Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles and ends, this time for December 2-8, 2016...

115 years ago December 5, 1901 Producer, director, voice artist, and entrepreneur Walt Disney is born. He co-founds Walt Disney Productions and becomes winner of the highest number of Academy Awards and nominations.

95 years ago December 3, 1921 Leonard Dworkins (aka Leon Gordon) is born. He’s the newspaper strip artist on Skyroads and Buck Rogers.

95 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.

95 years ago December 6, 1921 Writer-artist Charles Wojtkoski is born. He’s best known as creator of Blue Beetle, for his work on such characters as Blonde Phantom and Nyoka, and for later work at Charlton and Marvel.

80 years ago December 2, 1936 Croatian artist and animator Zarko Beker is born.

80 years ago December 2, 1936 Cartoonist Dick Guindon is born.

80 years ago December 8, 1936 Marvel and Scholastic Books vice president Michael Hobson is born.

70 years ago December 6, 1946 Rolf Stark co-writer Marlene Stevens is born.

70 years ago December 7, 1946 “Morris” begins Lucky Luke in Le Journal de Spirou Almanach #47 with the story “Arizona 1880.”

55 years ago December 3, 1961 Cartoonist and writer-artist Donald Simpson is born. The creator of Megaton Man also works as “Anton Drek.”

55 years ago December 6, 1961 Artist Robin Riggs is born and is known for work for Marvel UK titles and IDW.

55 years ago December 6, 1961 Original-art dealer Valarie Jones is born. She co-founds (with Steve Donnelly) New Comics Group and is 1987-1990 editor in chief.

50 years ago December 2, 1966 Entertainment writer and editor and DVD documentary director Andy Mangels is born.

50 years ago December 6, 1966 Artist Leonard Kirk is born. He’s known for work including Supergirl and Marvel Adventures: The Avengers.

25 years ago December 4, 1991 Alex Graham dies of cancer at age 74. The Fred Basset creator also created the March 1953 New Yorker cartoon classic “Kindly take us to your president.”

15 years ago December 2, 2001 Chase Craig dies of complications after surgery at age 91. He worked as a writer, artist, and editor, especially for Western. He created Mary Jane (of “Mary Jane and Sniffles”) and was West Coast editor of many Gold Key titles.

5 years ago December 7, 2011 Artist, researcher, DC creative consultant, and award-winner Jerry Robinson dies at age 89.