Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for March 27 through April 2, 2026…

135 years ago April 2, 1891 Max Ernst is born. The German artist, pioneer of the Dada movement, helps to develop abstract expressionism.

130 years ago March 27, 1896 Artist Tillman Goodan is born. He drew Gene Autry Comics in the 1940s.

130 years ago March 29, 1896 Hungarian artist János Jankó dies at age 62. He was one of the earliest Hungarian artists to use the comics format.

120 years ago March 24, 1901 Animator, cartoonist, designer, and inventor Ub Iwerks is born. He creates Flip the Frog, co-creates Oswald Rabbit and Mickey Mouse (with Walt Disney), and invents the multiplane camera.

125 years ago March 27, 1901 Cartoonist, artist, writer, and painter Carl Barks is born. He works anonymously throughout his comic book career, and a generation of kids know him only as “the good duck artist.” He creates Scrooge McDuck and Gyro Gearloose, among many other characters.

125 years ago March 29, 1901 Montenegrin-Croatian artist Andrija Maurović is born. Lambiek says he is considered the father of Croatian and Yugoslav comics.

125 years ago April 2, 1901 Dutch artist Willy Smit is born. She’s best known for drawing Tijs Wijs de Torenwachter.

105 years ago March 28, 1921 Walter Neugebauer is born. He’s the Croatian artist of Jack Jackson, Bimbo Bambus, Patuljak Nosko, and Winetou and co-founds Mickeystrip magazine.

100 years ago March 29, 1926 Comic book and pulp publisher Myron Fass is born. He draws comics from the late 1940s until the mid-1950s.

95 years ago March 28, 1931 Dutch artist Lex Overeijnder is born.

95 years ago April 1, 1931 Award-winning Spanish artist Fernando Puig Rosado is born.

95 years ago April 2, 1931 Award-winning Spanish artist Daniel Traver Griñó is born.

90 years ago March 28, 1936 Artist Wayne Truman is born. He is especially known for his work on art finishes and lettering for US editions of manga.

90 years ago March 31, 1936 Frans Piët signs his first Sjors comic strip.

90 years ago April 1, 1936 Thimble Theatre introduces Eugene the Jeep, when Olive Oyl opens a package from her Uncle Ben.

90 years ago April 2, 1936 Artist Bert Cobb dies of pneumonia at age 66 or 67. He created comic strips including Ambitious Teddy.

85 years ago March 28, 1941 Adventures of Captain Marvel opens. The 12-chapter Republic serial directed by John English and William Witney is based on the Fawcett comic book character.

85 years ago March 31, 1941 Award-winning writer-artist Franco Bonvicini is born. Often known as “Bonvi,” he creates the satiric Sturmtruppen and (with Guido De Maria) Nick Carter strips.

80 years ago March 29, 1946 Writer-artist Benjamin Cory Kilvert dies at age 66. He created the Buddy Spilliken’s Diary Sunday strip.

80 years ago March 30, 1946 Al Capp’s Li’l Abner strip introduces the concept of Lena the Hyena from Lower Slobbovia, “the ultimate in feminine ugliness.” EC’s Mad #11 (May 1954) will use her on Basil Wolverton’s cover: “Beautiful Girl of the Month Reads ‘Mad.’” And hee! The cover of EC’s Panic #4 (Aug-Sep 1954) uses her twice with Wolverton’s “Which Twin Has the Phony?”

80 years ago March 31, 1946 Prolific French artist Richard Peyzaret (who works as “F’murr”) is born.

75 years ago April 1, 1951 Letterer Bob Lappan is born.

65 years ago March 28, 1961 Jerry Bails completes the Ditto masters for the first issue of the pioneering comics fanzine Alter-Ego.

65 years ago April 1, 1961 Artist William Sharp dies at age 60.

65 years ago April 1, 1961 Winker Watson by Eric Roberts makes its debut in The Dandy.

60 years ago March 31, 1966 Smurfette (Schtroumpette) is introduced in Spirou #1459 in Les Schtroumpfs by Peyo. Created by Smurf enemy Gargamel, she is turned into a real Smurf (or Schtroumpf).

50 years ago April 1, 1976 German artist Max Ernst dies one day before his 85th birthday. The pioneer of the Dada movement helped to develop abstract expressionism.

45 years ago March 31, 1981 Dutch artist Cees van de Weert dies at age 63. He worked for Marten Toonder Studios, was studio head of Toonder’s drawing studio, and was the original artist for the Marco Polo comic.

45 years ago April 1, 1981 The nationally syndicated Howard the Duck radio show begins, featuring the voice of James Belushi as the character created by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik.

35 years ago March 29, 1991 Dutch artist and teacher Sytze Henstra dies at age 96. He was especially known for his sports cartoons.

30 years ago March 29, 1996 Kansas City’s Clint’s Books and Comics retailer Rick Jarvis dies at age 42.

30 years ago March 29, 1996 French artist and animator André Oulié dies at age 98.

25 years ago March 31, 2001 Italian writer Luciana Giussani dies at age 72. The sister of Angela Giussani, she worked with her on Diabolik.

10 years ago April 2, 2016 Award-winning Italian artist Gallieno Ferri dies at age 87. The second most productive artist of Bonelli created Zagor and was considered one of the grand masters of Italian comics.

5 years ago March 27, 2021 Prolific writer-artist Chris Yambar dies at age 59. The Moordam Comics creator’s characters included Mr. Beat, and he worked on a variety of other projects, including Simpsons-associated comics.

5 years ago March 30, 2021 Artist Gonzalo Mayo dies at age 81. After leaving Peru in 1968, he contributed to such magazines as Eerie and Vampirella and worked as an inker for Acclaim/Valiant.

And here are the anniversaries spanning the month of April…

100 years ago April 1926 The first science fiction magazine, Amazing Stories, begins; it’s founded and edited by Hugo Gernsback, who has been running speculative articles (and fiction) in his Science and Invention magazine.

95 years ago April 1931 The Shadow Magazine begins, featuring the 75,000-word “The Living Shadow” by “Maxwell Grant” (Walter B. Gibson).

90 years ago April 1936 “A book of laughs and thrills” comes from David McKay Company. This first series, edited by Ruth Plumly Thompson, is King Comics. It features reprints of King Features strips, introducing to comic books such characters as Little King, Popeye, Wimpy, Henry, Swee’pea, Olive Oyl, Maggie, Jiggs, Barney Google, Brick Bradford, Little Annie Rooney, Mandrake, Flash Gordon, Ace Drummond, Ted Towers, and King of the Royal Mounted and such strips as Radio Patrol, Tim Tyler’s Luck, The G-Man, Thimble Theatre, and Bringing up Father. (Yes, I know that some of those characters are in some of those strips. Gee whiz.)

90 years ago April 1936 “Over 100 Funnies” star in Tip Top Comics from United Features in this, its first series, with Lev Gleason credited as editor. Strip reprints that introduce their characters to comic books include Tarzan, Li’l Abner, Grin and Bear It, Ella Cinders, Hawkshaw the Detective, The Captain and the Kids, Fritzi Ritz, Looy Dot Dope, and Little Mary Mixup.

85 years ago April 1941 DC’s All-American Comics #25 cover-features Green Lantern but also introduces Dr. Mid-Nite (by Charles Reizenstein and Stan Asch), who is sort of blinded by a bomb but turns out to be able to see in the dark (and, with goggles, in the day). Oh, and Hop Harrigan (by Jon L. Blummer) dons a costume and becomes The Guardian Angel.

85 years ago April 1941 Marvel’s Daring Mystery Comics #7 introduces The Thunderer (by John Compton and Carl Burgos), The Fin (by Bill Everett), The Blue Diamond (by Ben Thompson), The Silver Scorpion (by Harry Sahle), Mr. Million (by Ray Burley), Captain Daring (by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby), and The Challenger (by Charles Nicholas). There’s lotsa punching featured on the costumed hero packed cover.

85 years ago April 1941 DC’s Adventure Comics #61 announces on the cover that Star Man is thrilling, sensational, and brand new. His name compressed to one word, Starman fights the Secret Brotherhood of the Electron in a story by Jack and Ray Burnley.

85 years ago April 1941 Parents’ Institute, Inc. becomes a comic book publisher with True Comics #1, calling it “a new and different comic magazine.” Contributors include historian Dr. Hendrik Willem van Loon and journalist Lowell Thomas. The cover epigraph says, “Truth is stranger and a thousand times more thrilling than Fiction.”

80 years ago April 1946 Fiction House’s Wings Comics #68 introduces The Phantom Falcon by Joey Cavallo.

80 years ago April 1946 Nutsy Squirrel, created by Woody Gelman, is introduced in DC’s Funny Folks #1. Those who know that Gelman was later head of Topps’ Product Development Department and founder of Nostalgia Press will not find it surprising that the introductory Nutsy story features the squirrel as a nut collector who is hungry because he won’t eat what he collects.

80 years ago April 1946 Harvey’s Stuntman #1 introduces Stuntman, “new champ of split second action,” created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

75 years ago April 1951 DC’s Mystery in Space #1 introduces Knights of the Galaxy in “Nine Worlds to Conquer,” “an amazing interplanetary adventure!” by Robert Kanigher, Carmine Infantino, and Joe Giella.

75 years ago April 1951 Harvey’s Black Cat #28 introduces “Black Cat’s new ally,” the “fearless boy sensation” Kit Weston (and her new sidekick), in “Flames over Hollywood” and “The Black Cat Adopts a Kitten”: stories drawn by Lee Elias.

70 years ago April 1956 Let’s get serious here. If you were a hat collector, wouldn’t your dream be to add Batman’s cowl to your collection? DC’s Detective Comics #230 introduces The Mad Hatter in a story by Bill Finger, Sheldon Moldoff, and Charles Paris. Batman frets, “Once he sees my face, that’s the end of my career!” Come on, don’t you have more than one cowl, Batman? Just a thought …

70 years ago April 1956 DC’s The Brave and the Bold has featured The Golden Gladiator, The Viking Prince, and The Silent Knight in the first four issues. But hey! In #5, the introduction of Robin Hood as a “special feature” squeezes out The Golden Gladiator. “The Blind Bowman!” is by Bill Finger and Irv Novick. (Mind you, in #6, The GG is back, and VP is out. But in #7… Yeah, that’s how it goes.)

65 years ago April 1961 The Statement of Ownership in Archie’s Archie #118 says that the average paid circulation per issue is 458,039.

65 years ago April 1961 Adventure Comics #283 introduces The Phantom Zone in “The Phantom Superboy” by Robert Bernstein and George Papp. Though it is meant for Krypton’s criminals, it poses a problem, given that the Kryptonian weapon projecting its target into the Zone means a dilemma for Superboy. “They don’t see me… They don’t feel me! How can I tell them I no longer exist on Earth?” Yikes. (By the way, it’s the first appearance of General Zod.)

65 years ago April 1961 “Don’t worry – Bat-Girl will save you!” In DC’s Batman #139, when the Cobra gang threatens to doom Batman, Robin, and Batwoman, Batwoman’s niece Kathy Kane is introduced just in time to save them. The story is by writer Bill Finger and artists Sheldon Moldoff and Charles Paris (as Bob Kane).

60 years ago April 1966 Marvel’s Thor #127 introduces Pluto in “The Hammer and the Holocaust!” by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Vince Colletta.

60 years ago April 1966 “Hold still, Billy, I’ll save you! Split!” So it is that M.F. Enterprises grabs a classic Golden Age character name (as Golden Age comics fans shudder) in Captain Marvel #1 (and the issue cover-features yet another Golden Age rip-off with the bonus feature starring “Plastic Man”). Ik. “Introducing the All-New Captain Marvel” is by Roger Elwood, Leon Francho, and Carl Burgos. All-new, indeed.

60 years ago April 1966 In “The Deadly Dust” by Steve Skeates, Mike Sekowsky, Frank Giacoia, and Joe Giella, Lightning is introduced in Tower’s T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #4.

60 years ago April 1966 “Is The Mimic another mutant? – Or something far worse??” (Yes, that’s two question marks.) Marvel’s The X-Men #19 introduces the character in “Lo! Now Shall Appear – The Mimic!” by Stan Lee, Werner Roth, and Dick Ayers.

55 years ago April 1971 The French magazine Le Rire ends.

50 years ago April 1976 Harvey cancels Little Dot with #164 and Playful Little Audrey with #121.

50 years ago April 1976 Joe Orlando becomes DC Comics’ managing editor.

50 years ago April 1976 In DC’s 1st Issue Special #13 (the last issue), Orion of The New Gods gets a new costume.

50 years ago April 1976 Marvel’s Super-Villain Team-Up #5 introduces The Shroud in “… And Be a Villain!” by Steve Englehart, Herb Trimpe, and Don Perlin.

50 years ago April 1976 Marvel Premiere #29, featuring “America’s homefront superheroes of World War II! The Liberty Legion,” introduces Patriot and the rest of The Liberty Legion to 1970s readers in – wait for it – “Lo, The Liberty Legion!” by Roy Thomas, Don Heck, and Vince Colletta.

50 years ago April 1976 Spoiler! A Justice League member dies in Justice League of America #129 in “The Earth Dies Screaming!” by Martin Pasko, Dick Dillin, and Frank McLaughlin. (I did warn you: It’s Red Tornado, who’s a complicated character and different from the Golden Age Red Tornado and changes and yadda yadda yadda.)

45 years ago April 1981 The Mike Mist Minute Mist-Eries one-shot for Eclipse is by co-creators Max Collins and Terry Beatty.

45 years ago April 1981 Marvel’s The Defenders #94 introduces Gargoyle in “Beware – The Six-Fingered Hand!” by J.M. DeMatteis, Don Perlin, Joe Sinnott, and Al Milgrom.

45 years ago April 1981 Marvel’s Spider-Woman #37 introduces Siryn of X-Force in “Who Am I?” by Chris Claremont, Steve Leialoha, Terry Austin, Bob Wiacek, Alan Weiss, Al Milgrom, and Frank Springer.

40 years ago April 1986 First Graphic Novel #5 is The Enchanted Apples of Oz by Eric Shanower. It’s a new story based on L. Frank Baum’s world of Oz.

40 years ago April 1986 The Best of DC ends with #71.

40 years ago April 1986 Daniel Clowes’ Lloyd Llewellyn begins from Fantagraphics.

40 years ago April 1986 DC resumes the title with Secret Origins #1, “beginning the new series where each issue’s a collector’s item!” “The Secret Origin of the Golden Age Superman” is by Roy Thomas, Wayne Boring, and Jerry Ordway.

40 years ago April 1986 DC’s The Vigilante #28 introduces Vigilante Dave Winston.

40 years ago April 1986 Lobo gets a solo story in the back-up “Partners: The Last Vega Story” by Keith Giffen and Todd Klein in DC’s The Omega Men #37.

35 years ago April 1991 “Even in the 31st century there shall be a Phoenix.” “The Once and Future Phoenix” by Jim Valentino and Steve Montano introduces Giraud in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy #11.

35 years ago April 1991 Marvel’s Toxic Avenger begins in “A Hideously Deformed Creature of Superhuman Size and Strength Is Born” (yes) by Doug Moench, Rod Ramos, and Val Mayerik.

35 years ago April 1991 Marvel’s series of Cadillacs and Dinosaurs offering Mark Schultz stories ends with #6.

35 years ago April 1991 Marvel’s Hollywood Superstars ends with #5, featuring stories written by Mark Evanier and drawn by Dan Spiegle and Sergio Aragonés.

35 years ago April 1991 X-Force gets its first appearance in a cameo in Marvel’s The New Mutants #100 (the last issue), when The New Mutants leave the X-Mansion and become X-Force in “The End of the Beginning” by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza.

30 years ago April 1996 Marvel ends its Marvel Edge imprint with series Daredevil #351; Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #88; Ghost Rider #72; Punisher #6; and Doc Samson #4.

25 years ago April 2001 The Dark Horse one-shot American Splendor: Portrait of the Author in His Declining Years #1 celebrates creator Harvey Pekar with all stories written by Pekar.

25 years ago April 2001 DC’s Elseworlds three-issue miniseries Batman: Hollywood Knight begins with “Tinseltown Terror” by Bob Layton and Dick Giordano.

20 years ago April 2006 The first issue of DC’s eight-issue American Way is by John Ridley, Georges Jeanty, and Karl Story.

15 years ago April 2011 Super Dinosaur by Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard begins from Image.

10 years ago April 2016 “Murder six miles deep.” Dark Horse’s Dept. H begins with a story by Matt Kindt.

5 years ago April 2021 The five-issue Avengers: Mech Strike from Marvel begins.

5 years ago April 2021 The Image Silver Coin horror anthology begins with “The Ticket” by Chip Zdarsky and Michael Walsh.

5 years ago April 2021 Marvel’s X-Men Legends begins with the first part of “The Burning Blood.” “Shattered Crystal, Scattered Dreams” is by Fabian Nicieza, Brett Booth, and Adelso Corona.

5 years ago April 2021 A new series of Valiant’s Shadowman features a story by Cullen Bunn and Jon Davis-Hunt.