Today in Comics History, August 14, 1942: "Dear Elliott. How are you? I am fine."

house ad from True Aviation Comics Digest #1 (Parents' Magazine Press, 1942)

Today in Comics History, August 11: Happy birthday, Lyle Stuart!

Born on this day in 1922: author and publisher Lyle Stuart, founder of (natch) Lyle Stuart, Inc., which published classics like The Sensuous Woman and Naked Came the Stranger, not to mention Crucifix in a Deathhand by Charles Bukowski. he also published The Anarchist Cookbook (huh!) and The Turner Diaries (ick!). Most relevant to our interests, he was the business manager of EC Comics line (he was a good friend of publisher Bill Gaines). Here is is freakin' out over what Bill's doin' with the company money (understandably so)!

"The Board of Educational Comics" EC subsciption advertisement by Will Elder
(Click picture to adult-education-size)
Stuart was also notable for a running feud with gossip columnist Walter Winchell, whom he exposed as a hypocritical adultere and a racist, and it ended with Lyle's arrest over a parody of A Visit from St. Nocholas printed in the first issue of Panic. All that about Santa Claus! Let's let Mark 'n' Sergio explain it all for you:


from The CBLDF Presents: Liberty Comics (Image, July 2008); co-script by Mark Evanier; co-script, pencils, and inks by Sergio Aragonés; colors by Tom Luth; letters by Stan Sakai

Today in Comics History, July 22, 1986, 4:22 AM (or maybe PM): It's a New, New U / Comin ' right at you

New Universe teaser house ads in Marvel Comics (1986), art by John Romita, Jr.

IT'S COMING

tomorrow


New Universe house ad from Marvel Comics cover-dated May 1986

Today in Comics History, Father's Day: Bully's Father's Day Gift Suggestion #16

Why not give Dae the gift he's been longing for...a subscription to a defunct magazine!


house ad from Fawcett Comics, 1951

Today in Comics History, May 9: Happy birthday, Barbara Slate!

Born on this day: comics writer and artist Barbara Slate, who's written, drawn, and created titles at Marvel, DC, Harvey, Archie, and Scholastic, including 2019's The Mueller Report Graphic Novel!


from Son of Yuppies from Hell one-shot (Marvel, 1990), photograph by Bert Stern

Today in Comics History, May 7, 1985: If You Want It Because You Demanded It

Just like in a post exactly one year ago, J. Jonah throws his hands in the air and just gives in to the merchandising!:


house ad from Marvel Comics cover-dated December 1984

Today in Comics History, December 31, 1986, New Year's Eve: Star Comics characters beg 1986 to stay because they know they'll be cancelled in 1987

from subscription house ad in Marvel/Star Comics cover-dated June 1987

Today in Comics History, December 26, 2008: X-Pired

house ad from Marvel/Ultimate Comics cover-dated July 2009

Today in Comics History, December 1, 1985: Daily Planet just flat-out doxxing everybody now

house ad for Secret Origins (1986 series) #1, published in DC Comics dated December 1985, pencils and inks by Jerry Ordway, crystal ball image by Wayne Boring

Today in Comics History, October 25: Happy birthday, Al Hartley!

Born on this day in 1921: comics writer and artist Al Hartley, who worked for Standard/Nedor/Pines and Marvel/Timely/Atlas, including more than a decade on the Patsy Walker books!


from "Meet the Gang in the Merry Marvel Bullpen" in Marvel Tales Annual #1 (Marvel, September 1964)

Today in Comics History, October 7: Happy birthday, Andy Devine!

Born on this day in 1905: character actor and radio comedian Andy Devine (Stagecoach, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Jack Benny Program, etc.)!


from Movie Love #19 (Eastern Color, February 1953), pencils and inks by Frank Fogarty

Today in Comics History, October 6: Happy birthday, Alfred Harvey!

Born on this day in 1913: comic book publisher and writer Alfred Harvey, who co-created Little Dot and Richie Rich (so you know who to blame)! In fact, he founded the whole dang Harvey Comics company!


from Green Hornet Comics (1942 series) #12 (Harvey, April 1943)

BatrocTober, Day 5: Okay, you didn't need the slur on the French here, but otherwise...

house ad for Crazy from Marvel Comics cover-dated March 1980

Today in Comics History, September 22, 1987: "Deaths of Mark Gruenwald, John Byrne, and Howard Mackie, page 53F."

house ad from Marvel Age #58 (Marvel, January 1988), art by John Byrne

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, 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 13, 1953: Fight communism! Read comics!

from Crime SuspenStories #25 (EC, October 1954), script by Lyle Stuart and Bill Gaines, pencils and inks by Jack Davis, letters by Ben Oda

Today in Comics History, July 11: Wait, that was today? But I haven't even gotten my invite yet!

house ad for Lois Lane #86 in DC Comics cover-dated September 1968; cover pencils and inks by Neal Adams, Superman face-redraws and inks by Al Plastino, letters by Gaspar Saladino

Today in Comics History, June 23, 1999: Stan Lee clearly has blackmail material on J. Jonah Jameson

from Peter Parker: Spider-Man (1999 series) #8 (Marvel, August 1999)