TODAY IN COMIC BOOK HISTORY15515
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| December 5 Emperor Ming the Merciless declares that he will first play with and then destroy the Earth using natural disasters. On Earth, New York Jets football star “Flash” Gordon boards a small plane, where he meets travel journalist Dale Arden. Mid-flight, the cockpit is hit by a meteorite and the pilots are lost. Flash takes control and manages to crash land into a greenhouse owned by Dr. Hans Zarkov. Zarkov, who believes the disasters are being caused because an unknown source is pushing the moon towards Earth, has secretly constructed a spacecraft that he plans to use to investigate. Zarkov’s assistant refuses to go, so Zarkov lures Flash and Dale aboard. The rocket launches, taking them to the planet Mongo, where they are captured by Ming’s troops. The film was released on December 5, 1982. Flash Gordon has since become a cult classic with fans of science fiction and fantasy. The film’s soundtrack was composed and performed by the rock band Queen. Flash Gordon was one of the earliest high-budget feature films to use a score primarily composed and performed by a rock band.  |
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| December 6 On December 6, 1982, an apparent nuclear explosion destroys Tokyo and starts World War III. By 2019, a new city called Neo-Tokyo has been built on an artificial island in Tokyo Bay. Although Neo-Tokyo is set to host the XXXII Olympic Games, the city is gripped by anti-government terrorism and gang violence. While riding in the ruins of old Tokyo, Tetsuo Shima, a member of the bōsōzoku gang led by Shōtarō Kaneda, is injured when his bike explodes after Takashi — a child Esper with wizened features — blocks his path. Kaneda becomes involved with Kei, a member of the terrorist organization which stages attacks against the government. The terrorists, led by Ryu and opposition parliament leader Nezu, get wind of the Colonel’s project and a mysterious figure connected with it known as “Akira”. Upon learning that Akira is being stored in a cryogenic chamber beneath Neo-Tokyo’s new Olympic Stadium, Tetsuo escapes the skyscraper with the intent of releasing Akira. Tetsuo breaks open the underground cryogenic chamber and frees Akira, who turns out to be an ordinary-looking little boy.  |
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| December 7 On the day of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt gathered available superheroes—including members of the Justice Society of America, Freedom Fighters, Seven Soldiers of Victory and solo heroes—at the White House. He asked them to band together for the war as the All-Star Squadron to battle sabotage and keep the peace on the home front during World War II. The rationale for not using the Squadron in combat situations in the European or Pacific Theaters of War was that Adolf Hitler had possession of the Spear of Destiny, a mystical object that gave him control of any superheroes with magic-based powers or a vulnerability to magic who crossed into territory held by the Axis Powers. The All-Star Squadron was first formed on December 7, 1941.  |
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| December 8 Despite their resemblance to insects, the Brood have endoskeletons as well as exoskeletons. Also unlike insects, they have fanged jaws instead of mandibles. Their skulls are triangular and flat, with a birthmark between their large eyes. Their two front legs are actually long tentacles they can use to manipulate objects. Due to their natural body armor and teeth, the Brood are very dangerous in combat. In addition, they have stingers that can deliver either paralyzing or killing poison. The Brood is governed by a supreme matriarchy, at the top of which sits the Brood Empress. The Brood reproduces asexually and therefore has no clear divisions of gender. Although the Brood lives by a caste system, some of the roles have proven to be flexible. The Brood have a civilization based on the typical communal insect societies, such as those of the bees and ants. The Queens are the absolute rulers, while the “sleazoids” do all the work; despite their evil, they never rebel against their Queens, perhaps due to the latter’s telepathic abilities. However, the Queens have no allegiance to each other. They also have developed, or stolen, advanced technology. Their true planet of origin is unknown, but such is their relentless evil, legend holds that the Brood originated not through natural evolution, but in otherworldly sorcery. They first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #155 (December 8, 1981).  |
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 TURNING POINTS by Maggie Thompson Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for December 9-15, 2022... 150 years ago December 11, 1872 Irish artist René Bull is born. 145 years ago December 14, 1877 British artist and voice actor Harry Hemsley is born. He’s known for the Ovaltiney’s Concert Party radio show, which spawned its own comic book in 1935: Ovaltiney’s Own Comic. 130 years ago December 14, 1892 Punch artist Alfred Bestall is born. The British artist continues Rupert Bear, when creator Mary Tourtel leaves the series. 120 years ago December 9, 1902 British artist John Willie is born (as John Alexander Scott Coutts). 120 years ago December 11, 1902 Danish artist Arne Ungermann is born. He creates Hanne Hansen. 125 years ago December 12, 1897 The Katzenjammer Kids begins, created by Rudolph Dirks for Hearst Editor Rudolph Block (who names the strip). Wiki says it’s the longest running comic strip of all time. (The strip ended in 2006.) 110 years ago December 12, 1912 British artist David Wright is born. He creates the Carol Day comic strip. 105 years ago December 10, 1917 Artist Bill Crooks is born. The Les Turner assistant takes over the daily and Sunday Captain Easy feature in 1969. 95 years ago December 11, 1927 John Buscema is born. The award-winning artist is especially known for his Marvel work on stories featuring The Avengers, Silver Surfer, The Fantastic Four, Thor, and Conan. 85 years ago December 13, 1937 German writer-artist Robert Gernhardt is born. He is co-founder of the satirical magazine Titanic. 80 years ago December 11, 1942 Didier Comès is born. The Belgian writer-artist creates such comics novels as Silence, La Belette, and Iris. 70 years ago December 10, 1952 Hot Stuff publisher Sal Quartuccio is born. 70 years ago December 14, 1952 Defiant editor and El Capitan copy editor Deborah Purcell is born. 70 years ago December 15, 1952 Mojo Pop Comics Group writer-artist Ed Quinby is born. 65 years ago December 11, 1957 Satiric cartoonist Peter Bagge is born. He’s especially known for his work on Hate. 65 years ago December 14, 1957 Czech writer-artist Josef Lada dies three days before his 70th birthday. He’s considered one of the founding fathers of Czech comics. 65 years ago December 15, 1957 Artist Steven Bove is born. 60 years ago December 12, 1962 Award-winning Dutch artist David Bueno de Mesquita dies at age 73. He was known for creating comics featuring Dutch celebrities. 55 years ago December 12, 1967 Mac Raboy dies at age 53. The Golden Age artist was best known for his work on Captain Marvel Jr. and Green Lama comics and the Flash Gordon comic strip. 35 years ago December 13, 1987 Artist George Wunder dies of a heart attack at age 75. He replaced Milton Caniff on Terry and the Pirates. 35 years ago December 14, 1987 Argentinean-French writer-artist Raúl Taborda Damonte (who worked as “Copi”) dies of AIDS at age 48. 25 years ago December 11, 1997 German artist Heinz Schubel dies at age 91. He was known for his work on the Lurchi series. 15 years ago December 9, 2007 Writer-artist Wayne Howard dies at age 58. He was especially known for creating Charlton’s Midnight Tales. 15 years ago December 14, 2007 Golden and Silver Age artist Dave Gantz dies at age 85. He created the Gantz Glances panel cartoon. 10 years ago December 12, 2012 Mexican artist Sealtiel Alatriste Batalla dies at age 94. 5 years ago December 15, 2017 Raymond Miller dies at age 85. The comics collector’s “Information Center” column in RB/CC provided data on Golden Age comics. |
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| December 9 Georges Batroc was born in Marseille, France, and served in the French Foreign Legion. He is a French costumed mercenary who specializes in savate, a form of kickboxing, with acrobatic skills and articulate unusual flexibility. In the character’s first appearance in Tales of Suspense #75 (December 9, 1966), he was hired by Them to steal the Inferno-42 cylinder. He first battled Captain America during this mission. When Batroc introduced himself with typical bluster, Cap revealed, to Batroc’s delight, that he had already heard of the mercenary: “Batroc the Leaper, eh? A master of la savate, the French art of boxing with the feet!” Later, he was again hired by Hydra and abducted Sharon Carter for them. He lured Captain America into a rematch, in which he insisted Hydra not intervene, and again lost; however, when Hydra agents prepared to kill both Cap and himself, Batroc, incensed at such “men wizout honair,” switched sides to help Cap against Hydra.  |
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| December 10 Bitch Planet is a feminist send-up of the exploitation film genre that takes place in a dystopian reality where non-compliant women are sent to an off-planet prison. The series focuses on a number of women who have been imprisoned at an off-planet prison known as the Auxiliary Compliance Outpost for being “non-compliant.” Narrative arcs move back and forth through time, presenting how the women were arrested in the first place as well as their various experiences within the prison. The first issue was published on December 10, 2014 by Image Comics.  |
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| December 11 Nimrod is a powerful, virtually indestructible descendant of the robotic mutant-hunting Sentinels. His name is derived from the biblical figure described in Genesis as “a mighty hunter”. He first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #191 (December 11, 1984). When Rachel Summers travels backwards in time to the present, he follows Rachel. Although not capable of time travel by himself he was transported back in time by Doctor Strange and Magik using their powers to change time to prevent Kulan Gath’s occupation of New York. Nimrod eventually changes his prime directive from the extermination of all mutants, having determined that such widespread destruction is not necessary in this era, to only the extermination of mutants who were regarded as outlaws by the Government, such as the X-Men. He hunts Summers and the X-Men, but is defeated by Rogue when Rogue absorbs the mutant powers of Nightcrawler, Kitty Pryde and Colossus.  |
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| December 12 Carol Danvers debuted in Marvel Super-Heroes #13 (December 12, 1967) as an officer in the United States Air Force and Security Chief of a restricted military base. There Danvers meets Dr. Walter Lawson, the human alias of alien Kree hero Captain Marvel. Later, Danvers is caught in the explosion of a Kree device, after trying to get close to Captain Marvel. Although Captain Marvel manages to save her life, Danvers sustains serious injuries. Danvers resurfaces with superhuman abilities and becomes the hero Ms. Marvel. Carol Danvers has been labeled “Marvel’s biggest female hero”, a “feminist icon”, and “quite possibly Marvel’s mightiest Avenger”.  |
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| December 13 The Golden Age Key’s sole appearance was in All Star Comics #57 (December 13, 1950), which featured the last Golden Age appearance of the Justice Society of America. The Key is the head of a major crime syndicate and uses various agents around the world to engage in crime. While escaping from the Justice Society in a cable car moving over a gorge, the Key leaps out to avoid capture, presumably falling to his death.  |
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| December 14 When superhero comics became popular again in the mid-1960s in what is now called the “Silver Age of Comic Books”, Fawcett was unable to revive Captain Marvel, having agreed to never publish the character again as part of their 1953 settlement. Looking for new properties to introduce to the DC Comics line, DC publisher Carmine Infantino decided to bring the Captain Marvel property back into print, and in 1972 he licensed the characters from Fawcett. Because Marvel Comics had by this time established Captain Marvel as a comic book trademark for their own character, created and first published in 1967, DC published their book under the name Shazam! Superman reintroduced Captain Marvel In Shazam! #1 (December 14, 1972). Infantino attempted to give the Shazam! book the subtitle The Original Captain Marvel, but a cease and desist letter from Marvel Comics forced them to change the subtitle to The World’s Mightiest Mortal, starting with Shazam! #15. As all subsequent toys and other merchandise featuring the character have also been required to use the “Shazam!” label with little to no mention of the name “Captain Marvel”, the title became so linked to Captain Marvel that many people took to identifying the character as “Shazam” instead of “Captain Marvel”.  |
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| December 15 Cerebus the Aardvark began as a parody of sword and sorcery comics, but explored a variety of other topics, including politics, religion, and gender issues. Starting with the High Society storyline, the series became divided into self-contained “novels”, which form parts of the overall story. The ten “novels” of the series have been collected in 16 books, known as “Cerebus phonebooks” for their resemblance to telephone directories. This first story arc, uniquely in this series, consists of one to three-issue storylines with only occasional back-references. Cerebus is introduced as an amoral barbarian mercenary, fighting for money and drinking it away. During his adventures, he encounters the warrior Pigts and the insane wizard Necross, who turns himself into a giant stone Thrunk. Most of the series’ prominent characters are introduced in these issues. His story began in Cerberus the Aardvark #1 (December 15, 1977).  |
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TURNING POINTS by Maggie Thompson image image Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for December 16-22, 2022... 135 years ago December 17, 1887 “Fougasse” is born. The British cartoonist (born Cyril Kenneth Bird) is art editor and chief editor of Punch. 135 years ago December 17, 1887 Czech writer-artist Josef Lada is born. He is considered one of the founding fathers of Czech comics. 130 years ago December 21, 1892 Guido Fantoni is born. The Italian artist is also father of artists Liliana and Mario Fantoni. 120 years ago December 20, 1902 Canadian Raoul Barré publishes Pour un Dîner de Nöel, which Wiki says is the first Quebecois comic strip. 105 years ago December 19, 1917 French artist Noel Gloesner is born. He draws Les Indégonflables de Chantovent. 100 years ago December 21, 1922 Inventor and ventriloquist Paul Winchell is born. His voice artistry includes Disney’s Tigger and The Smurfs’ Gargamel. 95 years ago December 18, 1927 The 1950s freelance artist Hy Fleishman is born. 90 years ago December 17, 1932 The Italian comics magazine Jumbo begins. Wiki says it’s the first in Italy to use speech balloons. 85 years ago December 21, 1937 Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs opens in a limited event. (Its general release will come February 4, 1938, but promotion is already under way.) 80 years ago December 19, 1942 Addy award winning cartoonist Ken Alvine is born. 70 years ago December 17, 1952 Ronn Sutton is born. The freelance artist and animator draws Claypool’s Elvira as well as many other comic books. 70 years ago December 18, 1952 Cartoonist Bill Neville is born. 70 years ago December 19, 1952 Writer Peter Gillis is born. He’s best known for work for Marvel and First Comics. He pioneers the digitally drawn Shatter and adapts The Last Unicorn for IDW. 70 years ago December 20, 1952 Writer-artist Mack White is born. 60 years ago December 19, 1962 Mini-comics publisher Eric Hess is born. 55 years ago December 22, 1967 Retailer, reviewer, and editor for Mojo Press and others Richard Klaw is born. 40 years ago December 20, 1982 Young Magazine begins Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo. 30 years ago December 17, 1992 German writer-artist Horst Von Möllendorff dies at age 86. 25 years ago December 22, 1997 Jack Kirby’s widow Roz Kirby dies at age 75. 20 years ago December 18, 2002 French cartoonist Mic Delinx dies at age 72. Known for La Jungle en Folie (co-created with Christian Godard), he was knighted Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1994. 5 years ago December 17, 2017 Iranian cartoonist Ali Dorani (who works as “Eaten Fish”) is released from detention in a refugee camp on Manus Island. 5 years ago December 18, 2017 Geneviève Gautier publishes her first comic book, Les Aventures du Pingouin Alfred. This, says Wiki, makes her (at 95) the oldest known person to make a debut as a comic book creator. 5 years ago December 19, 2017 Award-winning German artist Lona Rietschel dies at age 84. 5 years ago December 20, 2017 Award-winning French writer-artist Annie Goetzinger dies at age 66. She was especially known for graphic biographies of women. |
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| December 16 Abdul Qamar, the first Arabian Knight, was a descendant of a legendary Muslim hero who had perished forcing the demons Gog and Magog back into their tomb. When the demons were later freed by an archeologist, Abdul found his ancestor’s magical equipment inside the tomb, and became the Arabian Knight, once again sealing away the demons with help from the Hulk. He met Ghost Rider, and allied with him against the Water Wizard. He was also one of the heroes chosen by Death to represent her in the Contest of Champions against the Grandmaster, his teammates being Iron Man and Sabra. He overcame his dislike of the Israeli heroine to win their battle against She-Hulk, Captain Britain and Defensor. The first Arabian Knight had the normal abilities of a healthy, athletic human. He was a good hand-to-hand combatant and was an exceptional swordsman, particularly in the use of the scimitar. He possesses three magical weapons: a magic carpet, a golden scimitar emitting beams of magical force, and a mind-controlled belt/sash. Indeed, all three items respond, exclusively, to his mental commands. The magic carpet and sash are formed from a material that is virtually indestructible, resisting fire, and even bullets. The carpet permitted him to travel, flying, at high speeds and altitudes, while the belt/sash magically elongates and can serve as a weapon (whip), or as a climbing rope, or to capture and restrain his foes. The golden scimitar, in addition to firing destructive blasts, will “backfire” against any other person who may attempt to wield it. He debuted in The Incredible Hulk #257 (December 16, 1981).  |
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| December 17 Arlene is the name of a beautiful, sweet-natured, loving pink stray cat who likes Garfield. The gap in her teeth is often the subject of her romantic interest’s ridicule. In many strips, she is seen meeting with Garfield on a wooden fence silhouetted in the moonlight, although she still makes plenty of appearances during the daytime. Often she is depicted as being more moral than Garfield, particularly in more recent television or media adaptions of the comics; she serves as a conscientious voice of guidance for her love interest and will persuade him to choose the proper decisions. However, she still questions their relationship at times, due to Garfield’s lack of a feminine side and rudeness. She is aggravated by Garfield’s teasing and gluttony, but still holds affection for him. She debuted in the Garfield strip on December 17, 1980.  |
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| December 18 Radian is one of the many mutant teenagers that enrolls into the Xavier Institute after the revelation to the public that Professor X is a mutant. When Cassandra Nova makes her second attack on the school, Radian and other students, even knowing how dangerous Nova was, want to face her. Instead, they are put under her control and turned against X-Men members Wolverine, Beast, and Xorn. Radian and the others are freed soon after thanks to the intervention of the Stepford Cuckoos. Before he was depowered on M-Day, Radian had the superhuman ability to generate blinding flashes of ultraviolet light from his body. Radian could control the intensity of these bursts, choosing to either blind or burn his opponents. Christian Cord codenamed Radian and later Phaser first appeared in New X-Men #135 (December 18, 2002).  |
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| December 19 Minnie the Minx, whose real name is Hermione Makepeace, is a British comic strip and character published in magazine The Beano. She first appeared in issue 596, dated December 19, 1953. Her first strip introduced her as ‘wild as wild can be’ and showed her exasperated mother attempting to get her to be more creative rather than fight. Taking the book, Minnie then proceeds to beat her classmates during a revenge scheme using the scrap book as a weapon. The closing panel shows her thanking her mother for the scrap book stating she has 'won nine scraps with it.’ Minnie is known as a typical tomboy, preferring mischievous and violent antics over those that would be normal for a typical ten-year-old girl. Minnie favours a more impish style of causing trouble which she refers to as 'minxing’. Despite this, she is still keen to get into brawls much like her other fellow Beano characters. She also seems to have a distinct hatred for snob-like behaviour and spoilt children.  |
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| December 20 Alien Worlds was published on a bi-monthly schedule by Pacific Comics beginning on December 20, 1982. Nearly all of the stories in Alien Worlds were written by Bruce Jones, with only a few exceptions. Jones had developed a skill for the short genre tale, often with a twist ending, during his years with Warren Publishing while writing for their Creepy and Eerie titles. He was heavily influenced by the horror and science fiction movies of the 1950s, adding graphic violence and sexuality to the mix, complete with copious female nudity; several issues sported a “Recommended For Mature Readers” warning on the cover. However, for the most part Alien Worlds avoided the more intensely gruesome subject matter of Jones’ other Pacific comic, Twisted Tales, which was being published at the same time.  |
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| December 21 Seven Appellaxians used Earth as a battleground to decide who would rule their planet as Kalar (Emperor) after the death of the previous one. The Appellaxians were condensed in size and sent to Earth in meteorites. Each of them were able to turn nearby creatures into beings similar to themselves. During their fight, they ended up running afoul of Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter. They were defeated by the seven heroes who went on to form the Justice League. The Appellaxians first appeared in Justice League of America #9 (December 21, 1961).  |
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| December 22 A being of pure energy from an alternate dimension, The Weird was a member of a race known as the Zarolatts. For years, his people had been exploited as energy sources by a cruel race known as the Macrolatts. However, for some unknown reason, The Weird did not share the docile acceptance of the rest of his race. When the Macrolatts sought to bridge the dimensional gap and attack other realms, The Weird knew he had to act. Escaping through a portal to another world, The Weird found himself on the planet Earth. Seeking a corporeal form to contain his energy, he possessed the body of a dead man named Walter Langley. This produced a composite form which contained both The Weird’s memories and traces of Langley’s. In this shape, he sought out Earth’s superheroes for aid and was dubbed “The Weird” by the Blue Beetle. With the heroes’ assistance, he was able to repel the Macrolatt invasion. He first appeared in his own self-titled miniseries The Weird (December 22, 1987).  |
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TURNING POINTS by Maggie Thompson Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for December 23-29, 2022... 130 years ago December 23, 1892 Ward Greene is born. The editor, King Features Syndicate general manager, and writer of the Rip Kirby strip also writes “Happy Dan, the Cynical Dog”: the basis for Disney’s Lady and the Tramp. 115 years ago December 24, 1907 Artist and political cartoonist Leonard Nowak is born. He assists Joe Shuster on Superman and co-creates Robotman with Jerry Siegel. 105 years ago December 24, 1917 Belgian writer-editor André Fernez is born. He edits the weekly Tintin comic book. 100 years ago December 27, 1922 Italian artist Ferdinando Tacconi is born. 100 years ago December 28, 1922 Writer-editor Stan Lee is born. ’Nuff said? (Really? Come on!) 100 years ago December 28, 1922 Daily News sports cartoonist Bill Gallo is born. 95 years ago December 24, 1927 Scottish artist John Glashan is born. 95 years ago December 26, 1927 British writer-artist Denis Gifford is born. He’s a comics collector, convention organizer, and pop culture historian. 85 years ago December 28, 1937 Beelzebub Jones by Hugh McClelland begins. 70 years ago December 29, 1952 Marvel colorist Paul Becton is born. 65 years ago December 23, 1957 Writer-artist and Now Comics publisher Tony Caputo is born. 65 years ago December 23, 1957 French artist Maurice Cuvillier dies at age 60. 65 years ago December 24, 1957 Stanley Link dies at age 63. Beginning his career as Sidney Smith’s assistant, he created Tiny Tim and The Dailys. 60 years ago December 29, 1962 The Long Sam comic strip by Al Capp and Bob Lubbers ends. 55 years ago December 23, 1967 Writer Noel John Tominack is born. 55 years ago December 28, 1967 Award-winning writer-artist and designer Chris Ware is born. He’s known for such material as Jimmy Corrigan and Acme Novelty Library. 35 years ago December 26, 1987 Italian artist Angelo Bioletto dies at age 81. 35 years ago December 28, 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles begins syndicated broadcasts of a daily five-part TV animated series. 35 years ago December 29, 1987 Magazine illustrator and Abbie an’ Slats artist Raeburn van Buren dies at age 96 from injuries suffered in a fall. 30 years ago December 23, 1992 Vilhelm Hansen dies at age 92. The Danish artist was known for the co-creation (with his wife, Carla) of the funny animal strip Rasmus Klump. 30 years ago December 24, 1992 Pierre Culliford dies of a heart attack at age 64. Also known as “Peyo,” he created The Smurfs (also known as Schtroumpfs). 20 years ago December 27, 2002 Italian artist Renzo Restani dies at age 74. 15 years ago December 23, 2007 Italian cartoonist Gualtiero Schiaffino (who worked as “Skiaffino”) dies at age 64. 15 years ago December 27, 2007 Dutch writer-artist Wim Meuldijk dies at age 85. He created the children’s TV show Pipo de Clown and the comics series Ketelbinkie. 10 years ago December 25, 2012 Spanish artist Juan Antonio Abellán dies at age 86. 5 years ago December 29, 2017 Award-winning British artist Jim Baikie dies at age 77. He drew a variety of comics that included “Skizz” (written by Alan Moore) for 2000 AD. His U.S. work included collaborations with such creators as Moore, Doug Moench, Tom Veitch, and Brian Augustyn. |
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| December 23 The Crusaders appeared “for real” on Earth-One during the 1970s, offering their services to New York City District Attorney David Pearson to help capture the Freedom Fighters, who were at that time fugitives because they were believed to have been working with the villainous Silver Ghost. Pearson gave the Crusaders the authority to pursue Uncle Samand his group after a report that they had caused a blackout in upstate New York. After a lengthy fight, at the end of which the Crusaders are defeated, the Freedom Fighters ask the Crusaders how they became the comic book heroes of World War II. The group revealed that the Americommando had approached a group of young comic book collectors at a convention and had offered to recreate them as his former teammates, using a special device to transform them into their superpowered identities. They debuted in Freedom Fighters #7 (December 23, 1976).  |
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| December 24 Sister Maggie (Maggie Murdock, née Maggie Grace) is the mother of Matthew Murdock, aka Daredevil. She first appeared in Daredevil #229 (December 24, 1985). She left her child and husband Jack Murdock when Matt was still a baby to take the vows and join the Catholic sisterhood. Matt would later go on to find his mother by chance. At one time, Daredevil, plunging off a roof after being drugged by Mysterio, saved himself and ended up in front of the Church where Sister Maggie lived. She took care of him while he was resting. When the Orb used the eye of the murdered Uatu to reveal the heroes’ secrets, Daredevil believed that he witnessed his father abusing his mother, but a confrontation with Maggie revealed that his father had actually been protecting Matt from her as she suffered from post-natal depression, prompting her decision to enter the nunnery to stop herself hurting Matt by accident.  |
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| December 25 Piet Fluwijn en Bolleke was a classic family comic strip, drawn by Sleen. All gags center around a father, Piet Fluwijn, and his naughty, but innocent little son, Bolleke. The mother of the family is sometimes seen, but seldom plays a large role. The series was inspired by the German gag-a-day comic Vater und Sohn by Erich Ohser. On December 25, 1944 the first gag was published in the Flemish magazine Ons Volk Ontwaakt, but for about a year Piet Fluwijn was the only character.  |
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| December 26 The Time Trapper was originally a strange robed warlord from the extremely distant future, well past the time of the Legion of Super-Heroes. He first appeared as “The Time Trapper” in Adventure Comics #317 (December 26, 1963). The Time Trapper (also known as Paras) created a strange “Iron Curtain of Time” that prevented the Legion from going into their future. He also commanded a vast number of slaves and had a henchwoman named Glorith, whom he eventually murdered. The Time Trapper’s main powers are depicted as vast control over time itself. He is able to freeze it, alter it, and even separate parts of it, thereby creating his own pocket dimensions. He cannot, however, alter events in the present time. The Time Trapper’s lair has been located at the end of time.  |
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| December 27 Ben 10 is about a 10-year-old boy named Ben Tennyson who gets a watch-like alien device called the “Omnitrix”. Attached to his wrist, this allows him to transform into various alien creatures. He then uses these powers to fight evil from Earth and space. The show premiered on December 27, 2005. Ben Tennyson, is a ten-year-old boy on a cross-country summer vacation, with his cousin Gwen and their grandfather Max. On their first night camping in their grandfather’s RV affectionately named the “Rust Bucket,” Ben finds an alien pod with a mysterious watch-like device named the Omnitrix. The device then permanently attaches itself to his wrist giving him the ability to transform into a variety of alien life-forms each with its own unique skills and powers. With his new found super powers Ben has to learn the responsibilities of being a hero. During their vacation, the Tennysons are attacked by various enemies ranging from space aliens to supernatural entities.  |
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| December 28 Bebop and Rocksteady were introduced in the Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles series in the episode “Turtle Tracks” on December 28, 1987 as part of a human street gang in New York City that was employed by Shredder. Rocksteady was a short and stocky blond Caucasian man and Bebop was a taller African American man with a purple mohawk. With the other members of their gang, they were sent out to stop a Channel 6 reporter named April O'Neil from doing a report about crime in the city. April ran down into the sewers while being chased by the street gang and met the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, who then defeated the gang in a fight. After this humiliating setback, The Shredder developed a plan to defeat the Turtles by mutating members of the street gang that Rocksteady and Bebop are a part of so that they would have abilities greater than the Turtles’. Rocksteady and Bebop both volunteered to undergo the procedure first with the promise that it would allow them to exact revenge on the Turtles. As the result of being brought into contact with a common warthog and a black rhinoceros that Shredder had abducted from the zoo, Bebop mutated into a humanoid mutant warthog while Rocksteady mutated into a humanoid mutant black rhinoceros.  |
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| December 29 In the days of prehistory, 50,000 BC, Vandal Savage was a caveman named Vandar Adg, leader of the Cro-Magnon Blood Tribe. He was bathed in the radiation of a mysterious meteorite, which gave him incredible intellect and immortality. An observer from the Bear Tribe would later approach that same meteorite and become Savage’s eternal nemesis, the Immortal Man, possessing the power to resurrect as a new persona every time he is killed. Savage’s first mark in the history came when he and a select group of people successfully undermined and destroyed the lost city of Atlantis. That group of people became known as the Illuminati, with Savage serving as its leader. He claims to have ruled hundreds of civilizations under hundreds of names: Khafre, Cheops, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan, Blackbeard, and Vlad the Impaler, to name a few. He realized that his prominence could cause him to be killed accidentally, so he decided to work behind the scenes. Savage battled the Justice Society of America after first meeting Green Lantern. He first appeared in Green Lantern #10 (December 29, 1943). He attempted to capture the members of the Justice Society out of revenge and place them in suspended animation using technology developed by the ISW member Brainwave, but was thwarted by the Golden and Silver Age Flashes.  |
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| December 30 Like her father, the X-Men’s Banshee, Theresa Maeve Rourke Cassidy is an Irish mutant who possesses a “sonic scream” capable of incapacitating and injuring an opponent’s hearing and sending powerful vibrations through the air. She can use these vibrations to fly. Theresa was raised by Banshee’s cousin and nemesis Black Tom Cassidy without Banshee’s knowledge. By her early teens, she left Black Tom and eventually joined the X-Men offshoots X-Force and later X-Factor. Siryn first appeared in Spider-Woman #37 (December 30, 1980), where she appears as a villain.  |
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