the Warriors Three, Day 225

Panel from Dazzler #16 (June 1982), script by Danny Fingeroth, pencils by Frank Springer, inks by Vince Colletta, colors by Don Warfield, letters by Janice Chiang

365 Days with the Warriors Three, Day 127

Panel from Dazzler #16 (June 1982), script by Danny Fingeroth, pencils by Frank Springer, inks by Vince Colletta, colors by Don Warfield, letters by Janice Chiang

365 Days with the Warriors Three, Day 16

Panel from Dazzler #16 (June 1982), script by Danny Fingeroth, pencils by Frank Springer, inks by Vince Colletta, colors by Don Warfield, letters by Janice Chiang

365 Days with Hank McCoy, Day 294

Panels from Beauty and the Beast #2 (February 1985), script by Ann Nocenti, pencils by Don Perlin, inks by Kim DeMulder, colors by Petra Scotese, letters by Joe Rosen