Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for July 17-23, 2026…

215 years ago July 18, 1811 English novelist William Makepeace Thackeray is born. Though best known for his writing, he also illustrates many of his own works.

185 years ago July 17, 1841 Henry Mayhew and Ebenezer Landells release the first issue of the humor magazine Punch. It becomes one of the prime markets for British cartoonists.

160 years ago July 22, 1866 Tomás Padrò publishes Las Delicias de la Torre.

155 years ago July 17, 1871 “Fine artist” Lyonel Feininger is born. He creates the comic strips The Kin-der-Kids and Wee Willie Winkie’s World.

150 years ago July 20, 1876 Pioneering Japanese teacher and manga artist Rakuten Kitazawa is born. He founds Tokyo Puck and Rakuta Puck.

150 years ago July 22, 1876 Artist Harry L. Parkhurst is born. He draws Golden Arrow for Whiz Comics and Hopalong Cassidy for Master Comics and later draws Dell’s Western comics as “Harry Parks.”

135 years ago July 19, 1891 Pioneering Spanish writer-artist Ramón Escaler Ullastre (usually known as “Ramón Escaler”) dies at age 28 or 29. The innovator’s work included panels and speech balloons.

120 years ago July 22, 1906 Comic strip writer Clifford David Vormelker is born.

115 years ago July 20, 1911 Filipino cartoonist José Zabala-Santos (who works as “Mang Pepe”) is born.

115 years ago July 22, 1911 Norman Mansbridge is born. The British artist is known for Fuss Pot.

110 years ago July 21, 1916 Cartoonist Frank Roberge is born. He creates the comic strip Mrs. Fitz’s Flats.

105 years ago July 18, 1921 Fernand Wicheler publishes Le Dernier Film, the first Belgian newspaper comic.

100 years ago July 18, 1926 Yolanda Vargas Dulché is born. The Mexican writer-producer creates the comic book character Memín Pinguín.

95 years ago July 19, 1931 Sunday installments of the Lyman Young adventure strip Tim Tyler’s Luck begin, distributed by King Features Syndicate.

95 years ago July 19, 1931 Award-winning Dutch writer-artist Bert Bus is born.

95 years ago July 20, 1931 Rodolfo Zalla is born. The Argentine-Brazilian artist is founder of the publisher D-Arte Ltda.

90 years ago July 19, 1936 Spanish writer-artist Apeles Mestres dies at age 81. The pioneering comics illustrator was the regular artist for La Esquella de la Torratxa.

85 years ago July 22, 1941 “Cheech Wizard” writer-artist-creator Vaughn Bodé is born.

80 years ago July 21, 1946 Lee Salem is born. The award-winning editor becomes president of Universal Press Syndicate (now Andrews McMeel Syndication) and helps develop such strips as Calvin and Hobbes, Cathy, The Far Side, and For Better or for Worse.

75 years ago July 21, 1951 Robin Williams is born. Among many other credits, he voices the Genie in Disney’s Aladdin.

75 years ago July 22, 1951 French teacher, novelist, and comics writer Patrice Ordas is born.

70 years ago July 17, 1956 Charles Augustus Mager (who worked as “Gus Mager”) dies of brain cancer at age 77. He was known for creating Hawkshaw the Detective, Sherlocko the Monk, and Oliver’s Adventures.

70 years ago July 21, 1956 Dutch artist Louis Raemaekers dies at age 86. He was known for his anti-German political cartoons during WWI. Theodore Roosevelt said in 1917, “His pictures should be studied everywhere.”

70 years ago July 23, 1956 Artist Frank Fosco is born. He’s especially known for his work on Vanguard and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

65 years ago July 19, 1961 Award-winning Dutch artist Minck Oosterveer is born.

65 years ago July 19, 1961 Cartoonist Terry LaBan is born. He draws political cartoons, Unsupervised Existence, and Cud – and the Edge City comic strip.

65 years ago July 20, 1961 Artist Wilson McCoy dies of a heart attack at age 59. He was especially known for his work on the newspaper strip The Phantom.

60 years ago July 23, 1966 John Benson begins New York City’s multi-day comic book convention. (Four women attend: Pat Lupoff, Lee Hoffman, Maggie Thompson, and Flo Steinberg.)

55 years ago July 17, 1971 It’s the first day of the two-day comics convention by Phil Seuling and The Academy of Comic Book Arts at Nathan’s Famous Franks in New York City.

55 years ago July 19, 1971 Psychologist, writer, publisher, and hands-on editor Garry Cleveland Myers dies at his desk, age 87. He co-founded Highlights for Children with his wife, Caroline Clark Myers.

55 years ago July 20, 1971 Marcie is introduced in Charles Schulz’ Peanuts.

50 years ago July 19, 1976 Benedict Cumberbatch is born. The award-winning (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) actor is especially known for his TV portrayal of a modern Sherlock Holmes and plays Doctor Strange starting in 2016.

50 years ago July 23, 1976 Don and Maggie (and Valerie and Stephen) Thompson attend the first day of their very first San Diego Comic-Con. Yeah, I should probably take this out of this Turning Points post. But golly.

45 years ago July 17, 1981 Norwegian comedian and artist Odd Harrong dies at age 68.

45 years ago July 19, 1981 The Sunday Tarzan comic strip begins new stories by Mike Grell after several months of reprints.

40 years ago July 22, 1986 Mickey Mouse comic strip artist Floyd Gottfredson dies at age 81, following a stroke.

30 years ago July 23, 1996 Animator, animated film director, writer, and artist Jim Pabian dies at age 87. One of Dell’s Golden Age funny animal artists, he worked with Chuck Jones during the 1960s, continuing Tom & Jerry films.

25 years ago July 22, 2001 Spanish-Cuban animator and artist Eduardo Muñoz Bachs dies at age 64. He was known for his art on El Cuento.

20 years ago July 17, 2006 Writer Mickey Spillane dies of pancreatic carcinoma at age 88. He worked in the comics field in the 1940s before becoming best known for his Mike Hammer novels. His other comics connections include Ms. Tree and Mike Danger.

20 years ago July 23, 2006 Cartoonist Vernon Grant dies at age 71, injured when suffering a heart attack. Intrigued by manga, he was known for A Monster Is Loose in Tokyo and for The Love Rangers SF series.

15 years ago July 19, 2011 Belgian artist Henri Taymans (who worked as “Timme”) dies at age 86.

15 years ago July 22, 2011 Captain America: The First Avenger opens, starring Chris Evans as the Marvel hero, kicking off the eventual trilogy that will add Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War.