Today in Comics History, August 1: Happy birthday, Claudius!

Ave Claudius! And happy birthday to ya too, because today's your birthday (born August 1, 10 BC), Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus! Better known to the world as jus' plain Claudius, which makes it easier to write birthday cards to him, especially when you had to chistle 'em into slate tablets. "Happy birthday, Claude!" (thunk) Not that he wasn't mighty enough to pick 'em up:


from "[I Made an Airplane]" in Kid Eternity (1946 series) #5 (Quality, Spring 1947), pencils and inks by Pete Riss (?) or Witmer Williams (?)

The 1978 2017 2023 DC Calendar of Super-Spectacular Disasters: November NFL

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

"November: Wonder Woman" in The 1978 Calendar of Super-Spectacular Disasters; artwork by José Delbo and Vince Colletta
(Click picture to giant-pigskin-size)
Hey, what's the bright idea, calendar? All of 2017 should be Wonder Woman month, not just November. Eh, okay, we'll allow this one. Especially since there's nothing that goes better than our Amazing Amazon and the organized sport of...football?


Because if there's one thing that goes with Wonder Woman and and Thanksgiving, it's the Army/Navy game Coast City game. Wha? And traditional WW foe Quakemaster! Oh c'mon, DC, just admit you got to the end of the year and you're just throwing these together randomly, okay?


We've just changed the AAA batteries in its remote control, so roll through the month and tell us how much closer we are to identifying the Master Supervillain Criminal Overmind Evil Guy&tradel;, JLA TRS-80 computer!


While that's still ticking away and spewing punch-cards into Batman's meat loaf and gravy dinner, let's check our secondary, more overt clue, shall we?


How cow! No one would have suspected Wonder Twin Zan!

Today in Comics History, Summer Solstice Eve, June 20: Let's get together, yeah yeah yeah / Two is twice as nice as one

Very early on the morning of Solstice Eve (today!), Nubia, only Princess of the Amazons of Themyscira, sneaks out to whisper into "Hera's Ear" (an ancient Amazonian Temple) a secret wish.


from Diana and Nubia: Princesses of the Amazons (DC, January 2023), script by Shannon Hale and Dean hale, pencils and inks by Victoria Ling, colors by Lynette Wong, letters by Becca Carey

Today in Comics History, May 9: Happy birthday, William Moulton Marston!

Born today in 1893: William Moulton Marston aka Charles Moulton, psychologist, polyamorist, developer of the modern lie detector. Oh yeah, he co-created a hero you may have heard of called Wonder Woman.


from Fifty Who Made DC Great one-shot (DC, 1985)

Today in Comics History, February 12: Happy birthday, Anna Pavlova!

Today we celebrate the birth (in 1881) of the heroine known to the criminal world as Super-Ballerina, the dexterous crimefighter Anna Pavlova! PS: I was lying about the crimefighting. And if you're as dessert-minded as yours little stuffed truly is, you'll also know that she's the inspiration for the delicious creamy meringue and fruit dessert named after her, the Anna Pavlova! Mmm, them's good eatin'.


As usual for this birthday feature, here's everything you need to know about Anna Pavlova from a comic book!


"The Ballerina's Last Dance" from Ripley's Believe It or Not! (1965 series) #11 (Western/Gold Key, November 1968), pencils and inks by Joe Certa

Today in Comics History, February 3: Happy birthday, Elizabeth Blackwell!

Born on this day in 1821: Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States. From 1821 to 1827, nothing happened to her. Then, suddenly:


from "The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell" in Wonder Woman (1942 series) #19 (DC, September 1946), script by Alice Marble, pencils and inks by Alfonso Greene

Today in Comics History, December 17, 1903: Compared to other realities, our Wright Brothers totally suck

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published December 17, 2014.

Today in American History (not just comics, altho' they overlap, as you shall see): one of the most important technological steps forward in humanity as the Wright Brothers finally realized our dream of flying. (Insert your own lost luggage joke here.)


from "Scoops...Pictures to Remember" in Real Fact Comics #1 (DC, March 1946), pencils and inks by George Roussos
Because the name of the comic book is Real Facts, i assure you that is fact, brother, just exactly as it happened, maybe minus Lex Luthor there underneath the yellow hat. Exciting, huh?

Today in Halloween Comics History, October 31: Oh come on now, she's already wearing a swimsuit anyway

from "Petty Crimes" in Batman: Black and White (1996 series) #1 (June 1996); script, pencils, and inks by Howard Chaykin; letters by Ken Bruzenak

Today in Comics History, September 26: Happy birthday, Serena Williams!

Born today: tennis legend Serena Williams!


cover of Serving Up Justice promotional digital one-shot (DC/DirectTV, 2021)
Happy birthday, Champ!

Today in Comics History, September 21: Happy birthday, M.C. Gaines!

Born on this day in 1894: Max Ginzberg, later known (especially to us comic book fans) as M.C. Gaines, the man comic books call "Dad!"


from Fifty Who Made DC Great one-shot (DC, 1985)

Today in Comics History, September 6: Meanwhile in the Snyderverse...

cover of Heroes in Crisis #3 (January 2019), art by Ryan Sook
Which means it's the anniversary of the day this happened:



from Wonder Woman (1987 series) #219 (DC, September 2005), script by Greg Rucka, pencils and inks by lotsa people, colors by Tanya Horie and Richard Horie, letters by Todd Klein
Happy Maxsnapversary, I guess!

Today in Comics History, August 26, 1944: Nifty handwriting font invented during Nazi Occupation

from The Legend of Wonder Woman (2015 digital series) #19 (DC, March 2016); script and pencils by Renae De Liz; inks, colors, and letters by Ray Dillon

Today in Comics History, August 4, 1911: Incels and comicsgaters immediately write a million hate rants

from "Harriet Quimby" in Wonder Woman (1942 series) #46 (DC, March 1951), script by Julius Schwartz, pencils and inks by Frank Harry

Today in Comics History, August 2, 1911: Male pilots immediately erase history records

from "Harriet Quimby" in Wonder Woman (1942 series) #46 (DC, March 1951), script by Julius Schwartz, pencils and inks by Frank Harry

Today in Comics History, July 24: Happy birthday, Lynda Carter!

theme from Wonder Woman (Warner Bros. Television, 1975), composed by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel
Get out your ceremonial Amazoian attire and dance around with your kanga: it's the birthday of actor, singer, songwriter, model, activist and wonderful woman Lynda Carter!


from Fifty Who Made DC Great one-shot (DC, 1985)

Today in Comics History, July 20: Happy birthday, Dick Giordano!

Born on this day in 1932: comics penciller/inker and editor Dick Giordano! He's drawn Sarge Steel, Strange Suspense Stories (his artwork there stolen and reappropriated by Roy Lichenstein), Action Comics (Atom, Human Target, Green Arrow), Batman, The Brave and the Bold, Love Romances, Modesty Blaise, Elongated Man in The Flash and Detective Comics, Doctor Strange, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, Lois Lane (Rose and Thorn), and much more, including inking such prestigious books as Superman vs. Muhammad Ali, Wonder Woman, Thor, Atari Force, John Byrne's Man of Steel, Neil gaiman's Sandman, Batman, Green Lantern/Green Arrow, Bloodshot, and Crisis on Infinite Earths! And the proverbial multitude of others! And his own instructional book Draw Comics with Dick Giordano! (Amazon ad) He co-founded Continuity Associates with Neal Adams! He co-created Leslie Thompkins and Talia al Ghul! What hasn't this guy done?



house ads from DC Comics cover-dated December 1970 (top) and November 1971 (bottom)

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 8, 1777: Americans fail; this event is never again mentioned in American history textbooks

"Flying Colors" in Wonder Woman (1942 series) #2 (DC, Fall 1942); script, pencils, and inks by John M. Jenks

Today in Comics History, July 1, 1912: Wonder Woman tells us an inspirational tale of...wait, she died? THIS IS NOT UPLIFTING, DIANA!

from "Harriet Quimby" in Wonder Woman (1942 series) #46 (DC, March 1951), script by Julius Schwartz, pencils and inks by Frank Harry

Today in Comics History, June 23: Sadie Hawkins invents Patent Herbal Remedies

Tomorrow is St. John's Day, so...


from "Love Charms!" in Wonder Woman (1942 series) #85 (DC/National, October 1956), script by Julius Schwartz, pencils by Morris Waldinger, inks by Tommy Nicolosi, letters by Milt Snapinn