Today in Comics History, January 18: Happy birthday, Martin Goodman!

Born on this day in 1908: publisher Martin Goodman, but we ought to also say born on this day: Marvel Comics, because without Goodman there wouldn't be no Captain America, Sub-Mariner, Human Torch...Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Daredevil, X-Men, Squirrel Girl, Obnoxio the Clown...you get the picture?


from "Meet the Gang in the Merry Marvel Bullpen" in Marvel Tales Annual #1 (Marvel, September 1964)

Today in Comics History, January 18: Happy birthday, Raymond Briggs!

Born on this day: English illustrator, author, and graphic novelist Raymond Briggs, author of Father Christmas, The Snowman, Ethel & Ernest, When the Wind Blows, and many more. He depicts himself in his biography of his parents, Ethel & Ernest, which is one of the finest and most touching graphic novels I've ever read. Seriously, if you've never, you must read this, and I guarantee you won't have dry eyes at the end.







from Ethel & Ernest (Jonathan Cape, 1998), by Raymond Briggs
A very happy 88th birthday to you, Raymond Briggs.

Today in Comics History, January 18: Happy birthday, Human Bomb!

Born on this day: Roy Lincoln, better known to the superhero world and comic book-reading collective as The Human Bomb! (Boom!)


from Super DC Calendar 1976 (DC, 1975), letters by Ben Oda
I usually like to include some of a character's first appearance on their birthday, but alas! Aside from the Phantom Lady and Plastic Man stories, I don't have anything from H.B.'s debut story by Paul Gustavson in Police Comics #1 (Quality, August 1941). No, not even the Millennium Edition (DC, 2000)! So here's a nice recapped version of his origin from a little later on.


from Police Comics #12 (Quality, October 1942); script, pencils, inks and letters by Paul Gustavson
Yes, 27QRX, now with new additive Lincoln!

Roy';s origin is revisited once again in the Silver Age...well, almost. The following is from a Xerox™ of the cancelled Freedom Fighters #17, a victim of the DC Implosion (see here and here for more on that), so it was only published in a short run of 35 copies for copyright purposes. And I've got one of 'em! (Naw, not really! You can find this story reprinted in The Secret Society of Super-Villains, Volume 2 trade from about ten years back.)




from "Murder Times Seven" in Cancelled Comic Cavalcade #2 (DC, Fall 1978), script by Bob Rozakis, pencils by Dick Ayers and Mike Vosburg, inks by Bob Smith, letters by Shelly Leferman
Happy birthday, Roy! Please remember to blow out, not blow up, your birthday cake candles!

Today in Comics History, January 18: Happy birthday, Frank Quitely!

Happy birthday to you, Frank Quitely, artist of quite frankly a lot of comic books, including but not solely limited to New X-Men, All Star Superman, Flex Mentallo, The Authority, Batman and Robin, We3, Jupiter's Legacy, JLA: Earth 2 and Judge Dredd! But why's it so difficult to find an appearance by you within a comic book? Are you shy? Dont be shy, Frank Quitely! We love you!


from Heartthrobs (1999 series) #2 (DC/Vertigo, February 1999)
Anyway, happy birthday, Frank!

Today in Comics History, January 18, 1827: Wilbur Weston is rescued

from Young All-Stars #16 (DC, September 1988), script by Roy Thomas and Dann Thomas, pencils by Michael Bair, inks by Malcolm Jones III, colors by Gene D'Angelo, letters by Jean Simek

Today in Comics History, January 18: Happy birthday, Oliver Hardy!

Born on this day in 1892: comedian and actor Oliver Hardy, the plump half of Laurel and Hardy!


from "Bobby" in Jumbo Comics #5 (Fiction House, January 1939); script, pencils, and inks by S.M. Iger


from Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #162 (DC, February 2003); script by John Arcudi; pencils, inks, and letters by Roger Langridge; colors by James Sinclair, clor separations by Digital Chameleon

Today in Comics History, January 18, 1991: Foolkiller clips store coupons, saves over $1.35 on his groceries. Now who's the fool?

from Foolkiller (1990 series) #8 (Marvel,. July 1991), script by Steve Gerber, pencils by Joe Brozowski, inks by Vince Giarrano, colors by Greg Wright, letters by Phil Felix

Today in Comics History, January 18, 1927: Doc and Marty boost Nick Fury's car

from Back to the Future (1991 series) #1 (Harvey, November 1991), script by Dwayne McDuffie, pencils by Nelson Dewey, inks by Nelson Dewey and Ken Selig, letters by Grace Kremer

Today in Comics History, January 18: Denny O'Neil continues to harass Lex Luthor

from Queen & Country #26 (Oni, July 2004), script by Greg Rucka, pencils and inks by Mike Norton, letters by John Dranski

Today in Comics History, January 18, 1860: Happy birthday, James Clarence Withencroft...hope you survive the experience!

from "August Heat" in Secrets of Sinister House #12 (July 1973), based on a story by W. F. Harvey, script adaptation by E. Nelson Bridwell, pencils and inks by Alfredo Alcala; cover art by Luis Dominguez, logo by Gaspar Saladino

Today in Comics History, January 18: Obamacare comes under fire for covering werewolf medical costs

from "Wulf Hunt" in World's Finest Comics #246 (DC, August 1977), script by Gerry Conway, pencils by Michael Netzer, inks by Terry Austin

Today in Comics History, January 18, 1952: Tara King does not approve of John Steed's new facial hair

from Batman: Death and the Maidens #8 (DC, May 2004), script by Greg Rucka, pencils and inks by Klaus Janson, colors by Steve Buccellato, letters by Clem Robins

Today in Comics History, January 18: Emma Frost visits her sister; fails to sell any Mutant Scout cookies

from Generation X (1994 series) #49 (Marvel, March 1999), script by Jay Faerber, pencils by Terry Dodson, inks by Rachel Dodson, colors by Felix Serrano, letters by Richard Starkings