Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles and ends, this time for May 26 to June 1, 2017...

125 years ago May 28, 1892 Freckles and His Friends creator Merrill Blosser is born.

105 years ago May 31, 1912 Dok’s Dippy Duck by John “Dok” Hager begins in the Seattle Daily Times.

70 years ago May 28, 1947 Reuben Award-winning cartoonist Lynn Johnston is born. She’s known for her For Better or for Worse strip.

65 years ago May 30, 1952 Writer-editor Mike W. Barr is born. The Outsiders, Maze Agency, and Camelot co-creator is also a mystery and science fiction novelist.

65 years ago May 31, 1952 Writer, agent, and critic David Anthony Kraft is born. He’s head of Fictioneer Books and editor and publisher of Comics Interview.

60 years ago May 30, 1957 Writer Peter Quinones is born. He co-creates Beast Warriors of Shaolin.

55 years ago May 30, 1962 Kevin Eastman is born. He co-creates Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with Peter Laird, co-founds Mirage Studios and Tundra with Laird, and owns, edits, and publishes Heavy Metal.

50 years ago May 26, 1967 Award-winning writer-artist James Kochalka is born. He’s cartoonist laureate of Vermont and an online comic strip diarist.

50 years ago May 31, 1967 Award-winning artist Dean E. Haspiel is born. He works with Harvey Pekar on American Splendor and The Quitter and creates Billy Dogma.

50 years ago June 1, 1967 Artist, writer, and activist Alonzo L. Washington is born. He creates Omega Man.

45 years ago May 26-29, 1972 The E.C. Fan Addict Convention is the first “annual” E.C. con and is held at the Hotel McAlpin in New York City.

25 years ago May 31, 1992 Walter Neugebauer dies at age 71. The Croatian artist of Jack Jackson, Bimbo Bambus, Patuljak Nosko, and Winetou was also co-founder of Mickeystrip magazine.

20 years ago June 1, 1997 Ruth Atkinson Ford dies of cancer at age 78. Born Ruth Atkinson, the Fiction House artist and art director was known for her Marvel work, created Millie the Model, and co-created (with Otto Binder) Patsy Walker.

10 years ago May 31, 2007 Ted Miller dies at age 89. He created Sunny Climes and was a cartoonist for Boston station WHDH.

5 years ago May 26, 2012 Award-winning Herman creator Jim Unger dies at age 75.

And here are the anniversaries spanning the month of June...

75 years ago June 1942 “New feature” says the cover of DC’s Detective Comics #64. It’s The Boy Commandos by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. So woo hoo!

75 years ago June 1942 Marvel’s Joker Comics #2 introduces Tessie the Typist. Never heard of her? She was a regular in Golden Age Marvels. It’s probably time to put her into a costume and have her fight some crime, right?

70 years ago June 1947 In “The Day That Dropped out of Time” in DC’s All-Star Comics #35, John Broome and a number of artists (including Irwin Hasen, who may be the character’s co-creator) introduce Professor Zee’s assistant, Per Degaton. He’s still hanging around, though Prof. Zee now seems to be the assistant; thank time travel and TV.

70 years ago June 1947 In “Flames along the Frontier” by Joe Samachson and Edmond Good, DC’s Star-Spangled Comics #69 introduces Tomahawk and Dan Hunter.

70 years ago June 1947 “Exciting … New! Rulah, jungle goddess!” Fox’s Zoot Comics #7 introduces Rulah, who copes with jungly dangers while wearing a strapless bathing suit. But, hey, she’s got a knife, so no prob.

65 years ago June 1952 Marvel launches the pre-Code horror anthology series Journey into Mystery. Story titles in #1 include “One Foot in the Grave,” “The Clutching Hands,” and “Haunted!”

65 years ago June 1952 Not to be outdone, Fawcett begins its pre-Code horror anthology title Strange Suspense Stories. (Spoiler: It doesn’t last as long as Marvel’s anthology series.) Story titles in #1 include “The Man Who Warmed the Bones of the Dead!” and “He Bartered His Head!”

65 years ago June 1952 “Batman and Robin face a new menace—The Man of 1,000 Lights.” DC’s Detective Comics #184 introduces The Firefly in a story by France Herron, Dick Sprang, and Charles Paris.

60 years ago June 1957 The distributor American News Company goes out of business, and Atlas/Marvel has to switch to Independent News for its distribution.

55 years ago June 1962 “Now—in his own magazine ...” The world’s smallest superhero, also known as The Atom, yes, gets his own series. DC’s Atom #1 introduces Plant Master (who will eventually be known as Floronic Man). “Master of the Plant World!” is by Gardner Fox, Gil Kane, and Murphy Anderson.

50 years ago June 1967 “Who is the Question?” Charlton’s Blue Beetle #1 introduces The Question. Who is he? Another cool creation of writer-artist Steve Ditko, that’s who.

45 years ago June 1972 “Sensational origin issue!” Marvel’s Hero for Hire #1 introduces Luke Cage and Diamondback. “Out of Hell—A Hero!” is by Roy Thomas, John Romita, Archie Goodwin, George Tuska, and Billy Graham.

45 years ago June 1972 DC changes the name of All-Star Western to Weird Western Tales with #12. (Yeah, yeah, yeah, DC had had 62 issues of All Star Western that ended in 1961. This one was hyphenated.) Scary stuff!

45 years ago June 1972 DC changes its The Sinister House of Secret Love to Secrets of Sinister House with #5. Scary stuff!

45 years ago June 1972 More scary stuff! Kitchen Sink’s Death Rattle #1 features work by Tim Boxell, John M. Pound, Richard Corben, and Pete Poplaski.

40 years ago June 1977 The group had a cameo in the issue before this, but it’s Marvel’s Howard the Duck #13 that features the first full comic book appearance of Kiss. “Rock, Roll over, and Writhe!” is by Steve Gerber, Gene Colan, and Steve Leialoha.

40 years ago June 1977 “The full power of the M-Vest is unknown.” DC’s “electrifying first issue” of Shade the Changing Man #1 introduces, um, you got it in one! Shade, the Changing Man. Aside from dialogue by Michael Fleisher, it’s by Steve Ditko.

40 years ago June 1977 Marvel’s John Carter Warlord of Mars #1 provides “savage fury from the creator of Tarzan!” That’d be Edgar Rice Burroughs. This adaptation is by Marv Wolfman, Gil Kane, and Dave Cockrum.

40 years ago June 1977 DC’s The Flash #250 introduces Captain Cold’s sister (and Top’s girlfriend), Golden Glider. “One Freeze-Dried Flash—Coming Right Up” is by Cary Bates, Irv Novick, and Vince Colletta.

40 years ago June 1977 She’s not mentioned on the cover of DC’s Detective Comics #470, but “The Master Plan of Dr. Phosphorus!” by Steve Englehart, Walt Simonson, and Al Milgrom introduces Silver St. Cloud. Oh, and by the way … The price on the issue is 35¢, up from 30¢. Which is to say, DC raises its prices this month.

35 years ago June 1982 It’s a “blockbuster first issue!” Marvel’s G.I. Joe, A Real American Hero #1 features “the ultimate weapon of democracy!” Features are by Larry Hama, Herb Trimpe, Bob McLeod, Don Perlin, Jack Abel, and Al Milgrom.

35 years ago June 1982 It’s far from his first appearance; in fact, a text feature actually provides a history of the character, but DC’s Firestorm finally gets a longer run for his own title starting with The Fury of Firestorm #1. “Day of the Bison” is by Gerry Conway, Pat Broderick, and Rodin Rodriguez.

30 years ago June 1987 DC’s Detective Comics #575 kicks off “Batman: Year Two.” “Fear the Reaper” is by Mike W. Barr, Alan Davis, and Paul Neary.

30 years ago June 1987 DC’s Flash begins a new series, as Wally West turns 20. “Happy Birthday Wally” is by Mike Baron, Jackson Guice, and Larry Mahlstedt.

30 years ago June 1987 DC’s Young All-Stars #1 continues All-Star Squadron on the post-Crisis Earth and introduces Axis Amerika. “The Coming of the Young All-Stars” is by Roy and Dann Thomas, Brian Murray, Michael Bair, Vince Argondezzi, and Malcolm Jones III.

25 years ago June 1992 Valiant’s Solar, Man of the Atom #10 introduces Eternal Warrior in “The Man Who Killed the World” by Jim Shooter, Don Perlin, Stan Drake, John Dixon, and Paul Autio.

25 years ago June 1992 The Infinity War #1 is a miniseries involved with one of Marvel’s early 1990s crossovers. Before it is The Infinity Gauntlet. After it is Infinity Crusade. The Jim Starlin series involves Thanos and Eternity and stuff.

5 years ago June 2012 Marvel’s The Secret Service #1 begins the story by Mark Millar, Matthew Vaughn, and Dave Gibbons. (It will be titled Kingsman: The Secret Service for its 2014 big screen adaptation.)