Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles and ends, this time for August 18-24, 2017...

110 years ago August 20, 1907 Radio performer and voice artist Alan Reed is born. He’s best known for his performances as Fred Flintstone.

85 years ago August 24, 1932 Penciller, inker, and letterer Jim Aparo is born.

70 years ago August 20, 1947 “The Father of the American Comic Book,” Maxwell Charles Gaines, dies at age 52 in a boating accident in Lake Placid, NY. The comic book pioneer devised newsprint comics periodicals, co-published All-American Publications, founded Educational Comics, and was father of Bill Gaines.

65 years ago August 23, 1952 Writer-artist Terry Austin is born.

50 years ago August 18, 1967 Award-winning writer Brian Michael Bendis is born. He begins his career writing and drawing noir crime comics and goes on to write many series for Marvel.

40 years ago August 20, 1977 Frank Robbins’ Johnny Hazard comic strip ends.