Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles and ends, this time for February 17-23, 2017...
285 years ago February 22, 1732 George Washington is born. OK, yeah, but he’s appeared in a bunch of comic book stories over the years, just saying. Have you read “The Marvel Family Battles the Democracy Smasher”? Or “Supergirl’s Three Time Trips!”?
130 years ago February 19, 1887 Cartoonist, screenwriter, director, and Terrytoons producer Paul Terry is born.
100 years ago February 22, 1917 Reed Crandall is born. The Golden Age artist is especially noted for his work for Quality Comics (through the Eisner-Iger shop) and goes on to work on the E.C. line, Warren comics, and Tower Comics.
65 years ago February 17, 1952 Beyond Mars begins. The comic strip is created and written by Jack Williamson and drawn by Lee Elias.
65 years ago February 20, 1952 Writer, historian, colorist, and editor of the ongoing line of Shadow and Doc Savage reprints Anthony Tollin is born.
65 years ago February 23, 1952 Fleetway’s Lion #1 introduces Robot Archie by E. George Cowan and Ted Kearon.
60 years ago February 19, 1957 Award-winning artist Gerry Shamray is born. He works on Harvey Pekar’s American Splendor and Tom Batiuk’s John Darling and writes and draws Cleveland and Wyse Advice.
60 years ago February 23, 1957 Writer-artist Eric Lurio is born.
50 years ago February 20, 1967 Voice artist Kath Soucie is born. She’s known for such roles as Phil and Lil on Rugrats, Kitty Pryde on Pryde of the X-Men, Cubert on Futurama, and Kanga on Winnie the Pooh.
50 years ago February 21, 1967 Writer-artist Brian Douglas Ahern is born. He signs his work “Briz.”
40 years ago February 18, 1977 Character actor Andy Devine dies of leukemia at age 71. His roles as a cowboy sidekick led to licensing his name and image to Fawcett comics for Andy Devine Western.
40 years ago February 21, 1977 Award-winning animator John Hubley dies at age 62 during heart surgery. Initially a Disney artist, the creator of Mr. Magoo co-founded Storyboard Studios with his wife, Faith.
30 years ago February 20, 1987 Eisner Hall of Fame artist Wayne Boring dies of a heart attack at age 81. He was especially known for his work on Superman stories.
30 years ago February 20, 1987 Edgar P. Jacobs dies at age 82. The writer-artist was a pioneer of the European comics movement and created Blake et Mortimer.
25 years ago February 17, 1992 Nancy by Jerry Scott introduces George Bush visiting her school in a two-week series, the first time Scott uses a real person in the comic strip.
15 years ago February 22, 2002 Award-winning animator, artist, writer, producer, and director Chuck Jones dies of heart failure at age 89. He’s especially known for the Warner Brothers Road Runner cartoons.
10 years ago February 18, 2007 Writer-artist Bob Oksner dies at age 90. He created the second Marvel Boy in the Golden Age and is especially noted for his work on Angel and the Ape and on such licensed comedy comics as The Adventures of Jerry Lewis as well as superhero stories. He wrote Dondi for a while and co-created (with Don Weldon) and drew the Soozi strip.
10 years ago February 21, 2007 Lifelong actor Hal Stone dies at age 75. In a career beginning on Broadway at age 7, he went on to play Jughead on the Archie Andrews radio show. His autobiography is titled Aw … Relax, Archie! Re-lax!
10 years ago February 22, 2007 Award-winning artist Irwin Caplan dies at age 87 of complications relating to Parkinson’s disease. He co-founded Graphic Studios and created Famous Last Words for The Saturday Evening Post. He also produced the syndicated feature 48 States of Mind and taught art.
