Today in Comics History, July 9: Happy arbitrary birthday, Captain Tootsie!

Yes, today it's the arbitrarily-decided-by-this-blog Canonical Birthday of Captain Tootsie, the sugar-soaked superhero rocketed to earth from the planet Fudge-El when all its inhabitants died of diabetes. Happy birthday, Captain Tootsie!


"Captain Tootsie and the Mysterious Plan" from DC comics dated July 1949, by C. C. Beck
So from us and from Rollo, Fatsy, Gub-Gub, Rotund, Cholesterol Cindy, Baby Diabetes and all the Tootsie Roll Kids, Happy birthday, Cap!

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 190: "Open the blast doors!"

Panels from Star Wars: Tag & Bink Are Dead #1 (October 2001), script by Kevin Rubio, pencils by Lucas Marangon, inks by Howard Shum, colors by Michelle Madsen, letters by Steve Dutro

Freddie Mercury will save every one of us

I'm off social media until San Diego Comic-Con is over, so in the meantime, please enjoy, from the pages of Britain's Eagle Annual, rock sensation Freddie Mercury!


"Personalities with a Plus!" from Eagle Annual 1983 [#25] (1983)



Tomorrow: Gary Numan! And s'more surprises.

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 189: Works every time.

Panels from Lando #1 (September 2015), script by Charles Soule, pencils and inks by Alex Maleev, colors by Paul Mounts, letters by Joe Caramagna

Today in Comics History: You wouldn't say that if you knew the Gherkin was coming

from The Dreaming (1996 series) #6 (DC/Vertigo, November 1996); script by Peter Hogan; pencils, inks, and letters by Steve Parkhouse; colors by Daniel Vozzo
Seriously, though: we're remembering today the people of London, the victims and those affected by the 7/7 terrorist bombings ten years ago today. Our thoughts are always with you.

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 188: Rum, Midi-chlorians, and the Force Choke Hold

Panels from Star Wars: Empire #35 (August 2005), script by John Jackson Miller, pencils and inks by Brian Ching, colors by Michael Atiyeh, letters by Michael David Thomas
Huh! Well, that's pretty much that, huh? That's the last we'll ever see of Captain Dennings. He won't be popping up again…









Oh, wait. Here he is.


The moral of the story? Sometimes Lord Vader changes his mind. At least, you'd better hope he does.

Today in Comics History, July 6, 1747: And later, he played bass for Zeppelin.

from "Were You Born in July" in Amazing Man Comics #14 (Centaur, July 1940), pencils and inks by Joseph A. Kaliff

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 187: In hyperspace, no one can hear you scream

Panels from Star Wars #27 (1998 Dark Horse series) (February 2001), script by Doug Petrie, pencils by Randy Green, inks by Andy Owens, colors by Dave McCaig, letters by Annie Parkhouse

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 186: Previously: on Marvel's Star Wars...

Panels from Star Wars (1977 Marvel series) #45 (March 1981), script by Archie Goodwin, pencils by Carmine Infantino, inks by Gene Day, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by John Costanza

Today in Comics History, July 4: Happy Birthday, Uncle Sam!

back cover pin-up from Marvel Treasury Special Featuring Captain America's Bicentennial Battles one-shot (Marvel, September 1976), script and pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Frank Giacoia (?), letters by Gaspar Saladino
7,800.

Today in Comics History, July 4: Archie comes back

from Archie #662 (Archie, January 2015), script by Angelo DeCesare, pencils by Pat & Tim Kennedy, inks by Rich Koslowski, colors by Digikore Studios, letters by Jack Morelli

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 185: May the Fourth be With You

Panels from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi #4 (January 1984); script by Archie Goodwin; pencils by Al Williamson, Carlos Garzon, and Ron Frenz; inks by Al Williamson, Carlos Garzon, and Tom Palmer; colors by Christie Scheele and Bob Sharen; letters by Ed King


Or, should you prefer the "Yub Nub" version:

76 of a Kind: Wavin' Flag

76 of a Kind for 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 184: "Quick, draw the blinds! Pretend we're not home!"

Panels from Star Wars (1977 Marvel series) #78 (December 1983), co-plot and script by David Michelinie, co-plot and inks by Bob Layton, pencils by Luke McDonnell, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by Joe Rosen

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 183: Archie's Generic Celebrities in a Galaxy Far, Far Away

I'm still pretty busy picking up all the confetti and streamers from my birthday party yesterday, so in order to catch up, here's a guest submission for 365 Days of Star Wars Comics, sent in by my good pal Mister Mike Sterling. Thanks, Mike! He's sent me a cover that I can only describe as another entry in the long list of Archie's Generic Celebrities: Not Actually Threepio and Artoo!


Cover of Mad House #111 (February 1978), artist uncredited
Thanks again, Mike! A slice of day-old birthday cake is being emailed to you now as we speak! Also: HAPPY MIKE'S GIRLFRIEND'S BIRTHDAY! Bullincidentally.

Today in Comics History, July 1, 1972: Captain Steve Cory totally lies about NASA's "Bring Your Daughter to Work Day"

from Star Trek (2011 series) #34 (IDW, June 2014); script by Mike Johnson;, pencils by Joe Corroney; inks by Joe Corroney, Victor Moya, and Rob Doan, colors by Sakti Yuwomo, letters by Neil Uyetake

Today in Comics History, July 1, 1996: Ted Is Not Sure

from The Dreaming (1996 series) #6 (DC/Vertigo, November 1996); script by Peter Hogan; pencils, inks, and letters by Steve Parkhouse; colors by Daniel Vozzo

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 182: Happy Birthday from the Dark Side

Today's my birthday! So let's have a big galactic-sized party blow-out!


Panels from "Best Birthday Ever" in Star Wars Tales #16 (June 2003); script by Tod C. Parkhill, pencils by Joey Mason, inks by Howard Shum, colors by Joey Mason, letters by Steve Dutro

The 1987 2015 Marvel Age Calendar for Jumpin' July!

July 1987 calendar from the back cover of Marvel Age #55 (October 1987),
script by Mike Carlin, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Paul Becton
(Click picture to Julyzilla-size!)

"Yo, Juliana Ferriter, I'm really happy for you, I'ma let you finish, but Bully's birthday is on July First too! One of the best little stuffed bulls of all time!"


Bully sketch by Ming Doyle

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 181: Do you still get a birthday if you were conceived by the Force?

Hey, tomorrow's my birthday! Don't forget, now!



Panels from "Lunch Break" in Star Wars Tales #16 (June 2003); script, pencils, inks, colors, and letters by Jonathan Adams

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 180: It's in holographic form now but Lucas still won't release the original cut

Panels from Star Wars: Legacy (2013 xeries) #12 (February 2014), script by Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman, pencils and inks by Gabriel Hardman, colors by Jordan Boyd, letters by Michael Heisler

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 179: Darth Vader: Tough on starships, tougher on cities

Cover of Star Wars: Rebellion #8 (July 2007), pencils and inks by Luke Ross, colors by Wil Glass

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 178: Pull tab to defeat Imperial Empire

Panels from Star Wars: Battle of the Bounty Hunters: The Pop-Up Comic Book one-shot (July 1996); script by Ryder Windham, painted art by Christopher Moeller, letters by Ellie de Ville
(Click picture to Jabba-poppin'-up-right-at-you-size)

There Is Hope in Crime Alley

Panel (mildly tweaked by me) from The Brave and the Bold (1955 series) #102 (June-July 1972);
script by Bob Haney; pencils, inks, and letters by Jim Aparo

Love wins.

I'm going to postpone the final day of this year's "There Is No Hope in Crime Alley" until tomorrow, folks, which may seem like bat-sacrilege, but I think there's something much more important to commemorate today. Altho' it's of course not the end of the discussion — there will be battles both social and political to come, I'm sure — it's a triumph and a celebration for today. We all should be dancing in the streets, because we all win when love does. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around.




Panels from Astonishing X-Men (2004 series) #51 (August 2012); script by Marjorie Liu, pencils by Mike Perkins; inks by Mike Perkins and Andrew Hennessy; colors by Andy Troy, Jim Charalampidis, and Rachelle Rosenberg; letters by Joe Caramagna, Corey Petit, and Clayton Cowles

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 177: Obi-Wan Can't-Obi

Panels from "The Return of Ben Kenobi" in the Star Wars syndicated comic strip (June 23, 1980), script by Archie Goodwin, pencils and inks by Al Williamson

There Is No Hope in Crime Alley, Night 25

Panels from Legends of the Dark Knight (2012 digital series) #50 (May 2013), script by Jim Zubkavich, pencils and inks by Neil Googe, colors by Kathryn Layno, letters by Saida Temofonte

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 176: Well, it's a long and evil story

Panels from Darth Vader #3 (July 2015), script by Kieron Gillen, pencils and inks by Salvador Larroca, colors by Edgar Delgado, letters by Joe Caramagna

What's Bully Reading?: Rogue Touch by Christine Woodward

I would read this Marvel novel even harder if it were narrated entirely in first person dialect by Gambit.

There Is No Hope in Crime Alley, Night 24

Panels from "Worlds Apart" in Elseworlds 80-Page Giant one-shot (August 1999), script by Chuck Dixon, pencils by Trevor Von Eeden, inks by Joe Rubinstein, colors by Digital Chameleon, letters by Ken Bruzenak

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 175: Wow, it sure is dangerous on the way to the theatre in the Satellite of Love

Panel from Star Wars: Rebellion #4 (July 2006), script by Rob Williams, pencils and inks by Brandon Badeaux, colors by Wil Glass, letters by Michael Heisler

There Is No Hope in Crime Alley, Night 23

Panel from Batman: Odyssey (2010 series) #4 (December 2010); script and pencils by Neal Adams; inks by Neal Adams and Scott Williams; colors by Continuity Studios, letters by Ken Lopez

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 174: Here's a footnote in case you didn't read the introductory crawl at the beginning of the movie

Panels from Star Wars: Crimson Empire III: Empire Lost #6 (April 2012), story by Mike Richardson and Randy Stradley, script by Mike Richardson, pencils and inks by Paul Gulacy, colors by Michael Bartolo, letters by Michael Heisler

There Is No Hope in Crime Alley, Night 22

Panels from Detective Comics (2011 series) #27 (March 2014); script by Mike W. Barr; pencils, inks, and colors by Guillem March; letters by Carlos M. Mangual

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 173: Luke Skywalker and His Amazing Friends!

Cover of Star Wars: Rebellion #0 (March 2006), pencils and inks by Brandon Badeaux, colors by Wil Glass

There Is No Hope in Crime Alley, Night 21

Panel from Justice League (2011 series) #11 (September 2012), script by Geoff Johns, pencils by Jim Lee, inks by Scott Williams and Jonathan Glapion, colors by Alex Sinclair and Gabe Eltaeb, letters by Pat Brosseau

365 Days of Star Wars Comics, Day 172: When you coming home dad, I don't know when / But we'll get together then

"Who's Your Daddy" in Star Wars Tales #20 (June 2004); script, pencils, inks and letters by Jason, colors by Paul Hornschemeier