Today in Comics History, September 28: Happy birthday, Ed Sullivan!

Born on this day in 1901: reporter, syndicated columnist, radio and TV personality and host Ed Sullivan! (You should mentally sing along to the song as you read that name.)


"Ed Sullivan" from Bye Bye Birdie (Columbia, 1963), song by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams, featuring Paul Lynde
By the man with a really big shew also had some big appearances...well, okay, medium guest-starring roles...would you believe, cameos?...in comic books throughout the years. Look, he's gettin' bounced by a seal!


cover of Miss Melody Lane of Broadway #3 (DC, June 1950), pencils and inks by Bob Oksner
Ed's also in that comic, but guess what?

I DON'T HAVE IT.

Today in Comics History, September 28, 1886: SCHOOL'S OUT FOREVER

from Daphne Byrne #5 (DC/Hill House, August 2020), script by Laura Marks, pencils and inks by Kelley Jones, colors by Michelle Madsen, letters by Rob Leigh

Today in Comics History, September 28, 1942: Picasso enters his blue period

from "Fighting Back in New Guinea" in Combat (1961 series) #8 (Dell, April 1963), script by Paul S. Newman, pencils and inks by Sam Glanzman

Today in Comics History, September 28: Happy birthday, Confucius!

Born on this day in 551 BC: Chinese philosopher Confucius, star of many comic books and graphic novels! Why, you can't point at a comic book anywhere without finding him somewhere in the middle!


cover of Action Philosophers Giant-Sized Thing #3 (Evil Twin, November 2007), art by Ryan Dunlavey

Today in Comics History, September 28, 1918: Commander Skywalker goes to the circus

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

Today in Comics History, September 28, 2015: Good news from T-Boz, Chilli, and Left Eye

from Yellow Cab (IDW, May 2022), by Christophe Chabouté, based on the novel by Benoît Cohen

Today in Comics History, September 28, 1907: Batman teams up with Houdini to battle the evil Penn and Teller

cover of Batman/Houdini: The Devil's Workshop one-shot (November 1993), painted art by Mark Chiarello