Today in Comics History, February 26, 1942: And then Bette Davis walked up on stage and bitchslapped Joan Fontaine in the face

from Alfred Hitchcock: Master of Suspense (NBM, March 2022), script by by Noël Simsolo, translation by Monatan Kane, art by Dominique Hé, lettering by Ortho

Today in Comics History, February 26: Happy birthday, Fats Domino!

Fats Domino was born today in 1928, American rock-and-roll singer/songwriter/piano player. "The Fat Man," "Ain't That a Shame, "Blueberry Hill,", "wait and see," "Walking to New Orleans," "I'm Walkin'"...rock 'n' roll would be pretty poor without these hits and Fats performing them.

Only one comic book appearance of Fats Domino that I could find, but at least he's right on the cover!



cover of Archie and Me #62 (Archie, January 1974), artist uncredited and unknown
I have questions about this cover. Why is the "me" in Archie and Me Mr. Weatherbee, but the "me" in Betty and Me and Reggie and Me is Archie? Also, who woulda ever thought a comic about the relationship between a teenager and his high school principal could last 161 issues? Hey, they didn't have massive quintuple layered hamburgers in the fifties, Jughead! And they didn't have those red plastic cups in the fities! I CALL SHENANIGANS. But I do appreciate how Archie dressing as if he were in the fifties...is exactly Archie from the fifties.


cover of Archie Comics (1942 series) #71 (Archie, November 1954), artist uncredited and unknown
Sorry for dipping a little into Archie mythology, Fats, but happy birthday to you! Thanks for all the piano-rollin' rock!

Today in Comics History, February 26: Happy birthday, Johnny Cash!

cover of Daredevil (1964 series) #284 (Marvel, September 1990), pencils by Lee Weeks, inks by Al Williamson
Why, he's Johnny Cash, born on this day in 1932! Yes, Johnny Cash, the great American singer, songwriter, actor, and comic book star!


cover of Hello, I'm Johnny Cash one-shot (Revell, 1976), pencils and inks by Al Hartley
Johnny was the star of this Spire Christian Comics autobiographical comic focusing on his life, career, and spirituality, focusing on his descent into drinking, drugs, and behavior Jesus would tsk his tongue over, until he is saved by his belief in Christ and, oh yeah, stopping with the boozing, pills, and womanizing. Well, I coulda told ya that, Johnny; you didn't have to bother Jesus about it. Despite its moral messages, though, it'a actually a fun comic, and doesn't back off from showing some of Johnny's badass moments.




from Hello, I'm Johnny Cash one-shot (Revell, 1976); script by Billy Zeoli; pencils, inks, and letters by Al Hartley
Not a lot of people know that (copyright ©1966 Michael Caine) Johnny starred in a comic as an old-timey Western star back in the 1950s!




from "His Lasso and the Law!" in Apache Trail #3 (Farrell, February 1958), pencils by Charles Sultan
Naw, I tell a little fib (copyright ©2021 Bully). This is actually the adventures of Johnny Lash, reprinted from Crack Western which is Whack Western #75 from Quality Comics in 1951, but the hero has been re-named Cash (maybe because of rights issues) and the story is re-lettered in this reprint! The narration and dialogue is rewritten as well.




from "Hangnoose Sunrise!" in Crack Western #75 (Quality, November 1951), pencils by Charles Sultan
But can't ya picture the real Johnny Cash actually having these adventures? i can, because I have a vivid, action-packed cinematic imagination that often stars Johnny Cash.



from Apache Trail #3
These been a few very good Cash comics biographies over the past few years. I especially like this one:


from Johnny Cash: I See a Darkness (Abrams, 2009), script and art by Reinhold Kleist
So, we wish you a happy birthday, Johnny Cash! You're no longer here, but your music — and your legend — is still with us! Thanks, Man in Black!


from Gumby (2006 series) #2 (Wildcard, November 2006), pencils and inks by Rick Geary, colors by Steve Oliff

Today in Comics History, February 26: Commissioner Loeb's door learns to tell a joke

from Batman #404 (February 1987), script by Frank Miller, pencils and inks by David Mazzucchelli, colors by Richmond Lewis, letters by Todd Klein