Today in Comics History, April 23: Happy birthday, James Buchanan!

Born on this day in 1791: the 15th President of the United States James Buchanan, who, let's face it, wasn't all that great. More to the point, it's nigh-impossible to find actual references to him in comic books because search results are clogged up by you know who. But I did find a couple comic appearances. Hey, comic books: can you sum up the entirely of his career in two pages? You bet they can!:



from Life Stories of American Presidents one-shot (Dell, November 1957), pencils and inks by John Buscema, letters by Ben Oda
Following his death, General Córdova was pressed flat and turned into a stamp of a lion by Colonel Gumm.


"All-American Stamp Page" from All-American Comics (1939 series) #25 (DC/J.R. Publishing, April 1941), creators uncredited and unknown
Much later, like all Presidents, he became a zombie and fought Deadpool.


from Deadpool (2013 series) #4 (Marvel, March 2013), script by Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn, pencils and inks by Tony Moore, colors byt Val Staples, letters by Joe Sabino
There. That's all you need to know about James Buchanan.

Today in Comics History, March 25: Happy birthday, Elton John!

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published March 25, 2022.

Born on this date, already wearing a sparkly pair of sunglasses and chunky heels: Elton John, the world's only Rock Star!


cover of Look-In #37/1973 (ITV, 8 September 1973), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, March 19: Happy birthday, Bruce Willis!

Born on this day: actor Bruce Willis (Moonlighting, Die Hard, Hudson Hawk, The Fifth Element, 12 Monkeys, Unbreakable and many more)! Happy birthday, Bruno!

He gets around in comics. Here he is (with tuff guy pals Arnie and Sly) being intimidated by Lobo! Why, that's at least one and one quarter action movie heat right there in those three guys alone!


from Guy Gardner: Warrior #29 (DC, March 1995), script by Beau Smith, pencils by Phil Jimenez, inks by John Stokes and Dan Davis, colors by Gene D'Angelo, letters by Albert DeGuzman

Today in Comics History, February 6: Happy birthday, Rick Astley!

Born on this day in 1966: singer/songwriter Rick Astley ("Never Gonna Give You Up," "Together Forever," "Whenever You Need Somebody," "Take Me to Your Heart," "Hold Me in Your Arms" and many more)!

But did you know that Rick Astley was one of the hundreds of guests at the wedding of Deadpool? Can you find him? Click the wide-screen cover below to zero in on him!


cover of Deadpool (2013 series) #27 (Marvel, June 2014), pencils and inks by Scott Koblish, colors by Val Staples
(Click picture to Billboard #1 Hit-size)
Happy birthday, Rick!

Today in Comics History, February 6: Snaky birthday, Ronald Reagan!

Born on this day in 1911, the 40th President of the United Snakes, Ronald Reagan. I'm absolutely no fan of Reagan, so I'm definitely not gonna wish him a happy birthday (more like...). But I do choose to salute him the way I remember him best...


cover of Captain America (1968 series) #344 (Marvel, August 1988), pencils by Ron Frenz, inks by Al Milgrom
...as a slithering snake-man Captain America got to punch in the face.

Today in Comics History, December 31: Deadpool regrets not buying T'Challa a calendar for Christmas

cover of Black Panther vs. Deadpool #3 (Marvel, February 2019), pencils and inks by Ryan Benjamin, colors by Rain Beredo

Today in Comics History, December 21, 1620: This is the America we lost

from You Are Deadpool #5 (Marvel, July 2018); script by Al Ewing, pencils and inks by Salva Espin, colors by GURU-eFX, letters by Joe Sabino

Today in Comics History, December 1: Happy birthday, Sarah Silverman!

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published January 29, 2017.

Can you guess the surprise celebrity guest in this here Deadpool comic book?


cover of Deadpool (2013 series) #40 (Marvel, March 2015), art by Scott Kobish
Oh, wait, I told you already in the post title: It's Sarah Silverman's birthday!


from Deadpool (2013 series) #40 (Marvel, March 2015), script by Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn, pencils and inks by Scott Koblish, crayon colors by Val Staples, letters by Joe Sabino

Today in Comics History, October 5: Happy birthday, Chester A. Arthur!

Born on this day in 1829: America's 21st president, Chester A. Arthur! (The "A" stands for "And my last name is Arthur.")

Here's everything that ever happened to him, in one easy-to-digest page:


from Life Stories of American Presidents one-shot (Dell, November 1957), pencils and inks by John Buscema, letters by Ben Oda

Today in Comics History, October 4: Happy birthday, Rutherford B. Hayes!

Born on this day in 1822: Rutherford B. Hayes, our 19th President! The "B" stands for "birthday!"

Here's everything you need to know about him.


"Rutherford B. Hayes" from Life Stories of American Presidents one-shot (Dell, November 1957), pencils and inks by John Buscema, letters by Ben Oda

BatrocTober, Day 2: Second day and we're already disrespecting Batroc

from Deadpool (2013 series) #10 (July 2013), script by Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn, pencils and inks by Mike Hawthorne, colors by Val Staples, letters by Joe Sabino

Today in Comics History, September 1: Happy birthday, Nicole Boose!

Born on this day: Nicole Boose, editor at Marvel in the mid-aughties! And she had to put up with shenanigans like this:


from "Masked Marvel," backup story in Marvel Comics cover-dated August and Septeber 2006; script by Karl Kesel, pencils and inks by David Hahn, colors by Pete Pantazis, letters by Rus Wooton
And, if that wasn't bad enough...with Deadpool!


from Cable & Deadpool (2004 series) #36 (Marvel, March 2007), script by Fabian Nicieza, pencils by Reilly Brown, inks by Jeremy Freeman, colors by Gotham, letters by Dave Sharpe
Happy birthday, Nicole!

Today in Comics History, August 24, 79 AD: When is a door not a door?

Where will Deadpool wind up if he takes the August 24 door?


from You Are Deadpool #5 (Marvel, July 2018), script by Al Ewing, pencils and inks by Salva Espin, colors by Guru-eFX, letters by Joe Sabino
HINT: we visited there in a previous August 24 post!


So you enjoy hot volcanic action? You're in luck! Tune in on August 25 for even more explosive events on Today in Comics History!

Today in Comics History, August 10: Happy Hirthday, Herbert Hoover!

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published February 22, 2010.

Born on this day: Herbert Hoover, inventor of the vacuum cleaner! I'm bettin' he's in lots of comic books, huh? I bet everybody knows who he is, right, Bruce Wayne in your snappy green hat? Say, where do you buy a green hat?


from Batman: Scar of the Bat one-shot (DC, 1996), script by Max Allan Collins, pencils and inks (and colors?) by Eduardo Barreto, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, August 2: Happy birthday, Carroll O'Connor!

Born today in 1924: actor, producer, and director Carroll O'Connor, who was the star of Ben Grimm's favorite TV show! (Also, I imagine the Thing liked In the Heat of the Night, but that wouldn't premiere for another 16 years.)


from Marvel Team-Up (1972 series) #3 (Marvel, July 1972), script by Gerry Conway, pencils by Ross Andru, inks by Frank Giacoia, letters by Artie Simek

Today in Comics History, July 16, 1945: United States military explodes the first Kirby Bomb

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published July 16, 2016.



from Marvel Treasury Special Featuring Captain America's Bicentennial Battles #1 one-shot (Marvel, September 1976), script and pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by John Verpoorten, colors by Phil Rachelson, letters by John Costanza
And guess who else was there?


from You Are Deadpool #5 (Marvel, July 2018), script by Al Ewing, pencils and inks by Salva Espin, colors by Guru-eFX, letters by Joe Sabino
Whadda you have to say about this, cast of The Invisibles?




from The Invisibles (1997 series) #2 (DC/Vertigo, March 1997), script by Grant Morrison, pencils by Phil Jimenez, inks by John Stokes, colors by Daniel Vozzo, letters by Todd Klein
"I am become Death, the shatterer of worlds." — Robert Oppenheimer


from Real Life Comics #29 (DC, March 1946), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, June 18, 1792: Maybe Marie Antoinette should give up on the before-bedtime toasted cheese

from Deadpool Annual (2019 series) #1 (2019), script by Dana Schwartz, pencils by Reilly Brown, inks by Nelson DeCastro with Craig Yeung, colors by Matt Herms, letters by Joe Sabino

There Is No Hope in Crime Alley, Night 13: The one comic that gets the pearls mostly right is over in that other universe

from "Good Night" in Deadpool (2018 series) #1/301 (August 2018), script by Skottie Young, art by Scott Hepburn, colors by Ian Herring, letters by Jeff Eckleberry

Today in Comics History, June 1: Time to put up and/or take down the Christmas decorations

from Deadpool (2016 series) #25 (Marvel, March 2017), script by Gerry Duggan, pencils and inks by Scott Koblish, colors by Nick Filardi, letters by Joe Sabino

Today in Comics History, May 28: Happy birthday, Scott Koblish!

Born today: comic book penciller and inker Scott Koblish (Deadpool, Despicable Deadpool, Punisher War Journal, Uncanny X-Men: First Class, Excalibur, Doom 2099, OMAC, and more)!


from "Happy Deadpool-Versary" in Marvel Comics #1001 (Marvel, December 2019), script by Brian Posehn, pencils and inks by Scott Koblish, colors by Val Staples, letters by Clayton Cowles