With this issue of Scoop "Turning Points" by Maggie Thompson debuts. We're thrilled to have Maggie on board and sharing some of her vast repository of pop culture knowledge with us.

February 1-7, 2013

135 years ago Feb. 1, 1878 British caricaturist and illustrator George Cruikshank, who helped to develop the “John Bull” personification of England, dies at age 85.

105 years ago Feb. 6, 1908 Warner Brothers artist and story man Michael Maltese is born. Not only does he create such characters as Pepe le Pew, Road Runner, Coyote, and Michigan J. Frog (often collaborating with Chuck Jones), he also writes comics for Gold Key.

70 years ago Feb. 2, 1943 Comics buff Tom McGeehan is born. With his brother, John, he co-creates the fan indexing project “The House of Info,” which maintains detailed information on early comics fanzines.

70 years ago Feb. 6, 1943 Walt Disney’s live-action and cartoon combination Saludos Amigos opens in the United States. Donald Duck and Goofy are featured in the South American anthology, as is the animated airplane Pedro, and Joe Carioca is introduced.

65 years ago Feb. 1, 1948 Journalist and comics historian and columnist Michelle Nolan is born.

60 years ago Feb. 3, 1953 Writer-editor-translator Randy Lofficier is born. She also publishes material with her husband, Jean-Marc Lofficier.

60 years ago Feb. 5, 1953 Walt Disney’s Peter Pan opens, starring voice artists including Bobby Driscoll (the first boy to play the title role), Kathryn Beaumont, and Hans Conried. It also marks the introduction of Tinker Bell, who becomes something of a hostess for Disney productions, as more than a beam of light. 

60 years ago Feb. 7, 1953 Artist and designer Richard Bruning is born.

50 years ago Feb. 5, 1963 Writer-artist Mark Bloodworth is born. He specializes in horror comics.

35 years ago Feb. 4, 1978 Writer Leah Moore is born. The daughter of Alan and Phyllis Moore co-writes Wild Girl.

5 years ago Feb. 3, 2008 Gordo comic strip writer-artist Gus Arriola dies at age 90.