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 6: Happy birthday, Frank Giacoia!

Born on this day in 1924: Frank Giacoia (aka Frank Ray and Phil Zupa), comics artist and inker of the Golden and Silver Ages (The Amazing Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Captain America, The Avengers, Daredevil, Tales of Suspense, Young Allies, the Spider-Man comic strip, Flash Comics, Sensation Comics, Strange Adventures, World's Finest Comics, and many, many more)! Me, I consider him one of the finest Jack Kirby inkers!


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

Today in Comics History, June 16: Happy birthday, Frank Thorne!

Born today in 1930: Comics and fantasy artist Frank Thorne (Red Sonja, Danger Rangerette, Ghita of Alizarr, Ribit and more!).


from Mighty Marvel calendar 1977, 1978 and 1979

Today in Comics History, May 28: Happy birthday, Morrie Kuramoto!

Born on this date in 1921: Mamoru "Morrie" Kuramoto, production artist and letterer at Timely and Marvel Comics.


from (left) Mighty Marvel Calendar 1980 (Marvel, 1979), and
Marvel Age #29 (Marvel, September 1985), text by Jim Salicrup, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme

Today in Comics History, May 26: Happy birthday, Herb Trimpe!

Born today in 1939: comics artist Herb Trimpe, perhaps best known for his work on the Incredible Hulk, but he's also penciled very nearly every major Marvel character in books like The Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Spectacular Spider-Man and Marvel Team-Up, Iron Man, Sgt. Fury, Nick Fury, Dr. Strange, Marvel Two-in-One, Star Wars, What If...? Spitfire and the Troubleshooters, and gosh, a whole lot more!


from (top) Might Marvel Calendar 1979 and 1980 (Marvel, 1978 and 1979), Marvel Age #29 (Marvel, August 1985), text by Jim Salicrup, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, and
(bottom) Marvel Age #53, 89, and 101 (Marvel, August 1987, June 1990, and June 1991); text by Mike Carlin (#53) and Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (#89 and 101); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by Paul Becton (#53) and Renee Witterstaetter (#89 and 101)

Today in Comics History, May 13: Happy birthday, Marv Wolfman!

Let's all wheel out a big-ass birthday cake for Marv Wolfman, award-winning comic book writer, co-creator of Deathstroke, Blade, Nova, Bullseye, Terrax, Black Cat, Lilith, Big Wheel, Karla Sofen, Modred the Mystic, Debra Whitman, Hannibal King, Copperhead, Corruptor, the Brothers Grimm (inhale)...


from Mighty Marvel Calendar 1979 and 1980 (Marvel, 1978 and 1979)

Today in Comics History, April 22: Happy birthday, Steve Englehart!

Born on this day: Steve Englehart, comics writer and co-creator of Shang-Chi, Nomad, Star-Lord, Mantis, Night Man, Coyote, The Avengers/Defenders War, and writer of a zillion comic book stories for both DC and Marvel!


from Marvel Age #28 and 52 (Marvel, July 1985 and July 1987); text by Jim Salicrup (#28) and Mike Carlin (#52); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by George Roussos (#28) and Paul Becton (#52)
His work on Detective Comics, Justice League of America, Avengers and West Coast Avengers, Captain Marvel, Green Lantern Corps, Doctor Strange, and Vision and the Scarlet Witch are rightfully hailed as classics. Chances are one of your favorite stories or arcs is by Englehart!


from FOOM #6 (Marvel, June 1974)
Steve talks The Defenders!


from FOOM #19 (Marvel, September 1977)
Steve's no stranger to hangin' out on Earth-616 or on Earth-1, either. Or both! One of the most famous Rutland Halloween stories is an unofficial Marvel/DC crossover!


from Amazing Adventures #16 (Marvel, January 1973), script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Marie Severin and Bob Brown, inks by Frank McLaughlin, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by Charlotte Jetter
Here in part 1, Steve (in the orange tank top, with fellow creators Gerry Conway and Len and Glynis Wein) pick up a hitchhiking Beast! His junker car gets stolen by Juggernaut!



The Gang™ crosses paths later that night with...the Justice League!



from Justice League of America (1960 series) #103 (DC, December 1972), script by Len Wein, pencils by Dick Dillin, inks by Dick Giordano, letters by Ben Oda
...and then with Thor and Loki, everybody conveniently missing each other by a few minutes! (Maybe Colletta erased them meeting!)





from Thor #207 (Marvel, January 1973), script by Gerry Conway, pencils by John Buscema and Marie Severin, inks by Vince Colletta and Marie Severin, colors by Glynis Oliver, letters by Denise Wohl
Steve Engelhart Explains the Ultraverse to You™:


from The Strangers #7 (Malibu, December 1993), script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Rick Hoberg
Englehart (as "Jonathan Harkness") found his ideas on Fantastic Four were often overwritten by editorial (see his website for some fascinating background) but he still hung around to wrap it all up.


from Fantastic Four #333 (Marvel, November 1989), script by Steve Englehart as Jonathan Harkness, pencils by Rich Buckler, inks by Romeo Tanghal, colors by George Roussos, letters by Bill Oakley
Happy birthday, Steve Englehart, one of our favorite creators!

Today in Comics History, April 15: Happy birthday, Tom Sutton!

Born on this day in 1937: Tom Sutton, comics artist (and sometimes writer!) for DC (House of Mystery, Star Trek, Weird War Tales), Marvel (Warlock, Marvel Comics Presents, Doctor Strange, Planet of the Apes), Charlton (Ghost Manor, The Many Ghosts of Dr. Graves, Haunted), First (Starslayer, Grimjack), Skywald (Nightmare, Psycho), Warren (Creepy, Eerie), and he's a co-creator of Vampirella!


from FOOM #16 (Marvel, December 1976), text by Warren Reece
Here he is introducing a spooky story! oooh, it is scary! (I'll be behind the sofa if you need me.)


from "To Sneak...Perchance to Scream!" in Tower of Shadows #4 (Marvel, March 1970); plot, pencils, and inks by Tom Sutton, script by Denny O'Neil, letters by Jean Simek Izzo
And here is is telling us what happens "When Freuds go Amok!"



from Chamber of Darkness #4 (Marvel, April 1970); plot, pencils, and inks by Tom Sutton; script by Denny O'Neil; letters by Jean Simek Izzo
Happy birthday, Tom!


from FOOM #19 (Marvel, September 1977)

Today in Comics History, April 8: Happy birthday, Michele Wolfman!

Born on this day: comic book colorist Michele Wolfman (Daredevil, Hawkman, Flash, Blue Devil, Tomb of Dracula, Captain America, Star Trek, and many more)!


from FOOM #8 (Marvel, December 1974)
Happy birthday, Michele!


from 1975 Mighty Marvel Convention Program Book (Marvel, 1975)

Today in Comics History, March 31: Happy birthday, Scott Edelman!

In addition to today being the birthday of my pals John DiBello (best guy in the world) and Benjamin Birdie, 'tis also the day t'was born Scott Edelman, comic book writer (of characters like Thanos, Falcon and Redwing, Hawkeye and the Two-Gun Kid, Omega the Unknown, and in series like Marvel Spotlight, The Unexpected, The Defenders, Time Warp, Crazy, Spider-Man, Welcome Back Kotter, House of Mystery, Master of Kung Fu and more) and co-creator of Marvel's Scarecrow! He's also written for TV, was founder and/or editor of magazines Science Fiction Age, Last Wave, SCI FI Magazine, Rampage, Sci-Fi Universe, Sci-Fi Flix, Satellite Orbit, and Science Fiction Weekly! More? yes! Lots of short stories including some pretty chilling horror, chiller, and zombie stories, plus writer and editor of several books. Whew! All this and an editor of the beloved Marvel fan magazine FOOM!:


from FOOM #8 (Marvel, December 1974)


from FOOM #10 (Marvel, June 1975)


from FOOM #11 (Marvel, September 1975)
Plus, Scott (yes, that's him in the upper left hand corner) reveals the deadliest fighting secrets of the cows (for which he drummed him out of the secret Cow Fight Club, whose first rule is "Hey, watch out, not the face!").


from Crazy Magazine #12 (Marvel, August 1975)
(See a behind-the-scenes shot of Scott at this photoshoot here!)

So please join me in wishing John's birthday buddy Scott a very happy birthday as well! C'mon over later, Scott, we might have some cake left!


from 1975 Mighty Marvel Convention Program Book (Marvel, 1975), photograph by Michele Wolfman

Today in Comics History, February 14: Steve and Diana / Sittin' in a tree / Discussing Army cutlery

from "Bittersweet" in DC Love is a Battlefield one-shot (DC, April 2021), script by Crystal Frasier, pencils and inks by Juan Gedeon, colors by Ulises Arreola, letters by Marshall Dillon

Today in Comics History, January 26: Happy birthday, Sal Buscema!

Make sure you wish a very happy 86th birthday today to comics artist Sal Buscema, born in 1936 and still with us! (Write him a nice note of appreciation, why doncha?)


from Mighty Marvel Calendar 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979 (Marvel, 1975-1978)
Sal has drawn long runs on Incredible Hulk and Spectcaular Spider-Man, plus plenty of multiple issues of Fantastic Four, The Avengers, Marvel Team-Up, Marvel Two-in-One, Thor, The Defenders, and The New Mutants (he co-created Cypher and the Hellions)! Plus, he's co-created even more characters: a wide range of Marvel goodies and baddies, including Carrion, Collective Man, Commander Kraken, Jean DeWolff, Diamondhead, Firebird, Graviton, Nighthawk, Nomad, Razorback, Rom: Spaceknight, Sabra, Speed Demon, the Squadron Sinister, Thunderball, the Time Variance Authority, the U-Foes, Ursa Major, and Heinrich and Helmut Zemo (Jr.)! (And lots more filling in that alphabetical list.)


from Marvel Age #26, 50, 87 and 98 (Marvel, May 1985, May 1987, April 1990, and March 1991), text by Jim Salicrup (#26), Mike Carlin (#50), and Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (#87 and 98); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by Gregory Wright (#87) and Renee Witterstaetter (#98)

Today in Comics History, January 6: Happy birthday, Hugh Haynes!

Born on this day: comics penciller Hugh Haynes, who's worked on Nexus, Mars Attacks, Alpha Flight, Marvel Comics Presents, and a lot of Punisher comics! Check out a piece of his early fandom art here:


from FOOM #4 (Marvel, December 1973), by Hugh Haynes
Showing early work means I also get to show off a professional page Hugh drew of a hairy, hairy Frank Castle:


from Punisher (1987 series) #56 (Marvel, December 1991), script by Mike Baron, pencils by Hugh Haynes, inks by Jimmy Palmiotti, colors by Marcus David, letters by Ken Lopez
And it even includes a self-portrait! Hi, Hugh!


Happy birthday, Hugh Haynes!


from Marvel Age Special: Punisher Anniversary Magazine one-shot (Marvel, February 1994)

365 Days of Defiance, Day 83: And if one man could stand tall / There would be some hope for us all / Somewhere in the spirit of man

Panels from Amazing Adventures [featuring War of the Worlds] (1970 series) #19 (July 1973), script by Gerry Conway, pencils by Howard Chaykin, inks by Frank McLaughlin, colors by Petra Goldberg, letters by John Costanza

366 Days with J. Jonah Jameson, Day 327: All That Jazzy

Not entirely spotlighting J. Jonah Jameson particularly (but he's definitely in there!), but I had to share with you these two delightful John Romita Sr. pieces from the in-house fan magazine for Friends of Old Marvel, aptly known as FOOM!



Cover and page from FOOM #18 (June 1976), pencils and inks by John Romita, Sr.
I've discovered (and rediscovered) a whole lotta great Spidey artists this year doing these JJJ posts, but I definitely think the master...well, at least my favorite!...is the great "Jazzy" John Romita, Sr., who brought Peter into a new era, gave Gwen Stacy the heart that makes me love her, and Mary Jane Watson introduced and portrayed with such vivid va-va-voom that she still remains one of Marvel's top supporting characters today. Not to mention JJJ! here's to you, Mister R, Senior!