Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles and ends, this time for July 29-August 4, 2016...

105 years ago August 1, 1911 Jackie Ormes is born. She’s known as the first African-American female cartoonist and creates Torchy Brown and Patt-Jo ’n’ Ginger.

95 years ago August 1, 1921 Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry is born.

85 years ago August 1, 1931 American Greetings designer and Ziggy cartoonist Tom Wilson is born. He begins the panel in 1971 and draws it until 1987.

50 years ago July 30, 1966 Artist Chris Sprouse is born. He co-creates Tom Strong with Alan Moore for America’s Best Comics.

50 years ago July 31, 1966 Comic strip Ben Casey, drawn by Neal Adams, ends.

50 years ago August 4, 1966 Artist Charlie Adlard is born. He’s especially known for his work on The Walking Dead.

25 years ago August 1, 1991 Jim DeCarlo dies at age 43 from the effects of a stroke. The son of Dan DeCarlo and twin of Dan DeCarlo Jr. was an Archie artist.

15 years ago August 4, 2001 Lorenzo Music dies of lung and bone cancer at age 64. Born Gerald David Music, the writer, actor, and voice artist voiced Garfield.

5 years ago July 29, 2011 Cowboys & Aliens opens, based on a pitch by Scott Rosenberg and, eventually, the Platinum Comics graphic novel by Rosenberg, Fred Van Lente, and others.

And here are the anniversaries spanning the month of August...

75 years ago August 1941 USA Comics #1 introduces The Defender, The Whizzer, Mr. Liberty, Rockman, Young Avenger, and Jack Frost. America’s not yet in the war—but our heroes tackle Nazis and Hitler anyway.

75 years ago August 1941 The cover of Quality Comics’ Police Comics #1 focuses on The Firebrand (“A Smashing New Character!”). But among other newbies is Jack Cole’s Plastic Man. Also introduced are The Human Bomb and Phantom Lady.

75 years ago August 1941 Quality’s Military Comics #1 features “stories of the Army and Navy.” And it stars and introduces “That new comic sensation Blackhawk.” As already noted, it’s a few months before America enters World War II, but the story’s focus is on Warsaw in 1939—and Nazis are the villains.

75 years ago August 1941 Harvey Comics begins with the digest-sized Pocket Comics #1 (100 pages for a dime!). “Biggest comics value in the world” offers “These great new comics”: Cadet Blakely, Spirit of ’76; Red Blazer (fiery foe of evil); Satan (“mad underworld dictator”); British Agent 99 (“aids England win the war”); The Phantom Sphynx (“super-ghost magician”); and, oh, yes, “Hollywood’s Mystery Girl” The Black Cat. Contributors include Otto Binder, Al Avison, Edd Ashe, and Louis Cazeneuve. Black Cat is created by Alfred Harvey and Barbara Hall. (The concept: It’s sort of as if Lana Turner were to use her spare time to battle crime.)

55 years ago August 1961 DC’s Superman #147 introduces the adult Legion of Super-Heroes—along with The Legion of Super-Villains in a story by Jerry Siegel, Curt Swan, and Sheldon Moldoff.

55 years ago August 1961 In “War of the Superboys” by Jerry Siegel in DC’s Adventure Comics #287, Kryptonian Dev-Em is introduced. (Watch out, Superboy, Dev-Em wants to continue a family feud!) Also in the issue: the introduction of Olsen-Bizarro and Bizarro Perry White in “Jimmy Olsen’s Kookie Scoops” by Siegel and John Forte. A Bizarro newspaper! That is kookie!

50 years ago August 1966 Uh oh! Green Goblin learns Spidey’s secret identity in Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man #39! And [Spoiler!] reveals himself to be Norman Osborn. John Romita and Mike Esposito take over the series’ art with “How Green Was My Goblin!” by Stan Lee.

50 years ago August 1966 In “The Way It Began ..!” Marvel’s Fantastic Four #53 introduces Klaw with a tale by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Joe Sinnott of his first attack on Wakanda.

50 years ago August 1966 “Now! The book you asked for!” Tower’s Dynamo #1 features “the greatest Thunder Agent of them all!” (Yeah, they dropped the “T.H.U.N.D.E.R.” bit on the cover.) Creators of the issue include Wally Wood, Ralph Reese, Mike Sekowsky, Frank Giacoia, Steve Ditko, and John Giunta. (The company’s Fight the Enemy war comic book makes its debut this month, too.)

45 years ago August 1971 Dick Giordano is elected president of The Academy of Comic Book Arts. Also elected: VP Neal Adams, secretary Sal Amendola, and treasurer Mimi Gold.

45 years ago August 1971 “The shocking truth about drugs!” In Green Lantern #85, “Snowbirds Don’t Fly” begins, with Green Arrow (and readers) shocked to discover, “My ward is a junkie!” “DC attacks youth’s greatest problem … drugs!” with Comics Code approval.

45 years ago August 1971 DC raises prices from 15¢ to “Only 25¢ bigger & better” (with page count going from 36 to 52).

40 years ago August 1976 Wrapping up four years of publication, DC’s Swamp Thing #24 ends the series with “the mystery of Alec Holland” as told in “The Earth Below” by David Anthony Kraft, Gerry Conway, Ernie Chan, and Fred Carrillo.

40 years ago August 1976 Marvel’s The Champions #7 introduces Darkstar and others in “The Man Who Created The Black Widow” by Tony Isabella, George Tuska, and Vince Colletta.

40 years ago August 1976 Marvel Team-Up #48 introduces Captain Jean DeWolff in “A Fine Night for Dying!” by Bill Mantlo, Sal Buscema, Mike Esposito, and Dave Hunt. (Psst! It also introduces Officer Grady and Wraith—the latter of whom happens to be Brian DeWolff. Just saying.)

35 years ago August 1981 “Extra! Meet the sensational all-new All-Star Squadron in a special free 16-page comic!” (It’s “an instant collector’s item—from the New DC!”) DC’s Justice League of America #193 previews the team in a story by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler, Jerry Ordway, and Dick Giordano.

35 years ago August 1981 Star-Lord (remember him?) gets the cover of Marvel Premiere #61, the last issue of the series.

35 years ago August 1981 It began nearly five years earlier; now, with #47, DC’s Super Friends ends the comic book based on the Saturday morning animated series. “The Demons from the Green Hell” is by E. Nelson Bridwell, Romeo Tanghal, and Vince Colletta.

30 years ago August 1986 Following the Shadow War of Hawkman miniseries, DC revives Hawkman in his own monthly title with Hawkman #1, written by Tony Isabella and drawn by Richard Howell and Don Heck.

30 years ago August 1986 Elektra: Assassin #1 is the first of the memorable eight-issue limited series written by Frank Miller and drawn by Bill Sienkiewicz.

30 years ago August 1986 “Is this the end of The Doctor?!” Could be—at least for the time being. Marvel’s Doctor Who #23 is the last issue of Marvel’s direct-sales-only reprints of the British stories.

25 years ago August 1991 “Beware … the power of the Protege!” Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy #15 introduces Protege in a story by Jim Valentino and Steve Montano.

25 years ago August 1991 In June, Marvel’s X-Force #1 (August 1991) by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld beat the record set by Spider-Man #1, thanks in part to a marketing gimmick in which collector’s cards are bagged with the issue. The paid circulation comes to about 3,900,000.

20 years ago August 1996 “Farewell to a living legend.” Marvel’s Captain America #454 is the last issue. “Sanctuary” is by Mark Waid, Ron Garney, and Scott Koblish.

5 years ago August 2011 Scholastic releases the graphic novel Bad Island by Doug TenNapel. (“This island is up to no good …”)

5 years ago August 2011 Angel & Faith #1 from Dark Horse kicks off the beginning of the ninth season of the extension of Joss Whedon’s characters. “Live through This, Part One” is by Christos Gage and Rebekah Isaacs.