Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for May 15-21, 2026…

195 years ago May 18, 1831 Edo period Japanese political caricaturist Kawanabe Kyosai is born.

170 years ago May 15, 1856 Speaking of Oz (which I did earlier this month, on May 5), Oz creator L. Frank Baum is born.

140 years ago May 15, 1886 Arthur R. “Pop” Momand is born. He creates Keeping up with the Joneses, which coins that phrase.

115 years ago May 17, 1911 Dutch illustrator and pioneering radio creator Bob Uschi is born.

115 years ago May 18, 1911 Writer-artist Al Vermeer is born. He creates the Priscilla’s Pop comic strip.

115 years ago May 20, 1911 Pulp magazine and comic book writer Gardner Fox is born. He creates and co-creates many superheroes including the Golden Age Sandman, Flash, Doctor Fate, Hawkman, and The Justice Society of America and the Silver Age Justice League of America.

110 years ago May 16, 1916 British artist Terry Aspin is born. He is especially known for his contributions to British “girls’” comics.

105 years ago May 19, 1921 Award-winning Dutch writer-artist Gerrit Stapel is born. The creator of Huon de Neveling is known for work for the Toonder Studios and many others.

105 years ago May 20, 1921 John Millar Watt’s Pop begins as Reggie Breaks It Gently.

100 years ago May 15, 1926 German artist Hans Jürgen Press is born. He is known for his riddle and crime comics.

100 years ago May 16, 1926 Billy DeBeck’s Parlor, Bedroom and Sink begins (later changing its name to Bunky).

95 years ago May 17, 1931 Award-winning Serbian writer-artist Lazar Stanojević is born.

95 years ago May 18, 1931 Award-winning Don Martin is born. “Mad’s Maddest Artist” also becomes “Cracked’s Crackedest Artist.”

95 years ago May 19, 1931 Artist Ralph Barton shoots himself at age 39. The New Yorker advisory editor is known for his caricatures, and his work is featured in Ralph Barton: The Last Dandy.

95 years ago May 19, 1931 British writer-artist Mel Calman is born. The founder of The Cartoon Gallery, devoted to cartoon art, produced the 35-minute animated cartoon “The Arrow.”

90 years ago May 20, 1936 Magazine cartoonist Mal Hancock is born.

85 years ago May 15, 1941 Underground comix creator Jack Jackson is born. He creates God Nose.

80 years ago May 19, 1946 Artist Ken Kelly is born. Many of his paintings focus on swords and sorcery fantasy, and he provides covers for Creepy and Eerie.

75 years ago May 21, 1951 Clifford McBride dies at age 50. He created Napoleon and Uncle Elby.

70 years ago May 17, 1956 Award-winning writer, artist, letterer, and publisher Dave Sim is born. He’s known for his creation of the monumental Cerebus project and for his advocacy for creators’ rights.

70 years ago May 17, 1956 Archie Comics writer-artist George Frese dies at age 45.

70 years ago May 20, 1956 British writer-artist Max Beerbohm dies at age 83.

70 years ago May 21, 1956 Writer-editor and Caliber Comics Publisher Gary Reed is born.

65 years ago May 15, 1961 Artist and game designer Jeff Dee is born. He co-creates (with Jack Herman) the superhero game Villains and Vigilantes.

65 years ago May 16, 1961 Writer-artist Rick Altergott is born. He’s especially known for Doofus.

40 years ago May 15, 1986 Artist Virginia Krausmann dies at age 73. The NEA artist was known for work on Annibelle and Marianne.

35 years ago May 20, 1991 Award-winning Slovene writer-artist Milko Bambič dies at age 86. He also worked as “Cvetanov” and “Banetov.”

30 years ago May 20, 1996 Jon Pertwee dies of a heart attack at age 76. He was the third to play the role of The Doctor on the BBC Doctor Who series. His likeness appeared in a number of comics stories based on the role.

30 years ago May 21, 1996 Actor and bullwhip expert Lash LaRue dies of emphysema at age 78. His cowboy roles led to licensing his name and image to Fawcett comics.

25 years ago May 18, 2001 Maurice Noble dies at age 90. He was an animation artist, designer, and director and worked for Disney, Warner Bros., and MGM.

15 years ago May 19, 2011 Influential writer-artist Jeffrey Catherine Jones, creator of Idyl, dies at age 67.

15 years ago May 21, 2011 French writer-artist Paul Gillon dies at age 85. He co-created Les Naufragés du Temps with Jean-Claude Forest.

15 years ago May 21, 2011 Award-winning cartoonist Bill Rechin dies of esophageal cancer at age 80. He created Out of Bounds with Don Wilder and Crock with Wilder and Brant Parker. He served as NCS president in 1989.

10 years ago May 19, 2016 Actor Alan Young dies at age 96. His roles included voicing Scrooge McDuck in such films as 1983’s “Mickey’s Christmas Carol” and 1990’s DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp. He also played Wilbur Post in the Mister Ed TV series, his character appearing in the resultant Gold Key series.

5 years ago May 20, 2021 Belgian cartoonist Eddy Ploegaerts (who worked as “Ploeg”) dies at age 85. He created the pantomime gag strip Prosper.