Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for January 17-23, 2020...

115 years ago January 23, 1905 Portuguese artist Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro dies at age 58.

110 years ago January 23, 1910 Brazilian writer-artist Angelo Agostini dies at age 66. He’s considered the first Brazilian comics artist, and the Brazilian comics awards Prêmio Angelo Agostini are named for him.

100 years ago January 17, 1920 The British comic book Film Fun begins, with the cover of #1 featuring Harold Lloyd.

100 years ago January 17, 1920 French writer-artist Georges Pichard is born. He’s known for Ténébrax, Submerman, and erotic stories.

100 years ago January 20, 1920 Federico Fellini is born. Though best known as a film director, he also writes and draws comics.

90 years ago January 23, 1930 Quick et Flupe, Gamins de Bruxelles by Hergé begins in Le Petit Vingtième.

85 years ago January 21, 1935 Dutch artist Jan Wesseling is born. He works in Marten Toonder Studios.

70 years ago January 22, 1950 Writer-artist Marshall Rogers is born. He is especially known for his work on stories featuring Batman and Scorpio Rose and for his creation of Cap’n Quick & a Foozle.

65 years ago January 18, 1955 British artist and Punch contributor George Morrow dies at age 85.

65 years ago January 19, 1955 Artist Tom Yeates is born. He’s especially known for his work on Prince Valiant, Swamp Thing, Zorro, and Edgar Rice Burroughs characters.

65 years ago January 22, 1955 Writer and Heroic Publishing owner Dennis Mallonee is born. He produces Flare and The League of Champions and creates Chrissie Claus.

60 years ago January 23, 1960 Writer Franz Henkel is born.

55 years ago January 18, 1965 Artist-writer and teacher Bill Fountain is born. Much of his comics work is based on classic material of Edgar Allan Poe.

55 years ago January 21, 1965 Artist Carl Buettner dies at age 61. Starting his career with girlie cartoons for such magazines as Captain Billy’s Whiz Bang, he was an art editor for Fawcett, then joined Disney, and then moved to Western, where he was an art director and is credited with creating Li’l Bad Wolf with Chase Craig.

55 years ago January 23, 1965 The British comics magazine Sparky begins.

50 years ago January 17, 1970 Artist Norman E. Jennett dies at age 92. The political cartoonist became art director at McFadden Publications.

50 years ago January 18, 1970 Friday Foster by Jim Lawrence and Jorge Longaron begins.

50 years ago January 22, 1970 Award-winning writer-artist Alex Ross is born. He is especially known for his art on Marvels (with Kurt Busiek) and Kingdom Come (with Mark Waid).

45 years ago January 19, 1975 Spanish artist Marino Benejam Ferrer dies at age 84.

30 years ago January 20, 1990 French artist Claude Auclair dies at age 46. He was especially known for the postapocalyptic saga Simon du Fleuve.

10 years ago January 21, 2010 Influential French artist Jacques Martin dies at age 88. He was best known for “Alix” and “Lefranc.”

5 years ago January 20, 2015 Dutch underground artist Peter Pontiac dies of liver disease at age 63.