Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles and ends, this time for March 9-15, 2018...
100 years ago March 9, 1918 Writer Mickey Spillane is born. He works in the comics field in the 1940s before becoming best known for his Mike Hammer novels. Spillane’s comics connections include Ms. Tree and Mike Danger.
95 years ago March 9, 1923 Child actor Paul Fung is born. He grows up to draw the Blondie comic book for more than 40 years.
95 years ago March 15, 1923 Skippy by Percy Crosby begins.
95 years ago March 9, 1923 Prolific comics artist Benito Jacovitti is born. Creator of Cocco Bill, he creates many features and characters for Il Vittorioso and other magazines.
90 years ago March 12, 1928 Artist Sy Barry is born. He draws The Phantom comic strip for 30 years, following artists Ray Moore and Wilson McCoy.
75 years ago March 15, 1943 Editor-writer John R. Cochran is born. He edits for Warren Publications and writes for magazines including Comic Book Artist and Alter Ego.
70 years ago March 15, 1948 Rupert Bear creator Mary Tourtel dies, age 74.
65 years ago March 9, 1953 The Heart of Juliet Jones by Elliott Caplin and Stan Drake begins.
65 years ago March 12, 1953 Writer-editor R.A. Jones is born. His work includes Scimidar and Bulletproof Monk.
55 years ago March 9, 1963 Writer-artist Mike Wolfer is born. Much of his work appears from Avatar Press and Ground Zero Comics.
50 years ago March 11, 1968 Boner’s Ark by Mort Walker begins.
50 years ago March 12, 1968 Disney comic strip writer Ted Osborne dies at age 67 or 68. (His birthdate was given as February 6, 1900 or 1901.)
45 years ago March 14, 1973 Blondie creator Murat “Chic” Young dies at age 72.
30 years ago March 14, 1988 Time celebrates Superman’s 50th anniversary and features art by John Byrne and Jerry Ordway.
10 years ago March 10, 2008 Artist-writer Dave Stevens dies at age 52 of hairy cell leukemia. He created The Rocketeer.