TODAY IN COMIC BOOK HISTORY15515
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| November 23 Kyle Rayner was a struggling-but-gifted freelance graphic artist who was raised in North Hollywood and lived and worked in Los Angeles. After Hal Jordan, grief-stricken over the destruction of his home town of Coast City, went on a mad rampage killing various members of the Green Lantern Corps and the Guardians of the Universe, Rayner was found by the last surviving Guardian of the Universe, Ganthet. Rayner became the next Green Lantern in Green Lantern #48 (November 23, 1993). Ganthet gave Kyle the last working Green Lantern power ring that would allow him to conjure any form of matter or energy through sheer force of will. Kyle Rayner was not chosen because he was fearless but because he was able to feel and overcome fear, thus making him, and all the future Lanterns, less susceptible to Parallax’s influence. Rayner grew up enamored with Superman and Batman, though he had only a passing knowledge of Earth’s various Green Lanterns. This soon changed, and he found that the Green Lantern ring was the ultimate expression of his fertile imagination. While other members of the Green Lantern Corps questioned the practicality of those constructs, they often made Rayner an unpredictable and formidable opponent.  |
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| November 24 Horatio Valdemar Hellpop received powers from an alien entity called the Merk who turned him into Nexus. These powers, fusionkasting, are the ability to psionically draw energy from the cores of stars. As payment, the Merk required Nexus to seek out and kill a certain quantity of human mass murderers per “cycle”. When the Merk selected a target, Nexus would receive strong headaches and maddeningly anguishing dreams of his target’s victims until he did his duty. Horatio was reluctant to act as the Merk’s tool, but continued seeking out mass murderers to maintain his power and his sanity so that he could defend his homeworld, a lunar refuge named Ylum. Nexus debuted in Capital Comics’ premier publication Nexus #1 (November 24, 1981).  |
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 Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for November 24 through December 2, 2021... 135 years ago November 28, 1886 Artist Violet Moore Higgins is born. She draws Drowsy Dick and provides art for Treasure Chest. 120 years ago December 1, 1901 Muggsy by Frank Crane begins. 120 years ago December 1, 1901 British writer-artist for Provincial Comics and Target Publications Albert Hill is born. His creations include Sammy Spry, Tommy Trot, and Willie Scribble, and he contributes to the Denis Gifford-edited Comic Cuts newsletter of The Association of Enthusiasts. 115 years ago November 28, 1906 Oskar Emil Andersson commits suicide at age 29. “OA” was an influential Swedish artist, creator of the pantomime strip Mannen Som Gor Vad Som Faller Honom In and of a strip about prehistoric characters. 110 years ago November 24, 1911 The German-British artist Walter Goetz is born. He’s known for Colonel Up and Mr. Down, Dab and Flounder, and cartoons for Punch. 110 years ago November 25, 1911 Paul Murry is born. The Disney animator becomes a Disney comics artist, especially on Mickey Mouse. The first to draw Super Goof, he also draws such other Dell comics as Woody Woodpecker. 105 years ago November 24, 1916 Forrest J. Ackerman is born. A pioneering science fiction fan, he becomes influential as editor-in-chief of Warren’s Famous Monsters of Filmland, where he popularizes his term “sci-fi.” Also for Warren, he develops the comics character Vampirella. 105 years ago November 30, 1916 Disney animator and ACG, Standard, DC, and Fawcett artist Owen Fitzgerald is born. 105 years ago December 2, 1916 Hart Amos is born. The Australian artist draws for K.G. Murray Publishing Company and Climax Comics. 95 years ago December 1, 1926 Belgian artist Jules Renard (who worked as “Draner”) dies at age 93. 90 years ago November 26, 1931 Dick Tracy kills for the first time in Chester Gould’s strip. 90 years ago November 27, 1931 The Spanish comics magazine Pinocho ends. 85 years ago November 30, 1936 “Island in the Sky” by Floyd Gottfredson and Ted Osborne begins, introducing Doctor Einmug to the Mickey Mouse comic strip. 85 years ago December 2, 1936 Croatian artist and animator Zarko Beker is born. 85 years ago December 2, 1936 Cartoonist Dick Guindon is born. 80 years ago November 24, 1941 Gus Arriola’s Gordo comic strip begins from United Features. 80 years ago November 25, 1941 French Charlie Hebdo staff cartoonist Philippe Honoré is born. 80 years ago November 26, 1941 Dutch artist Patrick Kroon dies at age 79. 80 years ago November 28, 1941 Bob Davis dies at age 31 in an auto accident. Born Robert Bishop Sedgwick Davis, the artist was known for creating Dick Cole (with a debut in Blue Bolt #1) and drew Philo Vance. 70 years ago November 30, 1951 Artist Jean-Claude St. Aubin is born. He works for such companies as Marvel, DC, and Valiant. 70 years ago December 2, 1951 Artist J. Paul Arnot dies at age 64. His “Helpful Henry” character for King Features was reported to be an influence on Oliver Hardy’s “Ollie” character. 60 years ago November 30, 1961 Brian Pulido is born. The president of Chaos! Comics writes and co-creates a variety of comics, including Lady Death and Evil Ernie. 60 years ago December 1, 1961 Horse racing editorial cartoonist Remi Bellocq is born. 55 years ago December 2, 1966 Entertainment writer and editor and DVD documentary director Andy Mangels is born. 50 years ago November 26, 1971 This is the first day of the first Creation Convention, organized by Adam Malin and Gary Berman in New York City. The event runs for three days at the New Yorker Hotel. 50 years ago November 28, 1971 Bulgarian artist Vasil Zahariev dies at age 76. 50 years ago November 29, 1971 Writer-creator Marc Bernardin is born. He works on such titles as Genius, Static Shock, and The Highwaymen. 45 years ago December 1, 1976 The twin sister of Captain Britain, Psylocke, is introduced in Captain Britain #8. Mind you, she’s just Betsy Braddock for the time being (and doesn’t even get a cover mention), but Things Will Happen. “Riot on Regent Street” is by Chris Claremont, Herb Trimpe, and Fred Kida. 40 years ago November 26, 1981 Dutch artist Lou Visser dies at age 70. He developed the Fred Penner comics series. 40 years ago December 1, 1981 Artist Russ Manning dies of cancer at age 52. He was especially known for stories featuring Tarzan, The Aliens, and Magnus Robot Fighter. The Russ Manning Award was established in 1982 to pay tribute to each year’s most promising comics industry newcomer. 35 years ago November 24, 1986 Al Smith dies at age 84. The syndicate owner, art editor, National Cartoonists Society president, and cartoonist drew Mutt and Jeff for 48 years. 35 years ago November 27, 1986 Writer Colin Dawkins dies at age 64. The J. Walter Thompson ad agency vice president wrote ads and comics and in comics may be best known for his EC scripts. He co-created Prize Comics Western’s “American Eagle” stories and Two-Fisted Tales’ “Ruby Ed Coffee” stories with John Severin. 30 years ago November 25, 1991 Oscar winning 1989 Batman movie designer Anton Furst commits suicide at age 47. 20 years ago November 25, 2001 Artist Harry Devlin dies at age 83. The Collier’s magazine editorial cartoonist co-created the Fullhouse (later renamed Raggmopp) comic strip with his wife, Wende. 20 years ago November 28, 2001 Writer-artist Bob Gustafson dies at age 81. The Mort Walker staffer also contributed to Dell comic books. 20 years ago December 2, 2001 Chase Craig dies of complications after surgery at age 91. The writer, animator, artist, and West Coast Dell and Gold Key editor created Mary Jane (of Mary Jane and Sniffles). He also co-created Odd Bodkins with Fred Fox. 15 years ago November 25, 2006 Luciano Bottaro dies at age 75. The artist of Italian Disney comics and co-founder of the Bierreci studios created Pon Pon, among other features. 15 years ago November 25, 2006 Italian artist Gianluca Lerici dies of cardiac arrest at age 43. 15 years ago November 26, 2006 Artist and character designer Dave Cockrum dies of diabetes at age 63. 15 years ago November 29, 2006 Writer-artist Jean Dulieu dies at age 85. Born as Jan van Oort, he created Paulus the Woodgnome. 15 years ago November 30, 2006 Award-winning Brazilian cartoonist Hélio Lage dies at age 60. He was the house artist of Tribuna de Bahia. 15 years ago December 2, 2006 Director, publisher, and artist Don Dohler dies of cancer at age 60. He created Pro Junior. 10 years ago November 30, 2011 Argentine artist Carlos A. Killian dies at age 64. He created Perloto. 10 years ago December 2, 2011 French animator, director, producer, and artist Bruno Bianchi dies of cancer at age 56. The co-creator of Inspector Gadget founded his own studio, Gingko Animation. 5 years ago November 27, 2016 Spanish artist Juan Enrique Bosch Quevedo (who worked as “Micharmut”) dies at age 63. 5 years ago December 2, 2016 Italian artist Liliana Fantoni dies at age 96. And here are the anniversaries spanning the month of December… 85 years ago December 1936 Flash Gordon Strange Adventure Magazine #1 (and only) is a dime pulp magazine from Harold Hersey offering “a full length novel,” “The Master of Mars,” by James Edison Northford. The cover is by Fred Meagher. 85 years ago December 1936 Detective Picture Stories #1 from Comics Magazine Company features an early story by Bert Christman. 80 years ago December 1941 Fawcett’s Master Comics #21 introduces Albrecht Krieger – Captain Nazi – in a Bulletman story by Bill Woolfolk and Mac Raboy. Hitler sends Krieger to America to fight U.S. heroes. 80 years ago December 1941 And Fawcett’s Whiz Comics #25 picks up the tale in a story by Ed Herron, Woolfolk, C.C. Beck, and Raboy. To save the life of a newspaper boy injured by Captain Nazi, Billy Batson passes on some of his powers to Freddy Freeman, creating Captain Marvel, Jr. (who can’t say his own name because: origin). 80 years ago December 1941 She’s not even mentioned on the cover of DC’s All-Star Comics #8, which is gloating about two new members of The Justice Society of America. (They’re Dr. Mid-Nite and Starman, in case you were curious. Even Hooty is cover-featured.) Nevertheless, the reason this issue is considered a key is that it contains a story by William Marston and Harry G. Peter introducing Wonder Woman, Steve Trevor, and that whole storyline. 70 years ago December 1951 Flippity and Flop get their own comic book title in DC’s Flippity & Flop #1 in stories by Hubie Karp and Jim Davis. (No, not that Jim Davis.) (The cat and canary appeared in Screen Gems cartoons starting in 1945.) 70 years ago December 1951 Mind you, the bigger Screen Gems cartoon stars are The Fox and the Crow, who first appeared on-screen in the 1941 Frank Tashlin cartoon “The Fox and the Grapes.” In any case, after featuring them for quite some time in Real Screen Comics, DC gives them their own title with The Fox and the Crow #1. 70 years ago December 1951 The first issue of DC’s House of Mystery features “Wanda Was a Werewolf,” “I Fell in Love with a Witch,” “The Curse of Seabury Manor,” and “Man – or Monster?” 65 years ago December 1956 Quality Comics folds, selling its characters and trademarks to DC. The December issues of the four titles DC picks up are the last to carry the Quality logo: Blackhawk #107, G.I. Combat #43, Heart Throbs #46, and Robin Hood Tales #6. 60 years ago December 1961 Marvel renames Amazing Adventure as Amazing Adult Fantasy with #7 and announces that it is “the magazine that respects your intelligence” and contains “fantastic thrillers for the more mature reader.” It’s not the last time the series will change its title. Just saying. 60 years ago December 1961 In Top Cat #1, Dell introduces the Hanna-Barbara character (drawn by Phil de Lara) to comic books. 55 years ago December 1966 “She’s Hip! She’s Mod! She’s Boss!” She’s Bunny Ball – who gets her own title in Harvey’s Bunny #1 in stories by Warren Harvey and Hy Eisman. 55 years ago December 1966 Dell’s Werewolf #1 says it’s a “Collectors Issue” and features “the only super hero … super spy in the world.” Werewolf is introduced in stories by D.J. Arneson, Bill Fraccio, and Tony Tallarico. 55 years ago December 1966 The first of four DC villains named Spellbinder is introduced in Detective Comics #358. The forger of pop art (Comic books strike back?) sports an outfit that seems to include the “DC go-go checks” theme in “The Circle of Terror!” It’s by John Broome, Sheldon Moldoff, and Joe Giella. 55 years ago December 1966 Yikes! It’s a Super-Beast! A maddening menace, no less! Man-Beast and the mutated New Men are introduced in Marvel’s Thor #135 in a story by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Vince Colletta. 50 years ago December 1971 Oh, hey, remember how Marvel raised its cover price to 25¢ in November? Marvel reduces its price to 20¢, along with its page count. Whew! Who’d pay more than that for a comic book? That’s crazy talk! 50 years ago December 1971 In Marvel’s The Avengers #94, Mandroid armor is introduced. Thanks, Tony Stark! What could go wrong? “More than Inhuman!” is by Roy Thomas, Neal Adams, and Tom Palmer. 50 years ago December 1971 “This is it! The awesome origin of The Defenders the most fabulous fighting team of all!” In Marvel Feature #1, the team of Roy Thomas, Ross Andru, and Bill Everett brings together the team of The Hulk, Dr. Strange, and The Sub-Mariner. 50 years ago December 1971 “They whipped the Green Lantern – Now let ’em try me!” Green Lantern #87 introduces “an unforgettable new character who really means it when he warns … ‘Beware My Power!’” The story by Denny O’Neil, Neal Adams, and Dick Giordano introduces John Stewart. 45 years ago December 1976 “First issue! Collector’s Edition! By popular demand Spidey stars in an all-new action series!” Marvel launches its third ongoing Spider-Man series: The Spectacular Spider-Man. 45 years ago December 1976 In a spinoff from the Stanley Kubrick movie, Marvel’s 2001: A Space Odyssey begins. As in the film, “Beast-Killer!” by Jack Kirby and Mike Royer starts in prehistory. 45 years ago December 1976 Superhuman Captain Ultra is introduced in Fantastic Four #177, yearning to join the villainous Frightful Four. But he has problems. “Look Out for the Frightful Four!” is by Roy Thomas, Mike Friedrich, George Pérez, and Joe Sinnott. 40 years ago December 1981 DC’s The New Teen Titans #14 introduces Plasmus, Houngan, and Phobia of The Brotherhood of Evil in “Revolution!” by George Pérez, Marv Wolfman, and Romeo Tanghal. 35 years ago December 1986 Marvel’s The ’Nam #1 begins. “’Nam: First Patrol” is by Doug Murray, Michael Golden, and Armando Gil. 35 years ago December 1986 The Dreamery #1 from Eclipse introduces Stinz, created by Donna Barr. The centaur is a war hero in the valley of Gieselthal. 35 years ago December 1986 DC ends Blue Devil with #31, a “special giant-sized final issue.” 35 years ago December 1986 Comico ends Mage with #15. (Matt Wagner’s story of Kevin Matchstick will continue in 1988 in Comico’s Grendel.) 35 years ago December 1986 Marvel ends Amazing High Adventure with #5. 35 years ago December 1986 Vortex picks up what had been Chester Brown’s self-published Yummy Fur series, starting again with #1. 35 years ago December 1986 “We who are about to die”: Marvel introduces the team in Strikeforce: Morituri by Peter B. Gillis, Brent Anderson, Whilce Portacio, and Scott Williams. 30 years ago December 1991 Eternity’s Evil Ernie #1, “created and written by Brian Pulido, illustrated by Steven Hughes,” introduces Lady Death and (yes) Evil Ernie. 25 years ago December 1996 DC’s cover proclaims the one-shot “the event of the century.” It’s Superman: The Wedding Album “by Superman writers and artists past and present.” 25 years ago December 1996 DC’s Batman: The Long Halloween #1 kicks off “A Dark Knight Halloween Special in Thirteen Parts” following three earlier Halloween specials. As was the case with those, “Crime” is by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. 25 years ago December 1996 Wynonna Earp #1 from Image introduces (you guessed it) Beau Smith’s Wynonna Earp in “Violent Territory” by Smith, Joyce Chin, and Mark Irwin. A three-page character profile provides the background of the Wyatt Earp descendant who works as a U.S. Marshal who fights monsters. 20 years ago December 2001 “Marvel Comics Presents The 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time” in 10 December issues. It kicks off with X-Men, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, and Daredevil. 20 years ago December 2001 “This one’ll really kill you!” Joker: Last Laugh #1 begins a DC-wide storyline. “Stir Crazy” is by Chuck Dixon, Scott Beatty, Pete Woods, and Andrew Pepoy. 15 years ago December 2006 In Vertigo/DC’s one-shot Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall, “A Frog’s Eye View” is by Bill Willingham and James Jean. It wins the Eisner Award for Best Short Story of the year. 15 years ago December 2006 “Revealed at last! Everything you need to know about Spider-Girl!” Amazing Spider-Girl #0 and #1 star May Parker in a feature by Tom DeFalco (with illustrations by Pat Olliffe, Ron Frenz, John Romita, J. Scott Campbell, Al Williamson, Sal Buscema, Bill Sienkiewicz, Scott Koblish, and Tim Townsend) and a story by DeFalco, Frenz, and Buscama. 15 years ago December 2006 Yep, that’s the title. Marvel’s Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter in Guilty Pleasures begins. The adaptation by Stacie Ritchie and Brett Booth is based on the Laurell K. Hamilton fantasy. 15 years ago December 2006 Deathblow appeared from Image in 1993-1996. Now, DC kicks off Deathblow with “And Then You Live!” by Brian Azzarello and Carlos D’Anda and includes a commentary by Jim Lee regarding the revival of his creation. 10 years ago December 2011 “The hunt is on!” Marvel’s Fear Itself: The Fearless #1 is by Cullen Bunn, Matt Fraction, Chris Yost, Paul Pelletier, Mark Bagley, Danny Miki, and Andy Lanning. 10 years ago December 2011 Marvel has had more than one The Incredible Hulk series. This one begins with “Hulk: Asunder Part One” by Jason Aaron, Marc Silvestri, Michael Broussard, Joe Weems V, Rick Basaldua, and Sal Regla. 5 years ago December 2016 Hey! We thought he was famous. But Marvel’s Infamous Iron Man kicks off with – well – not Tony Stark. “The Rise of Doom” is by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev. 5 years ago December 2016 Merlin gets a bunch o’ sorcerers together in Marvel’s Doctor Strange and the Sorcerers Supreme #1 in a story by Robbie Thompson, Javier Rodriguez, and Alvaro Lopez. Lotsa variant covers. Just saying. 5 years ago December 2016 You want variants? Marvel gives you variants. Jessica Jones #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Gaydos begins with Jessica’s return to her private detective business. 5 years ago December 2016 Oh, you wanted variants and those others weren’t enough for you? Just saying. The first issue of this run of Champions is by Mark Waid, Humberto Ramos, and Victor Olazaba. And it has lots of different covers. Lots. Collect them all! |
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| November 25 Lilandra was born on the Aerie, native world of the Shi'ar. She first appeared in The X-Men #97 (November 25, 1975). She is the sibling of D'Ken, Deathbird, and an unnamed older sister. Deathbird, the oldest of the surviving three, was denied the throne for “unspeakable” crimes and was exiled. Instead the throne went to D'Ken, who turned out to be a power mad dictator. Lilandra became a Grand Admiral of the Imperial Guard, in the Shi'ar fleet, but turned against D'Ken, when she found out about his plans involving the M'Kraan Crystal. Branded a traitor, Lilandra fled to Earth, hoping to find allies among its large population of superheroes and found them in Charles Xavier and his X-Men. She began sending visions of herself to Xavier as she traveled to Earth. Finally meeting Xavier in person, she was captured by Davan Shakari. She was held captive by D'Ken, and revealed D'Ken’s plot to gain ultimate power. She was saved by the space pirates known as the Starjammers and the X-Men, and reunited on Earth with Xavier. She ultimately invited Xavier to accompany her to the Shi'ar throne-world. She and the X-Men managed to stop D'Ken’s plan, who ultimately was banished after being driven mad. Lilandra took the throne as Majestrix-Shi'ar with Xavier as her official consort.  |
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| November 26 Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 26, 1922, Charles Schulz grew up in Saint Paul. Schulz loved drawing and sometimes drew his family dog, Spike, who ate unusual things, such as pins and tacks. Schulz attended Richards Gordon Elementary School in Saint Paul, where he skipped two half-grades. He became a shy, timid teenager, perhaps as a result of being the youngest in his class at Central High School. Schulz’s first group of regular cartoons, a weekly series of one-panel jokes entitled Li'l Folks, was published in 1947. It was in Li'l Folks that Schulz first used the name Charlie Brown for a character, although he applied the name in four gags to three different boys as well as one buried in sand. The series also had a dog that looked much like Snoopy. Later that year, Schulz approached the United Feature Syndicate with the one-panel series Li'l Folks, and the syndicate became interested. However, by that time Schulz had also developed a comic strip, using normally four panels rather than one, and reportedly to Schulz’s delight, the syndicate preferred this version. After a somewhat slow beginning, Peanuts became one of the most popular comic strips of all time, as well as one of the most influential. Over the nearly 50 years that Peanuts was published, Schulz drew nearly 18,000 strips.  |
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| November 27 When he was very young, David Haller was among the victims of a terrorist attack, in which he was the only survivor. He first appeared in New Mutants #25 (November 27, 1984). The trauma of the situation caused David to manifest his mutant powers, incinerating the minds of the terrorists. In the process, he absorbed the mind of the terrorist leader, Jemail Karami, into his own. Being linked to so many others at their time of death, he was rendered catatonic, and remained in the care of Moira MacTaggert at the Muir Island mutant research facility. The trauma caused David’s personality to splinter, with each of the personalities controlling a different aspect of his psionic power. During his time at Muir Island, David emerged from his catatonia. he awakened with his fractured mind healed. David had a new goal, to help his father realize his dream of human-mutant coexistence by killing Magneto, Xavier’s greatest opponent, before he had a chance to amass power. He traveled twenty years into the past, when Xavier and Magneto were orderlies at the mental hospital. In the process, he loses his memory. Magneto then accidentally triggers his memory, causing David to go on a rampage, attacking Magneto and revealing the existence of mutants to the public decades too early. Xavier, however, leaped into the path of the psi-knife being killed in Magneto’s place, causing the formation of the Age of Apocalypse timeline.  |
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| November 28 During Crisis on Infinite Earths, Barry Allen gave his life to save the Earth when destroying an antimatter cannon that was aimed at Earth. In the aftermath of the conflict, Wally took on his fallen mentor’s costume and identity. He became the Flash in Crisis on Infinite Earths #12 (November 28, 1985). Wally West was less powerful than his predecessor. His differences were highlighted, not just in his crime fighting, but also in his personal life. West won a lottery, bought a large mansion, and began dating beautiful women. Later, the first Reverse-Flash, Eobard Thawne, came from another time period to increase the speed of the character, forcing him to push past a psychological block he had placed on his powers. To prevent himself from truly “replacing” Barry, Wally had subconsciously limited his speed so that he could never become his mentor’s equal, but Thawne’s bragging that he would become the true Flash forced Wally past this block, as he feared Thawne replacing Barry more than he feared himself doing so. After this encounter, he was again Barry Allen’s equal in speed, and eventually became even faster.  |
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| November 29 One of the seven Endless, inconceivably powerful beings older and greater than gods, Dream is both lord and personification of all dreams and stories, all that is not in reality. He has taken many names, including Morpheus and Oneiros, and his appearance can change depending on the person who is seeing him. First appearing in The Sandman #1 (November 29, 1988), Morpheus usually appears as a tall, thin man with bone-white skin, black hair, and two stars in place of eyes. People generally perceive him in a style of dress appropriate to their region and era. Although he is ultimately a heroic character, Dream is sometimes slow to understand humor, occasionally insensitive, often self-obsessed, and very slow to forgive a slight. He shares a close, reciprocal bond of dependence and trust with his elder sister, Death. He consistently strives for understanding of himself and of the other Endless, but is ultimately defeated by his inability to accept change. Morpheus lives in a castle at the heart of his realm, “the Dreaming”. Both the castle and the rest of his realm are mutable and change often, often at Morpheus’ will, although his resistance to change is a theme throughout the series.  |
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| November 30 The Hobgoblin’s identity was not initially revealed, generating one of the longest running mysteries in the Spider-Man comics. Roderick Kingsley started out as a fashion designer and billionaire, who had criminal underworld connections and had come about his wealth through unethical business practices and corporate raiding. Kingsley seeks to protect himself and his empire by gaining more power. A thug named George Hill reports to Kingsley of stumbling upon the secret lair of Norman Osborn in hopes of earning a reward. Kingsley instead kills Hill to make sure that no one else gets wind of the discovery. Upon examining the lair and gleaning the secrets within it, Kingsley uses the Green Goblin’s equipment to adopt the identity known as the Hobgoblin. Among Osborn’s notes, Kingsley also finds incomplete remnants of the Green Goblin strength enhancing potion. He becomes obsessed with finding the complete formula or perfecting the incomplete notes. After several years, Kingsley returns to New York. He kills Jason Macendale in the his jail cell to prevent from giving the authorities information that would jeopardize his secret identity. Kingsley kidnaps Betty Brant and sets a trap for Spider-Man. In the final fracas, Daniel Kingsley is captured and the Hobgoblin is finally unmasked as Roderick in The Amazing Spider-Man #238 (November 30, 1982). Roderick Kingsley is taken to prison.  |
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| December 1 Sivana is a short, bald, self-described mad scientist with a penchant for developing unusual technologies, and who often plots to do away with Captain Marvel and his Marvel Family. Infamously evil, Doctor Sivana appeared in well over half of all of the Golden Age Captain Marvel comic stories, beginning in Whiz Comics #2 (December 1, 1939). He even deduced Captain Marvel’s dual identity as boy radio broadcaster Billy Batson early on. His trademark phrases are “Curses! Foiled again!” and his mocking laughter “Heh! Heh! Heh!” He also coined the insulting name Big Red Cheese to refer to Captain Marvel, a name that the Captain’s friends have adopted with which to light-heartedly tease him.  |
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| December 2 A psychopathic assassin, Bullseye uses the opportunities afforded by his line of work to exercise his homicidal tendencies and to work out his own personal vendetta against Daredevil. He first appeared in in Daredevil #131 (December 2, 1975). Although he possesses no superpowers, Bullseye is able to use almost any object as a lethal projectile, be it weapons like shuriken and sai or seemingly harmless objects like playing cards and pencils. His marksmanship is uncanny, at a nearly supernatural level, but he has been known to miss moving targets. Bullseye’s real name and origins are unknown. He has used the name “Benjamin Poindexter” on several occasions, but there are also instances where his name is given as “Lester". Bullseye is probably best known for his encounter with Elektra, Daredevil’s former lover. Bullseye attacks Elektra and impales her on her own sai.  |
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 Masculinity takes a holiday.
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Quote:Originally Posted by OGJackster I hadn't realized that Kyle Rainer was from North Hollywood. For those who don't know the context of North Hollywood: There is a hierarchy in Entertainment Industry story locations. If the location is Beverly Hills/Hollywood that is typically a character that is doing ok and having some success at whatever they do. If the location is The Valley that would be people on the fringes of the entertainment industry, struggling but making a go of it and often finding some success (think Boogie Nights, GLOW). If the story is located in North Hollywood that character is a failure and likely an addict, surrounded by other failures and addicts. By the end of the story they will either pull out of the tailspin or die. |
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| December 3 As Goku grows up, he becomes the Earth’s mightiest warrior and protects his adopted home planet from those who seek to harm it. Initially believed to be an Earthling, he is later revealed to be a member of an extraterrestrial warrior race called the Saiyans with the birth name Kakarrot. He is able to concentrate his Ki and use it for devastatingly powerful energy-based attacks, the most prominent being his signature Kamehameha, , in which Goku launches a blue energy blast from his palms. Also pure of heart, Goku cannot be harmed by evil waves like the Devil Beam, and he is one of the few who can ride the magic cloud called Kinto'un (Nimbus). Goku is introduced in Dragon Ball chapter #1, originally published in Japan’s Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine on December 3, 1984, as an eccentric, monkey-tailed boy who practices martial arts and possesses superhuman strength.  |
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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 3-9, 2021... 140 years ago December 7, 1881 Prolific artist Gene Carr is born. Lambiek credits his Lady Bountiful as “the first balloon comic in which a female character plays a starring role.” 135 years ago December 3, 1886 Marjorie Organ is born. One of the first female American comics artists, she creates Reggie and the Heavenly Twins and The Wrangle Sisters. 130 years ago December 8, 1891 Writer-artist Percy Crosby is born. He creates Skippy. 120 years ago December 5, 1901 Producer, director, voice artist, and entrepreneur Walt Disney is born. The co-founder of Walt Disney Productions wins the most Academy Awards and nominations. 115 years ago December 7, 1906 German comics translator Erika Fuchs is born. She works for more than half a century translating such material as Carl Barks’ Duck stories. 110 years ago December 3, 1911 Artist Amadee Wohlschlaeger is born. He drew the Weatherbird newspaper feature for 49 years and created the Herkimer strip. 110 years ago December 4, 1911 Circus Solly by George Frink ends. 105 years ago December 7, 1916 Artist and vaudeville show performer [“The Singing Cartoonist”] Art Bowen commits suicide at age 35. 100 years ago December 3, 1921 Leonard Dworkins (also known as Leon Gordon) is born. He’s the artist on newspaper strips Skyroads and Buck Rogers. 100 years ago December 3, 1921 Hans Kresse is born. The Dutch creator of Eric de Noorman is a prolific realistic artist on features ranging from Tarzan, Bonanza, and Disney material to his own creations. 100 years ago December 4, 1921 Golden Age artist and later storyboard artist Art Saaf is born. His work includes Princess Pantha, Supergirl, and Highlights for Children. 100 years ago December 6, 1921 Writer-artist Charles Wojtkoski is born. He’s best known as the creator of Blue Beetle, for his work on such characters as Blonde Phantom and Nyoka, and for later work at Charlton and Marvel. 90 years ago December 9, 1931 Award-winning British writer-artist Frank Dickens is born. He creates the gag a day feature Bristow and co-founds the British Cartoonists’ Association. 85 years ago December 8, 1936 Marvel and Scholastic Books vice president Michael Hobson is born. 80 years ago December 4, 1941 Swedish artist Axel Bäckman dies at age 73. 75 years ago December 6, 1946 Marlene Stevens is born. She co-writes comics with Rolf Stark. 75 years ago December 7, 1946 “Morris” begins Lucky Luke in Le Journal de Spirou Almanach #47 with the story “Arizona 1880.” 65 years ago December 9, 1956 Austrian artist Uriel Birnbaum dies at age 62. 60 years ago December 3, 1961 Cartoonist and writer-artist Donald Simpson is born. The creator of Megaton Man also works as “Anton Drek.” 60 years ago December 6, 1961 Artist Robin Riggs is born and is known for work for Marvel UK titles and IDW. 60 years ago December 6, 1961 Original art dealer Valarie Jones is born. She co-founds (with Steve Donnelly) New Comics Group and is editor in chief from 1987 to 1990. 60 years ago December 6, 1961 Artist Ralph Yardley dies at age 83. He creates the strips Have You Seen Alonzo? and Do You Remember? 55 years ago December 6, 1966 Artist Leonard Kirk is born. He’s known for work including Supergirl and Marvel Adventures: The Avengers. 45 years ago December 5, 1976 Award-winning animator and artist Tack Knight dies at age 81. He created the newspaper strips Little Folks and Baby Sister. 45 years ago December 6, 1976 French artist Pierre Donga dies at age 68. 40 years ago December 9, 1981 Belgian artist Édouard Van Overstraeten dies at age 90. 35 years ago December 6, 1986 Artist August Lenox dies at age 77 or 78. He was especially known for his wildlife, Western, and funny animal comics for Dell and Gold Key. 30 years ago December 3, 1991 Alex Graham dies of cancer at age 74. The Fred Basset creator also produced the March 1953 New Yorker cartoon classic “Kindly take us to your president.” 25 years ago December 7, 1996 Artist Paul Ollswang dies at age 50 or 51. 25 years ago December 7, 1996 Italian animator and artist Giuseppe Perego dies at age 81. He was known for working on Italian Disney comics. 25 years ago December 7, 1996 Serbian artist Desimir Zizovic Buin dies at age 76. 20 years ago December 6, 2001 Danish writer Carla Hansen dies at age 95. She teamed with her husband, artist Vilhelm Hansen, to produce the funny animal strip Rasmus Klump. 15 years ago December 5, 2006 Brazilian artist and teacher Joacy Jamys dies of a stroke at age 35. The founding member of Singularplural Quadrinhos edited fanzines and contributed to many international magazines. 15 years ago December 9, 2006 Golden Age artist, popular convention guest, and Green Lantern creator Marty Nodell dies at age 91. 10 years ago December 7, 2011 Artist, researcher, DC creative consultant, and award-winner Jerry Robinson dies at age 89. 5 years ago December 4, 2016 Influential award-winning French writer-artist Marcel Gotlib dies at age 82. He co-created the magazines L’Écho des Savanes and Fluide Glacial and co-created Les Dingodossiers with René Goscinny and Superdupont with Jacques Lob. 5 years ago December 8, 2016 Award-winning Dutch writer-artist Peter van Straaten dies at age 81. The political cartoonist created Vader en Zoon. |
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| December 4 Initially envisioned as a backdoor pilot, The Flash follows character Barry Allen / Flash, portrayed by Grant Gustin, a crime scene investigator who gains super-human speed, which he uses to fight criminals, including others who have also gained superhuman abilities. Initially envisioned as a backdoor pilot, the positive reception Gustin received during his appearances as Barry on Arrow beginning on an episode on December 4, 2013, which led to executives choosing to develop a full pilot to make use of a larger budget and help flesh out Barry’s world in more detail. After witnessing his mother’s supernatural murder and his father’s wrongful conviction for the crime, Barry Allen is taken in by Detective Joe West and his family. Allen becomes a brilliant but socially awkward crime scene investigator for the Central City Police Department. His obsession with his tragic past causes him to become an outcast among his peers; he investigates cold cases, paranormal occurrences, and cutting-edge scientific advancements that may shed light on his mother’s murder.  |
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| December 5 Charley Parker lived in the Midway City orphanage and idolized Hawkman. At one point he sent a letter to Hawkman describing his home-made “Hawkman” costume. Hawkman had been ordered back to Thanagar, thus resigning from the JLA. Golden Eagle then debuted in Justice League of America #116 (December 5, 1974). Parker himself explained that one day he had been wearing his “Hawkman” costume and fantasizing he was the Thanagarian hero when a strange light enveloped him turning his costume into an exact replica of Hawkman’s costume. He also gained the ability to fly due to the replicated wings of his costume. Charley could at will change his street clothes into the Golden Eagle costume.  |
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| December 6 High school student Ronnie Raymond and Nobel Prize-winning physicist Martin Stein were caught in a nuclear accident that allowed them to fuse into the “nuclear man” Firestorm. Firestorm debuted in Firestorm, The Nuclear Man #1 (December 6, 1977). Due to Stein’s being unconscious during the accident, Raymond was prominently in command of the Firestorm form with Stein a voice of reason inside his mind, able to offer Raymond advice on how to use their powers without actually having any control over their dual form. Banter between the two was a hallmark of their adventures. Stein was initially completely unaware of their dual identity, leaving him concerned about his unusual disappearances and blackouts, but Ronnie was eventually able to convince him of the truth, allowing them to bond as separate individuals rather than as parts of a whole. After the accident, Firestorm took to defending New York City from such threats as Multiplex and Killer Frost. Firestorm has the ability to rearrange the atomic and subatomic structure of inorganic matter, rearranging subatomic particles to create objects of different atomic characteristics of equal mass. He can not only change and transmute the atomic composition of an object but he can also change its shape.  |
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| December 7 Born on December 7, Harvey Dent went through much hardship during his childhood. Growing up under the parentage of an abusive and mentally-ill father, he started developing repressed mental illnesses of his own, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. His hard work ethic, however, later allowed him to rise as the youngest district attorney to serve Gotham City, nicknamed “Apollo” for his good looks and clean-cut image, at age 26. He is elected about six months before Batman begins his war on crime. Dent forges an alliance with Captain James Gordon and Batman to rid Gotham of crime boss Sal Maroni, and Carmine Falcone, with the former murdered by the latter’s son. Falcone hires the corrupt Assistant District Attorney Vernon Fields to provide Sal Maroni with sulfuric acid to disfigure Dent with. Two-Face gets his trademark coin from his father that would employ the coin in a perverse nightly “game” that always ended with a beating. This would instill in Dent his lifelong struggle with free will and his eventual inability to make choices on his own, relying on the coin to make all of his decisions. Eventually, the scarred Dent takes his revenge on Fields and Maroni, leading to his incarceration in Arkham Asylum.  |
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| December 8 E. C. Segar was born on December 8, 1894, and raised in Chester, Illinois, a small town near the Mississippi River. At age 18, he decided to become a cartoonist. He took a correspondence course in cartooning from W. L. Evans of Cleveland, Ohio. He said that after work he “lit up the oil lamps about midnight and worked on the course until 3 a.m.” Segar moved to Chicago where he met Richard F. Outcault, the creator of The Yellow Kid and Buster Brown. Outcault encouraged him and introduced him at the Chicago Herald. The Herald published Segar’s first comic, Charlie Chaplin’s Comedy Capers, which ran for a little over a year. Evening American Managing editor William Curley thought Segar could succeed in New York, so he sent him to King Features Syndicate, where Segar worked for many years. He began by drawing Thimble Theatre for the New York Journal. It featured the characters Olive Oyl, Castor Oyl and Harold Hamgravy, whose name was quickly shortened in the strip to simply “Ham Gravy”. They were the strip’s leads for about a decade. When Castor Oyl needed a mariner to navigate his ship to Dice Island, Castor picked up an old salt down by the docks named Popeye. Popeye’s first line in the strip, upon being asked if he was a sailor, was “‘Ja think I’m a cowboy?” The character stole the show and became the permanent star. Segar is widely regarded as one of the most influential and talented cartoonists of all time, among the first to combine humor with long-running adventures. In 1971, the National Cartoonists Society created the Elzie Segar Award in his honor. According to the Society’s website, the award was “presented to a person who has made a unique and outstanding contribution to the profession of cartooning.”  |
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| December 9 Formerly a mortal man, Galactus is a cosmic entity who originally consumed planets to sustain his life force. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby had desired to introduce a character that broke away from the archetype of the standard villain, culminating in the creation of Galactus. In the character’s first appearance in The Fantastic Four #48 (December 9, 1965), Galactus was depicted as a god-like figure who feeds by draining living planets of their energy, and operates without regard to the morality and judgements of mortal beings. Galactus’ initial origin was that of a space explorer named Galan who gained cosmic abilities by passing near a star. As Galan’s universe came to an end, Galan merged with the “Sentience of the Universe” to become Galactus, an entity that wielded such cosmic power as to require devouring entire planets to sustain his existence. Kirby elaborated, “Galactus in actuality is a sort of god. He is beyond reproach, beyond anyone’s opinion…He is his own legend, and of course, he and the Silver Surfer are sort of modern legends, and they are designed that way.”  |
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| December 10 Medusa belongs to the race of Inhumans, a species of prehistoric earthlings mutated by the Terrigen Mists produced deep under the Inhuman city-state of Attilan, presently located in the oxygen-rich Blue Area of the Moon. Considered a member of Attilan’s Royal Family, Medusa’s parents chose to expose her to the Terrigen Mists when she was a child. During her adolescent years Medusa would often visit her distant cousin Black Bolt during his confinement, and she learned to communicate with him through body language. During the course of these visits, the two fell in love and became engaged. She attended Black Bolt’s release from his isolation cell at the age of eighteen, and witnessed the first confrontation between Black Bolt and his insane brother Maximus the Mad. Medusa made her first appearance in Fantastic Four #36 (December 10, 1964) as Madam Medusa. Medusa possesses a long, thick head of red hair; thanks to her exposure to the mutagenic Terrigen Mist, every strand of her hair has greater tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and shear resistance than an iron wire of the same thickness. She possesses the psychokinetic ability to animate her hair for a number of feats, including elongating it to almost twice its normal length, and using her hair to lift and move heavy weights.  |
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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 10-16, 2021... 140 years ago December 15, 1881 Dutch artist Bern L. Vinger is born. 115 years ago December 12, 1906 Adventures of Smilin’ Jack creator Zack Mosley is born. 110 years ago December 15, 1911 A psychiatrist who becomes a comic strip writer, Dr. Nicholas Peter Dallis, is born. He creates and writes the comic strips Rex Morgan, M.D.; Judge Parker; and Apartment 3-G. 110 years ago December 15, 1911 Chilean artist René Rios Boettiger is born. He works as “Pepo” and creates Condorito. 105 years ago December 14, 1916 Writer Bob Haney is born. He co-creates The Doom Patrol (with Arnold Drake, Bruno Premiani, and Murray Boltinoff), Metamorpho (with Ramona Fradon and George Kashdan), and Teen Titans (with Premiani). 105 years ago December 15, 1916 Animator-writer Dick Kinney is born. He writes many Disney comic scripts and co-creates Fethry Duck with Al Hubbard. 100 years ago December 10, 1921 Clarence Matthew (“Matt”) Baker is born. The “Good Girl” artist is known for Phantom Lady and Flamingo, and his biography appears in Invisible Men. 100 years ago December 15, 1921 Writer-artist Al Plastino is born. Though he’s best known for work on Superman, he also masters a number of art styles for ghosting work on such characters as Batman and Nancy. He co-creates Supergirl (with Otto Binder) and Brainiac. 100 years ago December 16, 1921 Italian artist and animator Toni Pagot is born. He co-creates Calimero and The Dynamite Brothers film with his brother, Nino Pagot. 85 years ago December 11, 1936 Dutch artist Rik van Bentum is born. With novelist Jan Cremer, he produces what may be the first Dutch underground comix: New Comic Strip Scandal 000. 60 years ago December 13, 1961 Artist Greg Shoemaker is born. 55 years ago December 15, 1966 Walt Disney dies of lung cancer at age 65. As a producer, he won the most Academy Awards. The pioneer, producer, director, voice artist, and entrepreneur was the co-founder of Walt Disney Productions. 50 years ago December 16, 1971 Artist John Nadeau is born. He’s especially known for his work on Dark Horse’s Star Wars comics. 35 years ago December 10, 1986 Police charge Friendly Frank’s store manager Michael Correa with selling obscene material. 20 years ago December 10, 2001 Alley Oop writer-artist (who took over the strip from creator V.T. Hamlin) Dave Graue dies in an auto accident at age 75. 20 years ago December 16, 2001 South African artist Derek Bauer dies in a car accident at age 45 or 46. 15 years ago December 13, 2006 Prog 2007 of 2000 AD starts two new series, Stickleback and Kingdom. 10 years ago December 13, 2011 Carlo Peroni dies at age 82. Also known as Perogatt, he was the Italian comic book writer-artist of Diabolik, founder of Slurp!, and creator of such characters as Gianconiglio and Coco Paciocco. 10 years ago December 13, 2011 Spanish artist María Pascual Alberich dies at age 78. She contributed to magazines from publisher Toray. 10 years ago December 14, 2011 Joe Simon dies at age 98. The writer, artist, editor, and publisher created a number of comic book characters, founded Sick, and co-created (with Jack Kirby) such characters as Captain America and Boy Commandos and such titles as Boys’ Ranch. 10 years ago December 15, 2011 Uruguayan artist Eduardo Barreto dies at age 57. His U.S. work appeared from Red Circle, DC, Claypool, and Dark Horse and on the Judge Parker and Phantom comic strips. |
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| December 11 First appearing in Marvel Team-Up #19 (December 11, 1973), Vincent Stegron was hired by S.H.I.E.L.D. to work with Dr. Curt Connors to study DNA of dinosaurs from the Savage Land. Inspired by the experiment that turned Connors into the Lizard, Stegron stole some dinosaur DNA and injected himself with it. In moments Stegron transformed into an orange semi-humanoid Stegosaurus-like creature. Stegron gained the ability to command real dinosaurs, and he planned to use them in his plans for conquest of the world and converting all of humanity into creatures like himself. Taking several dinosaurs with him from the Savage Land to New York City, he encountered Spider-Man, Black Panther, and Ka-Zar. During the battle that followed, Stegron was beaten by being knocked into a nearby river.  |
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| December 12 Sheena, Queen of the Jungle was the first female comic book character with her own title, premiering even before Wonder Woman #1. Her solo title began with Sheena, Queen of the Jungle (December 12, 1941). Will Eisner said an inspiration for the character’s name was H. Rider Haggard’s 1886 jungle-goddess novel She. An orphan who grew up in the jungle, learning how to survive and thrive there, she possessed the ability to communicate with wild animals and was proficient in fighting with knives, spears, bows, and makeshift weapons.  |
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| December 14 A well-meaning demon whose true name is Anung Un Rama (“and upon his brow is set a crown of flame”), Hellboy was summoned from Hell to Earth as an infant demon by Nazi occultists. He was discovered by the Allied Forces; amongst them, Professor Trevor Bruttenholm, who formed the United States Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD). In time Hellboy grew to be a large, red-skinned man with a tail, horns (which he files off, leaving behind the signature circular stumps on his forehead), cloven hooves for feet, and an oversized right hand made of stone. He has been described as smelling of dry-roasted peanuts. Although a bit gruff, he shows none of the malevolence thought to be intrinsic to demons, and has a strong sense of humor. This is said to be because of his upbringing under Professor Bruttenholm, who raised him as a normal boy. Afforded by his demonic heritage as well as extensive physical training and bodybuilding, Hellboy possess superhuman strength, endurance, a degree of resistance to injury, and a healing factor that allows him to heal quickly from virtually all bodily injuries as well as renders him immune to all diseases. He also has the innate ability to comprehend ancient and magical languages. Hellboy originated with a drawing Mike Mignola did at a comic book convention of a demon with the name “Hellboy” written on his belt. The demon itself bears virtually no resemblance to Hellboy, and Mignola had no intention of doing anything serious with the concept, but later decided he liked the name. Later, Mignola became interested in doing a creator-owned comic, as he felt it made more sense to create his own characters for the stories he wanted to tell. While he made his debut appearance in Dime Press #4, Hellboy first appeared in mainstream comics in Next Men #21 (December 14, 1993).  |
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| December 15 Like his two brothers, Ivar is immortal, ages very slowly, is exceptionally strong and fast, and is able heal quickly. However, he also has the unique ability to sense “time arcs” that allow him to pass from one time period to another but he has no control over what time period the “time arcs” will take him to. He travels these arcs as often as he can, searching for the arc that will lead him back to ancient Egypt and the woman he loves. Because he has no control over what time period the time arcs take him, Ivar could be in the future one day and the past the next. He tries to carry gum with him as it pleases people throughout history, such as Genghis Khan. Several of Ivar’s time-arcs have taken innocent people instead of him. Many of these end up in London circa 1992. They successfully kidnap Ivar. Along for the chaos is his brother Armstrong and the man’s monk apprentice Archer. Ivar has become involved in many historical periods throughout history. Ivar the Timewalker first appeared in Archer and Armstrong #8 (December 15, 1992).  |
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| December 16 Jason “Jay” Todd is the son of circus acrobats, Joseph Todd and Trina Todd, killed by a criminal (Killer Croc) and is later adopted by Bruce Wayne. Distinguished by strawberry blond hair, Todd is wearing various pieces of Dick Grayson’s old childhood disguises as costume to fight crime until Grayson presents him with a Robin costume of his own. At that point, Todd dyes his hair black, and in later stories blossoms under Batman’s tutelage. Jason Todd was created as Dick Grayson’s replacement as Robin but was almost a complete clone of the first Robin until Crisis on Infinite Earths. He first appears as Robin in Batman #357 (December 16, 1982). Following the 1985 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC took the opportunity to reboot many of its properties. The character was completely revamped and the new version of the character was not well received by fans. Dennis O'Neil, who took over as Batman editor in 1986, said, “They did hate him. I don’t know if it was fan craziness—maybe they saw him as usurping Dick Grayson’s position. Some of the mail response indicated that this was at least on some people’s minds.”  |
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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 17-22, 2021... 190 years ago December 18, 1831 Dutch poet, historian, teacher, and creator of then-unpublished comic Hanenpoot Willem Bilderdijk dies at age 75. 125 years ago December 20, 1896 Australian Fatty Finn comic strip artist and comic book publisher Syd Nicholls is born. 105 years ago December 17, 1916 Dutch artist Fiep Westendorp is born. She is especially known for Tante Patent, co-created with Annie M.G. Schmid. 105 years ago December 17, 1916 Mr. Hubby by William Steinigans ends. 105 years ago December 22, 1916 British cartoonist and Disney artist Basil Reynolds is born. 90 years ago December 20, 1931 Writer and comics collector Raymond Miller is born. His “Information Center” column in RB/CC provides data on Golden Age comics. 80 years ago December 21, 1941 Canadian artist Arthur Racey dies at age 70 or 71. 70 years ago December 19, 1951 Dark Horse VP of Product Development (1993-2017) David Scroggy is born. His career includes working for Comic-Con International: San Diego, managing comics shops, writing, and editing. 70 years ago December 22, 1951 Writer-editor Tony Isabella is born. “America’s Most Beloved Comic Book Writer & Columnist” creates Black Lightning and co-creates many other comics characters. 65 years ago December 18, 1956 Artist Ted Boonthanakit is born. He’s especially known for his work on MICRA. 65 years ago December 22, 1956 Writer-artist Bill Willingham is born. He’s especially known for Elementals and Fables. 60 years ago December 18, 1961 “Funny animal” writer-artist and Comics Buyer’s Guide cartoonist Gary Fields is born. 55 years ago December 20, 1966 Artist-writer-editor Oskar Lebeck dies at age 63. Best known for helping to set up Dell Comics publications in the Golden Age, he sometimes assigned copyrights of non-licensed Dell Comics material to himself. 50 years ago December 20, 1971 Roy Disney dies of an intracranial hemorrhage at the age of 78. Co-founder (with his brother Walt) of the company now known as The Walt Disney Company, he served as CEO, president, and chairman of the firm and named Walt Disney World. 50 years ago December 22, 1971 Dutch writer Godfried Bomans dies of a heart attack at age 58. 45 years ago December 21, 1976 Writer-artist Munro Leaf dies at age 71. Known for writing The Story of Ferdinand (illustrated by Robert Lawson), Leaf was a cartoonist whose Watchbirds ran in Ladies’ Home Journal and whose children’s book Sam and the Superdroop made fun of comics. 40 years ago December 19, 1981 Writer-artist Frank J. Jupo dies at age 77. Born as Julius Potzernheim, he was a political cartoonist, children’s book creator, and Dell comics contributor. 35 years ago December 19, 1986 Prolific Belgian artist Frank Sels commits suicide at age 44. He set up his own Studio Sels. 30 years ago December 17, 1991 Steve Geppi sells the “Mile High” copy of Detective Comics #27 for $75,000 to Marvin Foreman. (Heritage will sell a 7.0 copy in 2020 for $1,500,000.) 30 years ago December 18, 1991 Sotheby’s holds its first auction of comic books and comic book art. Results include sales of a copy of Amazing Spider-Man #1 for $15,400. (Heritage will sell a 9.6 copy in 2021 for $3,600,000.) 30 years ago December 21, 1991 Artist, writer, and editor Sheldon Mayer dies at age 74. Instrumental in bringing Superman to Action Comics, he also created Sugar and Spike, Scribbly, The Red Tornado, Black Orchid, and Three Mouseketeers. 25 years ago December 22, 1996 Artist and teacher Jack Hamm dies at age 80. Lambiek says he was the first known comics artist to host an educational TV show about cartooning: The Jack Hamm Show. 20 years ago December 19, 2001 Cartoonist Dan DeCarlo dies at age 82. He created Sabrina, Josie and the Pussycats, and Cheryl Blossom. 15 years ago December 17, 2006 Golden Age writer Joe Gill dies at age 87. He co-created Captain Atom, Peacemaker, and Judomaster. 15 years ago December 18, 2006 Hanna-Barbera co-creator Joe Barbera dies at age 95. 15 years ago December 19, 2006 Jack Burnley dies following a fall at age 95. Born Hardin J. Burnley, he was a sports cartoonist who followed Joe Shuster as artist on Superman and co-created Starman with Gardner Fox. 10 years ago December 21, 2011 New Zealand artist Eric Resetar dies at age 83. Lambiek says he was the country’s first self-published comics creator. The Eric Awards for New Zealand Comics were named in his honor. 5 years ago December 20, 2016 Swiss cartoonist Philippe Becquelin (who worked as “Mix & Remix”) dies at age 58. 5 years ago December 20, 2016 Writer-artist Paul Peter Porges dies at age 89. He was especially known for his work for Mad, starting with the cover concept for #106. |
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| December 17 Spider-Girl first appeared in a one-shot story in the ongoing series What If #105 (December 17, 1997). Following positive fan response to the concept, Spider-Girl and two other series (A-Next and J2) set in the same alternate future universe were launched under the MC2 imprint. Although each of these titles were slated to be 12-issue limited series, Spider-Girl’s initial sales justified their continuation as ongoing titles. May “Mayday” Parker is the child of Peter and Mary Jane Parker in a future, alternate universe continuity. Peter and Mary Jane named their daughter after his Aunt May. For years, they chose to keep their past from May and hoped that she wouldn’t develop powers of her own. May began developing versions of her father’s spider-powers when she was 15. At the same time, Normie Osborn, grandson of the original Green Goblin, set out to restore the family name. May donned Ben Reilly’s Spider-Man costume to stop him and soon took to crime-fighting, at first hindered, then helped, by her worried parents. May Parker inherited many of the same abilities as her father, Peter Parker. Spider-Girl can adhere to almost any surface through a bio-magnetic field her body generates, allowing her to scale the sides of a building, just like a spider. Wall-crawling doesn’t come as naturally to May as Peter; she has to concentrate to keep herself from slipping off surfaces. In addition to adhering to surfaces, May can also repel herself like an opposing magnet, or she can repulse and adhere another object or person through a shared medium. For example, she can cause a person to stick to a wall they’re touching just by touching that same wall and willing them to, or she can just as easily violently push them away.  |
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| December 18 Pantha was a cat-like member of one of the incarnations of the Teen Titans. During her time with the Titans, she had no knowledge as to her origins: whether she was a woman or a female panther before the Wildebeest Society mutated her. But tragically, her ultimately fruitless search led her to many dead-ends. While many of the other Titans were close friends, Pantha went out of her way to alienate herself from the team. Pantha was overtly hostile towards her teammates, often ridiculing and berating them. Despite her attitude, her feral abilities made her a valuable asset to the team. Pantha’s human/panther physiology gave her superhuman strength, speed, and agility, as well as heightened senses (such as hearing, smelling, and night-vision), enhanced reflexes, and retractable claws on her hands and feet. She first appeared in New Titans #73 (December 18, 1990).  |
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