Today in Comics History, September 4: Happy birthday, Paul Smith!

Born on this day: comics artist Paul Smith, who y'all know for his work on Dr. Strange, Nexus, The Spirit, his own co-creation Leave It to Chance, and a li'l book y'all may have heard of, The Uncanny X-Men!


from Marvel Age #33 (Marvel, December 1985), text by Jim Salicrup, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Adam Philips

Today in Comics History, September 4: Happy birthday, José Marzán Jr.!

Born on this day: comics writer/penciller/inker José Marzán Jr. (Action Comics, The Final Night, Marvel Comics Presents, Nightwing, Y: The Last Man, Flash and more)!

Can you spot José in this Bullpen mad rush for the reader?




cover of Marvel Age #35 (Marvel, February 1986) by James Fry and Tom Morgan
You can? Well, then find José at Superman's wedding!

from Superman: The Wedding Album one-shot (DC, December 1996), pencils by Dan Jurgens, inks by Jerry Ordway, colors by Glenn Whitmore, letters by Bill Oakley
Click top picture to honeymoon-size
Happy birthday, José!

Today in Comics History, September 4, 1937: Someday we'll find it, the Hollywood Connection

from Alfred Hitchcock: Master of Suspense (NBM, March 2022), script by by Noël Simsolo, translation by Monatan Kane, art by Dominique Hé, lettering by Ortho

Today in Comics History, September 4: Happy birthday, Rosemary McCormick-Lowy!

Born on this day: Rosemary McCormick-Lowy, Marvel Assistant Editor during the late '80s (Defenders, Power Pack, Marvel Fanfare, Alpha Flight, more!)


from Marvel Age #57 (Marvel, December 1987); text by Mike Carlin, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Paul Becton
When you find Rosemary on the cover of Marvel Age #35, please wish her a happy birthday from all of us!




cover of Marvel Age #35 (Marvel, February 1986) by James Fry and Tom Morgan
Happy birthday, Rosemary!




from Marvel Age #35

Today in Comics History, September 4, 1962: Brutal Beatles fistfight determines who gets their songs on the album; Ringo loses again

from Beatles with an A: Birth of a Band (Fanfare, July 2014), script and art by Mauri Kunnas

Today in Comics History, September 4: Happy birthday, Ken Lopez!

Born on this day: comics artist and letterer Ken Lopez (Guardians of the Galaxy, Punisher, Resurrection Man, Detective, JLA, more!)


from Marvel Age #33, 57, 93 and 105 (Marvel, December 1985, December 1987, October 1990 and October 1991); text by Jim Salicrup (#33), Mike Carlin (#57), Chris Eliopoulis & Barry Dutter (#93) and Mike Lackey (#105); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by Adam Philips (#33), Paul Becton (#57), Marie Javins (#93), and Renee Witterstaetter (#105)

Today in Comics History, September 4, 1883: AMAZING PAPERBOY DELIVERS! "It's a rough job, but..." blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

from "Odd News Items!" in Big Town #39 (DC, May 1956), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, September 4: Happy birthday, Scott Shaw!!

Born on this day: comics artist and historian and animator Scott Shaw!

The "!" is something he didn't use for his fandom days, so I have added it for you here as a b'day present, Scott. I mean...Scott!



from the letters column of Metal Men (1963 series) #55 (DC, December 1977)

Today in Comics History, September 4: Happy birthday, Jean Simek!

Born on this day in 1948: Jean Simek Izzo, great comics letterer (and daughter of a pretty great letterer himself, Artie Simek!)


from "Because You Demanded It!" in Fantastic Four Annual #7 (Marvel, December 1969), photograph by Al Hewetson
Happy birthday, Jean!

Today in Comics History, September 4, 1752: Well, that solves the Mystery of the Missing BirthdOH NO WHAT ABOUT REEP DAGGLE'S BIRTHDAY ON SEPTEMBER 10

from "The Adventure of the Canceled Birthday" in The Atom (1962 series) #21 (DC, October 1965), script by Gardner Fox, pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Sid Greene, letters by Gaspar Saladino
(Confused? See yesterday's post about Ray Palmer in the Eighteenth Century!)

Today in Comics History, September 4, 1882: I've seen the lights go up on Broadway

from Hawkguy Hawkeye (2012 series) #10 (Marvel, July 2013); script by Matt Fraction, pencils, inks, and colors by Francesco Francavilla; letters by Chris Eliopoulos and Clayton Cowles

At 3 pm on September 4, 1882, [Thomas] Edison threw the switch that would start up America's first power plant, serving a square-mile area that included some very wealthy and influential customers: J.P. Morgan, the Stock Exchange, and the nation's largest newspapers. "I have accomplished all that I promised," the inventor said.

It would take another two years for the public to trust electricity enough to purchase orders for plants in other cities. Edison promoted electric light as being clean, healthy, and efficient—unlike foul-smelling, dangerous gas—and had reason to think the public believed him. Cables insulated with beeswax and paraffin had been laid under the streets, but before long problems surfaced: horses were shocked trotting down wet streets, workmen electrocuted. [...]

[I]ndustrialist George Westinghouse had developed a a far-reaching system that used high-voltage alternating current (AC), and a former employee of Edison's, Nikola Tesla, invented AC motors and generators that threatened Edison's domination of the electrical industry. In a last-ditch effort to save the business he had created, Edison took advantage of an unusual opportunity to discredit Westinghouse. He gave his full endorsement to a plan to use 1,000 volts of AC—from a Westinghouse generator—to execute criminals sentenced to death in New York State. The first execution turned into a grisly spectacle, damaging Edison's reputation. The board of Edison General Electric decided to adopt AC power, and dropped Edison's name; the company was now called "General Electric."

Edison would refuse to set foot in any General Electric plants for the next 30 years, but his ability to reinvent himself matched his scientific prowess. In the second half of his life he would invent the first motion picture camera, improve his phonograph, and become America's first entertainment mogul. "People will forget," he stated with typical bravado, "that my name ever was connected with anything electrical."

—from The American Experience: Thomas Edison's Miracle of Light

And let's not even mention Topsy the elephant.