Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for May 13-19, 2022...
245 years ago May 19, 1777 British cartoonist and illustrator Richard Newton is born.
170 years ago May 14, 1852 Henri Julien is born. An artist working as artistic director for the Montreal Daily Star, he may be the first Canadian cartoonist employed by a newspaper full-time.
130 years ago May 16, 1892 Wally Robertson is born. The Scots artist is known for work on Charlie Chaplin comics.
125 years ago May 15, 1897 Glenn Chaffin is born. He writes Tailspin Tommy.
115 years ago May 13, 1907 Lord Longbow by Richard Thain begins in the Chicago Daily News.
110 years ago May 16, 1912 Artist John Liney is born. He ghosts Carl Anderson’s Henry strip – and draws Dell’s Henry comic book.
105 years ago May 16, 1917 Animator and writer-artist Hal Seeger is born. The director of the Hal Seeger Productions animation studio is known for his work on the Betty Boop strip and Leave It to Binky. He creates Muggy Doo, Boy Cat.
105 years ago May 18, 1917 Writer-artist Bill Everett is born. He creates Marvel’s Namor the Sub-Mariner and co-creates Marvel’s Daredevil with Stan Lee.
80 years ago May 14, 1942 Irish artist René Bull dies at age 69.
80 years ago May 15, 1942 Chris Ishii creates a comic strip in the internment camp newspaper Santa Anita Pacemaker. The featured character will eventually be named Lil’ Neebo, short for “Little Nisei Boy.”
80 years ago May 16, 1942 British comics magazine Funny Wonder merges with Wonder.
80 years ago May 18, 1942 Influential underground comix publisher of Apex Novelties Don Donahue is born.
80 years ago May 19, 1942 Writer, publisher, teacher, and filmmaker Shirrel Rhoades is born. He becomes Marvel Entertainment Publisher and Executive Vice President.
75 years ago May 16, 1947 Award-winning “King of 3-D Comics” Ray Zone is born. The film historian is an artist and specialist in 3-D.
75 years ago May 16, 1947 British artist Reginald Perrott dies of throat cancer at age 32. In addition to his comics work and war art, he was studio manager of Mickey Mouse Weekly.
70 years ago May 14, 1952 Writer Eric Dinehart is born.
70 years ago May 16, 1952 Cartoonist and comic book artist Christopher Kelly Browne is born. He’s also a strip artist in the Mort Walker studio.
65 years ago May 15, 1957 Artist, editor, and art director Gary Leach is born. He’s especially known for his work on Disney comics.
65 years ago May 16, 1957 Writer and storyteller Henry Vogel is born.
60 years ago May 17, 1962 Dr. Malcolm Bourne is born. The writer’s work includes Tales of Ordinary Madness, drawn by Mike Allred.
55 years ago May 19, 1967 Writer and Quad Star Comics self-publisher Anthony Monzo III is born.
20 years ago May 15, 2002 Artist Arthur Peddy dies at age 85. The co-creator of Phantom Lady worked at the Iger shop in the Golden Age and drew for DC, Marvel, and more.
20 years ago May 17, 2002 Cartoonist Dave Berg dies of cancer at age 81. While he was especially known for his Mad series “The Lighter Side of …,” he’d worked in comics beginning in the Golden Age.
20 years ago May 17-19, 2002 Motor City Comic Con I is held in Novi, Michigan.
15 years ago May 17, 2007 Award-winning writer Lloyd Alexander dies at age 83. His Chronicles of Prydain series was the basis for Walt Disney’s The Black Cauldron.
10 years ago May 16, 2012 Artist Ernie Chan dies of cancer at age 71. He also worked as “Ernie Chua” and was especially known for his work on horror titles and on Conan, Kull, and Power Man.
5 years ago May 18, 2017 Mexican artist, teacher, and art director Oscar González Guerrero dies at age 91. He co-founded the ¡Ka-Boom! Estudio with his son and daughter-in-law.
5 years ago May 19, 2017 Artist-writer-editor Rich Buckler dies of cancer at age 68. He worked for Marvel and DC, created Reagan’s Raiders, created Deathlok with Doug Moench in Marvel’s Astonishing Tales, co-created DC’s All-Star Squadron, and formed Visage Studios with his son Rick and Walter McDaniel.
