Today in Comics History, May 25: Weird blue tattoo, huh?...But I think you buried the lede that it's World War III!

from Quasar #31 (Marvel, February 1992), script by Mark Gruenwald, pencils by Greg Capullo, inks by Harry Candelario, colors by Paul Becton, letters by Janice Chiang

Today in Comics History, May 25: Batman has a cracking time

variant cover of Heroes in Crisis #2 (DC, December 2018), art by Ryan Sook
Which means today must be the day that this happened:


from Batman #497 (DC, July 1993), script by Doug Moench, pencils by Jim Aparo, inks by Dick Giordano, colors by Adrienne Roy, letters by Richard Starkings
Happy back-crackin' day, Batman!

Today in Comics History, May 24: Happy birthday, Queen Victoria!

Let's gather 'round a big royal birthday cake for the queen with the quality, the monarch with the most, Queen Victoria (born this very day in 1819; wow, she old.) She's also a frequent comic book star (see the popular DC series Seven Soldiers of Victoria).


from "Were You Born in May?" in Amazing Man Comics #12 (Centaur, May 1940); text, pencils and inks by Joseph A. Kaliff

Today in Comics History, May 24: Happy birthday, Robson Rocha.

Born on this day in 1980, comics artist Robson Rocha. He dazzled us with his work on Aquaman, Wonder Woman,Justice League, Future State: Justice League and more. He died in July 2021 of COVID-19. i regret not getting to see more of his work and growth as an artist, and he is much missed. Dying at age 41 is way too soon.


from DC Comics cover-dated October 2021

Today in Comic Book History, May 24, 1978: People ask me why I live in New York City...

...because where else but New York City could you get famous local talk show host Joe Franklin's autograph...on a paintbrush?


from High Times Magazine #70 (Trans-High Corporation, June 1981); script by Josh Alan Friedman; pencils, inks, and letters by Drew Friedman
Or, in the words lyrics of America's troubadors, Sam and Max:



from "Monkeys Violating the Heavenly Temple" in Sam & Max, Freelance Police Special Edition #1 one-shot (Fishwrap, 1987); script, pencils, and inks by Steve Purcell, letters by L. Lois BuhalisX
Or, expressed as a four-lettered word: I♥NY.

Today in Comics History, May 24: Happy birthday, Maru!

Born today in 2007: the internet feline sensation Maru, the cat who loves to climb into boxes! If it fits, he sits! He even exists in the Marvel Universe!



from "Mysterio" in Spider-Man Spectacular #1 one-shot (Marvel, August 2014), script and letters by Joe Caramagna, pencils and inks by Jacopo Camagni, colors by SotoColor
Happy Sweet Fifteen, Maru!


"まるです１５。-I am Maru 15.-" by mugumogu (May 24, 2021)


"箱とねこ８。-A box and Maru 8.-" by mugumogu (June 19, 2011)

Today in Comics History, May 24: Hey look, they invited inker Jack Abel

from Amazing Spider-Man #320 (Marvel, September 1989), script by David Michelinie, pencils and inks by Todd McFarlane, colors by Bob Sharen and Gregory Wright, letters by Rick Parker

Today in Comics History, May 24, 2202: In space, no one can hear the computer reporting your imminent death

from Alien (2021 series) #7 (Marvel, November 2021), script by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, pencils and inks by Salvador Larroca, colors by Guru eFX, letters by Clayton Cowles

Today in Comics History, May 24: Happy birthday, Alfred Andriola!

Born today in 1912: the handsome, handsome Alfred Andriola, cartoonist and creator of the Kerry Drake comic strip and book, artist on Charlie Chan, Dan Dunn, Captain Triumph and more, and an assistant to Milton Caniff on Terry and the Pirates and Scorchy Smith. And yes: you can use this calendar all this year throughout 2022!


"Kerry Drake 1949 Calendar" from Kerry Drake Detective Cases #13 (Harvey, March 1949), pencils and inks by Alfred Andriola
Happy birthday, Alfred!

Today in Comics History, May 24: Happy birthday, Evan Skolnick!

Born on this day: Evan Skolnick, comics writer/editor (Iron Man, RoboCop, NFL SuperPro, Excalibur, Deathlok, New Warriors and more) and video game writer/instructor (Sonic the Hedgehog, Crash Bandicoot, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, Guitar Hero III, Cuphead, and others)!


from Marvel Age #89 and 101 (Marvel, May 1990 and June 1991); text by Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Renee Witterstaetter

Today in Comics History, May 24: Happy birthday, Carmine Infantino!

Born today in 1925: legendary comics artist, editor, and publisher Carmine Infantino, who co-created Batgirl, The Flash (Barry Allen and Wally West), Black Canary, Animal Man, Bat Lash, Phantom Stranger, Deadman, and more! He's drawn pretty much everybody in books like Detective Comics and Batman, Star Wars, Adventure Comics, The Avengers, Mystery in Space, Spider-Woman, The Brave and the Bold, Iron Man, Green Lantern, Nova, Phantom Stranger, Daredevil, and so much more!


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

Today in Comics History, May 24, 1941: Pilot has clearly not read the story title

from "They Died At Their Battle Stations" in War Comics #2 (Marvel/Atlas, February 1951), pencils and inks by Vernon Henkel

Today in Comics History, May 24: Happy birthday, Bob Dylan!

from "Dear Park..." in Go-Go #1 (Charlton, June 1966); script by Joe Gill (?); pencils, inks, and letters by Jon D'Agostino (?)XXX
Happy birthday, Bob! I wish I had a better comic book portayal than this lousy one for you.

But Brian Cronin over at CBR.com does! Check his ever-increasing birthday celebration of Bob in 81 Bob Dylan Comic Book References!

Today in Comics History, May 23-24, 1955: NASA launches the first of many football-shaped probes...oh, I'm sorry, I thought that said "NFL Rockets."

"NRL Rockets" from Space War #6 (Charlton, August 1960), creators unidentified and unknown

Today in Comics History, May 23, 1993: First they came for the apathetic, and I didn't care

from (L) "V for Vendetta: Book One, Chapter Ten: Venom" in Warrior #11 (Quality Communications, July 1983), script by Alan Moore, pencils and inks by David Lloyd, letters by Jenny O'Connor;
(R) from V for Vendetta #3 (DC, November 1988); colors by David Lloyd, Siobhan Dodds, and Steve Whitaker

Today in Comics History, May 23: You broke my heart and you made me cry / You said that I couldn't dance / But now I'm back to let you know / That I can really make romance

from "Heartline" in Chamber of Chills Magazine #23 (Harvey, May 1954), pencils by Manny Stallman, inks by John Giunta, letters by Joe Rosen

Today in Comics History, May 23, 1936: Welcome to New York, Indiana Jones; hope you survive the experience

credits page of Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods #1 (Dark Horse, June 2008), pencils by Steve Scott, inks by Nathan Massengill, colors by Michael Atiyeh

Today in Comics History, May 23, 1942: So that's why they call it Metropolis

from Young All-Stars Annual #1 (DC, July 1988), script by Roy Thomas and Dann Thomas, pencils and inks by Mike Gustovich, colors by Gene D'Angelo, letters by David Cody Weiss

Today in Comics History, May 23, 1948: Happy birthday, Robert Markham! Hope you don't get turned into a monster with extremely high blood pressure...oh.

from Moon Knight (1980 series) #12 (Marvel, October 1991), script by Doug Moench, pencils and inks by Bill Sienkiewicz, colors by Christie Scheele, letters by Joe Rosen

Today in Comics History, May 22: Tonight's episode: "Happy birthday, Quinn Martin."

With special guest stars: Efrem Zimbalist, Jr....Paul Burke...Roy Thinnes...and Paul Lynde.


"Happy birthday, Quinn Martin" is a Quinn Martin Production, copyright 1922.