Today in Comics History, September 12, 1992: Yes, she Mae go into space

from "Sky's the Limit" in Milestones in History #1 one-shot (DC/Milestone, August 2022), script by Melody Cooper, pencils by Dominike Stanton, colors by Emilio Lopez, letters by Steve Wands

Today in Comics History, September 12: Happy birthday, Johnny Long!

Johnny Long! Sounds like a forgotten hero from a third-tier Golden Age comic book, doesn't he? Johnny Long: the Man Who Can Stand Thirteen Feet Tall! But I tell a lie. Johnny Long (born today in 1914) is actually an American violinist, bandleader, and actor, also as "The Man Who's Long on Music"...clever, Johnny, clever! A rare right-handed violinist with an origin that rivals Spider-Man: he learned violin at the age of six, but injured two fingers on his left hand when he was bitten by a pig. He then learned to use his right hand to play the violin.


from Juke Box Comics #5 (Eastern Color, November 1948), by Phil Berube
Johnny also received his own short feature story in comics...


from "Johnny Long" in Juke Box Comics #3 (Eastern Color, July 1948), pencils and inks by Ruth Atkinson
...which riffed on the fact that Johnny got no respect. No respect at all.




A very happy birthday to you, Mister Johnny Long! I'd shake your hand, but I can't reach up that far.


"A Shanty in Old Shanty Town" by Johnny Long and His Orchestra (Decca, 1946), by Ira Schuster and Jack Little with lyrics by Joe Young

Today in Comics History, September 12, 1942: Mickey Spillane writes tough-as-nails, gritty crime drama in which the crooks are caught because they paid their electric bill

from "Hot Stamp Mob!" in All-Winners Comics #6 (Marvel/Timely/USA Comic Magazine Corp., Fall 1942), script by Mickey Spillane (yes, that one!), pencils by Harry Fisk (?), inks by Edd Ashe (?)

Today in Comics History, September 12: Robin attempts to sum up a case to the tune of the theme from Fresh Prince

from Young Justice (2011 series) #17 (August 2012), script by Kevin Hopps and Greg Weisman, pencils and inks by Christopher Jones, colors by Zac Atkinson, letters by Dezi Sienty

Today in Comics History, September 12, 1945: Eh, it's always a long story with these a-holes

from The Vain #2 (Oni, November 2020), script by Eliot Rahal, pencils and inks by Emily Pearson, colors by Fred C. Stressing, color assists by Macy Kahn, letters by Crank!

Today in Comics History, September 12, 1271: The wrong way to look at it, but there you go

from "Saved by a Saucer" in UFO Flying Saucers #12 (Gold Key, November 1976), pencils and inks by Joe Certa

Today in Comics History, September 12, 2005: Victor Zsasz is perp-walked through cosmic rays

from Detective Comics #815 (March 2006), script by Shane McCarthy, pencils and inks by Cliff Chiang, colors by David Baron, letters by Nick Napolitano

Today in Comics History, September 12, 1987: Either Duck is four-foot nothing or Ken is seven feet tall

from Star Brand #11 (Marvel/New Universe, January 1988), script and pencils by John Byrne, inks by Tom Palmer, colors by Andy Yanchus, letters by Joe Rosen

Today in Comics History, September 12: Happy birthday, Martrese Beck!

Born on this day: model Martrese Beck, who portrayed the newly-blue Namorita on this classic cover!


cover of The New Warriors (1990 series) #44 (February 1994), photograph by Paul Mezey, print by Katie Yu, make-up by Kate Wadsworth, retouching by Gabrielle Russomagno

Today in Comics History, September 12, 1804: This is on your head, Ortho Lawn Care Products

from Manifest Destiny #19 (Image, May 2016), script by Chris Dingess, pencils by Matthew Roberts, inks by Tony Akins and Stefano Gaudiano, colors by Owen Gieni
12,000.

Today in Comics History, September 12, 1881: "Oh, not this thing again, Bully," you are surely saying right now

"The Fight That Failed" from Jumbo Comics #105 (Fiction House, November 1947), text by Henry Wysham Lanier

Today in Comics History, September 12, 1915: Invention of Star Wars cosplay

from "The First" in Doctor Who Magazine #386 (Panini UK, September 2007), script by Dan McDaid, pencils by Martin Geraghty, inks by David A. Roach, colors by James Offredi, letters by Roger Langridge

Today in Comics History, September 12, 1945: Vision attempts to change his own battery without the help of an authorized Apple Service Provider

from The Vain #2 (Oni, November 2020), script by Eliot Rahal, pencils and inks by Emily Pearson, colors by Fred C. Stressing, color assists by Macy Kahn, letters by Crank!

Today in Comics History, September 12, 1918: Well, then, maybe you shouldn't have shot down the observation balloon

from "Frank Luke: Balloon Buster" in Real Heroes #5 (Parents' Magazine Press, July 1942), pencils and inks by Jim Ray

366 Days with J. Jonah Jameson, Day 256: Today in Comics History, September 12, 1981

One of the greatest Amazing Spider-Man Annuals ever published is 1981's #15. It might even possibly be considered the greatest, and I'm saying that even as a huge fan of ASMA #1, with its full-page Ditko fight-sequences, one for each member of the Sinister Six. Nor (nor!) do I say this simply because it's written by the great Denny "There Is No Hope in Crime Alley" O'Neil. Or even that the wonderful art is done by pre-Crisis Frank Miller and Klaus Janson. Yea unto you, as Stan Lee woulda toldja, it is not e'en because, as the cover clearly shows us, it's a story about the Spectacular Spider-Man battling the Pernicious Punisher while the Dastardly Doctor Octopus drinks his Sinister Starbucks.


cover of Amazing Spider-Man Annual (1964 series) #15 (Marvel, 1981), pencils by Frank Miller, inks by Klaus Janson
It's not even because it takes place Today in Comics History, thirty-five years to the day:


No, it's because (as you may have guessed from the subject of this post), it's the single greatest story about J. Jonah Jameson choosing what will run on the Daily Bugle's front page.


from Amazing Spider-Man Annual (1964 series) #15 (1981), script by Denny O'Neil, breakdowns by Frank Miller, finishes by Klaus Janson, colors by Bob Sharen, letters by Jim Novak
Luckily for Peter Parker, Spider-Man's Press Agent, an even more newsworthy story comes in: that Peter Parker shoots photographs using such ultra-highspeed film he can capture the gaseous track a bullet makes through the atmosphere! Kodak stocks are about to go through the roof. They'll never go out of business!


But that's knocked off the front page only shortly later by the kissably soft lips of The Punisher! (see The Kissably Soft Lips of the Punisher #16, August 1979: "Kill me Baby, One More Time!")


Well, things can't get much worse than that in New York City...oh.


But, thanks to a little Spider-Mannin', all's well that ends well, and Jameson finally gets to use that photograph of him taken by his dentist, Doctor Frederick von Doom (no relation), D.D.S.


So, back to the drawing board for the final edition, I guess. That's our Jonah!


(sadtrombone.mp3)

Today in Comics History, September 12: Don Blake's cane has a pretty good monthly minutes plan

from Thor: Season One graphic novel (Marvel, October 2013), script by Lilah Sturges, pencils and inks by Pepe Larraz, colors by Wil Quintana, letters by Cory Petit

Today in Comics History, September 12: Danny and Caroline enjoy their Star Wars™ blue milk

from The Unwritten #35.5 (DC/Vertigo, May 2012), plot by Peter Gross, script by Mike Carey, pencils and inks by Gabriel Hernandez Walta, colors by Lee Loughridge, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, September 12, 1972: First meeting of the Justice Club (Green Arrow Catchers)

from "Killer in the Smog!" in Detective Comics #433 (DC, March 1973), script by Frank Robbins, pencils by Dick Dillin, inks by Dick Giordano, letters by Ben Oda

Today in Comics History, September 12: Cobra Bubbles arrives in Commissioner Gordon's office

from Batman #407 (DC, May 1987), script by Frank Miller, pencils and inks by David Mazzucchelli, colors by Richmond Lewis, letters by Todd Klein