Today in Comics History, April 30, 1939: Roosevelt pledges a gigantic ball and triangle to Britain for the war effort

from "The Secret Origin of the Golden Age Sandman" in Secret Origins (1986 series) #7 (DC, October 1986), co-plot and script by Roy Thomas, co-plot by Dann Thomas, pencils by Michael Bair, inks by Steve Montano, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by David Cody Weiss

Today in Comics History, April 25: Happy birthday, Ella Fitzgerald!

Born on this day in 1917: the Queen of Jazz Ella Fitzgerald! One of my favorite vocalists, her jazz vocalizations and scat rhythm singing provide us with a large library of popular and entertaining recordings across six decades. And yes, she even got her own comic book feature! And without the usual racist, stereotypical portrayals of Black persons in comics (Bravo, Alex Toth!).


from "Ella Fitzgerald: The Cinderella of Song" in Juke Box Comics #3 (Eastern Color, July 1948), pencils by Alex Toth, inks by Alex Toth (?) or Frank Giacoia (?)

Today in Comics History, March 20: Happy birthday, Robin I (Dick Grayson, Post-Zero Hour)!

Hey Batman, what day is it?


from "A Little Nudge" in Robin 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 one-shot (DC, May 2020), script by Marv Wolfman, pencils by Tom Grummett, inks by Scott Hanna, colors by Adriano Lucas, letters by Tom Napolitano
Batman, you're a bad dad, because today's the birthday of your faithful ward, Dick Grayson, aka Robin I! But: only the post-Zero Hour hero. It's November 11 in the Pre-Crisis days and October 24-ish post-Crisis. Geez, Dick, pick one birthday and settle on it!


from the impeccably researched The DC Universe Calendar
Anyway, we're gonna celebrate today.

The 1978 2017 2023 DC Calendar of Super-Spectacular Disasters: October Occult

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published October 1, 2017.

Welcome to October! Everybody loves October! Isn't that right, Mitch?


from "The October Game" in Shock SuspenStories (1952 series) #8 (EC, June 1953), story by Ray Bradbury, comic script by Al Feldstein, pencils and inks by Jack Kamen, colors by Marie Severin, letters by Jim Wroten
Aw, Mitch, this ain't gonna be the DC Calendar for you then this year, I guess.


Note: Want to see what makes October so bad for Mitch? Tune in again this Halloween! Hint: it's an DC story. It won't end well.

But for everyone else, here's a calendar! You know the drill: it's from 1978 but it still works in 2023!

"October: Atom and Hawkman" in The 1978 Calendar of Super-Spectacular Disasters; artwork by Al Milgrom
(Click picture to Great Pumpkin-size)
Throughout several past Octobers in this here puppet-town cow-blog I've brought you stories of superheroism and mysticism in Rutland, Vermont, set at their annual Halloween Parade. Just search for the category "One Night in Rutland" to find others, and be aware I still have not yet finished off this feature! (What is wrong with me?)

Anyway, no Rutland Rutrospective is complete without this page from the 1977 DC Calendar of Super-Spectacular Disasters, which tells the tale of the time the Atom, Hawman, and Hawkgirl fought Felix Faust, the Matter Master, and the Gentleman Ghost at the scariest party to end all parties in Vermont (unless you count that time I got into the vats at the Ben and Jerry's factory)!


They're on a collision course with wackiness! I can say this because the calendar doesn't actually tell us how many people died.


Take us up to date, Justice League computer: what's the latest calculations about the criminal genius behind all these seasonal shenanigans?


Huh, that's still baffling. Another clue, computer?


OH HEY IT'S EARLIER-PERIOD, MORE-INNOCENT DOCTOR LIGHT


Cover of Secret Origins (1986 series) #37 (February 1989); script, pencils, inks and letters by Ty Templeton

Today in Comics History, September 14, 1985: Epistolary comic book story also includes logos

from "The Secret Origin of the Golden Age Hourman" in Secret Origins (1986 series) #16 (DC, July 1987), script by Roy Thomas and Dann Thomas, pencils by Michael Bair, inks by Mike Gustovich, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by David Cody Weiss and Agustin Más

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, December 31, 1939, New Year's Eve: Like sands through the hourglass

So, if Roy Thomas says that Hourman debuted on New Year's Eve...


from "The Secret Origin of the Golden Age Hourman" in Secret Origins (1986 series) #16 (DC, July 1987), script by Roy Thomas and Dann Thomas, pencils by Michael Bair, inks by Mike Gustovich, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by David Cody Weiss and Agustin Más
...then that means it's also when this story take place:


cover of Adventure Comics #48 (DC, March 1940), pencils and inks by Bernard Baily

Today in Comics History, December 1, 1985: Daily Planet just flat-out doxxing everybody now

house ad for Secret Origins (1986 series) #1, published in DC Comics dated December 1985, pencils and inks by Jerry Ordway, crystal ball image by Wayne Boring

Today in Comics History, November 9, 1940: Today in Roy Thomas History

from Secret Origins (1986 series) #31 (DC, October 1988), script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Michael Bair, inks by Bob Downs, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Jean Simek

Today in Comics History, October 6, 1939: Hawkman discovers Balloonium*

from "The Secret Origin of the Golden Age Hawkman" in Secret Origins (1986 series) #11 (DC, February 1987), script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Luke McDonnell, inks by Tony DeZuniga, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Mary DeZuniga
*Or, as it's known in England, Ballooninium.

Today in Comics History, August 18: Happy birthday, Wing!

Born today before WWII: The Crimson Avenger's chauffeur and sidekick, and member of the Seven Soldiers of Victory, Wing!


from Super DC Calendar 1976 (DC, 1975), letters by Ben Oda

Today in Comics History, July 16, 1940: Hundreds perish in tragic train wreck just so this guy can get a cool origin story

from "[The Origin of Green Lantern]" in All-American Comics (1939 series) #16 (DC/All-American Comics, July 1940), script by Bill Finger; pencils, inks, and letters by Martin Nodell
Here's that Earth-2 origin story retold in an eighties comic!


from "The Tale of the Green Lantern" in Secret Origins (1986 series) #18 (DC, September 1987), script by (who else?) Roy Thomas, pencils and inks by George Freeman, colors by Anthony Tollin, letters by Jean Simek
How do we know this happened on July 16? Why, thanks to this fly on the wall. OH YES THANK YOU VERY MUCH DOOMSDAY CLOCK rassing frassin Doomsday Clock


from Doomsday Clock #7 (DC/Black Label, November 2018), script by Geoff Johns, pencils and inks by Gary Frank, colors by Brad Anderson, letters by Rob Leigh
Well, I guess everything is okay herOH DOCTOR MANHATTAN YOU ARE A JERK


And so, Doctor Manhattan continues to be a jerk:


from Doomsday Clock #9 (DC/Black Label, May 2019), script by Geoff Johns, pencils and inks by Gary Frank, colors by Brad Anderson, letters by Rob Leigh
OH COME ON NOW DOCTOR JERKHATTAN


MAKE UP YOUR FREAKIN' MIND


from Doomsday Clock #12 (DC/Black Label, February 2020), script by Geoff Johns, pencils and inks by Gary Frank, colors by Brad Anderson, letters by Rob Leigh
And that's why Alan Scott was the first Green Lantern. DESPITE.

Today in Comics History, July 7, 1917: Happy birthday, Johnny Thunder!

Born today in 1917, in the DC Universe: Johnny Thunder, master of the genie Thunderbolt!


from Super DC Calendar 1976 (DC, 1975), letters by Ben Oda

Today in Comics History, July 6: Happy birthday, John Byrne!

Born on this day: prolific comic book writer and artist John Byrne! X-Men, FF, Superman, Spidey, Captain America, Namor, Hulk, Batman, Hulk, She-Hulk, Wonder Woman, Iron Man, What If?...you name it, he's probably worked on it!


from Mighty Marvel Calendar 1979 and 1980 (Marvel, 1978-1979), Marvel Age #31 (Marvel, October 1985) and #91 (Marvel, August 1991)

Today in Comics History, July 4: Killer shark threatens holiday fun

from "The Killing Peck" in Secret Origins Special #1 (DC, October 1989), script by Alan Grant, pencils and inks by Sam Kieth, colors by Tom McCraw, letters by Albert DeGuzman

Today in Comics History, June 9, 1939: I'm pretty sure that font didn't come along until 1965, but I'm willing to overlook it if you are

Averting my usual tag of "newspapers don't look like that!," here's a comic book newspaper that actually does look like that — I mean, kinda realistic!


from "The Secret Origin of the Golden Age Sandman" in Secret Origins (1986 series) #7 (DC, October 1986), co-plot and script by Roy Thomas, co-plot by Dann Thomas, pencils by Michael Bair, inks by Steve Montano, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by David Cody Weiss
There's such a lot of fine detail to this one-shot that I've taken these pictures from a digital edition rather than the original muddied newsprint copy. It's well worth picking this up as an e-book.

Oh, they are so not a fun couple:


It's true: I learned much of my World War II history from Roy Thomas expository dialogue.

Today in Comics History, June 5: Happy birthday, Wayne Boring!

We raise our hands and hearts in salute today to one of the great Superman artists, the incorrectly named Wayne Boring, born on this day in 1905! He's the artist who helped define the look of Superman and his surroundings and evolved an iconic look loved even today. As one of the ghost artists under the Joe Shuster name in the early days, Boring would eventually make this feature his own. Starting in 1943, alongside inker Stan Kaye, Boring's artwork on Superman was established as the major house style for the character well into the '60s.


from Fifty Who Made DC Great one-shot (DC, 1985)
Much-loved elements of the Superman mythos sprang from Boring as well: he's the co-creator of the Fortress Of Solitude, Lori Lemaris, Bizarro World. Plus, he drew the origin of the Earth-2 ("his!") Superman in Roy Thomas's Secret Origins #1, as well as a handful of other 1980s DC superhero comics before his death in 1987.




from "The Secret Origin of the Golden-Age Superman" in Secret Origins (1986 series) #1 (DC, April 1986), script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Wayne Boring, inks by Jerry Ordway, colors by Gene D'Angelo, letters by David Cody Weiss
Happy birthday, Wayne Boring!


from Superman #8 (DC, January 1941), pencils and inks by Wayne Boring

Today in Comics History, May 6: Happy birthday, Orson Welles!

Born on this day in 1915: American screenwriter, actor, producer, director, newspaperman, advertising spokesman, magician, and perhaps the largest personality of the twentieth century: Mister Orson Welles.


I can hear you asking, though: Was he great? Have you ever seen his him in a comic book? Hmmm? How can you say someone is great who's never been in a comic book?


Ladies and gentlemen, I give you a birthday celebration of Orson Welles in Comic Books. (Mercury Theatre On the Air overture begins playing)


The Mercury Theatre on the Air overture

Comics Do Shakespeare: All's Well That Ends Well, Act 2: Penguin clearly didn't read the title of the play

from "The Killing Peck" in Secret Origins Special #1 one-shot (DC, October 1989), script by Alan Grant, pencils and inks by Sam Kieth, colors by Tom McCraw, letters by Albert DeGuzman

Comics Do Shakespeare: Julius Caesar: Act 2: How does this make you feel about little birdies now, kids?

from "The Killing Peck" in Secret Origins Special #1 one-shot (DC, October 1989), script by Alan Grant, pencils and inks by Sam Kieth, colors by Tom McCraw, letters by Albert DeGuzman