TURNING POINTS by Maggie Thompson
Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for February 6-12, 2026…
160 years ago February 9, 1866 Austrian-German editor-cartoonist Eduard Thöny is born.
135 years ago February 7, 1891 British archeologist and Amalgamated Press artist Bert Wymer is born.
125 years ago February 7, 1901 German artist Hans Kossatz is born.
125 years ago February 11, 1901 Harry B. Martin provides the first regular weather cartoon feature, Weatherbird, to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
120 years ago February 9, 1906 Guido Martina is born. The Italian writer is known for his Disney comics stories and his creation of Donald Duck’s superhero alter ego, Paperinik.
115 years ago February 10, 1911 Award-winning animator and artist Norm McCabe is born. The director works for Warner Brothers, DePatie-Freleng, Filmation, and more.
115 years ago February 11, 1911 Austrian-Dutch artist Ferry Zipper is born.
115 years ago February 11, 1911 Artist Harvey Eisnenberg is born. He is an animator at Fleischer, Van Buren, and MGM. His comic book work includes Dearfield Publishing and funny animal stories for Dell’s Tom and Jerry and Hanna-Barbera comic books and comic strips.
115 years ago February 12, 1911 Animator and artist Frank Grundeen is born. Known for his work on Disney comics, he continues the Donald Duck newspaper strip after the death of Al Taliaferro.
110 years ago February 6, 1916 John Campbell Cory’s Cory’s Kids ends.
100 years ago February 7, 1926 Cartoonist Bill Hoest is born. He creates The Lockhorns and Agatha Crumm, is cartoon editor of Parade, and works with writer Bunny Hoest.
100 years ago February 10, 1926 Calvin Levi Massey is born. He works as a freelance comics artist in the 1940s and 1950s, and his biography appears in Invisible Men.
95 years ago February 7, 1931 Spanish animator and artist José Luis Beltrán Coscojuela is born.
95 years ago February 9, 1931 Italian artist Grazia Nidasio is born. Lambiek calls her “one of the most famous female Italian comic creators.”
95 years ago February 10, 1931 French artist Claude Pascal is born.
90 years ago February 8, 1936 Mickey Mouse Weekly begins.
80 years ago February 7, 1946 Het Volk introduces Buth’s Thomas Pips.
80 years ago February 8, 1946 President, Chief Operating Officer, and Vice-Chairman of the Marvel Entertainment Group Terry Stewart is born. He also serves as CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
80 years ago February 9, 1946 Artist Danny Bulanadi is born.
80 years ago February 11, 1946 Jim Bradrick is born. The writer-artist is known for his work on “Wacky Squirrel.”
70 years ago February 9, 1956 Award-winning artist-writer and teacher Timothy Truman is born. He’s known for his creation of Scout, co-creation of Grimjack (with John Ostrander), and revamps (with Joe R. Lansdale) of Jonah Hex, Airboy, and The Heap.
70 years ago February 12, 1956 Michael Gallagher is born. He writes for Mad, Sonic the Hedgehog, ALF, and Guardians of the Galaxy.
65 years ago February 8, 1961 Bruce Timm is born. The award-winning writer-artist, animator, and producer is known for his work in adapting the DC universe to animated form and for co-creating Harley Quinn with Paul Dini.
65 years ago February 11, 1961 Artist Mary Williams (who works as “Kate Carew”) dies at age 91.
60 years ago February 7, 1966 Writer-editor Paul Castiglia is born.
60 years ago February 10, 1966 Writer-editor Brent Frankenhoff is born. He’s known for his work on Comics Buyer’s Guide and Standard Catalog of Comic Books (and not known for proofreading this column, even though he does).
60 years ago February 10, 1966 Spirou introduces Francis’ Marc Lebut et Son Voison.
60 years ago February 12, 1966 Marketer Lou Bank is born. He works for Marvel and Dark Horse and co-founds the Ten Angry Pitbulls marketing and design firm.
40 years ago February 6, 1986 Michael Davis begins Bad Boy Studios’ Mentor Program.
35 years ago February 11, 1991 Flemish artist Michel Mahy dies at age 42. He created De Spookjes.
30 years ago February 6, 1996 Italian artist Franco Tarantola dies at age 53.
30 years ago February 6, 1996 Writer-artist Boody Rogers dies at age 91. He created Sparky Watts and Babe.
25 years ago February 6, 2001 Douglas Borgstedt dies at age 90. The Yank co-founder and editor was later Saturday Evening Post cartoon and photography editor and a cartoonist for New Yorker, Esquire, and others. He co-created The Pet Set gag series with his wife, Jean MacLatchie.
25 years ago February 7, 2001 Award-winning Serbian writer-artist Lazar Stanojević dies at age 69.
25 years ago February 7, 2001 Actor Dale Evans dies of congestive heart failure at age 88. Her roles in Western films led to licensing her name and image for comics series from DC and Dell.
25 years ago February 10, 2001 Award-winning writer-artist Miné Okubo dies at age 88. She was known for her book Citizen 13660.
20 years ago February 7, 2006 Slovenian-Italian animator and artist Andrea Bresciani dies at age 83. His career included the Frontiers of Science strip and work for Hanna-Barbera.
15 years ago February 6, 2011 Moroccan artist and film director Ahmed Bouanani dies at age 72.
15 years ago February 9, 2011 French artist Félix Molinari dies at age 80.
15 years ago February 12, 2011 Joanne Siegel dies at age 93. She married Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel and modeled for Lois Lane.
10 years ago February 8, 2016 Dutch writer, editor, and translator Piet Zeeman dies of cancer at age 58. He wrote many Disney comics stories.
10 years ago February 8, 2016 Johnny Duncan dies at age 92. He was the second actor to play Robin; it was in the 1949 Batman and Robin serial.
10 years ago February 11, 2016 Buenaventura Press and Pigeon Press publisher Alvin Buenaventura is found dead at age 39.
5 years ago February 7, 2021 Award-winning Mexican animator and artist Oscar González Loyo dies at age 61. The CEO of ¡Ka-Boom! Estudio contributed to Simpsons comic books.
5 years ago February 7, 2021 Influential underground comix writer-artist S. Clay Wilson dies at age 79. The creator of “The Checkered Demon” was inducted into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 1992.
5 years ago February 8, 2021 Award-winning French writer and screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière dies at age 89.
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TURNING POINTS by Maggie Thompson
Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for February 6-12, 2026…
160 years ago February 9, 1866 Austrian-German editor-cartoonist Eduard Thöny is born.
135 years ago February 7, 1891 British archeologist and Amalgamated Press artist Bert Wymer is born.
125 years ago February 7, 1901 German artist Hans Kossatz is born.
125 years ago February 11, 1901 Harry B. Martin provides the first regular weather cartoon feature, Weatherbird, to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
120 years ago February 9, 1906 Guido Martina is born. The Italian writer is known for his Disney comics stories and his creation of Donald Duck’s superhero alter ego, Paperinik.
115 years ago February 10, 1911 Award-winning animator and artist Norm McCabe is born. The director works for Warner Brothers, DePatie-Freleng, Filmation, and more.
115 years ago February 11, 1911 Austrian-Dutch artist Ferry Zipper is born.
115 years ago February 11, 1911 Artist Harvey Eisnenberg is born. He is an animator at Fleischer, Van Buren, and MGM. His comic book work includes Dearfield Publishing and funny animal stories for Dell’s Tom and Jerry and Hanna-Barbera comic books and comic strips.
115 years ago February 12, 1911 Animator and artist Frank Grundeen is born. Known for his work on Disney comics, he continues the Donald Duck newspaper strip after the death of Al Taliaferro.
110 years ago February 6, 1916 John Campbell Cory’s Cory’s Kids ends.
100 years ago February 7, 1926 Cartoonist Bill Hoest is born. He creates The Lockhorns and Agatha Crumm, is cartoon editor of Parade, and works with writer Bunny Hoest.
100 years ago February 10, 1926 Calvin Levi Massey is born. He works as a freelance comics artist in the 1940s and 1950s, and his biography appears in Invisible Men.
95 years ago February 7, 1931 Spanish animator and artist José Luis Beltrán Coscojuela is born.
95 years ago February 9, 1931 Italian artist Grazia Nidasio is born. Lambiek calls her “one of the most famous female Italian comic creators.”
95 years ago February 10, 1931 French artist Claude Pascal is born.
90 years ago February 8, 1936 Mickey Mouse Weekly begins.
80 years ago February 7, 1946 Het Volk introduces Buth’s Thomas Pips.
80 years ago February 8, 1946 President, Chief Operating Officer, and Vice-Chairman of the Marvel Entertainment Group Terry Stewart is born. He also serves as CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
80 years ago February 9, 1946 Artist Danny Bulanadi is born.
80 years ago February 11, 1946 Jim Bradrick is born. The writer-artist is known for his work on “Wacky Squirrel.”
70 years ago February 9, 1956 Award-winning artist-writer and teacher Timothy Truman is born. He’s known for his creation of Scout, co-creation of Grimjack (with John Ostrander), and revamps (with Joe R. Lansdale) of Jonah Hex, Airboy, and The Heap.
70 years ago February 12, 1956 Michael Gallagher is born. He writes for Mad, Sonic the Hedgehog, ALF, and Guardians of the Galaxy.
65 years ago February 8, 1961 Bruce Timm is born. The award-winning writer-artist, animator, and producer is known for his work in adapting the DC universe to animated form and for co-creating Harley Quinn with Paul Dini.
65 years ago February 11, 1961 Artist Mary Williams (who works as “Kate Carew”) dies at age 91.
60 years ago February 7, 1966 Writer-editor Paul Castiglia is born.
60 years ago February 10, 1966 Writer-editor Brent Frankenhoff is born. He’s known for his work on Comics Buyer’s Guide and Standard Catalog of Comic Books (and not known for proofreading this column, even though he does).
60 years ago February 10, 1966 Spirou introduces Francis’ Marc Lebut et Son Voison.
60 years ago February 12, 1966 Marketer Lou Bank is born. He works for Marvel and Dark Horse and co-founds the Ten Angry Pitbulls marketing and design firm.
40 years ago February 6, 1986 Michael Davis begins Bad Boy Studios’ Mentor Program.
35 years ago February 11, 1991 Flemish artist Michel Mahy dies at age 42. He created De Spookjes.
30 years ago February 6, 1996 Italian artist Franco Tarantola dies at age 53.
30 years ago February 6, 1996 Writer-artist Boody Rogers dies at age 91. He created Sparky Watts and Babe.
25 years ago February 6, 2001 Douglas Borgstedt dies at age 90. The Yank co-founder and editor was later Saturday Evening Post cartoon and photography editor and a cartoonist for New Yorker, Esquire, and others. He co-created The Pet Set gag series with his wife, Jean MacLatchie.
25 years ago February 7, 2001 Award-winning Serbian writer-artist Lazar Stanojević dies at age 69.
25 years ago February 7, 2001 Actor Dale Evans dies of congestive heart failure at age 88. Her roles in Western films led to licensing her name and image for comics series from DC and Dell.
25 years ago February 10, 2001 Award-winning writer-artist Miné Okubo dies at age 88. She was known for her book Citizen 13660.
20 years ago February 7, 2006 Slovenian-Italian animator and artist Andrea Bresciani dies at age 83. His career included the Frontiers of Science strip and work for Hanna-Barbera.
15 years ago February 6, 2011 Moroccan artist and film director Ahmed Bouanani dies at age 72.
15 years ago February 9, 2011 French artist Félix Molinari dies at age 80.
15 years ago February 12, 2011 Joanne Siegel dies at age 93. She married Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel and modeled for Lois Lane.
10 years ago February 8, 2016 Dutch writer, editor, and translator Piet Zeeman dies of cancer at age 58. He wrote many Disney comics stories.
10 years ago February 8, 2016 Johnny Duncan dies at age 92. He was the second actor to play Robin; it was in the 1949 Batman and Robin serial.
10 years ago February 11, 2016 Buenaventura Press and Pigeon Press publisher Alvin Buenaventura is found dead at age 39.
5 years ago February 7, 2021 Award-winning Mexican animator and artist Oscar González Loyo dies at age 61. The CEO of ¡Ka-Boom! Estudio contributed to Simpsons comic books.
5 years ago February 7, 2021 Influential underground comix writer-artist S. Clay Wilson dies at age 79. The creator of “The Checkered Demon” was inducted into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 1992.
5 years ago February 8, 2021 Award-winning French writer and screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière dies at age 89.
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