Today in Comics History, January 1, 1925: You're busy watching football today, so I read this goofy text story so you don't have to

"Nevers vs. Notre Dame" from Football Thrills #2 (Ziff-Davis, Fall 1952), creator uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, January 1, 1976: At last, a year Keira Knightley can ask me to marry her

from "Jumping January" Dennis the Menace Bonus Magazine Series #151 [Dennis the Menace Yearbook] (Hallden/Fawcett, April 1976), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, January 1, 1919: George M. Cohan immediately renounces his classic song

from "Larry MacPhail: Boss of the N.Y. Yankees" in True Comics #65 (Parents' Magazine Press, October 1947), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, January 1, 2016: Alex Reiger: Who He Is and How He Came to Be

from Yellow Cab (IDW, May 2022), by Christophe Chabouté, based on the novel by Benoît Cohen

Today in Comics History, January 1, 1940, New Year's Day: Have Yourself a Happy Little New Year

See, it's a Little New Year because Al Pratt is short. But I kids the Al Pratt.


from ["The Origin of the Golden Age Atom]" in Secret Origins (1986 series) #25 (DC, April 1988); script by Roy Thomas; pencils by Mike Clark; inks by Bob Downs; colors by Carl Gafford; letters by Jean Simek, Susan Kronz, and Janice Chiang
Which, because Roy Thomas has an entensive collection of key Golden Age comics, means this version of the classic tale took place on the vey same day:


from "Introducing the Mighty Atom" in All-American Comics #19 (DC/All-American, October 1940), script by Bill O'Connor, pencils by Ben Flinton, inks by Leonard Sansone
The 1940s: they were just plain cruel, weren't they?

Today in Comics History, January 1, 1999: ♫ Goin' to the Space Chapel and we're / Gonna get space-married ♫

From across the vast comsic reaches of space!...he puts a ring on it. Great job persuading him, Galactica Beyoncé!


from "Wedding Gift" in Amazing Adventures (1950 series) #2 (Ziff-Davis, May 1951), pencils and inks by Murphy Anderson
Actually, the wedding isn't for four more future days in to that year of the distant fu...ture...1999. You must remembver this: a kiss is still a kiss meet back here in four days to head on over to the Future Magistrate! What, no fancy Star Wedding blessed by the Space Pope?


Oh no Earth is destroyed. He's always pullin' that to get out of marriage!


How will this end? Well, you might consider tuning in again on January 5!

Today in Comics History, January 1, 1863: American journalism gets paper cut; bleeds all over newspapers

from "The Union Preserved" in Picture Stories from American History #4 (EC, Summer 1947), script by Jerry Coleman, pencils and inks by Allen Simon

Today in Comics History, January 1, 1973, New Year's Day: What I have learned from this is: the Avengers don't subscribe to the Daily Bugle

from Fantastic Four (1961 series) #133 (Marvel, April 1973), plot by Roy Thomas, script by Gerry Conway, pencils by Ramona Fradon, inks by Joe Sinnott, colors by Stan Goldberg, letters by John Costanza
But who's got the best comment on today's news, hmm?

Today in Comics History, January 1, 1952 and 2000, New Year's Day: Love! Love will keep us together

from Fantastic Four (2023 series) #1/694 (Marvel, January 2023), script by Ryan North, pencils and inks by Iban Coello, colors by Jesus Aburtov, letters by Joe Caramagna

Today in Comics History, January 1, New Year's Day: Never write a resolution your mouth can't cash

from "Janyearary" in Dennis the Menace Bonus Magazine Series #160 [Dennis the Menace Yearbook] (Hallden/Fawcett, January 1977), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, January 1, 1963: Anime immediately corrupts American youth

from Comic Book History of Animation #4 (IDW, February 2021); script by Fred Van Lente; pencils, inks, and letters by Ryan Dunlavey; colors by Adam Guzowski

Today in Comics History, January 1: Happy birthday, Anthony Winn!

Birthday greetings today to born-on-this-day comics artist, writer, illustrator and storyboard artist Anthony Winn (Brigade, Cyberforce, Wolverine covers and more)!


from "The Extreme Scene" in Image/Extreme Comics cover-dated December 1993
Happy birthday, Anthony!

Today in Comics History, January 1, New Year's Day: Don't put words in his mouth

from Batman: The Adventures Continue (2020 series) #8 (DC, March 2021), script by Alan Burnett and Paul Dini, pencils by Ty Templeton, inks by Sean Parsons, colors by Monica Kubina, letters by Josh Reed
Check out Robin's happy face!!!

Today in Comics History, January 1, 1951: Driver did not heed sensible advice to keep his eyes on the road and his hands upon the wheel

Two guys travelin' back from a particulay energetic New Year's Eve party. Hope they aren't under the influence of anything...oh, man, that'll happen.


from "Reflection of Death" in Tales from the Crypt (1950 series) #23 (EC, April 1951); co-plot, script, pencils and inks by Al Feldstein; co-plot by Bill Gaines; letters by Jim Wroten
Yikes! But hey, that'll buff right out.


Wow, that musta been a longgggg crash to catapult them two months into the future. But what happens then? I dunno, let's check it out here on February 26th!

This post was suggested by faithful reader and frequent commenter Blam, who's provided a lot of date references in comics that I'll spotlight throughout 2023 in this series. Thanks, Blam!

Today in Comics History, January 1, 1918: Jenny Sparks must save the world in 82 years, and she's already wasted 18 smoking and drinking

Happy 18th out of 100 birthday, Jenny Sparks! Go out and ride on an omnibus or something.


from "Requiem" in Wildstorm 30th Anniversary Special #1 one-shot (DC, January 2023), script by Warren Ellis, pencils by Bryan Hitch, inks by Paul Neary, colors by Laura Martin, letters by Josh Reed

Today in Comics History, January 1, New Year's Day: Happy New Year!

Superman wishes you a Happy New Year!


from "We Just Have To Make It to Spring" in DC's Legion of Bloom #1 one-shot (DC, May 2023), script by Dave Wielgosz, pencils and inks by Riley Rossmo, colors by Ivan Plascencia, letters by Tom Napolitano
Now, he suggests you get off your hangovered butt and start working out at the gym. New Year, New You!

Today in Comics History, January 1, 2007, 12:00 AM, New Year's Day: Lex Luthor enjoys the traditional thuds and splats ringing in the New Year

from 52 #35 (DC, March 2007); script by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid; breakdowns by Keith Giffen; pencils by Phil Jimenez and Dan Jurgens; inks by Andy Lanning and Norm Rapmund; colors by Hi-Fi; letters by Travis Lanham
(Click middle picture to Lex-er-size)
Oh Luthor, you nut, you crazy goofball! Kickin' off the New Year by slaughtering heroes! Will you ever learn?

Now, you may notice that this issue specifically identifies Week 35 of 52 (35 of 52? That's some weird-ass Borg name, isn't it?) as starting on January 1, 2007. That means we can identifies and pin down the exact date of every scene in 52, and I can now post panels from every single story in every single issue to add to the "Today in Comics History" feature starting now!

But I'm not gonna do that. You may now pause to exhale in relief.

(Maybe next year.)

Happy 2007, everybody!


from "DC Nation" in DC Comics cover-dated March 2007

Today in Comics History, January 1: The stonemason couldn't remember what year Alberto was born and died so he just winged it

from Batman: The Long Halloween #4 (DC, March 1997), script by Jeph Loeb, pencils and inks by Tim Sale, colors by Gregory Wright, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Richard Starkings

Today in Comics History, January 1: Happy birthday, Jerry Robinson!

Born on this day in 1922: Jerry Robinson, comic book artist who co-created the Joker, Robin, and many other aspects of the Batman mythos. His other work includes Green Hornet, Fighting Yank, The Vigilante, Johnny Quick, Bible Tales For Young Folk, Atoman, the comic strip Jet Scott, and many of the Dell Comics movie and TV tie-in comic books. Not to mention his long-time work asa political activist, comics historian, and president of the National Cartoonist Society!


from Direct Currents #29 (DC, May 1990)
Curiously enough among Batman creators, Jerry doesn't seem to have been featured as a character within any comic books at DC. But here's =panels from Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey's brilliant Comic Book Comics featuring Robinson (Jerry's represented as the Joker, not for any villainy, but to represent the character he created) and his fight for creators' rights for Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster:



from Comic Book Comics #5 (Evil Twin, March 2011); script by Fred Van Lente; pencils, inks, and letters by Ryan Dunlavey
Read more about it department: I highly recommend tw excellent books by/about Jerry Robinson: his autobiography Jerry and the Joker: Adventures and Comic Art (Dark Horse, August 2017) and N.C. Christopher Couch's Jerry Robinson: Ambassador of Comics (Abrams, August 2010).


Happy birthday, Jerry!

Today in Comics History, January 1: Happy birthday, Tony Salmons!

Born on this day: comic book and film artist Tony Salmons: artist on G.I. Joe, Savage Sword of Conan, Marvel Fanfare and much much more, plus animation illustration work for Batman: The Animated Series and Æon Flux! And he's co-creator of Dakota North!


from Heartthrobs (1999 series) #2 (DC/Vertigo, February 1999)
Happy birthday, Tony! Hope you have a great day and that I can someday find more instances of actual you appearing within a comic book! in the meantime, let's look at your great Dakota North pin-up promo!


house ad from Marvel Comics cover-dated June 1986