Today in Comics History, November 17, 1918: Everybody in London pretty much has the same color hair

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, November 17, A Long Time Ago: You Bet Your Life Day

On this date in 1978, the class (?) TV spectcaular The Star Wars Holiday Special aired for the very first, and the very last, time. Opinions are divided as to the quality of the show (big furry Wookiee thumbs down on everything except the cartoon, but I like the Bea Arthur segment myself), but you can't help but admit it has had a major impact upon the Star Wars mythology. Now that it's all canon, it's fun to see where the legends got their start!

Okay, yeah, you got me. Thanks to contemporary Disney-era comic books, the celebration of Life Day and some of its characters are canon, if not necessarly anything that went on in that special. Aw, that means Harvey Korman piuring a drink into his volcano head is relegeated to Legends. But did anything good ever come out of the Holiday Special? Why yes! Like this awesome comic book cover by Francesco Francavilla!


cover of Star Wars Adventures (2020 series) #3 (IDW, February 2021), art by Francesco Francavilla

Today in Comics History, November 17: Happy birthday, Mari Aldon!

Born on this day in 1925, actor and dancer Mari Aldon (The Barefoot Contessa, This Woman Is Dangerous, Distant Drums and more). Mari's only been in a small number of films and has made even fewer appearances in comic books: namely, one. Which makes her a perfect person to wish happy birthday to in a quick post!


from "[Joyce Holden]" in Movie Love #16 (Eastern Color, December 1952), pencils and inks by Frank Fogarty
Happy birthday, Mari!

Today in Comics History, November 17: Happy birthday, Ed Brubaker!

Born on this day: comic book writer Ed Brubaker, creator/co-creator of series Lowlife, Gotham Central, Criminal, Incognito, Fatale, The Fade Out, Kill or Be Killed, Deadenders, Point Blank, Sleeper and others, plus extended runs on Captain America, Winter Soldier, Detective Comics, Daredevil, X-Men, The Immortal Iron Fist, The Marvels Project, Secret Avengers, Velvet and lots more! He co-created the characters Lady Bullseye, Vulcan, Darwin, and the Immortal Weapons!


from Marvel Comics cover-dated April 2008

Today in Comics History, November 17, 2994: Press "more" to read a contrasting rebuttal from the Emerald Empress

from Legion of Super-Heroes (1989 series) #3 (DC, January 1990), text by Tom Bierbaum and Mary Bierbaum

Today in Comics History, November 17: Batman finally deduces who stole Ace's favorite chew toy

from "Good Boy" in Batman Annual (2017 series) #1 (DC, January 2017), script by Tom King, pencils and inks by David Finch, colors by Gabe Eltaeb, letters by Deron Bennett

Today in Comics History, November 17: And if you can't get the Dazzler album, at least go see her new band

from Dazzler: X-Song one-shot (Marvel, August 2018), script by Magdalene Visaggio, pencils and inks by Laura Braga, colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, letters by Joe Sabino

Today in Comics History, November 17, 2020: Oh no, DC, you're not fooling me again. I still haven't gotten that toaster back from Batman and Catwoman.

house ad from Aquaman (2016 series) #64 (DC, December 2020)

Today in Comics History, November 17, 1954: It may not be a jet plane, but Alan's going to marry it anyway

from "Across All Barriers!" in Forbidden Worlds #132 (ACG, February 1957), script by Richard Hughes (?), pencils by Dick Beck, inks by Pete Costanza

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 321, Life Day: We celebrate a day of peace, a day of harmony, a day of joy we all can share together joyously

Happy Life Day! Please spend it with your loved ones as well as your creepy hairy grandfather, and remember, it only happens every three years, so if you're lucky, you won't have to watch that Special again until 2017. Caution: do not allow Imperial Stormtroopers into the treehouse! They'll just ruin your Life Day dinner.



from "The Kashyyyk Depths" in the Star Wars syndicated Sunday comic strip (July 22 and 29, 1979); script, pencils, and inks by Russ Manning


"A Day to Celebrate" by Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia from The Star Wars Holiday Special (Lucasfilm/20th Century Fox Television, November 17, 1978), written by Ken Welch and Mitzie Welch, incoporating themes composed by John Williams


from RiffTrax: The Star Wars Holiday Special (RiffTrax, 2007), featuring Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett

Today in Comics History. November 17, 2015: The Question asks a question

from The Multiversity: Pax Americana one-shot (DC, January 2015), script by Grant Morrison, pencils and inks by Frank Quitely, colors by Nathan Fairbairn, letters by Rob Leigh

Today in Comics History, November 17, Star Wars Life Day: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it

"Goodnight, But Not Goodbye" by Bea Arthur as Ackmena from The Star Wars Holiday Special (Lucasfilm/20th Century Fox Television, November 17, 1978), written by by Ken Welch and Mitzie Welch

Today in Comics History, November 17: Marianne Kaplan invents anarchy

from Daredevil (2011 series) #12 (July 2012), script by Mark Waid, pencils and inks by Chris Samnee, colors by Javier Rodriguez, letters by Joe Caramagna