Today in Comics History, January 23, 1942: Rest in Peace, Bert Christman

I've written more about comic book writer and illustrator Bert Christman (and his untimely death in war) in his birthday salute on May 21.


from Comic Book Comics #2 (Evil Twin, October 2008); script by Fred Van Lente; pencils, inks, and letters by Ryan Dunlavey

Today in Comics History, January 23, 1969 and 1976: Matt Murdock and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

What's Daredveil's least favorite day on the calendar? The day he got hit smack in the face with radioactive chemicals that caused his blindness and mutated four sewer turtles? (look it up...it's canon, fanboys!) The day his dad, Battlin;' Jack Murdock, died? The day his girlfriend died (for DD you really can't narrow that down). How about...January 23? In, say, 1969?


from Daredevil (1964 series) #51 (Marvel, April 1969), script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Barry Windsor-Smith, inks by George Klein, colors by Michele Robinson (?), letters by Artie Simek
Or maybe in the Bicentennial year of...1976!



from Daredevil (1964 series) #132 (Marvel, April 1976), script by Marv Wolfman, breakdowns by Bob Brown, finishes by Klaus Janson, colors by Michele Wolfman, letters by Joe Rosen
Come to think of it...it's Daredevil. Every day is a bad day for him, poor sucker. Get yerself a happier scripter, DD!

Today in Comics History, January 23: Happy birthday, Klaus Janson!

Born on this day in 1952: mighty mighty artist (penciller, colorist, and especially inker) Klaus Janson (Daredevil, Amazing Spider-Man, Battlestar Galactica, World War Hulk, St. George, Gambit, Batman, Detective Comics, Superman, The Dark Knight III: The Master Race, and much much more)!

We wished him happy birthday in the seventies!


from Mighty Marvel Calendar 1977, 1978, and 1979 (Marvel, 1976-1978)
We wished him happy birthday in the eighties!


from Marvel Age #49, 86 and 97 (Marvel, April 1987, March 1990, and February 1991); text by Mike Carlin (#49), & Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (#86 and 97), pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by Paul Becton (#49), Gregory Wright (#86), and Renee Witterstaetter (#97)
And, of course, we wish him happy birthday each day from there and in between!

Here's an interview with Klaus from the seventies!


from FOOM #22 (Marvel, September 1978)
Here's an interview with Klaus from the eighties! I mean, nineties!

from Marvel Age #113 (Marvel, June 1992), interview by Mike Lackey
(Click top picture to riesig-size)
Here's another interview, yada yada yada also nineties! But DC! So it's different!


from Direct Currents #26 (DC, February 1990)
Happy birthday, Klaus Janson!


from Marvel Age #112 (Marvel, May 1992)

Today in Comics History, January 23, 1919: Happy birthday, Ernie Kovacs!

Born on this day in 1919: comedian, actor, writer and broadcasting pioneer Ernie Kovacs! Among his TV shows were The Ernie Kovacs Show, Three to Get Ready, host of The Tonight Show and commentator on the radio show Monitor. Broadcasts of some of his work under the title The Best of Ernie Kovacs ran on PBS in the late seventies, a perfect time for many (including me!) to rediscover his groundbreaking work. Using ad-libs, absurdity, camera tricks, and blackout sketches, Ernie and his work became a major influence for comedians and television comedy from Monty Python's Flying Circus and Saturday Night Live to Andy Kaufman and Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Today in Comics History, January 23: Happy birthday, Captain Storm!

No, no, not Johnny Storm's little-seen starship commander uncle...but Captain William Storm of WWII, PT boat captain and leader of The Losers, over in the DC Universe. An' today's his birthday!


from Super DC Calendar 1976 (DC, 1975), letters by Ben Oda

Today in Comics History, January 23, 2003: Happy deathday, Jumbo Carnation! Hope you surv...oh.

from X-Men (2021 series) #1 (Marvel, September 2021), script by Gerry Duggan, pencils and inks by Pepe Larraz, colors by Marte Gracia, letters by Clayton Cowles

Today in Comics History, January 23: Happy birthday, Cara Sherman-Terano!

Born on this day in 1952: Cara Sherman-Terano, comics artist on stories from Tales of Terror, The American, Arion: Lord of Atlantis, Wonder Woman, Evangeline, Taboo, Timespirits and more!


from New Talent Showcase #5 (DC, May 1984)
Happy birthday, Cara!

Today in Comics History, January 23, 1913: Johnny Lazia misses out on the US Revenue Act re-imposing the federal income tax and lowering basic tariff rates from 40% to 25%*

from "Johnny Lazia, King of Kansas City" in Crime Must Pay the Peanlty #3 (Ace, August 1948), pencils and inks by Rudy Palais
*On October 3, 2013.

Today in Comics History, January 23, 1942-43: War is never "awesome," but this picture kinda makes it looks like that

from "Fighting Back in New Guinea" in Combat (1961 series) #8 (Dell, April 1963), script by Paul S. Newman, pencils and inks by Sam Glanzman

Today in Comics History, January 23, 1944: The Battle of Anzio continues, and doesn't have a happy ending for this guy

from "Corporal Stanford: The Hero of Anzio" in War Comics (1951 series) #2 (Marvel/Atlas, February 1951), pencils and inks by Pete Morisi

Today in Comics History, January 23: Wulf joins a third-tier Marvel team

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


cover of Wolfpack #1 (Marvel, August 1988), pencils by Ron Wilson (?), inks by Kyle Baker (?)