Today in Comics History, May 7, 1915: German murder boat refuses to give a fair chance

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published May 7, 2021 and May 7, 2022.


from "The Life of Woodrow Wilson" in Real Life Comics #2 (Pines, December 1941), script and art creators uncredited and unknown, letters by Ed Hamilton

Today in Comics History, February 23, 1942: General MacArthur finally gets fan mail from some flounder

from General Douglas MacArthur one-shot (Fox, 1951), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, February 3, 1945: A brown paper envelope is invaded

from General Douglas MacArthur one-shot (Fox, 1951), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, January 30, 1945: Publication of General MacArthur's Five-Star Battle Comics #1

from General Douglas MacArthur one-shot (Fox, 1951), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, January 10, 1945: MacArthur sends his heartfelt tanks

from General Douglas MacArthur one-shot (Fox, 1951), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, December 31, 1941, New Year's Eve: MacArthur can't have fun on New Year's Eve unless somebody gets hurt

from General Douglas MacArthur one-shot (Fox, 1951), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, December 25, 1943, Christmas: Nobody gets their Christmas wish of being able to go home

from General Douglas MacArthur one-shot (Fox, 1951), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, August 19, 1945: He then returned to his life as a candidate

from General Douglas MacArthur one-shot (Fox, 1951), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, July 29, 1945: The next two panels in this comic are of August 5 and August 9 and show the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, so I won't be bringing you those. Enjoy this panel of three guys sitting around.

from General Douglas MacArthur one-shot (Fox, 1951), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, July 26, 1941: I suppose he said "I shall return" or some such cliché like that

from General Douglas MacArthur one-shot (Fox, 1951), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, June 11, 1903: Dean Wormer lets "Kegger" MacArthur graduate just to get rid of him

from General Douglas MacArthur one-shot (Fox, 1951), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, April 23, 1944: But they forgot their wooden shoes and had to go back

from General Douglas MacArthur one-shot (Fox, 1951), creators unknown

Today in Comics History, April 12, 1945: Shocking radio news really upsets Drew Carey's parents

from General Douglas MacArthur one-shot (Fox, 1951), creators unknown

Today in Comics History, February 23, 1945: Raise High the Roof Beam Flagpole, Carpenters Marines

from General Douglas MacArthur one-shot (Fox, 1951), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, January 26, 1880: Happy birthday, General Douglas MacArthur!

Born on this day in 1880, which means he wasn't exactly a spring chicken during the Second World War: General Douglas MacArthur, who promised "I shall return!," a proclamation which sounded pretty good until Arnold Schwarzenegger boiled that down to the much more succinct "I'll be back."

Say, how did MacArthur feel about women in the military? Let's ask Diana Prince.


cover of Wonder Woman (1942 series) #237 (DC, November 1977), pencils by Rich Buckler, inks by Vince Colletta, letters by Joe Letterese (?)
How'd that work out for ya, Doug?


from Wonder Woman #237; script by Gerry Conway, pencils by José Delbo, inks by Vince Colletta, colors by Elizabeth Safian, letters by Milt Snapinn (?)
Yes, he still needed help from a woman. Honestly, I don't think MacArthur was quite mentally prepared for a war including super-powered beings.


from All-Star Squadron #28 (DC, December 1983), script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Richard Howell, inks by Gerald Forton, colors by Gene D'Angelo, letters by David Cody Weiss
C'mon, Doug, adapt to the changing times! If you don't have some sort of flexibility, you'll never get your own comic book!


cover of General Douglas MacArthur one-shot (Fox, 1951), creators unknown
Oh.

Well, happy birthday anyway, General! (salutes)