Today in Comics History, June 18, 1965: That's right, read some cheerful news to the coma patient

from House of Secrets (1996 series) #12 (DC/Vertigo, September 1997), script by Steven T. Seagle, pencils and inks by Guy Davis, colors by Kevin Somers, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Todd Klein

All-Fathers (Today in Comics History: Father's Day)

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published June 19, 2011.

Fathers

Fathers gone...

from Batman (1940 series) #404 (DC, February 1987), script by Frank Miller, pencils and inks by David Mazzucchelli, colors by Richmond Lewis, letters by Todd Klein

...but never forgotten.

from Daredevil: Battlin' Jack Murdock #1 (Marvel, August 2007), co-plot and script by Zeb Wells; co-plot, pencils, and inks by Carmine Di Giandomenico; letters by Dave Lanphear

Fathers found...

from Uncanny X-Men (1963 series) #148 (Marvel, August 1981), script by Chris Claremont, breakdowns by Dave Cockrum, finishes by Joe Rubinstein, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by Janice Chiang

...missing...

from Generation X (1994 series) #22 (Marvel, December 1996), script by Scott Lobdell, pencils by Chris Bachalo, inks by Al Vey and Scott Hanna, colors by Steve Buccellato, letters by Richard Starkings

...and lost again.

from X-Factor (2006 series) #7 (Marvel, July 2006), script by Peter David, pencils and inks by Ariel Olivetti, colors by Jose Villarrubia, letters by Cory Petit

Fathers misguided...

from Avengers West Coast #57 (Marvel, April 1990), script and pencils by John Byrne, inks by Paul Ryan, colors by Bob Sharen, letters by Bill Oakley

...and those led astray.

from Silent War #2 (Marvel, April 2007), script by David Hine; pencils, inks, and colors by Frazer Alex Irving, letters by Cory Petit

Fathers with tough love.

from Wolverine: Origins #48 (DC, July 2010), script by Daniel Way; pencils and inks by Will Conrad, colors by Andy Troy, letters by Cory Petit

Fathers who know best.

from Franklin Richards: Super Summer Spectacular #1 one-shot (Marvel, September 2006), co-plot and script by Mark Sumerak; co-plot, pencils, and inks by Chris Eliopoulos; colors by Lovern Kindzierski; letters by Chris Eliopolous

Bad fathers.

from Starman (1994 series) #72 (DC, December 2000), script by James Robinson, pencils and inks by Peter Snejbjerg, colors by Gregory Wright, color separations by Jamison, letters by Bill Oakley

Fathers and sons reconciled...

...And grandfathers too.

New fathers.

from Starman (1994 series) #75 (DC, March 2001), script by James Robinson, pencils and inks by Peter Snejbjerg, colors by Gregory Wright, letters by Bill Oakley

Fathers never met.

Men who were like fathers.

from Amazing Fantasy (1995 series) #16 (Marvel, December 1995), script by Kurt Busiek, painted by Paul Lee, letters by Richard Starkings

Fathers with their sons.

from Thor (1966 series) #353 (Marvel, March 1985), script, pencils, and inks by Walt Simonson; colors by Christie Scheele, letters by John Workman

Fathers with their daughters.

from Thor: Whoever Wields This Hammer one-shot (Marvel, June 2011), script by Christos Gage, pencils and inks by Marco Torricelli, colors by Chris Sotomayor, letters by Dave Sharpe

Fathers! Appreciate them!*

from Archie Comics #56 (Archie, May 1952), art by George Frese
*Except for The Mist.

Today in Comics History, June 18, 3002: Pampers 3000™ really keep David dry

from "The Mercenary!" in Weird War Tales (1971 series) #61 (DC, March 1978), script by Robert Kanigher, pencils and inks by Alex Niño, colors by Jerry Serpe
This post was suggested by faithful reader and frequent commenter Blam, who's provided a lot of date references in comics that I'll spotlight throughout 2023 in this series. Thanks, Blam!

Today in Comics History, Father's Day: Celebrate by sending your only son off to another planet

from Super DC 1976 Calendar (DC, 1975), letters by Ben Oda

Today in Comics History, June 17, 1989: I can't wait, I can't wait / And I've got to know when I can see you again

from from Realworlds: Batman one-shot (DC, May 2000), script by Christopher Golden and Tom Sniegoski, pencils by Marshall Rogers, inks by John Cebollero, colors by Dave Stewart, letters by Bob Lappan

Today in Comics History, June 15: Happy birthday, Neal Adams!

This is an expanded and updated version of a post originally published June 15, 2022.

Born on this day in 1941: the recently passed (April 28, 2022) and still unsurpassed comics artist Neal Adams (Batman, The Spectre, X-Men, Strange Adventures, The Avengers, Superman vs. Muhammad Ali, National Lampoon, the award-winning Green Lantern/Green Arrow among many others). He's the co-creator of Ra's al Ghul, Man-Bat, Hellgrammite, Green Lantern John Stewart, Ms. Mystic, and more!


from (L) Mighty Marvel Memory Calendar 1977 (Marvel, 1976)
(right) 1975 Mighty Marvel Convention Program Book (1975), photograph by Michele Wiofman

Today in Comics History, June 14: Happy birthday, Jordi Bernet!

Born on this date: Spanish comics artist Jordi Bernet, known for his sublime work on European comics like Wat 69, Andrax, Sarvan, Kraken, Torpedo, Tex Willer, and more, sexy comics I can't read like Clara de noche and Cicca Dum-Dum, and over here in the USA, Batman, 100 Bullets, and a many issues of Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti's acclaimed Jonah Hex series!


from Torpedo #1 (IDW, January 2010)
Bernet was spotlighted in an entire issue of the I-wish-they'd-continue-it DC series Solo:



from Solo #6 [Jordi Bernet] (DC, October 2005)
Happy birthday, Jordi! I betcha you're gonna have some fun guests at your birthday party...oh, yes you are.


cover of The Best of Jordi Bernet's Clara (Aaud, May 2006), pencils and inks by Jordi Bernet

Today in Comics History, June 14: There's text, and there's subtext, and then there's supertext

The curvaceous Cobweb and her cutie companion Clarice can't remember why June 14 is a notable date for them! Hmmm, ladies, maybe you oughta get yourself some Vitamin B to help your memories!


from "Doom Date of the Dusk Duo!" in Tomorrow Stories Special #1 (America's Best Comics, January 2006), script by Steve Moore, pencils and inks by Melinda Gebbie, colors by Tony Avina, letters by Todd Klein
Could it be...Flag Day? Um, nope!


Huh. Maybe it's...the day the Multiverse was invented?


Golly. Have y'all considered it might be the anniversary of the day a giant duck turned itself in to the police?


No! It's Cobweb and Clarice's Anniversary! Awe, that's sweet. Let's keep the comic going so we can see their celebrations with cake and presents and...hey, wha'happen to the rest of the comic?

This post was suggested by faithful reader and frequent commenter Blam, who reads a lot of comic books I'm not 'llowed to, 'cause i'm only seven. To repeat, Golly!

Today in Comics History, June 14, Flag Day Bonus: You'll put your eye out with that thing, Bucky

from "North Africa — Ahoy!" in Young Allies #8 (Marvel/Timely, July 1943); pencils by George Klein, Al Gabriele, or Mike Sekowsky; inks by Allen Bellman; or Don Rico

Today in Comics History, Flag Day Bonus: Betsy Ross murders George Washington

cover of Wimmen's Comix #6 (Last Gasp, December 1975), by Shary Flenniken

Today in Comics History, June 14, Flag Day Bonus: Son quickly learns to stop asking his dad questions

PSA comic "New Stars for "Old Glory" from DC Comics cover-dated November 1959, script by Jack Schiff, pencils and inks by Bernard Baily, letters by Ira Schnapp

Today in Comics History, July 14, Flag Day Bonus: Betsy Ross sues Superboy for trademark theft

from "George Washington's Drum!" in Superboy (1949 series) #2 (DC/National, May 1949), pencils by John Sikela, inks by Ed Dobrotka

Today in Comics History, June 14: Flag Day Bonus: Batman: Fightin' Mad About Flags

from "The First American Detective!" in Batman (1940 series) #44 (DC/National, December 1947), script by Bill Finger (?), pencils by Jim Mooney, letters by Ira Schnapp

Today in Comics History, June 14: Flag Day Bonus: This Totally Am Not Flag Day

from "The Shame of the Bizarro Family!" in Adventure Comics #285 (DC/National, June 1961), script by Jerry Siegel, pencils by Wayne Boring, inks by Stan Kaye

Today in Comics History, June 14: Happy Flag Day!

Just don't forget that according to the MMFTVMU (Marvel Made-for-TV=Movie Universe) that FLAG stands for "Full Latent Ability Gain!" How does that make you feel about Cap now?


from Marvel Age #90 (Marvel, July 1990), text by Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by Renee Witterstaetter

Today in Comics History, June 13: Happy birthday, Ally Sheedy!

Prepare to swoon in teen romance, kids, because today is the birthday of Brat Pack superstar actor Ally Sheedy, one of the infamous Brat Pack group of actors and starred in The Breakfast Club, Short Circuit 1 and 2, St. Elmo's Fire, Single Drunk Female and many other TV and movie roles, including 1983's nuclear-war-just-for-the-fun-of-it extravaganza WarGames!:


from "Warped Games" in MAD #244 (January 1984), script by Larry Siegel, pencils and inks by Mort Drucker
Happy birthday, Ally Sheedy! Please wish her a great day, and don't forget: be nice to mice!


Now available in long-playing record format!

What's Bully Reading?: John Romita, Sr.

Reading the work of a comics master. I miss him a lot already.


John Romita, Sr.
January 24, 1930 - June 12, 2023
Rest in Peace

Today in Comics History, June 12, 1771: Yellow Lantern George Washington fights off half-naked Green Arrow Charles Xavier

"Wonderworld Stamp Club" in Wonderworld Comics #27 (Fox, July 1941), pencils by G. Harris
Following his death, Captain Cook was pressed flat and turned into a stamp by Colonel Gumm.

Today in Comics History, June 11: Happy birthday, Steve Moore!

Today in 1949 was born Steve Moore, the visionary British comics who taught Alan Moore how to write comics scripts, but it's his birthday and we won't hold that against him. The co-creator with Alan M. of Axel Pressbutton, S. Moore also wrote several series for 2000 AD including Dan Dare, Tharg's Future Shocks, Red Fang and his own creation, Tales of Telguuth. Sadly, despite dozens of Telguuth stories within the pages of the UK's thrillpower overloaded comic, it appears that it never once got the cover feature. Boo! For Marvel UK, Steve wrote Doctor Who, the Hulk, Captain Britain, and Nick Fury, and for Moore (A's) America's Best Comics contributed scripts for Tom Strong and Jonni Future. So closely has his comics career been connected to Alan Moore that if anybody was actually going to write Watchmen Babies: V for Vacation, it likely woulda been Steve Moore!

Here's the first couple pages of an extensive interview with Steve Moore from the pages of Warrior magazine. Please not that interviewer "Pedro Henry" is Steve Moore!

from Warrior #15 (Quality Communications, November 1983)
(Click picture to pressbutton-size)
Following Steve's early death in 2014, Rebellion/2000 AD has republished some of his classic Tales of Telguuth stories in trade paperback. I highly recommend 'em! More info here.


Happy birthday, Steve. You're much missed.