Today in Comics History, October 31, Halloween: Go home, Spider-Man and Human Torch: let the professionals handle Halloween

from "Down Came the Rain" in Crypt of Shadows (2022 series) #1 one-shot (Marvel, December 2022), script by Chris Condon, art by Fran Galan, colors by Jim Campbell, letters by Travis Lanham

Today in Comics History, November 7: Ben Grimm clicks "like" on Hannah's tweet about her date

from Human Torch (2003 series) #1 (Marvel/Tsunami, June 2003), script by Karl Kesel, pencils by Skottie Young, inks by Joe Seung and Pierre-Andre Dery, colors by Studio F, letters by Cory Petit

Today in Comics History, November 5: Johnny Storm is thwarted in his plans to burn down the Houses of Parliament

from Human Torch (2003 series) #1 (Marvel/Tsunami, June 2003), script by Karl Kesel, pencils by Skottie Young, inks by Joe Seung and Pierre-Andre Dery, colors by Studio F, letters by Cory Petit

Today in Comics History, November 2: The Fantastic Four's first battle against Daryl Hannah

from Human Torch (2003 series) #1 (Marvel/Tsunami, June 2003), script by Karl Kesel, pencils by Skottie Young, inks by Joe Seung and Pierre-Andre Dery, colors by Studio F, letters by Cory Petit

Today in Halloween Comics History, October 31: Ha ha! Johnny got burned!

from Human Torch (2003 series) #1 (Marvel/Tsunami, June 2003), script by Karl Kesel, pencils by Skottie Young, inks by Joe Seung and Pierre-Andre Dery, colors by Studio F, letters by Cory Petit

Today in Comics History, October 29: Oh come on, comics, they're sixteen

from Human Torch (2003 series) #1 (Marvel/Tsunami, June 2003), script by Karl Kesel, pencils by Skottie Young, inks by Joe Seung and Pierre-Andre Dery, colors by Studio F, letters by Cory Petit

Today in Comics History, October 19: At long last Glenville High School finally changes its team name from "The Slippery Liechtensteiners"

from Human Torch (2003 series) #1 (Marvel/Tsunami, June 2003), script by Karl Kesel, pencils by Skottie Young, inks by Joe Seung and Pierre-Andre Dery, colors by Studio F, letters by Cory Petit

Today in Comics History, October 10: Johnny, you liar, last night you were watching One Tree Hill

from Human Torch (2003 series) #1 (Marvel/Tsunami, June 2003), script by Karl Kesel, pencils by Skottie Young, inks by Joe Seung and Pierre-Andre Dery, colors by Studio F, letters by Cory Petit

Today in Comics History, October 6: The Mad Thinker vows to beat Johnny Storm in this year's chili cook-off

from "The Bouncing Ball of Doom!" in Strange Tales #131 (Marvel, April 1965), co-ploy and script by Stan Lee (credited), co-plot and pencils by Bob Powell, inks by Dick Ayers, colors by Stan Goldberg, letters by Sam Rosen

Today in Comics History, July 4: Human Torch accidentally destroys Glenville

from "The Origin of...The Fantastical Four" in Not Brand Echh #7 (Marvel, April 1968), script by Stan Lee, pencils by Jack Kirby, additional art and colors by Marie Severin, letters by Sam Rosen

Today in Comics History, June 13: Happy birthday, Chris Evans!

Born on this day: actor Chris Evans (Captain America, the Human Torch, Lucas Lee in Scott Pilgrim, and more)!


from Amazing Fantastic Incredible: A Marvelous Memoir (Simon & Schuster, January 2019), script by Peter David and Stan Lee, art by Colleen Doran
Happy birthday, Chris!

Today in Comics History, May 18: Happy birthday, Bill Everett!

Born on this day in 1917: comics writer and artist Bill Everett, creator of Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner and Hydroman; co-creator of Daredevil, Simon Garth the Zombie, Moondragon, Stingray, Foggy Nelson, Karen Page, Battlin' Jack Murdock, Namorita, and more!


from Fantastic Four Annual #7 (Marvel, November 1969)

Today in Comics History, March 31: Ben Grimm Goes to DashCon

Hey hey hey Baxter Building Boosters! What day is it?

Today the Human Torch plays a April Fool's joke on the Thing, in one of the finest Ben Grimm stories put down on paper! (Seriously, you need to get it. It's in Marvel Fanfare #15, and I don't know why it hasn't been reprinted twenty times. Ask for it by name!


from Marvel Fanfare #15 (Marvel, July 1984); script, pencils, inks, and colors by Barry Windsor-Smith; letters by Jim Novak
But wait, Bully! (you're saying) Why are you posting this a day too early? Have you made a mistake? (you ask). Well, no (I say). I'm not the one who made a mistake.


In any case, get a good night's sleep, and have a peaceful and serene April Fool's Day tomorrow. Don't do anything too extreme: I don't think our hearts can stand it this year.

365 Days of Defiance, Day 342: The Last Stand of Johnny Storm

Panels from Fantastic Four #587 (March 2011); script by Jonathan Hickman; pencils by Steve Epting; inks by Rick Magyar, Mike Perkins, and Steve Epting; colors by Paul Mounts; letters by Rus Wooton

366 Days with J. Jonah Jameson, Day 317: GET YER HOT NEWS HERE!

"Bullpen Bits #22", script and art by Chris Giarrusso; printed in Marvel Comics cover-dated November 1999;
this is from Slingers #12.

366 Days with J. Jonah Jameson, Day 267: Geez, Jonah, switch to decaf

For once, the critical eye (and big mouth) of J. Jonah Jameson turns from Spider-Man to quite another superhero threat and/or menace: the Fantastic Four! (There will be a slight pause while you ask "Who?")



Panels from Fantastic Four (1961 series) #111 (June 1971), script by Stan Lee, pencils by John Buscema, inks by Joe Sinnott, letters by Sam Rosen
Well, that'll happen. But Ol' Jonah will be calmed all down by the next issue, right?


Panel from Fantastic Four (1961 series) #112 (July 1971), script by Stan Lee, pencils by John Buscema, inks by Joe Sinnott, letters by Sam Rosen
Wow, he's so angry he forgot to use periods

366 Days with J. Jonah Jameson, Day 115: When you say "big hair" in the Marvel Universe, I usually don't think "Johnny Storm"

Panels from "A Day at the Races!" in Fantastic Four #543 (April 2007), script, pencils, and inks by Paul Pope; colors by José Villarrubia, letter by Rus Wooton
Incidentally, judging from the context, I think that Rus Wooton made a minor lettering typo in the last word balloon, so I took the liberty to correct it in Photoshop above. Here's what it actually looked like. Whoops!


Seconcidentally, does Johnny Storm really have big hair? Well, sorta.


Whatdaya have to say to that, Peter Parker?


Man, everybody's kinda hung up on Johnny Storm's hair in this comic.

366 Days with J. Jonah Jameson, Day 95: So this is the "Spider-Man: Homecoming" everybody's been talking about

Panel from Amazing Spider-Man (1963 series) #17 (October 1964), script by Stan Lee, pencils and inks by Steve Ditko, colors by Stan Goldberg, letters by Sam Rosen

366 Days with J. Jonah Jameson, Day 87: Jonah's new cigar lighter irks him

Panel from Amazing Spider-Man Annual (1964 series) #1 (September 1964), script by Stan Lee, pencils and inks by Steve Ditko, colors by Stan Goldberg, letters by Sam Rosen

Today in Comics History, May 19, 1981: Death Row Criminal Uses Comics Lettering Barred I Correctly

from Fantastic Four (1961 series) #233 (August 1981); script, pencils, and inks by John Byrne, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by Jim Novak