Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for February 13-19, 2026…

150 years ago February 13, 1876 British cartoonist and Punch art editor Frank Reynolds is born.

125 years ago February 13, 1901 Paul Kroesen is born. The artist illustrates educational comic strips for NEA and works as a news sketch artist.

110 years ago February 14, 1916 Archie Comics publisher, co-founder, and editor in chief John L. Goldwater is born (as Max Leonard Goldwasser).

105 years ago February 14, 1921 Walt Wallet discovers a baby on his doorstep in Frank King’s Gasoline Alley. (Walt will later adopt the baby and name him Skeezix.)

105 years ago February 15, 1921 German artist Otto Schwalge is born.

105 years ago February 16, 1921 Artist Margaret Ahern (who also works as “Peg O’Connell”) is born. Her work includes Beano, An Altar Boy Named Speck, and Our Parish.

105 years ago February 17, 1921 Danish animator, musician, and writer-artist Børge Ring is born. He works on comic books and for many different studios on animated films, winning an Oscar for “Anna & Bella” (1984).

105 years ago February 18, 1921 Award-winning Dutch artist Ton Smits is born.

100 years ago February 18, 1926 Marvel artist Joe Maneely is born. He co-creates Black Knight, Ringo Kid, Yellow Claw, and Jimmy Woo.

95 years ago February 18, 1931 Cartoonist Johnny Hart is born. He creates B.C. and co-creates Wizard of Id.

90 years ago February 14, 1936 French artist André-François Barbe is born.

90 years ago February 14, 1936 Italian artist Guido Scala is born. Lambiek calls him “one of the most famous and successful Italian Disney artists.”

90 years ago February 17, 1936 Lee Falk’s The Phantom begins.

85 years ago February 13, 1941 Artist J.B. Lowitz dies at age 67. A pioneer of US newspaper comics, he created The Captain Kiddis Kids.

70 years ago February 18, 1956 The British comics magazine Express Weekly begins.

65 years ago February 18, 1961 The British comics magazine Radio Fun ends its run and merges with Buster.

60 years ago February 13, 1966 Artist George Scarbo dies at age 67. He was a staff cartoonist with the Newspaper Enterprise Association, and his work included The Comic Zoo.

60 years ago February 13, 1966 British artist Tony Royle dies at age 67.

60 years ago February 16, 1966 German artist Martin Perscheid is born.

55 years ago February 18, 1971 British artist Walter Booth dies at age 81. He created Professor Potash.

50 years ago February 14, 1976 Action begins with #1. Yeah, it’s not DC’s series (which preceded it by more than three decades). This British weekly comes from IPC Magazines Ltd., is “the sensational paper for boys!” – and offers a free “red arrow” insert: “Just watch it fly!”

50 years ago February 14, 1976 Bullet begins with #1. It’s from D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd., and the British weekly is “The new rough tough action story paper for boys!” It offers inside “this super secret sign ring plus 16 stick-on embossed symbols.” This bonus just might have the edge over a paper airplane. On the other hand, I’m still trying to figure out how both Action and Bullet #1 can be dated February 14, although Action comes out on Monday, and Bullet comes out on Tuesday. Oh, and February 14, 1976, was actually a Saturday, according to the Internet. Guess you had to be there?

50 years ago February 17, 1976 Dutch writer-artist Lieuwe Brolsma dies at age 63.

45 years ago February 16, 1981 Australian artist William Edwin Pidgeon (who worked as “Wep”) dies at age 72 from complications from a traffic accident. He created In and Out of Society.

35 years ago February 15, 1991 Dutch artist Hans Borrebach dies at age 87.

35 years ago February 16, 1991 Italian artist Franco Bignotti dies at age 60.

35 years ago February 19, 1991 Dutch writer-artist and musician Gradie Knipscheer dies at age 76. She wrote and drew Keesje Konijntje.

30 years ago February 13, 1996 Artist Cara Sherman-Tereno dies of leukemia at age 44. She drew such characters as DC’s Wonder Woman and Arion and First Comics’ Evangeline.

25 years ago February 14, 2001 French artist Michel Crespin dies at age 45.

25 years ago February 19, 2001 Argentine artist Adolfo Mazzone dies at age 86. His best known character was Piantadino.

20 years ago February 13, 2006 Cartoonist, painter, author, and actor Brummett Echohawk dies at age 83.

20 years ago February 18, 2006 Giovanni Gandini dies at age 76. The writer, artist, and editor founded the Italian “magazine of comics and illustration” linus.

20 years ago February 19, 2006 The Michael Fry Committed panel cartoon ends.

5 years ago February 13, 2021 Artist-writer George Mandel dies two days after his 101st birthday. He contributed to Better Publications, Fox, Hillman, Lev Gleason, Timely, and Novelty.

5 years ago February 16, 2021 British TV and comics writer Si Spencer dies of heart failure at age 59 or 60.