Today in Comics History, November 17, 2994: Press "more" to read a contrasting rebuttal from the Emerald Empress

from Legion of Super-Heroes (1989 series) #3 (DC, January 1990), text by Tom Bierbaum and Mary Bierbaum

Today in Comics History, November 17: Batman finally deduces who stole Ace's favorite chew toy

from "Good Boy" in Batman Annual (2017 series) #1 (DC, January 2017), script by Tom King, pencils and inks by David Finch, colors by Gabe Eltaeb, letters by Deron Bennett

Today in Comics History, November 17: And if you can't get the Dazzler album, at least go see her new band

from Dazzler: X-Song one-shot (Marvel, August 2018), script by Magdalene Visaggio, pencils and inks by Laura Braga, colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, letters by Joe Sabino

Today in Comics History, November 17, 2020: Oh no, DC, you're not fooling me again. I still haven't gotten that toaster back from Batman and Catwoman.

house ad from Aquaman (2016 series) #64 (DC, December 2020)

Today in Comics History, November 17, 1954: It may not be a jet plane, but Alan's going to marry it anyway

from "Across All Barriers!" in Forbidden Worlds #132 (ACG, February 1957), script by Richard Hughes (?), pencils by Dick Beck, inks by Pete Costanza

Now playing: Maria McKee

I got a copy of the LP version of Maria McKee's first solo, self-titled album! This is a crackerjack of an album from stem to stern. There's not a dud song on it.

Also, whoever owned this before me obviously never played it, which is a stupid, stupid, crime against great music! But at least I got a new mint version out of it!

Today in Comics History, November 16: Happy birthday, Darwyn Cooke!

Born on this day in 1962: multiple award-winning (13 Eisners, 8 Harveys, 5 Joe Shuster Awards) comics scripter and artist Darwyn Cooke, who defined so much of great comics during the 2000s: DC: The New Frontier, Catwoman, Catwoman: Selina's Big Score, Wolverine/Doop, The Spirit, The Twilight Children, Batman: Ego, Richard Stark's Parker, Solo #5, Spider-Man's Tangled Web #21 and more, plus so many great covers for DC and other publishers.

He passed away in 2016 at the age of 63. Wow, that's way too soon.


from Solo #5 (DC, August 2005)

Today in Comics History, November 16: Happy birthday, John Lewandowski!

Born on this day: Marvel writer (What If...?, Avengers, Thor, Darkhawk, Rocko's Modern Life, etc.) and editor (Avengers West Coast, What If...?, Silver Surfer, Warlock and the Infinity Watch, more) during the 1990s, John Lewandowski!


from Marvel Age #59, 94, and 107 (Marvel, February 1988, November 1990, and December 1991), text by Mike Carlin (#59), Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (#95), and Mike Lackey (#107); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Paul Becton (#59) and Renee Witterstaetter (#95 and 107)
Happy birthday, John!

Today in Comics History, November 16, 1853: Ship's log continued by Master Bates

from "Ghost Ship!" in Crypt of Terror (1950 series) #19 (EC, August 1950); script, pencils, and inks by Al Feldstein, letters by Jim Wroten

Today in Comics History, November 16, 1943: J. Jonah Jameson demands: "Grandpa Parker! Get me photos of Thunderbolts!"

from Thunderbolts (1997 series) #165 (Marvel, January 2012), script by Jeff Parker, pencils by Kev Walker, inks by Terry Pallot, colors by Chris Sotomayor, letters by Joe Caramagna

Today in Comics History, November 16, 1990: George Bush acts just about the way we would expect George Bush to act

from Kirby: Genesis: Silver Star #1 (Dynamite, November 2011), co-plot by Alex Ross, co-plot and script by Jai Nitz, pencils by Johnny Desjardins, colors by Vinicius Andrade, letters by Simon Bowland

Today in Comics History, November 16: Sorry, Taylor, the real Album of the Year just dropped

from Jessica Jones (2016 series) #17 (April 2018), script by Brian Michael Bendis, pencils and inks by Michael Gaydos, colors by Matt Hollingsworth, letters by Clayton Cowles
(Click picture to Avengers-Tower-loomin'-over-us-size)
Did you pick up your copy? Scott Summers did! C'mon, you don't wanna be less cool than Cyclops, do ya?




Never forget to credit the album art artist! In this case: the uncanny Sienkiewicz!


cover of Dazzler #29 (Marvel, November 1983), painting by Bill Sienkiewicz, photograph by Eliot R. Brown

Today in Comics History, November 15: Darn, I wish I was your lover

Hey, today is Sadie Hawkins Day! By tradition, a day when women ask men out for dates, dining, dancing, and a little bit o' dis 'n' dat, instead of the other way round. Seriously, these days you can do this any time, kind ladies, and I hope you do. (Waiting by my telephone.)

Sadie Hawkins Day was created and popularized by extraordinary cartoonist and terrible person Al Capp in the classic comic strip Li'l Abner.


L'il Abner (November 14, 1935), by Al Capp

Today in Comics History, November 15: Happy birthday, Mike Gustovich!

Born on this day: comics artist and writer Mike Gustovich (creator of Justice Machine; he's also pencilled and inked Avengers, Defenders, New Mutants, and a long stretch inking the Milestone series Icon)!


from Marvel/New Universe comics cover-dated October 1988
Happy birthday, Mike!


from Marvel Age #139 (Marvel, August 1994)

Today in Comics History, November 15: Happy birthday, Michael Gallagher!

Born on this day: comic book writer/artist Michael Gallagher, who's worked on ALF, Madballs, Sonic the Hedgehog, Guardians of the Galaxy, and he's written and pencilled Marvel's comic book version of Heathcliff...


from Marvel kids' comics cover-dated April 1988
...which is an all in the family connection, as Michael is not only the son of gag cartoonist John Gallagher, but the nephew of George Gately, creator of Heathcliff!


from Marvel Age #39 (Marvel, June 1986)
Happy birthday, Michael!

Today in Comics History, November 15: Happy birthday, William Herschel!

Born on this day in 1738: astronomer, composer, and discovery of Uranus (tee hee hee hee) William Herschel! Yes, he looked up in the sky and saw Uranus! hee hee hee


from Four Color #866 (Dell, December 1957), script by Don R. Christensen, art by Tony Sgroi, colors by Western Publishing Production Shop
So let's wish Herschell a happy birthday and remember he's the one who first looked into Uranus BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA hee hee okay I'm all right now.


from "Planetary Names" in Showcase #19 (DC, March 1959), creators uncredited BWAH-HA-HA and unknown hee hee. It's funny because it's Uranus BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA

Today in Comics History, November 15, 1987: And now it's time for another episode of that America's popular forestry game show, "FELL! THAT! TREE!"

from "Choices" in D.P.7 #21 (Marvel/New Universe, July 1988), script by Howard Mackie, pencils by Ron Frenz, inks by Joe Sinnott, colors by Steve Buccellato, letters by Ken Lopez

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 15, 1853: Twitter finally ends

from "Ghost Ship!" in Crypt of Terror (1950 series) #19 (EC, August 1950); script, pencils, and inks by Al Feldstein, letters by Jim Wroten

Today in Comics History, November 15: Happy birthday, Ed Asner!

Born on this day in 1929: actor and activist Ed Asner (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Lou Grant, Roots, Up, Freakazoid!, Superman, and much more!)




from MAD #149 (March 1972), 155 (December 1972), and 205 (March 1970), scripts by Tom Koch and art by Angelo Torres on all
Ed has been an inspiration to many of us with his progressive views and forward thinking. Also, his choice of reading material is sublime. We miss ya lots, Ed!


from MAD (2018 series) #10 (DC, December 2019)
Please join me in wishing Ed Asner a very happy birthday!


from Simpsons Comics #103 (Bongo, February 2005), script by Ian Boothby, pencils by Phil Ortiz, inks by Mike DeCarlo, colors by Art Villanueva, letters by Karen Bates

Today in Comics History, November 15, 1940: Since paper is made with wood, you could beat Green Lantern to death with this newspaper

from "[Fix the Fight Game]" in All-American Comics (1939 series) #22 (DC/All-American, January 1941), script by Bill Finger, pencils and inks by Marty Nodell as Mart Dellon, letters by Carrie Nodell

Today in Comics History, November 14, 1942: Entire earth inhales, exhales abruptly

from "Indestructible Eddie Rickenbacker" in True Aviation Picture-Stories #3 (Parents' Magazine Press, June 1943), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, November 14, 1963: Happy birthday, Silver Scarab/Sandman III/Doctor Fate V*!

from Infinity Inc. #9 (DC, December 1984), text by Roy Thomas
*And if you think this is confusing, go read Sandman!

Happy birthday anyway, Hec!

Today in Comics History, November 14, 1940: Theater marquees defy perspective

from Adventures of Captain America #1 (Marvel, September 1991), script by Fabian Nicieza, pencils by Kevin Maguire, inks by Joe Rubinstein, ink assists by Tom Christopher, colors by Paul Mounts, letters by Richard Starkings

Today in Comics History, November 14, 1954: This will happen in two days, but the date in the panel is today...ah heck, forget about it

from "Across All Barriers" in Forbidden Worlds #51 (ACG, February 1957, script by Richard Hughes (?), pencils by Dick Beck, inks by Pete Costanza
Also today two days from now, in the retitled reprint: Mark Twain changes color of hair, suit, background!


from "Dream of Death!" in Adventures into the Unknown #132 (ACG, April 1962), script by Richard Hughes (?), pencils by Dick Beck, inks by Pete Costanza

Today in Comics History, November 14, 1957: Could be worse; you could be Clark Kent on November 18, 1992

from Quantum Leap #5 (Innovation, May 1992), script by Terry Collins, art by Rob Davis, colors by Scott Rockwell, letters by Vickie Williams

Today in Comics History, November 13, 1863: Millie Jane Cobblepot begins her thirty-sixth hour locked in her room listening to The Smiths

from Gotham Academy #2 (DC, January 2015); script by Becky Cloonan and Brenden Fletcher; pencils and inks by Karl Kerschl; colors by Geyser, Dave McCaig, and John Rauch; letters by Steve Wands

Today in Comics History, November 13, 1970: Weasels rip flesh*

from "College Concert Cut-Ups" in National Lampoon (NL Communications, September 1970); script by Michel Choquette; art by Joe Orlando, Henry Scarpelli, and Peter Bramley
*Rzzzzz!

Today in Comics History, November 13, 1978: J. Jonah Jameson immediately issues a stop payment on that check

from Ms. Marvel (1977 series) #22 (Marvel, February 1979), script by Chris Claremont, breakdowns by Mike Vosburg, finishes by Mike Zeck, colors by Bob Sharen, letters by Jim Novak

Today in Comics History, November 13, 2019: Crossover event that threatened to tear the DC Universe apart already forgotten

from Event Leviathan #6 (DC, January 2020); script by Brian Michael Bendis; pencils, inks, and colors by Alex Maleev; letters by Josh Reed

Today in Comics History, November 13, 1853: Pinocchio proves to be an ineffective pirate

from "Ghost Ship!" in Crypt of Terror (1950 series) #19 (EC, August 1950); script, pencils, and inks by Al Feldstein, letters by Jim Wroten

Today in Comics History, November 13, 2019: Mephisto's all in for this one

from Black Cat Annual (2020 series) #1 (Marvel, January 2020), script by Jed MacKay, cover pencils and inks by J. Scott Campbell, cover colors by Sabine Rich

Today in Comics History, November 13, 1955: How Biff really made his fortune: his intoxicating cologne

from Back to the Future: Biff to the Future #1 (IDW, January 2017), story by Bob Gale and Derek Fridolfs, script by Bob Gale, pencils and inks by Alan Robinson, colors by Maria Santaolalla, letters by Neil Uyetake