Bully Says: Comics Oughta Be Fun!

Thursday, November 24, 2022

Today in Comics History, Thanksgiving Day: Happy Thanksgiving, Pilgrim

Flash is just praying the Hulk doesn't ask to use the guest bathroom.

from 1. Super DC Calendar 1976 (DC, 1975);
2. Mighty Marvel Calendar 1979 (Marvel, 1978);
3-4. Marvel Age #59 and 94 (Marvel, February 1988 and November 1990), text by Mike Carlin (#59) and Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (#95), pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Paul Becton (#59) and Renee Witterstaetter (#95)

Wednesday, November 23, 2022

Today in Comics History, November 23, 2001: Pornography discreetly purchased

This comic is not suitable for people of a nervous disposition or small children. Little bulls, however, are just fine.

from The Filth #1 (DC/Vertigo, August 2002), script by Grant Morrison, pencils by Chris Weston, inks by Gary Erskine, colors by Matt Hollingsworth, letters by Clem Robins

Today in Comics History, November 23: Happy birthday, Sol Harrison!

Born on this day in 1917: Sol Harrison, longtime art director, production manager and colorist at DC Comics.

'Well, next thing I'm gonna do, is put yellow dots all around those Who's Who entries!'

'Well, next thing I'm gonna do, is put yellow dots all around those Who's Who entries!'

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

Today in Comics History, November 23: Happy birthday, Eduardo Risso!

Born on this day: comics artist Eduardo Risso, frequent collaborator and co-creator with writer Brian Azzarello on titles like 100 Bullets, Moonshine, Flashpoint: Batman: Knight of Vengeance, Batman: Broken City, plus the Batman serial in Wednesday Comics, and the founder of the Argentine comic convention Crack Bang Boom!

That's because girls don't make passes at boys with glasses.

That's because girls don't make passes at boys with glasses.

from Heartthrobs #3 (DC/Vertigo, March 1999)
Happy birthday, Eduardo!

Today in Comics History, November 23, 1963: Sonny's plans to shoot the President are put on ice

'Okay, who wants a beer from the cooler?...oh, yeah.'

from Regarding the Matter of Oswald's Body #3 (Boom!, January 2022), script by Christopher Cantwell, pencils and inks by Luca Casalanguida, colors by Giada Marchisio, letters by AndWorld Design

Today in Comics History, November 23, 1963: The 'Nam crosses over with Ernie Bushmiller's comic strip

'Oh, no, wait, that was the 22nd, Sarge. On the 23rd we were all just playing Beatles records.'

from The 'Nam #43 (Marvel, April 1990), script by Chuck Dixon, pencils and inks by Wayne Vansant, colors and letters by Phil Felix

Today in Comics History, November 23, 1849: Invention of the dictionary takes a weird turn

Well, that finally answers the question of what's black and white and red all over.

from "The Doctor Is Missing" in Headline Comics v.2 #11 (23) (Prize, March 1947), script by Joe Simon and/or Jack Kirby (?), pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Joe Simon (?), letters by Howard Ferguson

Today in Comics History, November 23: Happy birthday, Carl Gafford!

#BoTD: comics writer, editor and colorist Carl Gafford (Legion of Super-Heroes, Justice League of America, All-Star Squadron, Suicide Squad, World's finest Comics, What If...?, Savage She-Hulk, Micronautsand more)!

Carl is on this photo cover! I believe he's the guy in blue (not Supes)...?

'What's wrongt with Superman? he looks so...DRAWN!'

'What's wrongt with Superman? he looks so...DRAWN!'

cover of Superman #289 (DC, July 1975), photograph by Jack Adler, pencils by Curt Swan, inks by Bob Oksner, colors by Tatjana Wood

Today in Comics History, November 23, 1963: World's Smartest Man totally forgets to watch the premiere of Doctor Who

C'mon, you coulda spared *one* TV for it. Or possibly Snooper and Blabber.

from Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #4 (DC, January 2013), script by Len Wein, pencils and inks by Jae Lee, colors by June Chung, letters by John Workman

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

Today in Comics History, November 22, 3022: Well, that's what happens when you let Ma Hunkel retire

We'll just get Matter=Eater Lad in here to clean this all up.

from The New Golden Age #1 one-shot (DC, January 2023); script by Geoff Johns, pencils and inks by Diego Olortegui, J. P. Mayer, Scott Hanna, Jerry Ordway, Steve Lieber, Todd Nauck, Scott Kolins, Viktor Bogdanović, Brandon Peterson, and/or Gary Frank; colors by Nick Filardi, John Kalisz, Matt Herms, Jordan Boyd, and/or Brad Anderson, letters by Rob Leig

Today in Comics History Future, November 22, Ten Years from Now: Geez, Geoff Johns, if you love November 22 so much, why doncha marry it?

Today in Comics History, November 22, 1976: Even Dr. Fate can barely afford deductible and co-pay

'Dr. Mid-Nite, it hurts when I bend time and space to my will through the power of Nabu.' 'Well, don't do that then.'

Today in Comics History, November 22, 1940: Hollywoodland sign bombed on a day that will live in infamy, but not quite a infamously as that day a year and a couple weeks later

And thanks to you, Geoff Johns, the JSA is completely on the opposite coast.

from "Justice Society: Past is Prologue" in Stargirl Spring Break Special one-shot (DC, July 2021), script by Geoff Johns, pencils and inks by Bryan Hitch, colors by Alex Sinclair, letters by Rob Leigh

Today in Comics History, November 22: Happy birthday, George Eliot!

Born on this day in 1819: rugged he-man ultra-masculine writer George Eliot, the guy who wrote such manly testosterone-filled adventure tales as Silas Marner, Middlemarch and The Mill on the Floss!

Please do not yell at me for misgendering her just because of my stupid literature joke.

Please do not yell at me for misgendering her just because of my stupid literature joke.

covers of Classics Illustrated #55 (Gilberton, January 1949), (L) art by Henry Kiefer, and (R) artist unknown
Oh. I seem to have made another one of my silly mistakes.

George's mother always told her if she kept making that face some comics artist was gonna draw it and it would stick that way.

George's mother always told her if she kept making that face some comics artist was gonna draw it and it would stick that way.

from Classics Illustrated #55; creators uncredited and unknown
Anyway, happy birthday to you, George Eliot, ya big lug, you! Slam a couple beers for me!

She's a housewife...AND a spy!

I hope that last word balloon was spoken with the most dripping venomous sarcasm ever uttered in England.

'But not so great that we here at Pines Comics are going to call her by the Eliot name. Dames! Are we right?'

from "Alias George Eliot" in Real Life Comics #47 (Pines, February 1949), scripter and artists uncredited and unknown, letters by Ed Hamilton

Today in Comics History, November 22, 1940: Geoff Johns Ruins Everything

Luckily, Ma Hunkel swatted the blue insect with her cookpot, and we never had to hear from the Watchmen characters ever again.

from Doomsday Clock #7 (DC, November 2018), script by Geoff Johns, art by Gary Frank, design by Amie Brockway-Metcalf, colors by Brad Anderson, letters by Rob Leigh
...which, thanks to Geoff Johns' fetish for giving dates to historical but vague DC events, means that this happened today.

'Okay, but we're all agreed, we'll never let any supervillains from Earth-S join this club, right?'

'Okay, but we're all agreed, we'll never let any supervillains from Earth-S join this club, right?'

GL is like, geez, turkey's gettin' cold.

from All-Star Comics #3 (DC/All-American, Winter 1940), script by Gardner Fox, pencils and inks by E. E. Hibbard, aditional dialogue by yours little stuffed truly
So thanks, I guess, Geoff Johns, for making it canon that the first meeting of the Justice Society of America was on November 22, 1940. (Which was not Thanksgiving, but the Friday before it.)

Today in Comics History, November 22, 1992: Well, see now, Rorschach, that's why we do this here feature to help you know what day it is

This is all just clickbait for Rorschach's 'So Fine' jeans ad.

from Doomsday Clock #1 (DC, January 2018), script by Geoff Johns, pencils and inks by Gary Frank, colors by Brad Anderson, letters by Rob Leigh
Aw, I'm sure it's not gonna really hap...ulp.

What's this? Gotham gone by gigantic gamesplayer?

What's this? Gotham gone by gigantic gamesplayer?

from Doomsday Clock #12 (DC, February 2020), script by Geoff Johns, pencils and inks by Gary Frank, colors by Brad Anderson, letters by Rob Leigh

Today in Comics History, November 22, 1968: Don't let Manson buy The White Album

The vote to release 'Piggies' as their first single is defeated, 3 to 1.

from The Beatles in Comics! (NBM, November 2018); script by Richard Di Martino; translation by Joe Johnson; art by Edwina Cosme; letters by Ortho

Today in Comics History, November 22, 1963: Maybe Jack ought not to have gone outside during a Crisis on Infinite Earths

from Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #4 (DC, January 2013), script by Len Wein, pencils and inks by Jae Lee, colors by June Chung, letters by John Workman

Today in Comics History, November 22: Luckily for Archie, the 1963 Talent Show was cancelled that night

'And after all that time I spent training Hot Dog to play the drums!'

from Archie (2015 series) #11 (October 2016), script by Mark Waid, breakdowns by Ryan Jampole, finishes by Thomas Pitilli, colors by Andre Szymanowicz and Jen Vaughn, letters by Jack Morelli

Today in Comics History, November 22, 1963: Aw, I thought this was the Tarantino movie where JFK's death was averted

Well, that was tehir first mistake: they should have steered away from the all-black panels.

'Oh man, I tell you, when it rains it pours, huh?'

from Regarding the Matter of Oswald's Body #2 (Boom!, December 2021), script by Christopher Cantwell, pencils and inks by Luca Casalanguida, colors by Giada Marchisio, letters by AndWorld Design

Today in Comics History, November 20, 1945: Lex Jordon Ruins Everything

He got shocked so hard it threw the red plate out of register!

from "New Faces for Sale!" in Crime Must Pay the Penalty #19 (Ace, April 1951), pencils and inks by Jerry Grandenetti

Today in Comics History, November 22, 1963: Look at just how much it takes for Alfred Hitchcock to be shocked by something on screen

'I shall have to enquire of Mr. Zapruda as to just how he acheived these wonderfully gory effects on film.'

from Alfred Hitchcock: Master of Suspense (NBM, March 2022), script by by Noël Simsolo, translation by Monatan Kane, art by Dominique Hé, lettering by Ortho

Monday, November 21, 2022

Today in Comics History, November 21, 1963: On the Road with the Algonquin Round Table

'What do you think, Harpo?' 'Eh, $%#@ you.'

from Regarding the Matter of Oswald's Body #2 (Boom!, December 2021), script by Christopher Cantwell, pencils and inks by Luca Casalanguida, colors by Giada Marchisio, letters by AndWorld Design

Today in Comics History, November 21, 1804: He's too in tents

'What do you use the second tent for? 'Te pee.'

from Manifest Destiny #31 (Image, October 2017), script by Chris Dingess, pencils by Matthew Roberts, inks by Tony Akins, colors by Owen Gieni, letters by Pat Brosseau

Today in Comics History, November 21: Happy birthday, Susan Ehrenreich!

Born on this day (we think!), Marvel's officer manager (and, it looks like, paycheck person!) during the late '80s-early '90s Susan Ehrenreich! That "we think!" is due to the Marvel Age calendar listing three possible dates for her birthday : November 3, 4, and 21! I'm going for the more recent one, presumably after Susan threatened them to get it right. If you're ou tthere, Susan, let this little stuffed blogger know what day it really is!

I wish *I* had three birthdays. Three cakes, three times as many presents...sigh!

I wish *I* had three birthdays. Three cakes, three times as many presents...sigh!

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)
Susan also pops up in the Marvel Fumetti Book to drench Joe Rubinstein for siuggstin ga wet-shirt contest. I believe she is on the right in the first panel, and the one saying "You win!" in the second-to-final panel.

Joe Rubinstein later caught a cold and was sick for six weeks, making all his books run late. THEN WE REVENGE OURSELVES ON JIM SHOOTER.

Joe Rubinstein later caught a cold and was sick for six weeks, making all his books run late. THEN WE REVENGE OURSELVES ON JIM SHOOTER.

from "The Wet T-Shirt Contest" in Marvel Fumetti Book #1 one-shot (Marvel, April 1984), plot by Jim Shooter, script by Mike Carlin, photographs by Vince Colletta, letters by Michael Higgins
Happy birthday, whenever it is, Susan!

Today in Comics History, November 21, 1943: I don't like Tarawa atoll

from "War Correspondent" in Semper Fi #2 (Marvel, January 1989), script by Michael P. Palladino, pencils and inks by Sam Glanzman, colors by Mark Chiarello, letters by Rick Parker

Today in Comics History, November 21: Happy birthday, Goldie Hawn!

Born on this day: actress, comedian, and producer Goldie Hawn (Laugh-In, Private Benjamin, Cactus Flower, Wildcats and much more)!

AIEEE ALL THEIR HEADS ARE EXPLODING

And now back to Goldie Hawn and Action Jack!

from "It's Peggy's Page" in Binky #80 (DC, August 1971), creators uncredited and unknown
Well, it's not drawn by Mort Drucker, but even so, it's a prestigious appearance in MAD Magazine!!

GOLDIE! Where are your pants, young lady! You're NOT going out like that!

GOLDIE! Where are your pants, young lady! You're NOT going out like that!

'Intimate act?' Couldn't you say S-E-X, MAD?

from "Shampooped" in MAD #179 (December 1975), script by Arnie Kogen, pencils by Angelo Torres
A very very happy birthday to you, Goldie!

Gimme my paint brush back, Miz Hawn! That's unsanitary!