Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for January 9-15, 2026…

135 years ago January 10, 1891 A pioneer of Belgian Christian comics, artist Jos Speybrouck is born.

135 years ago January 12, 1891 Illustrator Raeburn van Buren is born. He draws the Abbie an’ Slats newspaper strip.

130 years ago January 14, 1896 Dutch artist Henri van de Velde is born.

130 years ago January 15, 1896 Don Wootton is born. The Cleveland Plain Dealer editorial cartoonist and art department staffer and Cleveland Press art director also worked for the NEA syndicate.

125 years ago January 9, 1901 Blondie creator writer-artist Murat (“Chic”) Young is born.

120 years ago January 11, 1906 Portuguese artist Thomaz de Mello is born. He works as “Tom.”

120 years ago January 14, 1906 Worden Wood continues Richard Outcault’s Buster Brown in its original newspaper after Outcault leaves.

115 years ago January 10, 1911 Dutch comics writer-artist Tjalie Robinson is born.

115 years ago January 11, 1911 Sports cartoonist Hardin J. (“Jack”) Burnley is born. He follows Joe Shuster on the Superman comic book feature and co-creates Starman with Gardner Fox.

115 years ago January 15, 1911 Australian artist Norm Rice is born.

110 years ago January 9, 1916 Golden Age artist Ernie Schroeder is born. He’s best known for drawing and co-writing The Heap.

110 years ago January 9, 1916 Uruguayan writer-artist Emilio Cortinas is born. Lambiek says he’s considered one of the first grand masters of Uruguayan comics. His most famous series is Vito Nervio.

105 years ago January 14, 1921 Artist John Tartaglione is born. He works in a variety of comics genres including romances, movie adaptations, superheroes, and biographies.

100 years ago January 11, 1926 Guglielmo Letteri is born. He’s especially known for his work on Tex Willer.

100 years ago January 15, 1926 Artist, teacher, and animator Linus Maurer is born. (Charles Schulz names a Peanuts character after him.)

90 years ago January 19, 1936 The Adventures of Jo, Zette and Jocko by Hergé begins in Coeurs Vaillants.

85 years ago January 9, 1941 Tintin and Captain Haddock meet in The Crab with the Golden Claws by Hergé.

70 years ago January 11, 1956 French artist Charles Genty dies at age 79.

70 years ago January 13, 1956 Lyonel Feininger dies at age 84. The “fine artist” created the comic strips The Kin-der-Kids and Wee Willie Winkie’s World.

65 years ago January 9, 1961 Producer and screenwriter Al Jean is born. He’s especially known for his work on The Simpsons.

65 years ago January 10, 1961 Writer Dashiel Hammett dies of lung cancer at age 66. He created Sam Spade, Nick and Nora Charles, The Continental Op, and the comic strip character Secret Agent X-9.

65 years ago January 13, 1961 Artist Jerry Acerno is born.

60 years ago January 9, 1966 A new episode of Will Eisner’s The Spirit is published for the first time since 1952.

55 years ago January 10, 1971 The Marten Toonder studio is destroyed in a fire at the Netherlands castle of Nederhorst den Berg.

40 years ago January 10, 1986 Artist Marvin Bradley dies at age 72. He was the original artist of Rex Morgan, M.D.

40 years ago January 11, 1986 Japanese artist (and voice artist) Kazuo Kamimura dies of a pharynx tumor at age 45. He was especially known for collaboration with Kazuo Koike on Lady Snowblood.

40 years ago January 15, 1986 British artist Alfred Bestall dies at age 93. The Punch artist continued Rupert Bear, when creator Mary Tourtel left that series.

25 years ago January 9, 2001 Prolific Dutch artist Carol Voges dies at age 75. His best known comic strip was Pa Pinkelman.

25 years ago January 12, 2001 Writer-artist Giovanni Luigi Bonelli dies at age 92. He co-created Tex Willer with Aurelio Galleppini and founded the Bonelli comics publishing firm.

20 years ago January 9, 2006 Marvel and Hasbro announce a Marvel toy deal.

20 years ago January 14, 2006 French artist Jacques Faizant dies at age 87.

10 years ago January 11, 2016 Italian artist Franco Oneta dies at age 81. He was especially known for Zembla and for contributions to Il Giornalino.

10 years ago January 14, 2016 Brazilian comedian and cartoonist Francisco Jozenilton Veloso (who worked as “Shaolin”) dies at age 44 of a heart attack following a traffic accident.

5 years ago January 15, 2021 Artist Elizabeth Safian dies eight days after her 78th birthday. Sometimes known as “Liz Berube,” she worked for DC, was an Archie and DC colorist, and created the Karen comic strip.

5 years ago January 15, 2021 Hergé’s unused Tintin cover for The Blue Lotus is auctioned and sells for a record price ($3.1 million).