Showing posts with label January 5. Show all posts
Showing posts with label January 5. Show all posts

Thursday, January 05, 2023

Today in Comics History, January 5, 1945: Happy birthday, Mary Shaw! Hope you survive the...oh.


from "Out of This World" in The Phantom Stranger (1969 series) #4 (DC/National, November 1969), script by Robert Kanigher, pencils and inks by Werner Roth and Neal Adams, inks by Murphy Anderson and Bill Draut, letters by Milt Snapinn (?) (or Ben Oda?)

Still, tune in on April 3 to find out what happened then!

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 5: Happy birthday, Russ Manning!

Happy birthday today to master illustrator and cartoonist Russ Manning, born in 1929. He's the creator of Magnus, Robot Fighter, illustrator of Tarzan, Korak, Wyatt Earp, Ricky Nelson, Ben-Hur, Rawhide, 77 Sunset Strip, Roy Rogers and Trigger, Star Wars, and more!


"Yes, There Is a Tarzana..." from Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan of the Apes (1962 series) #155 (Western/Gold Key, December 1965)

Happy birthday, Russ!

Today in Comics History, January 5: Happy birthday, Zebulon Pike!

Born on this day in far-off 1779: American brigadier general and explorer Zebulon Pike, who discovered the source of the Mississippi River and Pike's Peak. He is also the inventor of the name "Zebulon."


from Ben Bowie and His Mountain Men #9 (Dell, November 1956), creators uncredited and unknown




Today in Comics History, January 5, 1999: He shoulda just got her a space-toaster

You might remember a mere four days ago, and yet back in the futuristic year of 1999, that crackpot space pilot Kevitt Standish (giggle) was engaged to be married to his fiancée who we don't know the name of, and franly, I don't think he does either.


from "Wedding Gift" in Amazing Adventures (1950 series) #2 (Ziff-Davis, May 1951), pencils and inks by Murphy Anderson

Bein' no fool, Nameless Girlfriend reminds Standish that he had better not be heasding out on any more than a four-day tour, because they get married on January 5, the instant he comes back! Unless he returns with one of the sexy Martian women with the three heads and the wings, because you know, hey, Martian women.


"And don't be going and getting kidnapped by Venusian warloards who threaten to make you destroy the Earth and...what DID I just tell you, Kevitt Lucille Standish?!?"


A whole lotta bluffin' later, Standish tricks the Venusian into blowin' up Mars. Also, there's some time travel of four days back and forth that's basically non-essential but pretty good at confusing us about what day it is. This guy is never gonna get his bachelor party!


Then, Space Ace Kevitt Standish, hero of all the solar system, punches the Venusians right out of the space-door that has been conveniently left space-open. "Come on, you space kids! We're not heating the whole space-outdoors, you know!"


Kevitt returns home, I dunno, using some sort of space slingshot or sling drive or netted slingshot briefs and returns to Earth on January 5, just in time for his wedding, as the futuristic analog clock on the wall tells us. And Marcia (oh, that's her space name!) doesn't even realize he's been gone, because for some reason...time travel rules, or maybe getting his hand stamped...Kevitt never made the space trip on January 1! Not only has he changed history capriciously, but that means he made Murphy Anderson draw all those pages for nothing! WHat a stupid, stupid man.


The marriage ceremony was a happy and joyful affair and Kevitt and Marcia lived happily ever after, until two days later when the Venusians, who were right back where they started before all the time travel, blew the entire Earth up.

Well, That'll show ya.

Today in Comics History, January 5: Happy birthday, Hayao Miyazaki!

Born on this date: animator, filmmaker, and manga creator Hayao Miyazaki (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Porco Rosso, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle and more)!




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

A very happy birthday to you, Hayao Miyazaki!

Today in Comics History, January 5, 1854: Diary entry sounds pretty important but doesn't even get an illustrated panel to go with it


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 5: Happy birthday, Luke Sewell!

Born on this day in 1901: Major League Baseball player and manager Luke Sewell! Here represented with an odd feature reflecting on how poorly his team had been performing and how much pressure was on him to bring the '42 St. Louis Browns to a higher performance. Yes, even in WWII: moneyball!


"Sport Features" in King Comics #73 (David McKay, May 1942), by Jack Burnley

The St. Louis Browns finished their season in third place in the American League.

"Because of the shortage of major league players during the Second World War, Sewell served as a player-manager during the 1942 season, appearing in six games. He played his final game as a player on August 1, 1942 at the age of 41." — Wikipedia

Happy birthday, Luke!

Wednesday, January 05, 2022

Today in Comics History, January 5: Martian Manhunter gets in touch with his feminine side


from the "Lady Cop" story in Gang Busters #9 (DC, April 1949), script by Phil Evans, pencils and inks by Dan Barry

Today in Comics History, January 5: Happy birthday, George Reeves!

Born on this day in 1914: Television's first Superman, George Reeves!


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




Today in Comics History, January 5, 1949: World's Tallest Jimmy Olsen snaps photograph


from "Bob Mathias: The World's Greatest Athlete" in True Comics #79 (Parents' Magazine Press, October 1949), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, January 5, 1998: At Last the 1998 Show


from V for Vendetta #4 (DC, December 1988); script by Alan Moore; pencils, inks, and colors by David Lloyd; additional colors by Siobhan Dodds and Steve Whitaker; letters by Elitta Fell

Today in Comics History, January 5, 1981: Wow, her last name must be obscene


from Hot Valley Days and Cocaine Nights #2 (Antarctic, January 2021), script by Matthew Spradlin, pencils and inks by Farid Karami, colors by Andrew Crossley

Tuesday, January 05, 2021

Today in Comics History, January 5, 1972: Q: How do you get to Carnegie Hall? A: Create Ravage 2099.

Today! (In 1972!):


from The Mighty Marvel Calendar 1977 (Marvel, 1976)


from Bullpen Bulletins in Marvel Comics cover-dated June 1972



from letter column in Sgt. Fury (1963 series) #110 (Marvel, May 1973), by Adrienne Roy

Wait...Adrienne Roy, the acclaimed colorist for DC Comics? No wonder she didn't get work at Marvel!

Edited to add on January 5, 2022 (in green)

Abraham Riesman's recent Stan biography tells a more brutal story:


from True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee (Crown, February 2021), by Abraham Riesman

Today in Comics History, January 5: This is clearly a job for Squirrel Girl


from "The Big Heist" in Gang Busters #26 (DC, February 1952), pencils and inks by John Lehti

Thursday, January 05, 2017

Today in Comics History, January 5, 1988: Ron Lim draws a building that Fabian Nicieza clearly described as invisible


from Psi-Force #19 (Marvel/New Universe, May 1988), script by Fabian Nicieza, pencils by Ron Lim, inks by Tony DeZuniga, colors by Greg Wright, letters by Rick Parker

Saturday, January 05, 2013

Today in Comics History, January 5, 1900: Commissioner Gordon has his first birthday of two this year*


from Super DC Calendar 1976


from "The Private Life of Commissioner Gordon" in World's Finest Comics #53 (DC, August 1951), script by David Vern, pencils by Dick Sprang, inks by Charles Paris

*His birthday is also on November 29.