Today in Comics History, April 2, 1860: What, you mean he's gonna miss St. Joseph's annual bath night?

from "Riders of the Plains: The Pony Express!" in Real Life Comics #46 (Pines, November 1948), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, March 12, 1914: What's he doing in that coffin? Westing.

Today in 1914, inventor and entrepeneur George Westinghouse died. But before he did, he managed to work in inventing the Westinghouse air brake, developed the AC current mode of electrical transmission, and a whole buncha other stuff, and I'm fairly certain he had something to do with the Westinghouse refrigerator of kids joke fame (see title).


from "George Westinghouse" in True Comics #50 (Parents' Magazine Press, July 1946), pencils (and inks?) by Sam Glankoff

Today in Comics History, March 11, 1938: A Baller move against the Nazis

"They Shall Make Music" from Real Life Comics #33 (Pines, July 1946), text by Nat Schachner
(Click bottom picture to grand piano-size)
(Bully stands, salutes Adolph Baller)

Today in Comics History, February 29: Happy birthday, Anne Ide...or is it?

Born on this day in 1876...or was she?!?...Anne L. Ide, daughter of U.S. Senator Henry Clay Ide (1844-1921). Or so the story goes...or does it? Why yes. Yes, it does. To wit, Anne complained to Robert Lousi Stevenson that she only got a birthday every four years (which seems to point towards dull, cheap and unimaginative parents more than a vagary of the calendar) so Stevenson gave her his birthday (November 13). Thus this so-called-story goes:


from "Robert Louis Stevenson" in Real Life Comics #33 (Pines, July 1946), creators uncredited and unknown
The event was immortalized in a poem "that every child should know" (and believe me, it's no "Milk, Milk, Lemonade") by Katherine Miller. It starts out

"How I should like a birthday!" said the child,
⁠"I have so few, and they so far apart."
She spoke to Stevenson — the Master smiled —
⁠"Mine is to-day; I would with all my heart
That it were yours; too many years have I!
Too swift they come, and all too swiftly fly."

The whole thing is right here, and it's about as wet as this verse.

Truth is, Ms. Ide was born not today but on Christmas Day — December 25, 1876 — but the vague lyrics of this piece of nonsense gave rise to the historical legend that is repeated in this comic: that Anne was born on Leap Day. (See here.)

So, for being at the center of false history, today you get nothing, Anne Ide! You lose! Good day, sir miss!

However, you can't deny the historical truth that Anne Ide was known as "Levei-malo" to the Samoans, which only goes to show.

Happy not birthday, Anne Ide! Ya big cheater.

Today in Comics History, January 30: Happy birthday, James Watt!

Happy birthday today to James Watt (born 1736), inventor, chemist, and mechanical engineer (and not Reagan's Secretary of the Interior, who would still be out there burning down trees if trees hadn't managed to kill him in 2023). This Watt was instrumental in the Industrial Revolution through the development of his Watt steam engine, without which we'd still just be using steam to open up billet doux. Sadly, I could only find one single appearance of Watt in the funny books, and that's in a biographical story about Steamboat Guy Robert Fulton. Watt's face isn't even shown, which furthers my Ted Talk argument that he was also DC's Unknown Soldier.


from "Robert Fulton, Father of the Steamship" in Real Life Comics v.2 #1/4 (Pines, April 1942), pencils and inks by Frank Frollo
Happy birthday, Mister Watt! Which is the generic version of Doctor Who.

Today in Comics History, September 19, 1783: The Golden Age of Ballooning

This is a much expanded and updated version of a post originally published September 19, 2016.


Yes, t'was today in 1783, that Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier initiated the livestock-crewed flight that ushered in the Golden Age of Ballooning!


from "Airecords" in Adventure Comics #40 (DC/Detective Comics, Inc., July 1939), by Terry Gilkison

Today in Comics History, August 14, 1945: Small voice from the East: "I don't like it very much!"

from Real Life Comics #29 (Pines, March 1946), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, June 26, 1541: Beans attacked

from "Pizarro, Conqueror of Peru" in Real Life Comics v.3 #1/7 (Pines, September 1942), script by Richard Hughes, pencils and inks by Henry Kiefer
No it is not the fourth, you silly conquistadors, it's the twenty-sitrh! please pay attention.

Today in Comics History, June 10: Happy birthday, Henry Morton Stanley!

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published June 10, 2022.

Born on this day in 1841: Henry Morton Stanley, reporter and explorer who supposedly uttered the phrase "Dr. Livingston, I presume?" And we all know that when you presume, you make a pres out of you and me. As I depict these events using comic books, feel free to read along in safety...all panels of African natives calling Stanley "bwana" have been excised!


from "Historical Almanac" in Real Fact Comics #21 (DC, July 1949), pencils and inks by Joe Kubert

Today in Comics History, May 12: Happy birthday, Yogi Berra!

Born on this day in 1925: Yogi Berra, champion baseball player and manager, malapropist, and cartoon bear.


from Yogi Berra one-shot (Fawcett, 1951), script by Charles Dexter, pencils and inks by Kurt Schaffenberger

Today in Comics History, May 7, 1915: German murder boat refuses to give a fair chance

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published May 7, 2021 and May 7, 2022.


from "The Life of Woodrow Wilson" in Real Life Comics #2 (Pines, December 1941), script and art creators uncredited and unknown, letters by Ed Hamilton

Today in Comics History, May 3: Happy birthday, Bing Crosby!

Born on this date in 1903: Bing Crosby, actor, singer, comedian, and comic book star. In fact, Bing's been in comics almost since their invention!


from "Star-Light" in Action Comics (1938 series) #5 (DC, October 1938), pencils and inks by Sheldon Moldoff

Today in Comics History, January 12, 1943: Soldiers go to war armed with little sound effects

from "General Jacques LeClerc" in Real Life Comics #26 (Pines, November 1945), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, December 31, 1775, New Year's Eve: Enemy expects attack

from "Aaron Burr" in Real Life Comics #4 (Pines, April 1942), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, December 3: Happy birthday, Joseph Conrad!

Born on this day in 1857: writer Joseph Conrad, author of Lord Jim, The Secret Agent, Heart of Darkness, and The N-Word of the 'Narcissus.'



from Classics Illustrated (1947 series) #136 (Gilberton, January 1957), cover artist unknown; interior story, pencils, and inks by George Evans

Today in Comics History, December 1, 1859: Way to commit to a cause without waffling, Abe

from "John Brown" in Real Life Comics #4 (Pines, April 1942), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, November 27: Happy birthday, Ted Husing!

Born on this day in 1901: sportscaster and radio/movie announcer Ted Husing!

Say, where'd ya get the green suit, Ted?


from "Ace Sportscaster" in Real Fact Comics #6 (DC, January 1947), pencils and inks by Jack Lehti

Today in Comics History, November 24: Happy birthday, Zachary Taylor!

Born on this day in 1784, America's only twelfth President, Zachary Taylor!


from "Gen. Zachary Taylor" in Real Life Comics #29 (Pines, March 1946), creators unknown

Today in Comics History, November 11, 1918, Armistice/Veterans Day: And nothing was every bad or wrong, ever again.

from "The Life of Woodrow Wilson" in Real Life Comics #2 (Pines, December 1941*), writer and artists uncredited and unknown, letters by Ed Hamilton
*This comic would have been on the newsstand at least a couple months before Pearl Harbor.

(Spoiler: They did not win the peace.)


from "America Becomes a World Power, 1898-1918" in True Comics #24 (Parents' Magazine Press, June 1943), script by David S. Muzzey
Still, not everyone was as visibly ecstatic about Armistice Day as Woodrow Wilson:


from "Too Tough To Live" in Thrilling Comics #68 (Pines, October 1948), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, October 12 (Let's Poke Fun at Columbus Day Special): "Our standards are over! Lower the guns!"

from "The Story of Old Glory" in Real Life Comics #4 (Pines, April 1942), creators uncredited and unknown