Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles and ends, this time for October 6-12, 2017...
120 years ago October 12, 1897 Charles Henry Ross dies at age 62. The British comics writer-artist co-created Ally Sloper with Isabelle de Tessier.
110 years ago October 8, 1907 Award-winning Disney and UPI animator Arthur Babbitt is born. He designs the witch in Snow White and Gepetto in Pinocchio and leads the 1941 Disney Studio strike.
100 years ago October 12, 1917 Roger Armstrong is born. The teacher draws such titles as Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Comics, among other Dell comics.
75 years ago October 11, 1942 Milton Caniff draws special Terry and the Pirates strips featuring Burma for service newspapers beginning this date.
70 years ago October 10, 1947 Chicago Mayor Martin Kennelly bans the sale of Crime Does Not Pay comic books in the city.
70 years ago October 11, 1947 Cartoonist Ippei Okamoto dies at age 61. He helped to form the first Japanese cartoonists’ organization and introduced U.S. strips to Japan.
70 years ago October 12, 1947 The cartoonist creator of Rose Is Rose, Pat Brady, is born.
65 years ago October 11, 1952 Jim Woodring is born. The artist-writer is especially known for Jim and Frank.
60 years ago October 11, 1957 Edmond-François Calvo dies at age 65. The influential French funny-animal writer-artist was especially known for La Bête Est Mort.
55 years ago October 6, 1962 Artist Jim Nelson is born.
50 years ago October 10, 1967 Editor and letterer Douglas W. Dlin is born.
45 years ago October 7, 1972 The Mighty World of Marvel #1 kicks off a weekly series of British reprints of Marvel comics.
35 years ago October 10, 1982 Ben Krefta is born. The manga-style artist also produces “how to” art books.
25 years ago October 9, 1992 The Words & Pictures Museum of Fine Sequential Art (founded by Kevin Eastman) opens in Northampton, MA.
10 years ago October 10, 2007 Fan John Simpson dies of cancer at age 51.