Today in Comics History, Eclipse Day: If you look up at the sun today, you're sure of a big surprise

Oh no! Today's the day that the rare "Ring of Fire" Eclipse (so named by Johnny Cash in song) sweeps across the nation, darkening the skies, hiding the sun and sending werewolves into confusion!


from "The Hidden World!" in Sub-Mariner (1954 series) #36 (Marvel/Atlas, November 1954); script, pencils, inks, and letters by Bill Everett

Today in Comics History, October 13, 1939: A shocked and stunned nation in 1939 cannot comprehend the startling revelation that the Daily Bugle can print its first page in color!?! For free?!?

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published October 13, 2022.


from The Daily Bugle: The Marvels Project tie-in promo (Marvel, 2009), art by Alex Ross

Today in Comics History, September 7, 1968: The day Ben Grimm fell on top of Peter Parker and kinda squished him

from Sub-Mariner (1968 series) #8 (December 1968), script by Roy Thomas, pencils by John Buscema, inks by Dan Adkins, letters by Sam Rosen

Today in Comics History, August 30: Happy birthday, Al Hewetson!

Born on this day in Glasgow, Scotland in 1946: creator Al Hewetson, comics scripter, assistant to Stan Lee and photographer at Marvel, editor of Skywald's horror magazines, professional photographer and photojournalist, man of a thousand pen names, and general all-around jack-of-all-trades!


from Scream #1 (Skywald, August 1973)

Today in Comics History, July 14: Happy birthday, Mike Esposito!

Born on this day in 1927: comic book penciller and inker Mike Esposito, who also worked under a dizzying assortment of pen names like Mickey Demeo, Mickey Dee, Michael Dee (you may be seeing a pattern here), and Joe Gaudioso (wha?!?). Mike worked (often with penciller Ross Andru) on books like The Amazing Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, Captain America, Our Army at War, Marvel Team-Up, Spidey Super Stories, Star Spangled War Stories, Iron Man, many Archie books, Metal Men, The Avengers, Sub-Mariner and lots more!


from Mighty Marvel Calendar 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980 (Marvel 1975-1979)
We weren't just celebrating his birthday only in the 1970s, either!


from Marvel Age #55 and 91 (Marvel, October 1987 and and August 1990); text by Mike Carlin (#55) and Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (#91); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by Paul Becton (#5) and Renee Witterstaetter (#91)
But who is Mike Esposito?


from Showcase #62 (DC/National, May 1966)
That's not too helpful, is it? So click this here button with my ugly puss on to read more!

Today in Comics History, July 6: Happy birthday, Frank Giacoia!

Born on this day in 1924: Frank Giacoia (aka Frank Ray and Phil Zupa), comics artist and inker of the Golden and Silver Ages (The Amazing Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Captain America, The Avengers, Daredevil, Tales of Suspense, Young Allies, the Spider-Man comic strip, Flash Comics, Sensation Comics, Strange Adventures, World's Finest Comics, and many, many more)! Me, I consider him one of the finest Jack Kirby inkers!


from The Mighty Marvel Calendar 1976, 1977 and 1978 (Marvel, 1975-1977)

Today in Comics History, May 28: Happy birthday, Morrie Kuramoto!

Born on this date in 1921: Mamoru "Morrie" Kuramoto, production artist and letterer at Timely and Marvel Comics.


from (left) Mighty Marvel Calendar 1980 (Marvel, 1979), and
Marvel Age #29 (Marvel, September 1985), text by Jim Salicrup, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme

Today in Comics History, May 26: Happy birthday, Herb Trimpe!

Born today in 1939: comics artist Herb Trimpe, perhaps best known for his work on the Incredible Hulk, but he's also penciled very nearly every major Marvel character in books like The Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Spectacular Spider-Man and Marvel Team-Up, Iron Man, Sgt. Fury, Nick Fury, Dr. Strange, Marvel Two-in-One, Star Wars, What If...? Spitfire and the Troubleshooters, and gosh, a whole lot more!


from (top) Might Marvel Calendar 1979 and 1980 (Marvel, 1978 and 1979), Marvel Age #29 (Marvel, August 1985), text by Jim Salicrup, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, and
(bottom) Marvel Age #53, 89, and 101 (Marvel, August 1987, June 1990, and June 1991); text by Mike Carlin (#53) and Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (#89 and 101); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by Paul Becton (#53) and Renee Witterstaetter (#89 and 101)

Today in Comics History, May 18: Happy birthday, Bill Everett!

Born on this day in 1917: comics writer and artist Bill Everett, creator of Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner and Hydroman; co-creator of Daredevil, Simon Garth the Zombie, Moondragon, Stingray, Foggy Nelson, Karen Page, Battlin' Jack Murdock, Namorita, and more!


from Fantastic Four Annual #7 (Marvel, November 1969)

The Marvel Age Calendar for 1994 2022: May Marine Mauling

Hey, it's


...so it's time for my usual monthly may-hem in bringing you a calendar for the month. Yup, here it is...May!


from Doom Patrol #23 (DC, June 1989), script by Grant Morrison, pencils by Richard Case, inks by Scott Hanna, colors by Daniel Vozzo, letters by John Workman
Isn't that helpful? Not! (as the kids say today) But seriously, what do you even need a calendar for?


from Batman/Superman (2019 series) #2 (DC, November 2021), script by Gene Luen Yang, pencils by Paul Pelletier, inks by Keith Champagne, colors by Hi-Fi, letters by Saida Temofonte
Oh, well, when ya put it like that, I better give you a calendar you can actually use this month, even though it's from (gazes deeply into the distant, prehistoric past) 1994!

"Classic Clash #5: Daredevil vs. Namor" from Marvel Age #137 (Marvel, June 1994), pencils by Darren Auck, inks by Michael
(Click picture to giant tuna-size)
Print it up and nail it to your wall! I'd suggest that you color it, but wow, they've already shaded in Daredevil and Namor's mostly just pink. What am I gonan do with all these red crayons?

More May calendar fun in about an hour! That work for you, Julian Day?

Today in Comics History, April 25, 1945: Namor hangs framed newspaper on his wall; value immediately decreases from water damage

from Sub-Mariner: Marvels Snapshots #1 one-shot (Marvel. May 2020), script by Alan Brennert, pencils and inks by Jerry Ordway, colors by Espen Grundetjern, letters by Travis Lanham

Today in Comics History, April 22: Happy birthday, Sol Brodsky!

Born on this talent-blessed day in 1923: Sol Brodsky, writer, artist, production manager, and one of the trues greats and an immeasurable creative legend behind the Marvel Universe.


from Mighty Marvel Calendar 1979 and 1980 (Marvel, 1978 and 1979)
Sol drew covers and stories for Timely/Atlas/Marvel, including Battlefield, Millie the Model, Combat Kelly, Crime Can't Win, Patsy Walker, Adventures into Terror, Tales to Astonish, Marvel Tales, Girl Comics, Crime Exposed, Mystery Tales, the giveaway comic Adventures of the Big Boy, and many others.


from Amazing Fantastic Incredible: A Marvelous Memoir (Simon & Schuster, January 2019), script by Peter David and Stan Lee, art by Colleen Doran
He designed the logos for Fantastic Four (also inking #3-4) and Amazing Spider-Man with Artie Simek, among many other feats. And he co-founded Skywald Comics! Whew!


Jack Kirby thought pretty highly of him, too.



from Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics (Ten Speed, July 2020), script and art by Tom Scioli
I can scarcely sum up even a fraction of Brodsky's contribution to comics here. I highly recommend picking up a backissue of Marvel Age #22, a great obituary and history with lots of fond memories from his friends and co-workers of Sol Brodsky and his work.





from Marvel Age #22 (Marvel, January 1985)
Here's a couple of brief obituary-salutes to Sol from other issues of MARVEL AGE. The second one is written by Jim Shooter.



from Marvel Age #20 and 21 (Marvel, November and Decemebr 1984)
Of course, as I try to feature in these birthday threads, Sol Brodsky appeared in Marvel Comics as well. Check him out here shocked by the beached Namor! Can you find 'im?



from Sub-Mariner (1968 series) #19 (Marvel, November 1969), script by Roy Thomas, pencils and colors by Marie Severin, inks by Johnny Craig, letters by Artie Simek
But Sol's best-known appearance within the comics was as Earth-1228's Human Torch, along with his co-workers as the Fantastic Four!





from What If...? (1976 series) #11 (Marvel, October 1978); script and pencils by Jack Kirby; inks by Mike Royer, Bill Wray, Scott Shaw!, and Dave Stevens; colors by Carl Gafford; letters by Mike Royer
We miss you, and Happy Birthday, Sol Brodsky!



from from Marvel Tales Annual #1 (Marvel, September 1964)
Fantastic Four Annual #7 (Marvel, November 1969), and
1975 Mighty Marvel Convention Program Book (Marvel, 1975), photograph by Michele Wolfman

Liberty Bell March, Day 1: It's...

...Liberty Bell March! Featuring Monty Python all this month on Comics Oughta Be Fun! (gasps, falls down on beach)


Each day through the month of March, we'll present to you comic books highlighting Monty Python or its members, referencing their famous routines or movies, and (trying to be) putting them in context with video examples (where available). In other words, please don't sue us, Python (Monty) Ltd.! (Warning: there will be some John Cleese and Terry Gilliam material in this feature.)

First up: We can pretty much guess that somebody like, say, Deadpool is a big fan of the absurd compedy of Monty Python. But...if you ask me (and of course you won't)...who is the least likely character in the Marvel Universe to be an aficionado of the series? I think it would probably be this guy. And yet here he is, quoting from that infamous documentary on the Piranha Brothers, Ethel the Frog:


from Namor the Sub-Mariner #16 (Marvel, July 1991); script, pencils, inks, and letters by John Byrne, colors by Glynis Oliver

from Monty Python's Flying Circus series 2, episode 1 "Face the Press (or: Dinsdale!)" (15 September 1970)

So: join us here each week, my friends / for laffs 'n' fun undying / From six quite strange Englishmen / On Python's Circus, Flying!

Today in Comics History, February 2: Happy birthday, Sub-Mariner!

Born on this day: Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner! What, you didn't think he had a canonical birthday? Check it out:


from "Courage!" in Sub-Mariner (1954 series) #36 (Marvel/Atlas, November 1954); script, pencils, inks, and letters by Bill Everett
Happy birthday, Namor, ya ol' sea-cow, you!

The Marvel Comics Memory Album Calendar for 1977 2022: February Fish-Man Fight!

HULK WANT PUNY HUMANS TO ENJOY FEBRUARY, MONTH OF DISCOUNT CANDY AND THROWING PARTIES FOR PRESIDENTS. HULK THEREFORE PRESENT HULK'S 1977 FUN CALENDAR WHICH IS STILL FUN IN 2022. HULK THANK YOU VERY MUCH. (leaps off, pastes a haymaker right in Namor's face)

"February 1977", from Marvel Comics Memory Album Calendar 1977 (Marvel, December 1976)
(Click picture to that-surely-must-be-Roosevelt-Islandsize)

Today in Comics History, January 2: Happy birthday, Don Heck!

Born on this day in 1929: Dashing Don Heck, longtime Golden Age and Marvel artist! He molded the backbone of the MCU (and thus should have been swimming in cash dollars, alas) by co-creating Iron Man, the Wasp, Black Widow, Hawkeye, The Swordsman, Mantis, Wonder Man, Polaris, and Havok, as well as drawing The Avengers, The X-Men, Amazing Spider-Man, Strange Tales, Tales to Astonish, Strange Worlds, World of Fantasy, Journey into Mystery and more, and stints on the comic strips The Phantom and Terry and the Pirates. Plus work on DC's Wonder Woman, Justice League of America, Lois Lane, The Flash, and lots of others. And the proverbial, much, much, more! Whew! Busy Don!


from The Mighty Marvel Calendar 1976 (Marvel, 1975) and Marvel Age#97 (Marvel, February 1991)