Today in Comics History, July 26: Happy birthday, Sandra Bullock!

Born on this day: actor Sandra Bullock, who has a pretty cool last name as far as I'm concerned. You may remember her from such films as Demolition Man, Speed, Hope Floats, Miss Congeniality, The Net, Gravity and others, but you may not remember her from M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense, because she wasn't in that.

Let's take a look at Sandra Bullock in comic books, shall we?


from "You Ought to be in Pictures" in Archie's Spring Break #5 (Archie, 2000), script by Bill Golliher, pencils by Jeff Shultz, inks by Jim Amash, colors by Barry Grossman, letters by Bill Yoshida
Aw man, that's not Sandra Bullock, that's just anotgher one of Archie's Generic Celebrities.

Oh well. Until I can leaf through these other comics and find an actual appearance by her, let's check in on this thinly-disguised version of Sandra Bullock.

Today in Comics History, April 28: Happy birthday, Ann-Margret!

Born on this day: actress/model/singer/dancer and all-around bombshell Ann-Margret (State Fair, Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas, Kitten with a Whip, Stagecoach, Grumpy Old Men, The Flintstones, and many more)!

Ann-Margret is more definitely interesting to see than Bob Hope! (Note: I've done some minor editing to this panel to correct a misspelling on Ann-Margret's name. Shame on you, Marvel Comics!)


from The 'Nam #35 (Marvel, October 1989), script by Doug Murray, pencils by Wayne Vansant, inks by Geof Isherwood, colors and letters by Phil Felix

Today in Comics History, April 4: Happy birthday, Bob Rozakis!

Born on this day: Bob Rozakis, DC Comics writer (Action Comics, The New Adventures of Superboy, Detective Comics, World's Finest comics, The Batman Family, 'Mazing Man, Freedom Fighters and lots more), editor, and "The Answer Man"; DC's Executive Director of Production, co-creator of Mister E, Bumblebee, 'Mazing Man, Hero Hotline, Quakemaster, and more!


from Amazing World of DC Comics #1 (DC, July 1974)

Today in Comics History, March 27: Happy birthday, David Janssen!

Born on this day in 1931: David Janssen, star of movies and TV including To Hell and Back, Francis in the Haunted House, King of the Roaring 20s, The Green Berets, Shoes of the Fisherman, Marooned, Richard Diamond: Private Detective; O'Hara, U.S. Treasury, Harry O., and of course the series that made every kid in America want to go on the run searching for the One-Armed Man: The Fugitive!


from "The Phewgitive" in MAD #89 (September 1964), script by Stan Hart, pencils and inks by Mort Drucker

Today in Comics History, March 25: Happy birthday, Howard Cosell!

Born on this day in 1918: Howard Cosell, the 1970s' most unprevaricating, multiloquent, and periphrastic sportscaster!



from "The Return of Dr. Octopus" in Spidey Super Stories #11 (Marvel, August 1975), script by Jean Thomas, pencils by Win Mortimer. inks by Mike Esposito and Tony Mortellaro, letters by Ray Holloway

Today in Comics History, October 27: Happy birthday, Dylan Thomas!

Born on this dayy in 1914: Welsh poet and author Dylan Thomas (Under Milk Wood, A Child's Christmas in Wales, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog, "Do not go gentle into that good night," "And death shall have no dominion," and more).


from Preacher #26 (DC/Vertigo, June 1997), script by Garth Ennis, pencils and inks by Steve Dillon, colors by Matt Hollingsworth, letters by Clem Robins

Today in Comics History, October 9: Happy birthday, Reed Richard Posey!

Born on this day in 1975, let's wish a very happy 48th birthday to Reed Richard Posey! Yes indeed, he was named after Reed Richards!


from the letters column of Fantastic Four (1961 series) #174 (Marvel, September 1976)
Happy birthday, Reed! I hope you grew up to be a comic book fan.

Today in Comics History, September 22: Happy birthday, E. Nelson Bridwell!

Born on this day in 1931: E. Nelson Bridwell, comics writer and editor (MAD, Super Friends, the Batman comic strip, Action Comics, Adventure Comics, Shazam!, Superman, The Superman Family, World's Finest Comics, The Legion of Super-Heroes and more)! Bridwell co-created some of the greatest B-list characters at DC, including the Inferior Five, The Maniaks, the Secret Six, Angel and the Ape, Fire and Ice, and more! He was an early advocate of continuity between titles, and in his role as assistant editor to Mort Weisinger and Julius Schwartz on the Superman titles, he edited the letters columns and developed the Kryptonese language and characters. So yeah: he's pretty important! Why not read more about him in this post? Sure, we all do!


from the editorial page of Showcase #62 [The Inferior Five] (DC/National, May 1966), text by Jack Miller

Today in Comics History, August 17: Happy birthday, Rachel Pollack!

Towards the middle of 1992, as Grant Morrison began to wind down their groundbreaking run on Doom Patrol, a curious set of missives began to appear on its letters page:



from letter columns in Doom Patrol (1987 series) #57 and 60 (DC, July and October 1992)

Today in Crisis History, July 13, 1985: I was born to bring trouble wherever I'm at / With the number "13" tattooed on my neck

Well, it's July 13, and luckily it doesn't fall on a Friday. For that we can thank Roy Thomas Pope Gregory XIII for our current calendar, although hey, while we're here, let's just put any blame on Mxyzptlk. He's probably responsible!

Crisis on Infinite Earths is a complicated crossover event, so let's review the plot to date:


Crisis on Infinite Earths #3
Well, that about sums it up.

Today in Comics History, June 26: Happy birthday, Jerry Bails!

Born on this day in 1933: Jerry Bails, the father of comics fandom and creator of the influential (if not the first) comics fanzine, Alter Ego, as well as developing and writing for many other fandom publications and founding fan organizations, awards, and events!


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

Today in Comics History, June 18: Happy birthday, Dean Mullaney!

Born on this day: comics editor, publisher, and champion of creators' rights (and multiple Eisner winner!) Dean Mullaney, co-founder of Eclipse Publications and editor of The Library of American Comics at IDW.


from Total Eclipse #5 (Eclipse, April 1989)
Also a great letter-writer!


letter column from Marvel Team-Up #45 (Marvel, May 1976)

Today in Comics History, February 9: Happy birthday, Jo Duffy!

Born on this day: comics editor and writer Jo Duffy, scripter on Power Man & Iron Fist, the '80s Marvel Star Wars, Fallen Angels, Crystar, Marvel Comics Presents, Marvel Fanfare, Catwoman, Glory, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark and much more!


from Mighty Marvel Calendar 1979 (Marvel, 1978)


from Marvel Age #26, 50, 87, and 98 (Marvel, May 1985, May 1987, April 1990, and January 1991); text by Jim Salicrup (#26), Mike Carlin (#50), and Chris Eliopolous and Barry Dutter (#87 and 98); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by Gregory Wright (#87) and Marie Javins (#98)
By the way, that last calendar panel is misleading (aka wrong). Duffy didn't write Akira, she did the English adaptation of the original work by Katsuhiro Otomo with translation by Yoko Umezawa.

Today in Comics History, December 28: Happy birthday, Ralph Macchio!

Born on this day: Ralph Macchio!


"Glory of Love" by Peter Cetera (Warner Bros., 1986), from the movie The Karate Kid Part II (Delphi V Productions, 1986), starring Ralph Macchio and Noriyuki "Pat" Morita
No, no, no...that's the wrong Ralph. We're talkin' about comics writer and editor Ralph Macchio (writer on Marvel Two-in-One, Thor, Avengers, X-Men Adventures; editor for Marvel's black-and-white series, Daredevil, Spider-Man line, Ultimate Comics; and much more)!

Sharin' your birthday can be tough, so let's get some Ralph love in here. (Caution: definitions of "Ralph Love" may vary from county to county. Please check local and municipal restrictions before engaging in Ralph love.)


from Marvel Age #36 (Marvel, March 1986), text by Jim Salicrup, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Adam Philips

Today in Comics History, November 15: Happy birthday, Martin Nodell!

Born on this day in 1915: comic book artist Martin Nodell, co-creator (with Bill Finger) of the Golden Age Green Lantern!


from Green Lantern (1941 series) #1 (Fall 1941)

Today in Comics History, November 11: Happy birthday, Dave Cockrum!

Born on this day in 1943: one of the truly great comics artists, Dave Cockrum! Co-creator of the All New, All-Different X-Men and many of their supporting characters: Nightcrawler, Storm, Colossus, Thunderbird, Black Tom, Lilandra...


from Mighty Marvel Calendar 1976, 1977, 1978, and 1979 (Marvel, 1975-1978)

Today in Comics History, November 7: Happy birthday, Rodney Ramos!

Born on this day: comics penciller/inker Rodney Ramos (Conan the Barbarian, Toxic Avenger, Green Lantern, Gotham Nights, Countdown, Transmetropolitan, L.E.G.I.O.N., Peter Parker: Spider-Man, What If...?. Detective Comics, and more)!


from Marvel Age #95 and 107 (Marvel, December 1990 and December 1991), text by Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (#95) and Mike Lackey (#107), pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Renee Witterstaetter

Today in Comics History, October 5: Happy birthday, Reuben Pharms!

A happy birthday today to born-in-1960 Reuben Pharms, who inked the "Cosmic Clinics" serial in New Talent Showcase and a story in Elvira's House of Mystery!


from New Talent Showcase (1984 series) #5 (DC, May 1984)
Hey, I betcha he's this guy praising X-Men #100!:


from ;etter column of [Uncanny] X-Men (1963 series) #102 (Marvel, December 1976
Happy birthday, Reuben!

Today in Comics History, August 14: Happy birthday, Steve Martin!

Born on this day: comedian, actor, producer, writer, musician, art collector, cat juggler, and the guy who made me laugh in the 1970s and '80s more than anybody: Steve Martin!


from iron Man (1968 series) #138 (Marvel, September 1980), co-plot and script by David Michelinie, co-plot and breakdowns by Bob Layton, finishes by Tom Palmer, colors by Ed Hannigan, letters by John Costanza

Today in Comics History, July 12: Happy birthday, Phil Jimenez!

Big, lovingly detailed birthday wishes goin' out today to a great modern comics writer/artist, Phil Jimenez (Wonder Woman, New X-Men, Astonishing X-Men, Fairest, The Amazing Spider-Man, Angela: Asgard's Assassin, The Invisibles, Infinite Crisis, JLA/Titans, Lana Lang as Superwoman (also writer and creator), Tempest, co-creator of Mister Negative, and lots more). He also pencilled and inked the famous Barack Obama Amazing Spider-Man cover.


from "Watch This Space" in DC Comics cover-dated November 1998
Didja know Phil was a letter writer to comics before he started in the field professionally? (I didn't!)


from the letters column in Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe (1985 series) #10 (DC, December 1985)
Happy birthday, Phil! I wish you a happy year ahead in which you make many appearances in comic books as a character yourself! Please?


from Heartthrobs #1 (DC/Vertigo, January 1999)