Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles and ends, this time for January 11-17, 2019...
115 years ago January 11, 1904 George Frink’s Circus Solly begins.
105 years ago January 14, 1914 Golden Age artist Vince Alascia is born. He is best known for his work on the Captain America feature and for his two decades of work at Charlton.
90 years ago January 11, 1929 Kenkoy by Tony Velasquez begins.
90 years ago January 16, 1929 The Funnies begins from Dell. The first all-original content U.S. comic book, though not in today’s comic book format, was sold on newsstands.
90 years ago January 17, 1929 Elzie Segar’s Thimble Theatre introduces Popeye.
80 years ago January 11, 1939 Manga artist (specializing in sports adventures) Tetsuya Chiba is born.
60 years ago January 11, 1959 Writer-editor Bob Harras is born. He’s DC Comics editor in chief and vice president.
60 years ago January 11, 1959 It’s Only a Game by Charles Schulz ends.
60 years ago January 15, 1959 Writer-artist Bill Morrison is born. He co-founds Bongo Comics with Matt Groening and Steve and Cindy Vance, directs Futurama, and creates Roswell (the comic book, not the town).
60 years ago January 17, 1959 Peggy May Ordway is born. She edits DC’s Direct Currents in the 1980s and 1990s.
55 years ago January 11, 1964 British magazine Jackie begins.
55 years ago January 15, 1964 Norman Felchle is born. In addition to his comics art, he’s Senior Concept Artist in The Sims division of Electronic Arts.
55 years ago January 17, 1964 British artist Percy Cocking dies at age 82.
50 years ago January 17, 1969 Colorist and pin-up artist Earl Duvall is born.
45 years ago January 15, 1974 Writer-editor Richard E. Hughes (born Leo Rosenbaum) dies of myelofibrosis at age 64. The ACG editor wrote most of its stories under pseudonyms, including his co-creation (with Ogden Whitney) of Herbie Popnecker.
35 years ago January 13, 1984 Artist Ray Moore dies at age 78 or 79. He was the original artist of The Phantom (written by Lee Falk).
35 years ago January 15, 1984 Artist Tom Hickey dies at age 73. He worked for DC, Dell, Hawley, Quality, Harvey, and Lev Gleason.
30 years ago January 17, 1989 British cartoonist Malcolm Judge dies at age 70 or 71. His work included “The Numskulls” and “Billy Whizz” for D.C. Thomson.
25 years ago January 14, 1994 Fleetway cancels Eagle with #574.
20 years ago January 15, 1999 Serbian writer-artist Bozidar Veselinović dies, age 77. He was best known for Dabisa.
5 years ago January 16, 2014 Artist, editor, store owner, and publisher Gary Arlington dies at age 75 from heart failure. He founded the San Francisco Comic Book Company.
