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, 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

The Adventures of Bully: (sigh) Okay, let's try this 2023 thing out for size

And a hopefully Happy New Year to you, too.

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, 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, 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, 1991: Luther Vandross partied a little too hard on New Year's Eve

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 1: It's bath night every year on January 1, whether the dwarfs need it or not

from Four Color #49 [Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs] (Dell, July 1944), script by Merrill De Maris, pencils by Hank Porter, inks by Bob Grant, colors by Western Publishing Production Shop

Today in Comics History Future, January 1: Happy New Year from those Future State Kids they keep trying to sell us

from "To Stop the Star-Conqueress!" in DC's Very Merry Multiverse 2021 one-shot (DC, February 2021), script by Ivan Cohen, pencils and inks by Eleonora Carlini, colors by Ulises Arreola, letters by Becca Carey

Today in Comics History, January 1, 1967: Same As It Ever Was

from The 'Nam #11 (Marvel, October 1987), script by Doug Murray, pencils by Michael Golden, inks by John Beatty, colors and letters by Phil Felix

Today in Comics History, January 1, 1945: So that's why it's called Detective Comics

from Batman and Robin comic strip (syndicated, December 29, 1944), script by Bill Finger, pencils by Jack Burnley, inks by Chares Paris, letters by Ira Schnapp

Today in Comics History Future, January 1: And when Batman shall die, take him and cut him out into the little stars

from "Wake" in Batman: Urban Legends #7 (DC, October 2021), script by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, pencils and inks by Max Dunbar, colors by Sebastian Cheng, letters by Aditya Bidikar

Today in Comics History, January 1: Clumsy idiot becomes safety tyrant

"Safety First -- All Year!," a PSA in DC Comics cover-dated March 1963, script by Jack Schiff, pencils and inks by Sheldon Moldoff, letters by Ira Schnapp

Today in Comics History, January 1: Batman vows to finally sell that band candy

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: And Hawkeye thought the Christmas episodes of his show were harrowing

from Avengers West Coast #68 (Marvel, March 1991), script by Roy Thomas and Dann Thomas, pencils by Paul Ryan, inks by Danny Bulanadi, colors by Bob Sharen, letters by Bill Oakley

Today in Comics History, January 1: Ultron, you fiend! You'll destroy the entire reality show industry!

from Avengers West Coast #67 (Marvel, February 1991), script by Roy Thomas and Dann Thomas, pencils by Paul Ryan, inks by Danny Bulanadi, colors by Bob Sharen, letters by Bill Oakley

Annnnnnnd...we're back!

Happy New Year! And you get the presents (while I get the hard work, but hey, I love it!)


cover of Marvel Age #86 (March 1990), pencils and inks by John Byrne, colors by Gregory Wright
Since I wound down Comics Oughta Be Fun! about two an' half bajillion years ago, a lotta stuff has happened. We defied ourselves outta the sleazy reign of the last guy. We got new Marvel and Star Wars TV shows. We got COVID! (Well, I got COVID. But I'm feelin' much better now, thank you!)

That's why it's time to revive my Comics Oughta Be Fun! blog because, frankly, don't we need fun now more than ever?

I spent 2021 posting daily Today in Comics History tidbits up on Twitter an' an awful lotta you liked it, I think. But boy, is Twitter difficult to schedule posts in advance, to search, to look at past posts, and to do multiple image threads. That's why I'm moving Today in Comics History for 2022 and beyond back to the blog here, which'll make it easier to read longer posts and to find older ones. Didja miss a tweet in 2021? No worries: I'll be restoring those to the blog under year 2021 as we go along! And, I'll be creating an index for each day and month so that you can focus on specific dates! (More on that later because I hope to have it operating regularly in a week or so.)

Plus, more fun stuff (it's my middle name, after "the" and before "stuffed")! So please go re-bookmark the Comics Oughta Be Fun! blog. Because, y'know, like the bull sez...Comics Oughta Be Fun!


I'M BACK, BABY!

Today in Comics History, January 1, 2000, New Year's Day: Why not 2 K?

from "Triumph Over Tragedy" in Superman: Lex 2000 one-shot (DC, January 2001), script by Jeph Loeb, pencils by Tony Harris, inks by Ray Snyder, colors by Tanya Horie and Richard Horie, letters by Comicraft
(Click top picture to Tobor, Radar Robot-size)