Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles and ends, this time for September 22-28, 2017...

225 years ago September 27, 1792 British caricaturist and illustrator George Cruikshank is born. He helps to develop “John Bull” as the personification of England.

105 years ago September 22, 1912 Japanese writer-artist and political cartoonist Kon Shimizu is born. He creates Tokyo Senichi ya Monogatari and Kappa no Kawatoro.

95 years ago September 25, 1922 Roz Kirby is born Rosalind Goldstein. She marries Jack Kirby in 1942 and joins him in outreach to fans in the years that follow.

90 years ago September 27, 1927 Writer-artist Jack Katz is born. Though his career begins in the Golden Age, he is best known for his creation of The First Kingdom graphic novel series.

70 years ago September 27, 1947 Walt Disney’s Fun and Fancy Free opens. The animated “full-length musical cartoon feature” consists of two short films: “Bongo” and “Mickey and the Beanstalk.”

70 years ago September 28, 1947 Will Eisner’s Spirit newspaper insert section introduces flying saucers to comics three months after the June 25 first alleged sighting in Idaho.

65 years ago September 22, 1952 Harold Tucker Webster dies at age 67. He created The Timid Soul, Life’s Darkest Moments, and other panel cartoons (eventually totaling more than 16,000).

65 years ago September 24, 1952 Writer Bill Vallely is born.

65 years ago September 25, 1952 Actor, director, producer, and writer Christopher Reeve is born. He stars as Superman in features in 1978, 1980, 1983, and 1987.

60 years ago September 28, 1957 Michael Eury is born. The writer-editor is known for his work for DC, Dark Horse, and TwoMorrows.

55 years ago September 22, 1962 Artist, letterer, and colorist Steve Lavigne is born. He’s especially known for his work on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

55 years ago September 24, 1962 Art director, editor, and writer Mark Mazz is born.

55 years ago September 24, 1962 Artist Darren Goodhart is born.

35 years ago September 23, 1982 Gene Day dies of a heart attack at the age of around 30. The Canadian artist is known for work on Marvel’s Star Wars comics.

35 years ago September 24, 1982 Cartoonist Matthew Inman is born. He creates the award-winning web comic The Oatmeal.

30 years ago September 23, 1987 Walter M. Baumhofer dies at age 82. The pulp cover artist of the 1930s was the first cover illustrator for Doc Savage.

25 years ago September 27, 1992 Chinese comics artist Zhang Leping dies at age 91. He was the pioneering manhua creator of Sanmao.

10 years ago September 24, 2007 The Big Bang Theory begins. The nerd-centric sitcom focuses on science and pop culture themes, relationships, and situations, including comics shop visits and Comic-Con International: San Diego trips.