March 1-7

Here are some of the important beginnings, middles and ends for March 1-7, 2013, as well as some key anniversaries for the month presented by Maggie Thompson…

105 years ago March 5, 1908 Reuben-winning cartoonist Bob Dunn is born. He assists such creators as Jimmy Hatlo and Milt Gross in addition to creating his own Just the Type feature, is a cartoonist on Quick on the Draw TV show, invents the “knock knock” joke, and is a magician as well as serving as NCS president and toastmaster.

75 years ago March 3, 1938 Italian animator Bruno Bozzetto is born. He’s best known for Allegro Non Troppo.

75 years ago March 4, 5, or 6, 1938 Writer-artist Walter McDougall dies a suicide at the age of 80. He illustrated Bill Nye’s newspaper features, which made him the first syndicated newspaper artist. Among his many projects is McDougall’s Good Stories for Children, which he writes and draws for the New York Herald.

60 years ago March 3, 1953 Writer Dan Mishkin is born. He co-creates (with Gary Cohn) DC characters Amethyst and Blue Devil.

55 years ago March 7, 1958 Writer-artist Peter Gross is born. His work includes Empire Lanes, Books of Magic, The Unwritten, and Lucifer.

50 years ago March 4, 1963 Anthropomorphic comics artist Bill “Rusty” Fitts is born.

30 years ago March 3, 1983 Writer-artist Georges Remi dies of several ailments at age 75. As “Hergé,” he created the long-running character Tintin.

15 years ago March 1, 1998 Writer-artist-editor Archie Goodwin dies of cancer at age 60.

And for the month as a whole...

80 years ago March 1933 “The Man of Bronze” (Doc Savage) makes his debut in the first issue of the Street & Smith pulp Doc Savage Magazine.

75 years ago March 1938 Centaur Publications begins with Funny Pages V2#6, Funny Picture Stories V2#6, Star Comics #10, and Star Ranger V2#10.

70 years ago March 1943 The first appearance of Red Dragon in a comic-book story occurs in “The Scarecrow Fleet” in Red Dragon Comics #6.

70 years ago March 1943 Super Rabbit first appears in Comedy Comics #14.

70 years ago March 1943 Mr. Mind is introduced in Captain Marvel Adventures #22.

65 years ago March 1948 Two Gun Kid #1 introduces (yes) Two Gun Kid.

60 years ago March 1953 Atomic Mouse begins in Atomic Mouse #1.

55 years ago March 1958 Dell Four Color #895 introduces the TV series Wagon Train to comic books.

55 years ago March 1958 Mister Element (later known as Dr. Alchemy) is introduced in DC’s Showcase #13 in the Flash story “The Master of the Elements!” by John Broome, Carmine Infantino, and Frank Giacoia.

50 years ago March 1963 Adventure Comics #306 introduces Polar Boy, Night Girl, Chlorophyll Kid, Fire Lad, and Stone Boy in “The Legion of Substitute Heroes” by Edmond Hamilton and John Forte.

50 years ago March 1963 Marvel’s Tales of Suspense #39 begins the adventures of Tony Stark as Iron Man in “Iron Man is Born!” by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

50 years ago March 1963 Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man #1 introduces J. Jonah Jameson and The Chameleon.

45 years ago March 1968 DC’s Green Lantern #59 introduces Guy Gardner in “Earth’s Other Green Lantern!” by John Broome, Gil Kane, and Sid Greene.

40 years ago March 1973 Marvel’s Red Sonja makes her first full appearance in “The Song of Red Sonja” by Roy Thomas and Barry Smith (later Barry Windsor-Smith) in Conan the Barbarian #24.

35 years ago March 1978 DC’s Firestorm is introduced in “Make Way for Firestorm!” by Gerry Conway, Al Milgrom, Klaus Janson, and Joe Rubinstein in Firestorm, the Nuclear Man #1.

35 years ago March 1978 Steel the Indestructible Man is introduced in “From Hell is forged … a Hero!” by Gerry Conway, Don Heck, and Joe Giella in DC’s Steel #1.

35 years ago March 1978 Crimson Dynamo III (Alex Nevsky) is introduced in “The Replacement!” by Archie Goodwin, George Tuska, and “Joe Gaudioso” in Marvel’s Iron Man #21.

30 years ago March 1983 DC’s Batman #357 introduces Jason Todd (well, as part of the Todd family, anyway) in “Squid” by Gerry Conway, Don Newton, and Alfredo Alcala.

30 years ago March 1983 Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man #238 introduces Hobgoblin I in “Shadow of Evils Past” by Roger Stern, John Romita, and John Romita Jr.

25 years ago March 1988 DC’s Adventures of Superman #438 introduces the modern Brainiac (Milton Fine, Vril Dox) in “… The Amazing Brainiac” by John Byrne, Jerry Ordway, and John Beatty.

25 years ago March 1988 Venom first appears in a cameo in “Chance Encounter” by David Michelinie, Todd McFarlane, and Bob McLeod in Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man #298.

25 years ago March 1988 Web of Spider-Man #36 introduces Tombstone in a cameo in “Phreak-Out” by Gerry Conway, Alex Saviuk, and Keith Williams.