Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for April 12-18, 2019...
170 years ago April 18, 1849 Japanese artist Hokusai Katsushika dies, age 88. The influential artist and printmaker of the Edo period created 15 volumes of influential Hokusai Manga.
115 years ago April 16, 1904 Mrs. Hippo’s Kindergarten by Julius Stafford Baker begins in The Daily Mirror. It features Tiger Tim, who gets a spinoff later in the year.
105 years ago April 17, 1914 Golden Age artist Mac Raboy is born. He’s best known for his work on comic books featuring Captain Marvel Jr. and Green Lama and for his work on the Flash Gordon comic strip.
100 years ago April 15, 1919 Argentine artist Alberto Breccia is born. Director of the Pan-American School of Arts, which he co-founds, he co-creates the Mort Cinder series with Héctor German Oesterheld.
95 years ago April 13, 1924 Cartoonist Jack Chick is born. He produces so-called “Chick Tracts.”
95 years ago April 14, 1924 Wash Tubbs by Roy Crane begins. Initially titled Washington Tubbs II, it starts as a gag a day strip and quickly becomes an action-adventure feature.
85 years ago April 15, 1934 Blondie introduces the birth of Dagwood and Blondie’s first child, a boy, first called Baby Dumpling (later, Alexander).
70 years ago April 14, 1949 Award-winning writer-artist Dave Gibbons is born. His work includes Watchmen (with writer Alan Moore) and art for Doctor Who comic book stories.
65 years ago April 14, 1954 Writer Chuck Dixon is born. He’s known for work on Punisher, Batman, Sigil, Way of the Rat, Airboy, Simpsons Comics, and many others.
65 years ago April 14, 1954 The anthropomorphic strip Chlorophylle by Raymond Macherot begins.
65 years ago April 15, 1954 Political cartoonist Bruce Beattie is born. He is National Cartoonists Society President from 1993 to 1995 and creates SNAFU, eventually renamed Beattie Blvd.
60 years ago April 13, 1959 Cartoonist and teacher Bill Staton is born. He co-writes and draws Captain Armadillo.
60 years ago April 14, 1959 Cerebus background artist Gerhard is born.
60 years ago April 15, 1959 Artist Harry B. Martin dies of cerebral thrombosis at age 85. The cartoonist and golf writer created the “Weatherbird” character.
60 years ago April 16, 1959 Artist Paul Rivoche is born.
55 years ago April 16, 1964 Letterer Steve Haynie is born.
55 years ago April 17, 1964 Writer-editor-artist Ben Dunn is born. He founds Antarctic Press and Sentai Studios and creates Ninja High School and Warrior Nun Areala.
50 years ago April 16, 1969 Swedish artist Nils Larsson dies, age 91.
35 years ago April 12, 1984 The Duck Factory makes its debut on NBC, featuring Jim Carrey as a young artist looking for work as an animator and finding a job on The Dippy Duck Show.
20 years ago April 12, 1999 Argentine writer Ricardo Barreiro dies of larynx cancer, age 49.
20 years ago April 13, 1999 Dutch artist, radio producer, and presenter Flip van der Schalie dies, age 75. He created Bollie Bof.
20 years ago April 14, 1999 Artist, puppeteer, and TV producer Vic Herman dies, age 79. He helped create and design such characters as Elsie the Cow and Reddy Kilowatt, created the panel character Winnie the WAC, and helped create Little Dot.
15 years ago April 14, 2004 Chilean writer-artist Pepe Huinca dies in a car accident at age 61. Born Jorge Vivanco Ortiz, he created Artemio.
15 years ago April 15, 2004 Manga creator Mitsuteru Yokoyama dies in a home fire at age 69. He drew Tetsujin 28-go manga, created Akakage, and produced the 60-volume Sangokushi.
15 years ago April 16, 2004 Phyllis Wallet (wife of Walt) dies in Gasoline Alley.
