Today in Comics History: Young man avoids gangs thanks to murky coloring

Panel from Batman: Orphans #1 (Early February 2011), script by Eddie Berganza, pencils by Carlo Barberi, inks by Juan Vlasco, colors by Chuck Pires, letters by John E. Workman, Jr.

Today in Comics History Future: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Safe

Panel from "Sorcerers of Space!" in Mystery in Space #39 (August-September 1957), script by John Broome, pencils by Sid Greene, inks by Joe Giella
Now tell me you wouldn't buy this comic book when you saw it on the newsstand:
Cover of Mystery in Space #39 (August-September 1957), pencils by Gil Kane, wash by Jack Adler

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 155: Won't it be exciting when we reach issue #900 oh wait

House ad for Detective Comics #400 (June 1970); printed in Detective Comics #398 (April 1970)

Today in Comics History: World's stupidest heist actually succeeds

Panel from Batman #315 (September 1979), script by Len Wein, pencils by Irv Novick, inks by Frank McLaughlin, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by Ben Oda

Today in Comics History: J'onn J'onnz makes sure no one forgets his birthday

Panels from the Martian Manhunter story "The Man With 20 Lives" in Detective Comics #227 (January 1956), script by Joe Samachson, pencils and inks by Joe Certa

Bear Attack! Month, Day 4: And Now Here's Clark Kent for the NRA

Panels from "Clark Kent, He-Man!" in Adventure Comics #305 (February 1963), pencils and inks by George Papp, letters by Joe Letterese

Today in Comics History: William Holden dies in a tragic horse-riding accident

Panel from "The Wild One" in Young Lovers #17 (Charlton, December 1956), creators unknown

Comics News for June 3, 2013

Sadistic Parrot is Sadistic, Archie Teams Up with Wasp, Ghost of Ronald Reagan Visits Brian Michael Bendis

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 154: Also, we have a comic book called Action, if you're interested in that

House ad for Flash #313, Arak, Son of Thunder #13, The Saga of the Swamp Thing #5, The Fury of Firestorm, The Nuclear Man #4, The House of Mystery #308 [I, Vampire] (all September 1982); printed in Wonder Woman #295 (September 1982)
Ad designed and lettered by Gaspar Saladino

Bear Attack! Month, Day 3: Nazi Bear attacks Wolf Squadron

Splash page from "Runaway Bear" in Showcase #2 [Kings of the Wild] (May-June 1956), pencils and inks by Russ Heath

Today in Comics History: Batman is at last able to show off his extensive knowledge of women's skill for walking in heels

Panels from Batman #405 (March 1987), script by Frank Miller, pencils and inks by David Mazzucchelli, colors by Richmond Lewis, letters by Todd Klein

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 153: And then Zatara made the sun explode

House ad for Action Comics (1938 series) #14 (July 1939); printed in Superman (1939 series) #1 (Summer 1939)
Comic cover art: pencils and inks by Fred Guardineer
And here's that framable Superman poster the ad promises in the lower right hand corner!:


Back cover pin-up from Superman (1939 series) #1 (Summer 1939), pencils and inks by Joe Shuster

Today in Comics History: Robin discovers Batman's inability to alphabetize

Panel from "The Robberies in the Bat-Cave" in Detective Comics #177 (November 1951), script by Bill Finger (?), pencils by Dick Sprang, inks by Charles Paris

Today in Comics History: Cereal company headquarters mysteriously burns to ground

Donald Duck gag strip from Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #132 (September 1951), script by Bob Karp, pencils and inks by Al Taliaferro

Bear Attack! Month, Day 2: The Cinnamon Bear's Revenge

Page from Batman #285 (March 1977), script by David Vern, pencils by Romeo Tanghal, inks by Frank Springer

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 152: Up and Atom

House ad for The Atom #32 (August-September 1967); printed in Detective Comics #365 (July 1967)
Comic cover art: pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Murphy Anderson, colors by Jack Adler (?), letters by Ira Schnapp
Ad designed and lettered by Ira Schnapp

Today in Comics History, June 1: Superman is remarkably tactless when inviting Lois to his and Lana's wedding

from "The Superman Calendar" in Action Comics #212 (DC, January 1956), pencils and inks by Al Plastino

Bear Attack! Month, Day 1: The Mightiest Beaver of Them All

As we all know, bears, while they have probably never kicked anyone in the crotch in comic books, still totally kick ass. Even tho' they have never gotten their own series, bears attacking is one of the most common tropes of comic books both yesterday and today. Yes, even in Legion of Super-Heroes! (See Legion of Super-Heroes v.2 #289, "Ultra Boy Wrestles the Giant Space-Bear of Oxyon-Prime!")

That's why I've decided to devote the entire month of June, the month in which a young man's fancy turns to thoughts of love and marriage, to Bear Attacks! Each and every day you'll see a four-color bear lunging at you from out of the page, so bloodthirsty and vicious you could swear he's gonna tear your throat right freakin' out. In fact, it would be better to just put down the comic book and walk away quickly to avoid the Bear Attack! Leave that to the professionals, like me, as I proudly present Bear Attack! Month!


Panels from "Bring In Pow-Wow Smith Dead!" in Detective Comics (1937 series) #198 (August 1953),
pencils and inks by Leonard Starr

Bully's Sketchbook: Chris Haley

So, this year on Free Comic Book Day the finest day of the year bar none!), I ordered some prints from pal Chris Haley 'coz I love his stuff. (And I really miss Curt Franklin and Chris's "Let's Be Friends Again" webcomic!) So now I have some beautiful prints of Kitty Pryde and Batman and the Avengers to hang on my walls. I NEED TO GET MORE FRAMES. Also, you oughta order some of his fine prints for yourself from his shop. This is your only warning.

Anyway, my point (and I do have one), is that Chris, kind gent that he is, was also offering sketches for commission. So of course I ordered one of my favorite character Ben Grimm Hank McCoy Keira Knightley me, your friendly neighborhood little stuffed bull. And Curt drew me and rocked my world!


This is so cool! I look so suave and debonair. Thanks, Chris...you're the greatest!

While I'm on the subject of Mister C. Haley, I want to also tell you that you oughta follow Chris's Tumblr because he posts lots of cool stuff including his own artwork. Don't tell me I never warned you!

Today in Comics History, May 31: Gandalf attends his first rock concert

from The Unwritten #40 (DC/Vertigo, October 2012); plot, pencils, and inks by Peter Gross; script by Mike Carey; colors by Chris Chuckry; letters by Todd Klein