Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for December 27, 2024 through January 2, 2025...

160 years ago December 30, 1864 French artist and animation pioneer Benjamin Rabier is born. He’s known for his animal drawings, and his book Tintin Lutin influences Hergé, who named his comics character in tribute.

150 years ago January 2, 1875 Newspaper artist Robert Carter is born.

140 years ago December 27, 1884 Spanish artist José Robledano is born. Lambiek says he drew El Suero Maravilloso, “considered the first modern Spanish comic strip.”

120 years ago December 31, 1904 The French satirical comics magazine La Caricature ends.

115 years ago January 2, 1910 Birger Malmborg, the Swedish artist who creates the Götlund comic strip, is born.

110 years ago December 27, 1914 Writer-artist Jack Bradbury is born. The Disney animator is known for his work for “funny animal” comic books.

110 years ago December 28, 1914 French writer-artist Albert-Georges Badert is born.

110 years ago December 28, 1914 French writer-artist and editor Faustin Betbeder dies at age 67.

105 years ago December 30, 1919 Film director and artist Homer Groening is born. He co-creates the cartoon series Phoebe, Get Your Man with Peg Bracken and is the father of Matt Groening, who includes autobiographical references in his material.

105 years ago January 1, 1920 Italian animator and artist Osvaldo Cavandoli is born. He creates the “La Linea” character.

105 years ago January 2, 1920 Writer Isaac Asimov is born. His influence on science fiction is enormous, including designating in his stories the basic “rules” of robot behavior.

100 years ago December 30, 1924 Influential French cartoonist Jean Bosc is born. He signs his work “Bosc.”

95 years ago January 2, 1930 Spanish artist Manuel Vázquez Gallego is born. He works as “Sappo” and is one of the major contributors to Barcelona publisher Bruguera. He’s the subject of the 2010 film El Gran Vázquez.

90 years ago December 28, 1934 Herb Gardner is born. The writer-artist and playwright creates The Nebbishes.

90 years ago January 1, 1935 Cartoonist Bernard Kliban is born.

85 years ago December 28, 1939 Concert poster artist Bonnie MacLean is born.

85 years ago December 28, 1939 Playboy cartoon editor Michelle Urry is born. Jules Feiffer calls her the “mother superior to cartoonists.”

75 years ago January 1, 1950 Writer, artist, editor, teacher, and voice artist Jack Enyart is born. He works on tales of Disney, Warner Brothers, and Hanna-Barbera characters.

60 years ago December 28, 1964 Influential comic strip cartoonist Clifford Sterrett dies at age 81. He created Polly and Her Pals.

60 years ago December 29, 1964 Writer-editor-artist Barry Dutter is born.

60 years ago January 1, 1965 Golden Age artist Leo Morey dies at age 65. He worked through the Funnies Inc. shop and drew for Fiction House, Better Publications, and ACG.

60 years ago January 2, 1965 Kevin Bricklin is born. He publishes custom comics and produces stories for Harvey Comics, Paramount, and Warner Brothers.

55 years ago December 29, 1969 Writer and filmmaker Joe Doughrity is born. He co-founds Caliber Press with Gary Reed.

50 years ago December 30, 1974 Comic strip writer Clifford David Vorjmelker dies at age 68.

40 years ago December 29, 1984 German artist Erich Schmitt dies at age 60.

40 years ago December 30, 1984 Animator and artist Mo Gollub dies at age 74. His career began at the Disney Studios, and his work included a number of comic books from Dell and Western, including Turok cover art.

40 years ago December 30, 1984 Golden Age artist Al Avison dies at age 64. He was co-creator (with Al Gabrielle) of The Whizzer for Marvel and drew such characters as Captain America, The Vision, The Blonde Phantom, Marvel Boy, and Casper.

35 years ago December 29, 1989 Dutch artist and teacher Hubert Levigne dies at age 84.

35 years ago January 1, 1990 Dutch film critic, political cartoonist, and artist Charles Boost dies at age 82.

30 years ago December 28, 1994 Marvel buys Heroes World Distribution, the third largest direct market distributor.

30 years ago January 1, 1995 Dutch writer-artist Nans van Leeuwen dies at age 94. She drew children’s booklets featuring the goblin Piggelmee.

25 years ago December 27, 1999 Jamaican artist Wilfred Limonious dies at age 50.

25 years ago December 31, 1999 Prolific French writer Roger Lécureux dies at age 74. He was chief editor of Vaillant.

20 years ago January 2, 2005 Argentinean artist Alberto Salinas dies at age 72, apparently from a shooting accident.

20 years ago January 2, 2005 Painter Frank Kelly Freas dies at age 82. He was known as the “Dean of Science Fiction Artists,” and his work included art for Mad and science fiction and comics magazines.

15 years ago December 27, 2009 British writer Geoffrey Bond (also known as Alan Jason) dies at age 89. He was especially known for strips for Eagle and for performances and scripts for the BBC.

5 years ago December 30, 2019 Syd Mead dies of lymphoma at age 86. The visual concept artist was known for science fiction movie designs for such films as Blade Runner.

5 years ago January 2, 2020 Polish artist Boguslaw Polch dies at age 78.

And here are the anniversaries spanning the month of January…

85 years ago January 1940 Daring Mystery Comics #1 from Timely (Marvel) introduces a bunch of characters that few today remember, Fiery Mask, Monako, and John Steele among them. (Just saying. There won’t be a quiz later.)

85 years ago January 1940 The first patriotic hero comic may be Pep Comics #1 from MLJ (later, Archie), which introduces “G-Man Extraordinary” Shield by Harry Shorten and Irv Novick. (J. Edgar Hoover guest stars.) Also introduced in the issue are The Comet by Jack Cole (John Dickering gets powers that let him jump high and disintegrate stuff with his eyes) and Queen of Diamonds (drawn by Lin Streeter, written by fantasy writer Manly Wade Wellman, who also writes the Bentley of Scotland Yard introduction).

85 years ago January 1940 Pulp magazine publisher Fiction House kicks off a couple of trailblazing series with the first science fiction comic book – Planet Comics #1 – and an early (though not the first) jungle comic book – Jungle Comics #1. Already publishing pulps Planet Stories (starting in Winter 1939) and Jungle Stories (starting a year earlier), Fiction House expands its output into the comic book field with these series. Planet Comics introduces such characters as The Red Comet (by Ken Jackson) and Auro (Lord of Jupiter, with an origin that seems derivative of Tarzan). Jungle Comics introduces Camilla, Captain Terry Thunder, Kaänga (who has appeared in Jungle Stories), White Panther, Tabu, and Wambi among them. Some last longer than others.

85 years ago January 1940 For DC (it’s All-American, if you’re a purist, but it was eventually DC, so let’s move on), in Flash Comics #1, pulp writer Gardner Fox joins artist Harry Lampert to introduce The Flash (Jay Garrick, “Fastest man alive!”). Also introduced in the issue are The Hawkman (also by Fox, with artist Dennis Neville) and Shiera Sanders (who dies but gets better and later becomes Hawkgirl). Say, you better not forget Johnny Thunder, introduced in a story by John Wentworth and Stan Asch! Note, too, the start of done-for-comic books stories by Ed Wheelan, who continues his newspaper strip (Minute Movies) device of telling a variety of stories with a “cast” playing different roles in each story.

85 years ago January 1940 Wups! Here’s another Flash Comics #1. The Fawcett version is a black-and-white “ashcan” edition of a comic book that introduces “Captain Thunder.” It’s thunder month in comics, with Johnny Thunder in the other Flash Comics #1 and Captain Terry Thunder in Jungle Comics #1. In any case, changes to Fawcett’s Captain Thunder will be made quickly. (By the way, there was a Warner Bros. film titled Captain Thunder – but it bore no resemblance to any of the comics Thunders and was released almost a decade earlier.)

80 years ago January 1945 DC’s More Fun Comics #101 introduces Superboy – with Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster (although the story is uncredited) presenting the origin of Superboy, who only appears in the last panel.

80 years ago January 1945 Dell’s Walt Disney’s Comics & Stories #52 (Vol. 5 #4) introduces Li’l Bad Wolf in an eight-page story by Chase Craig and Carl Buettner.

75 years ago January 1950 Dell’s Howdy Doody #1 may be the first TV comic book series. The cover certainly pushes the connection: “Howdy steps from the television screen into the comics.” Stories are by Edward Kean and Dick Hall.

75 years ago January 1950 Quality Comics’ Buccaneers #19 (formerly Kid Eternity, but who’s counting?) contains the first appearance of “the red blooded deeds of Captain Daring.” Reed Crandall draws the “famed freebooter of the seven seas.”

70 years ago January 1955 #99 is the last issue of ACG’s Giggle Comics (“starring Spencer Spook”).

65 years ago January 1960 DC’s Detective Comics #275 introduces Zebra-Man in a story by Bill Finger, Sheldon Moldoff, and Charles Paris.

60 years ago January 1965 Warren’s Help! #22 gives Robert Crumb’s Fritz the Cat his first national appearance. There’s a two-page feature, along with a Crumb “sketchbook report” on Harlem.

60 years ago January 1965 Evergreen Review begins publication of The Adventures of Phoebe Zeit-Geist by Michael O’Donoghue and Frank Springer.

60 years ago January 1965 Marvel’s Fantastic Four #34 introduces Gregory Gideon in “A House Divided!” by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Chic Stone.

60 years ago January 1965 “Guest-Starring: The Mighty Avengers”: Marvel’s The X-Men #9 has the first meeting of Avengers and X-Men. “And wait till you meet Lucifer!” “Enter, The Avengers!” is by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Chic Stone.

60 years ago January 1965 “How can Spidey battle a foe who is stronger than he is???” “One of Marvel’s newest, greatest archvillains,” deserving of three question marks, is The Scorpion, first named as such in the story by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in Marvel’s The Amazing Spider-Man #20.

55 years ago January 1970 Detective Comics #395 contains the first collaboration between Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams (inked by Dick Giordano): “The Secret of the Waiting Graves.”

55 years ago January 1970 Marvel’s The Avengers #72 introduces Zodiac and such members as Aquarius, Aries, and Cancer. (Nick Fury is included in the story by Roy Thomas, Sal Buscema, and Sam Grainger. Just saying.)

55 years ago January 1970 DC’s Our Fighting Forces #123 says it on the cover: “Featuring Capt. Storm, Johnny Cloud, Gunner & Sarge THE LOSERS.” The issue introduces The Losers. (Sort of. Actually, “No Medals No Graves” follows G.I. Combat #138. But this story by Robert Kanigher and Ken Barr introduces the team as a regular feature.)

55 years ago January 1970 Marvel’s The X-Men #64 features “When Sunfire Strikes!” It’s the first appearance of Shiro Yoshida in a story by Roy Thomas, Don Heck, and Tom Palmer. (Sunfire will eventually have a 1998 adventure that will introduce Big Hero 6, but you knew that already, right?)

55 years ago January 1970 Lilith is introduced and joins the group in “The Titans Kill a Saint?” by Bob Kanigher and Nick Cardy in DC’s Teen Titans #25, just in time for the teens to decide to give up their superpowers.

55 years ago January 1970 Charlton ends Flash Gordon with #18. (By the way, the four-page “Great Battles of History” story “Shiraz!” by Raymond Marais and Michael Kaluta is one of the first published Kaluta stories.)

50 years ago January 1975 Métal Hurlant begins from Les Humanoïdes Associés. Contributors include Jean-Pierre Dionnet, Moebius, Richard Corben, and Jean-Claude Gal.

50 years ago January 1975 Last month, DC’s comics were “still only 20¢.” Now, they’re “the very best 25¢.” (Mind you, Action Comics is 100 pages “for only 60¢” this month, but February will find the tribute to the quarter on that series, too.)

50 years ago January 1975 Marvel tries out a black and white science fiction magazine with Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction.

50 years ago January 1975 “You don’t stand a chance against the new Captain America!!” says… well… the new Captain America in Marvel’s Captain America #181, while Nomad is shoved into the background. “The Mark of Madness!” by Steve Englehart, Sal Buscema, and Vince Colletta introduces Roscoe as Cap.

45 years ago January 1980 “Double the size! Double the thrills!” Marvel’s The Amazing Spider-Man celebrates #200, featuring him “against the man who killed his Uncle Ben!” The story is by Marv Wolfman, Stan Lee, Keith Pollard, and Jim Mooney.

45 years ago January 1980 “In a comic all their own at last…” DC’s The Legion of Super-Heroes begins with #259, picking up the numbering from Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (and kicking out Superboy, choke). “Psycho War” is by Gerry Conway, Joe Staton, and Dave Hunt.

45 years ago January 1980 Cheer up, Superboy! DC’s The New Adventures of Superboy begins, complete with a 16th birthday party for the lad. “The Most Important Year of Superboy’s Life!” is by Cary Bates, Kurt Schaffenberger, and Dave Hunt, and the issue includes a text page covering “35 Years of Superboy.”

45 years ago January 1980 The cover says, “Save us from the Knights of Hellfire!” But a key point in Marvel’s The X-Men #129 is the introduction of a new mutant – Kitty Pryde – in “God Spare the Child…” by John Byrne, Chris Claremont, and Terry Austin. (The story also introduces Emma Frost and others.)

40 years ago January 1985 Vortex releases the first issue of Those Annoying Post Bros. by Matt Howarth and Lou Stathis.

40 years ago January 1985 DC’s Justice League of America #234 introduces a bunch of characters including Black Mass, Fastball, Nightfall, and Shatterfist in a story by Gerry Conway, Chuck Patton, and Bill Anderson.

35 years ago January 1990 Malibu ends Dinosaurs for Hire with #9. (It will be back.)

35 years ago January 1990 Marvel’s limited series A Shadowline Saga: “Critical Mass” begins, consolidating three “Shadowline” titles in one anthology. Contributors to the chapters are Dan Chichester, Margaret Clark, Klaus Janson, Kevin O’Neill, Bill Sienkiewicz, and Gray Morrow.

35 years ago January 1990 Nth Man the Ultimate Ninja #8 contains the first known Marvel art by Dale Keown. The story is “Lo, the Axeman Cometh!” by Larry Hama, Fred Fredericks, and Keown.

35 years ago January 1990 The Men in Black begins from Malibu, written by Lowell Cunningham and drawn by Sandy Carruthers.

30 years ago January 1995 “First issue collector’s item!” It’s Marvel’s Rogue, declaring that it’s “because you demanded it…” “An Affair to Remember” is by Howard Mackie, Mike Wieringo, and Terry Austin, the start of a four-issue series.

30 years ago January 1995 Hey! Marvel reprints Dell! Snow White provides the 38-page primary story from Four Color #49 and a back-up short from Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories #47.

30 years ago January 1995 His first story was in Journey into Mystery #83. Time has passed, and now Thor makes his 400th appearance in his Marvel Comics series with Thor #482.

30 years ago January 1995 Dark Horse publishes Harlan Ellison’s Dream Corridor Special #1. It will be continued as the series Harlan Ellison’s Dream Corridor.

25 years ago 25 years ago January 2000 DC begins The Patriots with “Chapter One: Induction” by Brandon Choi, Jonathan Peterson, Michael Ryan, and Randy Elliott.

25 years ago January 2000 “Based on the All-New Animated TV Show …” Archie begins its Sabrina anthology.

25 years ago January 2000 Yes, Groo does have his own series, but yay! A bonus this month is the first installment of the four-part Sergio Aragonés’ Groo: Mightier than the Sword by Aragonés and Mark Evanier from Dark Horse. (Also out this month is their one-shot Sergio Aragonés Stomps Star Wars.)

20 years ago January 2005 Dark Horse provides the first issue of Apocalypse Nerd by Peter Bagge.

20 years ago January 2005 The first issue of Marvel’s New Avengers features “Breakout Part One” by Brian Michael Bendis, David Finch, and Danny Miki.

15 years ago January 2010 The first issue of Marvel’s The Marvelous Land of Oz starts the adaptation by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young of the 1904 L. Frank Baum original. The series will win the Eisner Award for the year’s Best Adaptation from Another Work.

15 years ago January 2010 We know Marvel has had a number of Deathlok series, right? This time around, the first issue begins with “For One Purpose Trained” by Charlie Huston and Lan Medina.

15 years ago January 2010 Marvel begins PunisherMax with “Kingpin Part One” by Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon.

15 years ago January 2010 Sure, Weekly World News was a tabloid newspaper with wild stories. Now, IDW provides a hat tip beginning with a Weekly World News comic book with a story by Chris Ryall and Alan Robinson. Bat Boy!

10 years ago January 2015 Ooo! All-new! Marvel begins the six-issue All-New Captain America with a bunch of variant covers and a story by Rick Remender, Stuart Immonen, and Wade von Grawbadger.

10 years ago January 2015 And hey! Also this month, Marvel begins Captain America and the Mighty Avengers with “We Take Care of Our Own” by Al Ewing and Luke Ross.

10 years ago January 2015 And yay! Here’s another Sergio Aragonés bonus! Dark Horse starts Groo: Friends and Foes by Aragonés and Mark Evanier.

10 years ago January 2015 The first issue of Marvel’s Superior Iron Man is “Nightmare Scenario” by Tom Taylor and Yıldıray Çınar.

5 years ago January 2020 Archie starts the five-issue Cosmo the Mighty Martian series by Ian Flynn, Tracy Yardley, Matt Herms, and Jack Morelli.

5 years ago January 2020 Marvel’s Morbius #1 is actually Morbius #42, but who’s counting? (The story is by Vita Ayala, Marcel Ferreira, and Roberto Poggi.)

5 years ago January 2020 Marvel’s Deadpool #1 is actually Deadpool #316, but is anyone still counting? (The story is by Kelly Thompson, Chris Bachalo, Wayne Faucher, Tim Townsend, Al Vey, Jaime Mendoza, John Livesay, and Victor Olazaba.)

5 years ago January 2020 Valiant has had several Quantum and Woody series over the years. The first issue of this one has a story by Christopher Hastings and Ryan Browne.

5 years ago January 2020 Eek! Archie begins the four-issue Vampironica: New Blood series with a story by Frank Tieri, Michael Moreci, and Audrey Mok.

5 years ago January 2020 Marvel has 2099 one-shots: 2099 Alpha, Conan 2099, Fantastic Four 2099, and The Punisher 2099.

5 years ago January 2020 DC’s Far Sector begins with the first chapter by N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell. It introduces Green Lantern Sojourner “Jo” Mullein.

5 years ago January 2020 The Marvel Fallen Angels six-issue miniseries begins with “Bushido” by Bryan Hill and Szymon Kudranski.

5 years ago January 2020 The first issue of the Marvel Scream: Curse of Carnage miniseries focuses on the Venom symbiote in a story by Clay McLeod Chapman and Chris Mooneyham.