Today in Comics History, September 15: Happy birthday, Richard Somers!

Hey, let's run it up the flagp[ole and see if anyone salutes today's birthday of Richard Somers, born 1778, so he missed out not only on the Bicentennial but the Ennial. Dick was a US naval officer and commander of the schooner USS Nautilus, its five year mission: to explore strange new islands which defended Tripoli from Barbary pirates and rose to the rank of Master Commandant and commanded a division of gunboats against attacks on Tripoli during the First Barbary War.


"Daredevils of Destiny: Richard Somers" from Reg'lar Fellers Heroic Comics #1 (Eastern Color, August 1940), script by Frank Rentfrow, pencils and inks by Don Dickson; reprinted from the Daredevils of Destiny Sunday syndicated comic strip
In September 1804, Somers became commander of the Intrepid completely manned by Vulcans of Starfleet, a "fire ship" loaded with explosives and intended to massively detonate and take our the corsair fleet in Tripoli. Unfortunately, the Intrepid blew up early, killing Somers and his entire crew. D'oh! You're suppoosed to get off the ship before it blows up!


"Highlights of History: The Barbary Pirates" in Famous Funnies #61 (Eastern Color, August 1939); text, pencils, and inks by J. Carroll Mansfield; reprinted from the Highights of History Sunday syndicated comic strip
And people say blogs aren't educational! Happy birthday, Richard Somers! Careful with those celebratory fireworks.

Today in Comics History, May 31: Happy birthday, Bert Christman!

Born on this day in 1915: Bert Christman, comic book writer and illustrator as well as WWII naval aviator. Christman was writer and artist on the popular newspaper strip Scorchy Smith, of which many adventures were reprinted in Easter Color's Famous Funnies comic book, plus work on the Three Aces feature in Action Comics, Funny Picture Stories, and Adventure Comics. That last one's pretty important, because t'was in the pages of Adventure that Bert created, along with Gardner Fox, Wesley Dodds — the Golden Sandman. Yes, the Sandman Mystery Theatre version. Here's his first appearance!


from "[The Tarantula Strikes]" in Adventure Comics #40 (DC, July 1939), script by Gardner Fox as Larry Dean, pencils and inks by Bert Christman; shown here in a recolored reprint from Justice League of America #94 (DC/National, November 1971)

Today in Comics History, May 3: Happy birthday, Bing Crosby!

Born on this date in 1903: Bing Crosby, actor, singer, comedian, and comic book star. In fact, Bing's been in comics almost since their invention!


from "Star-Light" in Action Comics (1938 series) #5 (DC, October 1938), pencils and inks by Sheldon Moldoff

Today in Comics History, January 15, 1934: Another night upon which Chicago died, or at the least, was seriously injured and listed in critical condition

from "War on Crime" in Famous Funnies (1934 series) #31 (Eastern Color, February 1937), script by Rex Collier

Today in Comics History, September 15: Happy birthday, Fay Wray!

Born on this day in 1907: actress Fay Wray, star of a whole bunch of films and TV (The Most Dangerous Game, The Richest Girl in the World, The Countess of Monte Cristo and more), but perhaps best known for monkeyin' around.



from King Kong one-shot (Western/Gold Key, September 1968), painted cover by George Wilson

Today in Comics History, August 2: Happy birthday, Myrna Loy!

Born on this day in 1905 and our lives are better for it: the beautiful Myrna Loy, actress (The Thin Man series, The Best Years of Our Lives, Cheaper by the Dozen, The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, and many more)!


from "[Murder Tunes In Unexpectedly]" in Smash Comics #34 (Quality, July 1942); scriupt, pencils, inks and colors by Jack Cole

Today in Comics History, June 16: Happy birthday, Stan Laurel!

Born on this day in 1890: comedian, actor, writer and producer Stan Laurel, the skinny half of Laurel and Hardy!


from "Bobby" in Jumbo Comics #5 (Fiction House, January 1939); script, pencils, and inks by S.M. Iger

Today in Comics History, March 3: Happy birthday, Jean Harlow!

Born today in 1911, actor Jean Harlow, the "Blonde Bombshell," one of cinema's most important early portayers of sexy seductress roles. Despite her short career, she appeared in a lot of movies during those days when studios would turn around a picture a week, like The Saturday Night Kid, Hell's Angels, Goldie, Dinner at Eight, Red Dust, Dinner at Eight, Reckless, and even Iron Man (the original one; pay attention, son — but wouldn't she have made a great Pepper Potts?). Taken from the world way too soon — she died of uremia (kidney failure) at age 26 — she also didn't get a lot of appearances in comic books, but here's some I've found that spotlight the sparkling, laughing vamp.

Here's Jean...sadly pushed all the way over on the right edge. Next to Jugheads's feet. That's no proper fate for the Queen of the Bombshells!


cover of Life with Archie #94 (Archie, February 1970), artist unknown
Jean's a red-carpet event (between the two word balloons) in this comic book reprint of the "Olly of the Movies" comic strip.


from "Olly of the Movies" in Famous Funnies #6 (Eastern Color, January 1935); script, pencils, and inks by Julian Ollendorff
The Grand Comicbook Database suggests that the blonde in this panel is Jean...but it's from a 1947 comic, a full ten years after Jean's death. It might be a mistaken identification here, or I'd like to posit that in this universe, Black Cat got Jean to the hospital early enough to be diagnosed and saved. See, that's what the multiverse is for. (Let me know in the comments if you think you know who that's supposed to be!)


from Black Cat #6 (Harvey, June 1947), script by Blanche Carlin (?) or Beverly Suser (?), pencils and inks by Lee Elias, letters by Ben Oda
But there's no mistaking her and Hal Roach, her director on early silent shorts, in this special Krazy Kat ink and painted piece by creator George Herriman — now that's a cartoon tribute! With his American Indian Cupids, Herriman appears to be "shipping" Jean and Hal. Is this the first comics example of "shipping?" Oh, wait, Tijuana Bibles. Which I'm not 'lowed to look at. Never mind.

painting from Krazy & Ignatz 1941-1942: A Ragout of Raspberries (Fantagraphics, December 2007), by George Herriman
(Click picture to Coconino-size)
Happy birthday and peace to you, Jean Harlow.

Today in Comics History, January 18: Happy birthday, Oliver Hardy!

Born on this day in 1892: comedian and actor Oliver Hardy, the plump half of Laurel and Hardy!


from "Bobby" in Jumbo Comics #5 (Fiction House, January 1939); script, pencils, and inks by S.M. Iger


from Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #162 (DC, February 2003); script by John Arcudi; pencils, inks, and letters by Roger Langridge; colors by James Sinclair, clor separations by Digital Chameleon

Today in Comics History, January 3: Happy birthday, Anna May Wong!

Born on this day in 1905: pioneering cinema star Anna May Wong, the first considered to be the first Chinese American movie star, internationally renowned (if not always respected, sigh) for her work in such films as The Thief of Bagdad, Shanghai Express, Daughter of the Dragon, Daughter of Shanghai, and much more, plus the TV show The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong, the first US televisioon series starring an Asian American lead.

And of course (as you've come to expect from Comics Oughta be Fun!), she made appearances in comic book "Hollywood spotlight" features as well!


from "Star Flashes" in Reg'lar Fellers Heroic Comics #7 (Eastern Color, July 1941); text, pencils, and inks by Charles Bruno


from "Screen Oddities" in Famous Funnies #32 (Eastern Color, March 1937), text by Roscoe Fawcett, pencils and inks by Bruno Thompson


from "Screen Snapshots" in Crack Comics #1 (Quality, May 1940); text, pencils, and inks by Gill Fox
Happy birthday, Miss Wong!