Today in Comics History: Happy birthday, Criswell!

Born on this day in 1907, Jeron Criswell King, better known to B-movie fans as The Amazing Criswell! Wikipedia: "an American psychic known for wildly inaccurate predictions." You may remember him from the opening sequence of Plan 9 from Outer Space, written and directed by America's only cinematographical artiste, Ed Wood!


from "Ed Wood Jr." in The Big Book of Weirdos (DC/Paradox, April 1995), script by Carl Posey, pencils and inks by Mitch O'Connell, letters by Rod Ollerenshaw
Criswell died in 1982. Ya think he predicted that?


from "The Edward D. Wood, Jr. Players Trading Cards" in Heavy Metal v.9 #1 (Heavy Metal, April 1985); script, pencils, inks and letters by Drew Friedman
Happy birthday, Criswell, baby! I predict birthday cake tonight!


"Criswell Predicts," opening scene of Plan 9 from Outer Space (Reynolds Pictures, Inc., 1957),
written, directed, edited and produced by Ed Wood

Today in Comics History, May 20: Happy Birthday, Jane Wiedlin!

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published May 20, 2012.

Born on this day: Singer/songwriter/subject of my affection Jane Wiedlin! Hi Jane!

Today in Comics History, March 9: Happy birthday, Joe Franklin!

Happy birthday today to Mr. Joe Franklin, born in 1926 and host of (naturally) The Joe Franklin Show, a long-time New York-based TV talk show that brought in the famous, the infamous, and the forgotten to relate their tales of stage and screen. He was especially prominent in several comics from Drew Freidman, from the gently parodic...




from High Times Magazine #70 (Trans-High Corporation, June 1981); script by Josh Alan Friedman; pencils, inks, and letters by Drew Friedman
...to the fantastically romantic...


from "Joe Franklin is a Dream Walkin'" in Weirdo (1981 series) #6 (Last Gasp, Summer 1982); script, pencils, inks and latters by Drew Freidman
...and the utterly bizarre.


from Heavy Metal Magazine (1977 series) v.8 #8 (Heavy Metal, November 1984); script, pencils, inks and latters by Drew Freidman
Happy birthday, Joe Franklin! You may have been local to the New York City market, but universal in our hearts.