Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles and ends, this time for October 19-25, 2018...

125 years ago October 20, 1893 Tim Tyler’s Luck creator Lyman Young is born. (By the way, he’s the older brother of Blondie creator Chic Young.)

95 years ago October 19, 1923 Magazine gag cartoonist Jack Tippit is born. His credits include creation of the Amy panel cartoon, and he’s an active National Cartoonists Society organizer and officer.

90 years ago October 19, 1928 Dante Quinterno’s superhero character Patoruzú is introduced in Las Aventuras de Don Gil Contento.

70 years ago October 25, 1948 The Dutch Ministry of Culture declares that teachers should stop distributing dangerous and mind-corrupting comics.

65 years ago October 21, 1953 Editorial cartoonist George F. Kerr dies at age 83. He drew Golden Age Raggedy Ann and Andy stories anonymously for Dell.

65 years ago October 22, 1953 Prolific writer Steven Grant is born. His work includes his creations Whisper and 2 Guns, stories for characters ranging from Punisher to Reuben Flagg – and behind the scenes articles on the comics industry.

65 years ago October 24, 1953 Writer-editor Mindy Newell is born.

65 years ago October 24, 1953 First Comics editor Laurel Fitch is born.

60 years ago October 20, 1958 El Jabato by Victor Mora begins.

60 years ago October 23, 1958 Les Schtroumpfs are introduced in “La Flûte à Six Trous” in the Belgian comic Johan et Pirlouit by Peyo. (In the U.S., they’re known as “Smurfs.”)

55 years ago October 19, 1963 Writer-artist-editor Don Chin is born. His work includes Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters and contributions to such publications as Cracked and Comics Buyer’s Guide.

55 years ago October 20, 1963 Artist and letterer Paul Fricke is born.

55 years ago October 23, 1963 Award-winning writer-artist Eric Shanower is born. He is best known for his work on an assortment of Oz projects and for his Trojan War saga Age of Bronze.

55 years ago October 23, 1963 Artist Clarence D. Russell dies at age 68. His work included Pete the Tramp.

55 years ago October 24, 1963 Born Douglas Malcolm Wheatcroft, Douglas Croft dies at age 37. He was the first actor to play Robin, starring in the 1943 Batman serial.

45 years ago October 18, 1973 Animator, editorial cartoonist, and comic book and comic strip creator Walt Kelly dies of complications of diabetes at age 60. Best known for creating Pogo, he was a prolific Golden Age comic book writer-artist.

45 years ago October 25, 1973 Italian artist and actor Sebastiano Craveri dies at age 74. He created comics about Zoolandia and Formachino.

25 years ago October 20, 1993 Writer Gaylord DuBois dies at age 94. A major contributor to Golden Age Dell titles, he produced more than 3,000 stories (including much of its Tarzan and Western output) and created Turok.

10 years ago October 20, 2008 British artist Les Barton dies at age 84. He continued Billy Bunter.

10 years ago October 21, 2008 Comics fan Tom Fagan dies at age 76. He co-created the Rutland, Vermont, Halloween parade focus on comics – and appeared as a character in both DC and Marvel comics as a result.

5 years ago October 21, 2013 Spanish animator and artist José Luis Beltrán Coscojuela dies at age 82.

5 years ago October 21, 2013 Danish writer-artist Rune T. Kidde dies at age 56. He was co-founder of publishing company Baldur og Brage, cartoon studio Gimle, and comics workshop Tegneserievaerkstedt.

5 years ago October 22, 2013 Japanese manga artist Yanwari Kazama dies at age 36 from liver failure.