Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles and ends, this time for September 30-October 6, 2016...
100 years ago October 6, 1916 Robert Powell is born as Stanislav Robert Pawlowski. The Golden Age artist of Sheena and Mr. Mystic co-writes the debut of Blackhawk, pencils Mars Attacks gum cards, and is art director of Sick.
85 years ago October 4, 1931 Chester Gould’s Dick Tracy strip begins this Sunday, making its debut in the Detroit Mirror.
70 years ago September 30, 1946 Writer-editor Howard Zimmerman is born.
65 years ago September 30, 1951 Colorist, dealer, and con organizer Ken Feduniewicz is born.
65 years ago September 30, 1951 Editor-publisher Deni Loubert is born.
60 years ago September 30, 1956 Dick Tracy gets a crewcut in Chester Gould’s strip.
60 years ago October 6, 1956 Kathleen A. Webb is born. She writes and draws for Archie Comics.
50 years ago September 30, 1966 Writer-editor Dan Danko is born.
50 years ago October 6, 1966 Writer Darwin McPherson is born.
45 years ago October 1, 1971 Walt Disney World opens near Orlando, Florida.
30 years ago October 6, 1986 Mike Carlin joins the DC Comics staff as editor.
15 years ago September 30, 2001 George Gately dies of a heart attack at age 72. Born George Gately Gallagher, the cartoonist created the Heathcliff newspaper panel.
And here are the anniversaries spanning the month of October...
80 years ago October 1936 Dell’s The Funnies #1 (later to change its name to New Funnies) cover-features Major Hoople of Gene Aherne’s Our Boarding House and A. Mutt of Bud Fisher’s Mutt and Jeff, which it introduces to comic books. But, hey, also introduced to comic books in the issue are such features as V.T. Hamlin’s Alley Oop, Gladys Parker’s Flapper Fanny, Hal Forrest’s Tailspin Tommy, and Roy Crane’s Captain Easy. Oh, and it subtitles its cover logo “The Funnies” to add “for all the family.”
80 years ago October 1936 More Fun Comics #14 (otherwise known as Vol. 2 #2) contains the first appearance of Dr. Occult in color and as a DC character. See, here’s the thing: The Comics Magazine #1 (May 1936, published by “Comics Magazine Company, Inc.”) featured Dr. Mystic. Now he’s changed his name, and his story is announced as “Part 2”—but it’s in a DC series. Oh—and you may have heard of the guys who contribute the “Toth and the Seven” story: They’re Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
75 years ago October 1941 Classic Comics #1 is the first comic book to go into endless reprints and is the first “educational theme” newsstand comic book and the first publication from Gilberton. Oh, the title of the first adaptation? It’s The Three Musketeers, and the Alexandre Dumas tale is adapted by Malcolm Kildale.
75 years ago October 1941 Quality’s Military Comics #3 introduces Chop-Chop, who isn’t offensive at all. Well … Ummm … Anyway, “The Doomed Battalion!” is by Will Eisner and Chuck Cuidera. (Chop-Chop survives a plane crash on Blackhawk Island and sets the team on another mission.)
75 years ago October 1941 DC’s Adventure Comics #67 introduces the Starman foe The Mist in “The Menace of the Invisible Raiders!” by Alfred Bester, Jack Burnley, and Ray Burnley. Hey, how come the government passed up an opportunity to get The Mist’s inviso-solution? Gee!
75 years ago October 1941 DC’s Star Spangled Comics #1 (which, by the way, also introduces its Editorial Advisory Board) introduces Tarantula in a story by Mort Weisinger and Hal Sharp. Oh, and it introduces both The Star-Spangled Kid and Stripesy by Jerry Siegel and Hal Sherman.
75 years ago October 1941 Fiction House’s Fight Comics (which features “two-fisted Americans in action”) #15 introduces Super-American. He “answers his Nation’s zero-hour s.o.s.” After all, in this issue, dated two months before Pearl Harbor, the cover proclaims, “Washington invaded … Fifth Columnists run wild … The skies rain parachute troops … Then into the midst of the dictator-spawned violence zooms a future U.S. soldier, summoned by a despairing scientist from the advanced year 2350.” “What a man!” He comes back “through time to battle the ‘Hordes of the Secret Dictator’” in a story drawn by Dan Zolnerowich. [There are armbands on the enemy – but the insignia … Well, it’s sort of a doughnut.] Whew! Thank goodness that scientist manages to develop The Chronopticon!
75 years ago October 1941 Centaur’s Amazing-Man Comics #24 introduces Nightshade in a story calling him “Nemisis of Gangdom.” Well, hey, they don’t have Spellcheck in 1941. Anyway, Howard Hall’s shadow is special.
75 years ago October 1941 Ace Magazines’ Our Flag Comics #2 introduces The Flag, who “smashes his star-spangled way through the attacking enemy forces—to victory.”
70 years ago October 1946 Princess Pantha first appears in Pines’ Thrilling Comics #56. Yeah, she didn’t actually grow up in the jungles—but the circus performer manages to make jungly Africa her home, while she looks for a white gorilla. (Everyone needs a hobby.)
55 years ago October 1961 Untouchables first appears in comic books in Dell’s Four Color #1237. “Elliot Ness strikes fast to break up one of the biggest crime syndicates in gangland history.” Robert Stack joins other series performers for the cover photo. Interior art is by Dan Spiegle.
55 years ago October 1961 “The most fearful menace of them all!” Marvel’s Strange Tales #89 introduces Fin Fang Foom in a story drawn by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers.
50 years ago October 1966 DC’s Adventure Comics #349 introduces Universo (“The Unwanted”) and [Spoiler!] his son, Rond Vidar. “You will let me join the Legion! You have no choice … Say it, Legionnaires!” “The Rogue Legionnaire” is by Jim Shooter, Curt Swan, and George Klein.
50 years ago October 1966 Doggone it. “The suspense is over!” There were those who, though they may not have applauded Alfred’s departure via boulder in DC’s Detective Comics #328 (June 1964) and … Oh, never mind. [Spoiler!] “Inside Story of The Outsider!” by Gardner Fox, Sheldon Moldoff, and Joe Giella features “Batman’s most mysterious foe unmasked at last!” in #356. Geez.
50 years ago October 1966 Marvel’s The Amazing Spider-Man #41 introduces Rhino in a story by Stan Lee, John Romita, Bill Ward, and Mike Esposito.
45 years ago October 1971 “Fool! It will take more than a freak with six arms to stop—a Vampire!” Amazing Spider-Man #101 introduces Morbius the Living Vampire. (About the six arms line … Long story. Don’t worry about it.) The story’s by Roy Thomas, Gil Kane, and Frank Giacoia.
45 years ago October 1971 “Big bonus! Big surprise!” DC’s Mister Miracle #4 introduces Big Barda in “The Closing Jaws of Death!” by Jack Kirby and Vince Colletta.
45 years ago October 1971 DC cancels Girls’ Romances with #160. Appropriately enough, one of the cover-featured stories is “I Begged Him … Kiss Me Goodby!” Choke! Sob!
40 years ago October 1976 Marvel Premiere #32 introduces Monarck Starstalker in a story of “savage science fantasy” by Howard Chaykin. “The galaxy is his hunting ground … its deadliest inhabitants his prey!!”
40 years ago October 1976 The third Black Talon (Samuel Barone) is introduced in Marvel’s The Avengers #152 in “Nightmare in New Orleans!” by Steve Englehart, Gerry Conway, John Buscema, and Joe Sinnott. “Nothing can stop me now!” Oh, yeah?
40 years ago October 1976 In The X-Men #101, Marvel Girl becomes Phoenix “in the mutant heroes’ hour of maximum peril,” and Black Tom Cassidy makes his first full appearance. “Like a Phoenix, from the Ashes!” is by Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum, and Frank Chiaramonte.
40 years ago October 1976 “Now…Richie Rich as SupeRichie” says the cover of Harvey’s Superichie #5, which (yes) introduces Superichie (or SupeRichie). “‘The Pirates are coming’…and Richie and Cadbury are ready!” Um, yeah.
40 years ago October 1976 “If the Goldbug doesn’t destroy you, Cage—then Thunderbolt will!” Marvel’s Power Man #41 introduces Goldbug and Thunderbolt in a story by Marv Wolfman, Lee Elias, and Tom Palmer.
30 years ago October 1986 Marvel launches its “New Universe” with Spitfire and the Troubleshooters #1 (by Eliot Brown, John Morelli, Gerry Conway, Herb Trimpe, Joe Sinnott, and Tom Morgan) and Star Brand #1 (by Jim Shooter, John Romita Jr., and Al Williamson).
30 years ago October 1986 Dylan Dog begins from Bonelli. The black-and-white issue features “L’alba dei morti viventi” by Tiziano Sclavi and Angelo Stano.
30 years ago October 1986 DC’s The New Teen Titans #24 introduces the villainous group called The Hybrid (“Horror is … The Hybrid!”) and the Promethium that causes a bunch o’ problems. “Hell Is The Hybrid” is by Marv Wolfman, Ed Barreto, and Romeo Tanghal.
30 years ago October 1986 Marvel’s The Uncanny X-Men #210 introduces The Marauders: Arclight, Blockbuster, Harpoon, Riptide, Scalphunter, Scrambler, and Vertigo. “The Morning After” is by Chris Claremont, John Romita Jr., and Dan Green.
30 years ago October 1986 Marvel’s G.I. Joe Special Missions #1 kicks off the series with “That Sinking Feeling” by Larry Hama and Herb Trimpe.
30 years ago October 1986 DC kicks off its revamps of existing Superman characters in Man of Steel #1 by John Byrne and Dick Giordano with a look at Lara and Jor-El. And (45 years after his 1941 introduction) of Star-Spangled Kid as Skyman in Infinity, Inc. #31 by Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas, Todd McFarlane, and Tony DeZuniga.
30 years ago October 1986 Marvel’s Web of Spider-Man #19 introduces Humbug (“the most offbeat Spidey villain yet!”) and Solo in “Humbug!” by David Michelinie, Marc Silvestri, and Bob McLeod.
30 years ago October 1986 Marvel’s Thor #372 introduces the Time Variance Authority (it keeps an eye on timelines in what amounts to a tribute to Mark Gruenwald’s continuity concerns) in “Without Justice, There Is No Peace” by Walter Simonson, Sal Buscema, Bret Blevins, and Al Williamson.
25 years ago October 1991 Marvel revamps include the new X-Factor team (with Havok in charge) in X-Factor #71 (“Cutting the Mustard” is by Peter David, Larry Stroman, and Al Milgrom) and X-Men in X-Men #1 (with variant covers and “Rubicon” by Jim Lee, Chris Claremont, and Scott Williams, featuring the “Blue Team” of Beast, Cyclops, Gambit, Psylocke, Rogue, and Wolverine) and The Uncanny X-Men #281 (“Fresh Upstart” by Lee, Whilce Portacio, John Byrne, and Art Thibert, featuring the “Gold Team” of Archangel, Colossus, Jean Grey, Iceman, and Storm and mentioning The Upstarts for the first time). [Note: This entry contains the longest sentence in October’s installment.]
25 years ago October 1991 Magnus Robot Fighter #5 from Acclaim/Valiant introduces Rai in a flip story with its own Rai #1 cover.
25 years ago October 1991 Joseph Martin turns into his version of DC’s Atomic Skull in Action Comics #670. Doggone that metagene! Anyway, the issue also features the first appearance of Lex Luthor’s sort-of “son,” in “Skullduggery” by Roger Stern, Bob McLeod, and Denis Rodier.
25 years ago October 1991 Amid several other last issues from an assortment of companies this month, Fleetway cancels Crisis with #63 (the cover announcing “Last Issue”), and the cover of Marvel’s Sweet XVI #6 announces it’s the “fun-filled final issue!”—and Marvel’s Foolkiller #10 is labeled “The final fool.”
25 years ago October 1991 Barry Dutter, Jim Salicrup, Jose Delbo, and Mike DeCarlo adapt the TV series for Marvel’s Captain Planet and the Planeteers #1.
25 years ago October 1991 Marvel kicks off NFL Superpro with its first issue. “You Bet Your Life” is by Fabian Nicieza, Jose Delbo, and Mike DeCarlo. “He went from sacking quarterbacks to tackling crime.”
5 years ago October 2011 DC wraps up its two-month line of DC Retroactive one-shots: 1970s-1990s decade-focused revisits of its main characters before the start of its “New 52” revamp project.
