Today in Comics History, September 29: Happy birthday, Greer Garson!

Let's all wish a very happy birthday to the beautiful and vivacious Greer Garson!


from Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition (1985 series) #13 (Marvel, December 1986); text by Mark Gruenwald, Peter Sanderson, and Steve Saffel; pencils by Stan Drake; inks by Joe Rubinstein and James Fry; colors by Andy Yanchus; letters by Brenda Mings
Oh! Oh, I have made another one of my silly mistakes. That is in fact Greer Nelson, the Avenger known as Tigra. Today's birthday belongs to actor Greer Garson, born on this day in 1904 and star of Goodbye Mr. Chips (Academy Award nominee), Mrs. Miniver (Acadamy Award winner), Madame Curie, Mrs. Parkington, The Valley of Decision (all three of those Oscar nominees), Pride and Prejudice, The Little Foxes, The Little Drummer Boy, and many more, including multiple appearances on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In! (How very innnnteresting!) Here's Greer complimenting soon-to-be-star Jane Powell on her work!


from "Jane Powell: The Road to Stardom" in Miss Beverly Hills of Hollywood #9 (DC/National, July 1950), credators uncredited and unknown
Here's Greer Garson at a Presidential fund-raising event starring The Rocketeer! Greer's wearing the black hat in the first and third panels.


from "War Hero" in Rocketeer Adventures [2] (2012 series) #4 (IDW, June 2012), script by Louise Simonson, pencils by Walter Simonson, inks by Bob Wiacek, colors by Jordie Bellaire, letters by John Workman
So a very happy birthday to you Greer Garson, and congratulations to you on being one of the leading voices of second-wave feminism and writing the book The Female Eunuch.

I'm so sorry, I've made another one of my silly mistakes.

Today in Comics History, October 4, 1944: Constant Moon is cancelled after three performances

from "Dear Betty..." in Rocketeer Adventures (2011 series) #1 (IDW, May 2011), script by Kurt Busiek, pencils and inks by Mike Kaluta, colors by Dave Stewart, letters by Chris Mowry

Today in Comics History, August 15, 1939: Everybody rushes to see Hollywood's favorite star of 1939: Rin Tin Tin

from "Autograph" in Rocketeer Adventures (2012 series) #2 (IDW, April 2012), script by Walt Simonson, pencils and inks by John Paul Leon, colors by Dave Stewart, letters by Shawn Lee

Today in Comics History, August 14, 1945: When Cliff Comes Rocketeering Home

from "Dear Betty" in Rocketeer Adventures (2011 series) #1 (IDW, May 2011), script by Kurt Busiek, pencils and inks by Mike Kaluta, colors by Dave Stewart, letters by Chris Mowry

Today in Comics History, August 2: Happy birthday, Myrna Loy!

Born on this day in 1905 and our lives are better for it: the beautiful Myrna Loy, actress (The Thin Man series, The Best Years of Our Lives, Cheaper by the Dozen, The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, and many more)!


from "[Murder Tunes In Unexpectedly]" in Smash Comics #34 (Quality, July 1942); scriupt, pencils, inks and colors by Jack Cole

Today in Comics History; July 29: Happy birthday, Dave Stevens!

Born on this day in 1955, Dave Stevens, comics writer and artist and animation and movie storyboarder. We know him best as the creator and author/artist of The Rocketeer, and he's also done work on Jonny Quest, Airboy, and Bettie Page Comics (natch!)!



from Amazing Heroes #37 (Fantagraphics, December 15, 1983)

Today in Comics History, May 19, 1945: Betty's Captain Marvel Decoder Ring has not yet arrived

from "Dear Betty" in Rocketeer Adventures (2011 series) #1 (IDW, May 2011), script by Kurt Busiek, pencils and inks by Mike Kaluta, colors by Dave Stewart, letters by Chris Mowry

Today in Comics History, April 22: Happy birthday, Rondo Hatton!

Born on this day in 1894: Rondo Hatton, horror film star. Hatton developed acromegaly after WWI, distorting his face and extremities. You may remember him from The Brute Man (spoofed on MST3K), Sherlock Holmes: The Pearl of Death, The Spider Woman Strikes Back, and other films.


from The Brute Man (Universal, 1946), directed by Jean Yarbrough
His distinctive appearance has also been used in several comics, such as this disguise employed by Judge Dredd...


from "[The Face-Change Crimes]" in 2000 AD Prog 52 (IPC, 18 February 1978), script by John Howard, pencils and inks by Brian Bolland, letters by Tom Frame
...and this Drew Friedman cartoon from RAW:


from RAW (1980 series) #8 (Raw Books, September 1986), by Drew Friedman
His face was the template for "The Creep" in a Dark Horse serial.



from "Homicide: The Creep" in Dark Horse Presents (1986 series) #54 (Dark Horse, September 1991); script by John Arcudi; pemncils, inks, letters and cover by Gray Morrow
Hatton is memorialized by The Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards, established in 2002, honoring achievements in classic horror film, television, and literature annually.

Happy birthday, Rondo!


from The Rocketeer Adventure Magazine #2 (Comico, July 1989), pencils and inks by Dave Stevens and Mike Kaluta

Today in Comics History, April 22, 1945: Betty learns that only great-tasting tuna gets to be Star*Kist

from "Dear Betty..." in Rocketeer Adventures (2011 series) #1 (IDW, May 2011), script by Kurt Busiek, pencils and inks by Mike Kaluta, colors by Dave Stewart, letters by Chris Mowry
By the way: Happy 99th birthday, Bettie Page!

Today in Comics History, March 3, 1945: Cliff fights kaiju, sends Betty another letter with postage due

from "Dear Betty" in Rocketeer Adventures (2011 series) #1 (IDW, May 2011), script by Kurt Busiek, pencils and inks by Mike Kaluta, colors by Dave Stewart, letters by Chris Mowry

Today in Comics History, February 7, 1942: Rocketeer battles hipster internet humorists

from "TKO" in Rocketeer Adventures (2011 series) #2 (IDW, July 2011), script by Lowell Francis, pencils and inks by Gene Ha, colors by Dave Stewart, letters by Chris Mowry
Actually, he's on a mission from Doc Savage! Keep 'em flying, Cliff!

Today in Comics History, January 17, 1945: The Day the Rocketeer fought a Japanese Octopus Submarine*

from "Dear Betty" in Rocketeer Adventures (2011 series) #1 (IDW, May 2011), script by Kurt Busiek, pencils and inks by Mike Kaluta, colors by Dave Stewart, letters by Chris Mowry
*But for him, it was a Wednesday.