Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for July 18-24, 2025…

130 years ago July 21, 1895 Stuntman and actor Ken Maynard is born. His cowboy roles lead to Fawcett’s licensing his name and image for its series.

120 years ago July 21, 1905 Spanish writer-artist Miguel Mihura is born. He founds the magazine La Codorniz.

120 years ago July 22, 1905 A.D. Condo’s The Outbursts of Everett True begins.

120 years ago July 23, 1905 Ed Carey’s Professor Hypnotiser ends.

115 years ago July 22, 1910 Disney animator, camera technician, animation checker, and Disney Legends Award-winner Ruthie Tompson is born.

105 years ago July 20, 1920 Turkish-American artist Sururi Gümen is born. He creates the comic strip Canbaba in Turkey and then works on US comic books and strips.

95 years ago July 19, 1930 Brazilian artist-writer-journalist-scholar and comics exposition organizer Álvaro De Moya is born.

95 years ago July 23, 1930 Ingvar Persson is born. The Swedish writer-artist creates Frid och Fröjd.

90 years ago July 22, 1935 Artist John Klamik (also known as “Sean,” “Shawn,” and “Buckshot”) is born.

90 years ago July 24, 1935 Patrick Oliphant, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Reuben, and other awards, is born. The editorial cartoonist’s work includes a commenting penguin named Punk.

85 years ago July 20, 1940 Artist Harry E. Homan dies of a heart attack at age 51. His work included Billy Make Believe, How to Make It, and (Vic Forsythe’s) Joe Jinks.

80 years ago July 21, 1945 Spanish writer-artist Lluís Juste De Nin is born.

80 years ago July 23, 1945 Walt Kelly’s daughter Carolyn Kelly is born. She is an artist, designer, and editor and works on the animated TV series Channel Umptee-3.

75 years ago July 18, 1950 Cartoonist and historian Michael Lail is born. Also known as Michael Vance, he creates Holiday Out.

75 years ago July 19, 1950 Elfquest co-writer (with co-writer and artist Wendy Pini) and editor and WaRP Graphics publisher Richard Pini is born.

75 years ago July 22, 1950 Photographer David Rector is born. With his wife, Roz Alexander-Kasparik, he co-creates Recall and Given.

70 years ago July 18, 1955 DC Royalties & Participation Manager Tom Pattison is born.

65 years ago July 18, 1960 Japanese artist Akihiko Takadera is born.

60 years ago July 20, 1965 Transcriber and writer Steven Tice is born.

60 years ago July 24, 1965 The first Detroit Triple Fan Fair is held, with comics such a component that it may be considered the oldest regularly held comics convention in the world. It runs July 24-25.

55 years ago July 24, 1970 Canadian artist James McIsaac dies at age 81.

50 years ago July 18, 1975 “Cheech Wizard” writer-artist and creator Vaughn Bodé dies of asphyxiation at age 33.

50 years ago July 18, 1975 The Buyer’s Guide for Comic Fandom goes weekly – which schedule it maintains until the issue (by then titled Comics Buyer’s Guide) for August 2004.

50 years ago July 22, 1975 King Features and Whitman artist Jim Gary dies at age 70. He worked on King of the Royal Mounted and Red Ryder.

45 years ago July 18, 1980 Dutch artist Ger Sligte dies at age 65. He was known for Mieke Meijer and for Bertje Branie.

40 years ago July 24, 1985 The Walt Disney version of Lloyd Alexander’s The Black Cauldron opens. The wrap-up novel of Alexander’s fantasy series won the Newbery Award, but the Disney version of events will be criticized by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston in The Disney Villain: “The story had been a once in a lifetime opportunity and it was heartbreaking to see such wonderful material wasted.”

35 years ago July 18, 1990 French artist Yves Chaland dies in a car accident at age 33. A representative of the retro “atomic style,” he produced Bob Fish, John Bravo, Adolphus Claar, and Freddy Lombard.

35 years ago July 18, 1990 French publisher Georges Dargaud dies at age 79. He was co-founder of the influential Dargaud S.A. publishing company.

35 years ago July 23, 1990 Charlie Brown meets Peggy Jean at summer camp in Charles Schulz’ Peanuts strip.

30 years ago July 20, 1995 Writer-editor George Caragonne dies by suicide following being fired from his position at Penthouse Comix. At an age estimated as 30, he leaps to his death from a balcony above the atrium of New York City’s Marriott Marquis Hotel.

30 years ago July 22, 1995 Writer-artist Rick Yager dies at age 85. He was known for his work on Buck Rogers, Grin and Bear It, and Cappy Dick.

30 years ago July 24, 1995 Image and Dark Horse announce that Diamond Comic Distribution, Inc. will be their exclusive distributor.

20 years ago July 19, 2005 Penciller, inker, and letterer Jim Aparo dies from complications of an illness at age 72.

20 years ago July 19, 2005 Joe Quesada expands his role at Marvel, becoming Chief Creative Officer, Publishing, in addition to continuing as its editor in chief.

20 years ago July 22, 2005 Trudy artist Jerry Marcus dies at age 81.

20 years ago July 22, 2005 Award-winning manga artist and Edo researcher Hinako Sugiura dies of throat cancer at age 46.

15 years ago July 24, 2010 Cartoonist John Callahan dies at age 59.

10 years ago July 20, 2015 Teacher and Archie artist Tom Moore dies of lung cancer at age 86.

10 years ago July 22, 2015 Belgian artist Stéphane de Becker dies of a heart attack at age 56. Usually working as “Stuf,” he worked for Spirou and drew Passe-moi l’Ciel.