Today in Comics History, April 30, 1945: Let's Kill Hitler

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published April 30, 2023.


Today in Comics History: it's Hitler's last day alive. And he's spending it with Baron Zemo? The guy who accidentally glued his mask to his head? Well, you do you, Hitler.


from Spider-Man: Fear Itself graphic novel (Marvel, February 1992), plot and co-script by Gerry Conway, co-script by Stan Lee, pencils by Ross Andru, inks by Mike Esposito, colors by Bob Sharen, letters by Rick Parker

Today in Comics History, March 12: Happy birthday, Ken Spears!

Born on this day in 1938: writer, animator, and producer Ken Spears, co-creator of Scooby-Doo and co-founder of Ruby-Spears Productions, both with Joe Ruby. Ruby-Spears gave us Thundarr the Barbarian, Fangface, Goldie Gold and Action Jack, The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show, Rubik the Amazing Cube, Mister T, Sectaurs, Centurions, Superman (1988) and more, and hired Jack Kirby to work on their productions.


from Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics (Ten Speed, July 2020), script and art by Tom Scioli
Happy birthday, Ken!

Today in Comics History, October 26: Happy birthday, Larry Lieber!

Born on this day in 1931: comic book writer and artist Larry Lieber, co-creator of Thor, Loki, Jane Foster, Ant-Man, Iron Man, Groot, Spider-Man's parents Mary and Richard Parker, and more! His writing and artwork appear in The Rawhide Kid, Kid Colt: Outlaw, Two-Gun Kid, Tales to Astonish, Tales of Suspense, Journey into Mystery, Strange Tales, My Own Romance, Teen-Age Romance, Captain Britain, and the proverbial etc.!


from (top) Mighty Marvel Calendar 1978-1979 (Marvel, 1977-1978);
(bottom) Marvel Age #34 and 94 (Marvel, January 1986 and November 1990); text by Jim Salicrup (#34) and Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (#94); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by Adam Philips (#34) and Marie Javins (#94)

Today in Comics History, May 25: Happy birthday, Barry Windsor-Smith!

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published May 25, 2022.

Happy birthday to comics writer, illustrator and painter Barry Windsor-Smith today! You may remember him from such films comics as Conan the Barbarian, Avengers, Weapon X, Machine Man, Uncanny X-Men, Solar: Man of the Atom, Archer and Armstrong, Rune, Barry Windsor-Smith: Storyteller, Monster, and lots more indeed! He's the co-creator of Red Sonja (comics version), Lady Deathstrike, Archer and Armstrong, Starr the Slayer, and others.


from Savage Tales #3 (Marvel, February 1974)

Today in Comics History, April 26: Happy birthday, George Tuska!

Born on this day in 1916: comic book and strip artist George Tuska, whose long career includes Iron Man, Captain Marvel, The World's Greatest Superheroes strip, Luke Cage, Crime Does Not Pay, Buck Rogers, Planet of the Apes, The Unexpected, The X-Men, Teen Titans, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, and lots more!


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

Today in Comics History, December 21: Happy birthday, Ben Oda!

Born on this day in 1915: the great Ben Oda, longtime comics letterer at DC, EC, and many other houses! His distinctive lettering style enchanced thousands of comics, ncluding Detective Comics and Batman, Action Comics and Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Four Color, Baris Karloff Tales of Mystery, The Twilight Zone, Eerie, Vampirella, MAD, the Super DC Calendars, and hundreds more!


"DC Profiles #59" from DC Comics cover-dated February 1980

Today in Comics History, October 16: Happy birthday, Joe Sinnott!

Born on this day in 1926: comics artist (best known as an inker) Joe Sinnott, who should always be included within the names that built the Marvel Age. He inked extensive runs on Fantastic Four, The Avengers, The Defenders, Thor, and has worked on pretty nearly every major Marvel title.


from Mighty Marvel Comics Calendar 1976-1979 (March, 1975-1978)
Joe was arguably the finest inker on Jack Kirby's Fantastic Four (and Thor!), and, I'd propose, on John Byrne's FF run too!

Aw geez, that pun in the last panel.


from Marvel Age #34, 58, and 94 (Marvel, January 1986, January 1988, and November 1990); text by Jim Salicrup (#34), Mike Carlin (#58), and Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (#94); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by Adam Philips (#34), Paul Becton (#58), and Marie Javins (#94)

Today in Comics History, October 11: Happy birthday, Joe Simon!

Born on this day in 1913: comics legend (writer, artist, editor, publisher) Joe Simon, co-creator of Captain America and Bucky, the Newsboy Legion and Boy Commandos, Boys' Ranch, Prez, Brother Power the Geek...


from Boys' Ranch #1 (Harvey, October 1950)

Today in Comics History, October 6: Happy birthday, Alfred Harvey!

Born on this day in 1913: comic book publisher and writer Alfred Harvey, who co-created Little Dot and Richie Rich (so you know who to blame)! In fact, he founded the whole dang Harvey Comics company!


from Green Hornet Comics (1942 series) #12 (Harvey, April 1943)

Today in Comics History, September 26: Happy birthday, Jack Schiff!

Born on this day in 1909: writer and editor Jack Schiff, who edited the Batman books, co-created Tommy Tomorrow and the Bat-Signal, and he wrote and edited the famous DC public service ad pages!


"Batman and Robin Stand Up for Sportsmanship!" from DC Comics cover-dated February 1950, script by Jack Schiff, pencils by Win Mortimer, inks by Stan Kaye, letters by Ira Schnapp

Today in Comics History, September 26: Happy birthday, Louise Simonson!

Born on this day: Comic book editor and writer Louise Simonson (also Louise Jones): scripter on Superman: The Man of Steel, Conan, New Mutants, and co-creator of Apocalypse, Cable, Stryfe, Steel, and Power Pack! (And much more!)


from Marvel Age #33, 57, and 93 (Marvel, December 1985, December 1987, and October 1990); text by Jim Salicrup (#33), Mike Carlin (#57), and Chris Eliopoulis & Barry Dutter (#93); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by Adam Philips (#33), Paul Becton (#57), and Marie Javins (#93)

Today in Comics History, August 6: Happy birthday, Andy Warhol!

Born on this date in 1928: pop artist, film director, and cultural touchstone Andy Warhol, whose last name sounds like a 1990s Image supervillain but isn't. But he did appear in comic books!


from Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics (Ten Speed, July 2020), script and art by Tom Scioli

Today in Comics History; July 29: Happy birthday, Dave Stevens!

Born on this day in 1955, Dave Stevens, comics writer and artist and animation and movie storyboarder. We know him best as the creator and author/artist of The Rocketeer, and he's also done work on Jonny Quest, Airboy, and Bettie Page Comics (natch!)!



from Amazing Heroes #37 (Fantagraphics, December 15, 1983)

Today in Comics History, July 10: Happy birthday, Joe Shuster!

Born on this day in 1914: Joe Shuster, who...well, without him, we probably wouldn't still have comic books today, period.


from Fifty Who Made DC Great one-shot (DC, 1985)

Today in Comics History, July 4: Happy birthday, Howard Ferguson!

Born on this day in 1895: Howard Ferguson, comic book letterer of the Golden and Silver Ages (Adventure Comics, Detective Comics, Star-Spangled Comics, World's Finest Comics, Marvel Mystery Comics, Captain America Comics, My Date Comics, Real Fact Comics, and many more, probably even some titles that didn't end in the word "comics")!


from Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics (Ten Speed, July 2020), script and art by Tom Scioli
Here's some examples of Ferguson's work! Betcha recognize these panels, creators, and scenes!



from "Case No. 1: Meet Captain America" in Captain America Comics #1 (Marvel/Timely, March 1941), script and pencils by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, inks by Al Liederman and Jack Kirby, letters by Howard Ferguson
Happy birthday, Howard!

Today in Comics History, June 28: Happy birthday, Mike Royer!

A very happy birthday today to comics artist and inker Mike Royer, who's worked on a big range of titles for an awful lot of publishers. He's done stories in Donald Duck, Walt Disney's Comics and Stories, Creepy, Eerie, Vampirella, Detective Comics, 1st Issue Special, Weird Mystery Tales, and more, plus definitive work inking Russ Manning (Tarzan, Korak, Magnus: Robot Fighter, Star Wars)...


from Mighty Marvel Calendar 1979 (Marvel, 1977)
...but Mike's perhaps best known for his extensive work inking comics by Jack Kirby, to which we can thank Vince Colletta for ticking off the King of Comics for erasing his pencils (and being a jerk to him about it). Here's how Kirby's story of getting Royer on board was told in the Tom Scioli bio-graphic novel:



from Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics (Ten Speed, July 2020), script and art by Tom Scioli
Not that there weren't bumps in the relationship...


...but once their collaboration got smoothed out, it really clicked. Royer inked the lion's share of Kirby's 1970s-1980s output, including (inhale) Kamandi, Justice Inc., Mister Miracle, The Demon, Jimmy Olsen, Forever People, The New Gods, The Hunger Dogs, Dingbats of Danger Street, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Eternals, OMAC, Black Panther, What If? #11, Devil Dinosaur, Machine Man, Captain America, Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers, Silver Star, and more (exhale!). Kirby considered Royer his favorite inker of his work.


Happy birthday, Mike!

Today in Comics History, June 17: Happy birthday, Wally Wood!

Born on this day in 1927: comics artist, writer, publisher Wally Wood, one of EC's greatest creators (Weird Fantasy, Weird Science, Tales from the Crypt, Shock SuspenStories, Two-Fisted Tales, Aces High and others) and a major figure at Marvel (Daredevil, Astonishing Tales, Tower of Shadows, more), DC (All Star Comics, The Unexpected, All-American Men of War, etc.), Warren (Creepy, Ererie, Blazing Combat, Vampirella, others) and in commercial art. He co-created Stilt-Man, THUNDER Agents and NoMan, Tigra, Power Girl, the Ani-Men, Sally Forth and Cannon — plus the famous "22 Panels That Always Work"!


from "Flight into Fear!" in Tower of Shadows #5 (Marvel, May 1970); script, pencils, and inks by Wally Wood; letters by Sam Rosen

Today in Comics History, June 8: Happy birthday, C. C. Beck!

Born on this day in 1910: C. C. Beck, co-creator and artist of Captain Marvel (you kids know him today as Shazam!) and many of the foundational supporting characters of the Marvel Family like Mister Mind, Doctor Sivana, Black Adam (hmmm, haven't heard much about him lately), Ibac, and the Sensational Character Find of 1947, Mr. Tawky Tawny, America's only tiger!!


from Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics (Ten Speed, July 2020), script and art by Tom Scioli

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, April 30, 1945: Jack is happy, but at the same time he's sad because it wasn't him who killed Hitler

from Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics (Ten Speed, July 2020), script and art by Tom Scioli