Today in Comics History, January 3: Happy birthday, J. R. R. Tolkien!

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published January 3, 2023.

Born on this day in 1892, so you know he's really old: J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the publication of which has ruined fantasy fan online discussions for the rest of the existence of the world.


from Tolkien: Lighting Up the Darkness (Ablaze, February 2024), script by Willy Duraffourg, art by Giancarlo Caracuzzo, colors by Flavia Caracuzzo and Joël Odone
Today is also the day, 21 years later, when Tolkien's life suddenly veered into being a Richard Curtis-style rom-com:

Today in Comics History, January 3, 1919: Hanged convict saved by arrival of Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man

from "The Ghost of Wandsgate Gallows" in Ghosts (1971 series) #10 (DC/National, December 1972), script by Leo Dorfman, pencils and inks by Ernie Chan, letters by John Costanza

Today in Comics History, June 14, Flag Day Bonus: Son quickly learns to stop asking his dad questions

PSA comic "New Stars for "Old Glory" from DC Comics cover-dated November 1959, script by Jack Schiff, pencils and inks by Bernard Baily, letters by Ira Schnapp

Today in Comics History, January 3, 2000: Superman's new millennial job: garbageman

from "Robots in the DCU" in Secret Files & Origins Guide to the DC Universe 2000 #1 (one-shot) (DC, March 2000), script by Scott Beatty, pencils by Gus Vazquez, inks by Claude St. Aubin, colors by Tom McCraw, color separations by Digital Chameleon, letters by Ken Lopez

Today in Comics History, January 3: After two excruciating days, Sluggo returns to his regular lovable self

Nancy (United Feature Syndicate, December 31, 1944), by Ernie Bushmiller
A special big-ass thank you as usual to Twitter pal @JohnnyCallicutt for bringing my attention to this strip!

Today in Comics History, January 3, 1854: Mealtime of the Ancient Mariner

from "Ghost Ship!" in Crypt of Terror (1950 series) #19 (EC, August 1950); script, pencils, and inks by Al Feldstein, letters by Jim Wroten

Today in Comics History, January 3: Happy birthday, Murray Boltinoff!

Born on this day in 1911: long-time DC Comics writer/editor Murray Boltinoff, who worked on titles as far ranging as Action Comics, Adventures of Bob Hope, G.I. Wombat Combat, Leguion of Super-Heroes, The Witching Hour, Doom Patrol and Sugar and Spike! Here, read more about 'im!:


from DC Comics cover-dated May 1977

Today in Comics History, January 3: Happy birthday, George Martin!

Born on this day in 1926: Sir George Martin, record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and frequently referred to as one of the ten or twelve people who could possibly be "The Fifth Beatle."

Martin has had a long career of collaboration with recording artists include (Bully favorites) The Goons, Flanders and Swann, Dudley Moore, Bernard Cribbens, Matt Monro, Neil Sedaka, Shirley Bassey, Kenny Rogers, Elton John, and many (many!) more, in addition to composing soundtracks for films like A Hard Day's Night, Yellow Submarine, Live and Let Die, among others.

And oh yeah, the Beatles.

Today in Comics History, January 3: Happy birthday, Bud LaRosa!

Born on this day: comics artist and inker Bud LaRosa (Amazing Spider-Man, X-Man, Daredevil, X-Force, and lots more), who started out as one of "Romita's Raiders"!


from Marvel Age #97 (Marvel, February 1991), text by Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter, art by Ron Zalme, colors by Renee Witterstaetter
Happy birthday, Bud!

Today in Comics History, January 3: Happy birthday, Anna May Wong!

Born on this day in 1905: pioneering cinema star Anna May Wong, the first considered to be the first Chinese American movie star, internationally renowned (if not always respected, sigh) for her work in such films as The Thief of Bagdad, Shanghai Express, Daughter of the Dragon, Daughter of Shanghai, and much more, plus the TV show The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong, the first US televisioon series starring an Asian American lead.

And of course (as you've come to expect from Comics Oughta be Fun!), she made appearances in comic book "Hollywood spotlight" features as well!


from "Star Flashes" in Reg'lar Fellers Heroic Comics #7 (Eastern Color, July 1941); text, pencils, and inks by Charles Bruno


from "Screen Oddities" in Famous Funnies #32 (Eastern Color, March 1937), text by Roscoe Fawcett, pencils and inks by Bruno Thompson


from "Screen Snapshots" in Crack Comics #1 (Quality, May 1940); text, pencils, and inks by Gill Fox
Happy birthday, Miss Wong!

Today in Comics History, January 3, 1985: Somehow, surprisingly, an American zealot turns out to be a killer

from Psi-Force #21 (Marvel/New Universe, July 1988), script by Fabian Nicieza, pencils by Ron Lim, inks by Mike Witherby, colors by Nelson Yomtov, letters by Rick Parker

Today in Comics History Future, January 3, 2900: Y2.9K claims more victims

from the Knights of the Galaxy story "Nine Worlds to Conquer!" in Mystery in Space (1951 series) #1 (DC, April 1951), script by Robert Kanigher, pencils by Carmine Infantino, inks by Joe Giella, letters by Gaspar Saladino (?)

Today in Comics History, January 3, 1991: You're one to talk about arms, weirdly-extended forearm guy

from Astonishing Tales (1970 series) #34 [Deathlok the Demolisher] (Marvel, March 1976), plot and pencils by Rich Buckler, script by Bill Mantlo. inks and colors by Klaus Janson, letters by Karen Mantlo

Today in Comics History, January 3, 1985: Western Union finally gets fed up with all this passing messages back and forth between time travelers

from Back to the Future: Citizen Brown #5 (IDW, September 2016), adaptation by Bob Gale and Erik Burnham, script by Erik Burnham, pencils by Alan Robinson, inks by Alan Robinson and Jaime Castro, colors by Maria Santaolalla, letters by Shawn Lee

Today in Comics History, January 3: "♬ Nobody's home! ♬ Nobody's home! ♬"

from Infinity Inc. (1984 series) #40 (DC, July 1987), script by Roy Thomas and Dann Thomas, pencils by Vince Argondezzi, inks by Tony DeZuñiga and Danny Bulanadi, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Agustin Mas

Today in Comics History, January 3: Happy birthday, Tony Cerniglia!

Born on this day: "Titanic" Tony Cerniglia, mailroom supervisor for Marvel Comics during the 1970s!


from The Mighty Marvel Calendar 1978 (Marvel, 1977)
Tony and the Mighty Marvel Mail Men are lauded in this Bullpen Bulletins salute!


from "Bullpen Bulletins" in Marvel Comics cover-dated October 1978
More Tony Terrificness!:

• From Eliot R, Brown's blog: a wonderful photo of Tony and the mailroom staff!
• Scott Edelman remembers great Marvel staffers including Tony Cerniglia ("who turned me on to Rice Krispie treats," says Scott). Give the man an award for that too!
• Photos from the 1975 Mighty Marvel Convention Book here, including one of Tony!

Happy birthday, Tony!

Today in Comics History, January 3: My hunger burns a bullet hole, a spectre of my mortal soul (Happy birthday, Jim Corrigan!)

According to the DC Super Calendar 1976, Jim Corrigan, the Golden and Silver Age host of the wrath of God himself, The Spectre, was born today!


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

Today in Comics History, January 3, 1988: 1988 continues to be really no improvement over 1987

from D.P. 7 #21 (Marvel/New Universe, July 1988), script by Mark Gruenwald, pencils by Paul Ryan, inks by Danny Bulanadi, colors by Paul Becton, letters by Janice Chiang

Today in Comics History, January 3, 1976: Rub-on letters applied to front of police building are a little crooked

from Bay City Jive #3 (WildStorm, September 2001), script and letters by John Layman, pencils by Jason Johnson, inks by Sean Parsons, colors by David Baron

Today in Comics History, January 3, 1976: Chinese Kingpin has had it up to here with those darn kids gunning their engines

from Bay City Jive #2 (WildStorm, August 2001), script and letters by John Layman, pencils by Jason Johnson, inks by Sean Parsons, colors by David Baron