Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for May 10-16, 2019...
125 years ago May 15, 1894 Feg Murray is born. He creates “True Stories about Stamps” for True Comics and is known for “Seein’ Stars.”
110 years ago May 10, 1909 Spanish artist and animator Arturo Moreno is born. He co-founded Diarmo Films and such series as Punto Negro en el País del Juego.
105 years ago May 12, 1914 Dutch writer Bertus Aafjes is born.
100 years ago May 12, 1919 Artist, puppeteer, and TV producer Vic Herman is born. He works on creating and/or designing such characters as Elsie the Cow and Reddy Kilowatt, creates the character Winnie the WAC, and helps create Little Dot.
95 years ago May 14, 1924 Marmaduke creator Brad Anderson is born.
95 years ago May 16, 1924 The first issue of the Russian children’s magazine Murzilka is published.
70 years ago May 12, 1949 Noted for drawing the Deathless Deer comic strip, artist Neysa McMein dies at age 61.
70 years ago May 15, 1949 Writer-artist Victor Ramon Mojica is born.
65 years ago May 12, 1954 Artist Neil D. Vokes is born.
55 years ago May 16, 1964 The Beano introduces Malcolm Judge’s Billy Whizz.
50 years ago May 10, 1969 Artist George Klein dies of cirrhosis of the liver at age 53 or 54. With a career starting in the Golden Age, he went on to ink many Superman stories and inked early issues of Fantastic Four.
50 years ago May 13, 1969 Writer-artist Andrew Pepoy is born. He works on characters ranging from Superman to Sonic the Hedgehog, Katy Keene, and Little Orphan Annie and creates Simone & Ajax.
50 years ago May 15, 1969 The first episode of Čtyřlístek by the Czech Republic’s Jaroslav Němeček is published.
30 years ago May 14, 1989 The first Motor City Comic Con begins in Novi, Michigan; it runs May 14-16.
25 years ago May 16, 1994 Dutch artist Dorul Van Der Heide dies at age 90.
20 years ago May 10, 1999 Shel Silverstein dies of a heart attack at age 68. The first published cartoon book of the cartoonist, satirist, singer-songwriter, and poet collected his “Take Ten” work in Grab Your Socks! – and much of his early work appeared in Playboy.
20 years ago May 12, 1999 Cartoonist Saul Steinberg dies at the age of 84.
15 years ago May 12, 2004 New Yorker cartoonist Syd Hoff dies at age 91. The children’s book author created the Tuffy strip and drew political cartoons as “A. Redfield.”
15 years ago May 15, 2004 Writer-artist Jack Bradbury, a Disney Studios animator known for “funny animal” comic books, dies at age 89.
15 years ago May 15, 2004 Artist Gill Fox dies at age 84. With a career beginning in the Golden Age, he was known for Side Glances and political cartoons and edited Quality titles including Police Comics.
10 years ago May 13, 2009 Award-winning editorial cartoonist and cartoon historian Draper Hill dies, age 73.
5 years ago May 12, 2014 Swiss artist H.R. Giger dies of injuries from a fall at age 74. He was especially known for his designs for Alien.
