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 June 30 to July 6, 2017…
100 years ago July 1, 1917 Artist and DC Production Manager Jack Adler is born.
80 years ago July 3, 1937 Russ Cochran is born. The professor, publisher, and art dealer is especially noted for his reprints of E.C. material.
70 years ago July 6, 1947 Katherine Collins is born as Arn Saba. She creates Neil the Horse.
65 years ago July 4, 1952 Artist Rick J. Bryant is born.
55 years ago July 3, 1962 Hogan’s Alley co-founder and editor, historian Tom Heintjes, is born.
45 years ago June 30, 1972 Comics researcher Dave Galvan is born.
40 years ago July 5, 1977 The Dutch comics artist of De Verstrooide Professor, Theo Funke Kupper, dies at age 72.
35 years ago “June 6, 1982 Writer-artist Warren Tufts dies at age 56 in the crash of an airplane he designed. The writer-artist created Casey Ruggles, Lone Spaceman, and Lance comic strips.” Remember this entry from last month? Well, here it is again, because he died July 6, 1982.
25 years ago July 4, 1992 Marvel announces it will acquire Fleer Corp. for $265 million.
25 years ago July 4, 1992 The Chicago Comicon begins at the Ramada O’Hare. The event runs July 4-6 and is especially noted for the huge tent that serves as a venue for fans of Image’s creators.
20 years ago July 2, 1997 Men in Black opens, based on the comic book by Lowell Cunningham and Sandy Carruthers. It’s nominated for three Oscars, wins for Best Makeup, and gets a 92 on Rotten Tomatoes and a 71 on Metacritic.
20 years ago July 4, 1997 It’s the first day of the first Wizard World Chicago. The event runs through July 6 at the Rosemont Convention Center.
15 years ago July 3, 2002 “Coming to rid your Earth of the scum of the universe … Again!” Men in Black II opens, based on the comic book by Lowell Cunningham and Sandy Carruthers.
And here are the anniversaries spanning the month of July…
75 years ago July 1942 Silver Streak Comics becomes Lev Gleason’s Crime Does Not Pay with #22; it calls itself “a completely new kind of magazine” and is now known as the first crime comic book.
75 years ago July 1942 “The Web battles The Black Dragon of Death!” Archie’s Zip Comics #27 introduces The Web in a story drawn by John Cassone.
75 years ago July 1942 Marvel’s Krazy Komics #1 introduces both Silly Seal and Ziggy Pig in an issue containing “68 sparkling pages in full color!”
70 years ago July 1947 There are two #7 issues of Fox’s Jo-Jo Comics. The July issue introduces and cover-features “the new and sensational adventures of” Jo-Jo Congo King.
70 years ago July 1947 Archie’s Pep Comics #62 introduces Li’l Jinx in a story written and drawn by Joe Edwards.
70 years ago July 1947 The first issue of Hillman’s My Date may be the first romance comic. There’s major input from the team of Jack Kirby and Joe Simon.
65 years ago July 1952 Charlton’s Space Adventures #1 introduces the Space Rangers. (While it’s a couple of years before Rocky Jones, Space Ranger airs on TV, Wiki says the pilot is shot about the time this issue is put into production, and one of the comic book Rangers is named Jones. Just saying.)
65 years ago July 1952 DC’s The Adventures of Rex the Wonder Dog #4 introduces Detective Chimp by John Broome, Carmine Infantino, and Sy Barry. “Ik-ik-chk!”
65 years ago July 1952 Now, see, here’s where comics historians go nuts. DC’s Strange Adventures #22 has a Captain Comet story by John Broome, Murphy Anderson, and Sy Barry titled “The Guardians of the Clockwork Universe!” So does this mean it’s the story that really introduces The Guardians of the Universe, those annoying characters that are usually credited with their first appearance as being in Green Lantern #1 (July 1960)? That story is also by Broome. Hmm.
65 years ago July 1952 DC kicks off The Adventures of Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis with #1. The licensed Martin and Lewis stories are written and drawn by Howie Post.
55 years ago July 1962 Marvel’s Amazing Adult Fantasy #14 tries to entice readers with stories by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee. Obviously, this is a team that is failing to attract readers. Heck, Lee tells a reader that he and Ditko even do their own editing. Why don’t they just forget about it? Wait a minute. What if they change the title a bit? Change it from an anthology title? Tweak it? I’m just saying. It’s worth a try.
55 years ago July 1962 “Meet … Doctor Doom!” Marvel’s Fantastic Four #5 introduces the guy who threatens, “With a turn of this dial, I shall destroy the four of you, forever!!” I bet they’d have settled for a simple, “Hello!” “Prisoners of Doctor Doom!” is by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Joe Sinnott.
55 years ago July 1962 Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan #131 is the last issue with a Dell logo. Stories are by Gaylord Du Bois, Jesse Marsh, and Russ Manning. (Don’t fret. Gold Key will pick it up in November, continuing the numbering and storytellers.)
55 years ago July 1962 Remember a couple months ago, when The Hulk’s skin was gray? Well, forget it. Marvel’s Incredible Hulk #2 gives The Hulk green skin in a story by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko.
55 years ago July 1962 Hey! Superboy’s got x-ray vision, but Ultra-Boy (introduced in the issue) has penetra-vision! Luckily, neither seems to be checking out Lana Lang on the cover of DC’s Superboy #98. (She’s probably not wearing a super-outfit the way the guys are.) “The Boy with Ultra-Powers!” is by Jerry Siegel, Curt Swan, and George Klein.
55 years ago July 1962 DC’s Green Lantern #14 introduces Sonar, “the villain with the supersonic punch!” “The Man Who Conquered Sound!” is by John Broome, Gil Kane, and Joe Giella.
50 years ago July 1967 Rumor has it that Neal Adams makes his DC Comics debut with “It’s My Turn to Die,” written by Howard Liss, in Our Army at War #182.
50 years ago July 1967 “Spider-Man No More!” Well, okay, that decision doesn’t last long. Of greater duration is Kingpin, introduced in Marvel’s The Amazing Spider-Man #50 in a story by Stan Lee, John Romita, and Mike Esposito.
45 years ago July 1972 “Now only 20¢” says the cover, when DC comics reduces its price from a quarter. Because let’s face it: Who can afford a quarter for a comic book? Oh, and DC also buys the rights to Fawcett’s Captain Marvel characters this month.
45 years ago July 1972 George A. Pflaum’s Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact publishes its last issue. Volume 27 #8 (whole number #486) cover-features Chuck White, drawn by Fran Matera.
45 years ago July 1972 Marvel’s Sgt. Fury #100 features “One Hundredth Anniversary” by Gary Friedrich, Dick Ayers, and Mike Esposito, and the cover is captioned “When a Howler falls!” Characters include Stan Lee, Martin Goodman, Friedrich, Ayers, and more.
45 years ago July 1972 Rachel van Helsing is introduced in Marvel’s Tomb of Dracula #3. “Who Stalks the Vampire?” is by Archie Goodwin, Gene Colan, and Tom Palmer.
45 years ago July 1972 He’s just a narrator in his first appearance, which is in Gold Key’s Mystery Comics Digest #5. Dr. Spektor tells “Of Inhuman Bondage” by Don Glut and Dan Spiegle. (Footnote: It’s lettered by pioneering publisher Bill Spicer. Look him up.)
40 years ago July 1977 Choke! Sob! Issue #126 is the last of DC’s Young Love (“stories of romance for today’s young women!”). Stories include “I Won’t Kiss That Evil Way” by Tom DeFalco, Jeff Aclin, and Vince Colletta.
40 years ago July 1977 Marvel’s Star Wars #1 adaptation by Roy Thomas and Howard Chaykin is cover-dated July but hits newsstands prior to the movie’s May 25 release. (This emphasizes again that the issue dates used in these lists are cover dates; just saying.)
40 years ago July 1977 Machine Man is introduced in Marvel’s 2001: A Space Odyssey #8. “The Capture of X-51” is by Jack Kirby and Mike Royer.
40 years ago July 1977 Eeek! “Our combined powers can’t stop that horde! We’ve got to retreat!” Ghost Rider has a point. It’s the first appearance of Swarm, also known as Lord of the Killer Bees! The story in Marvel’s Champions #14 is by John Byrne, Bill Mantlo, and Mike Esposito.
40 years ago July 1977 As the cover says, DC’s Shazam! #30 features “The Entire Shazam Family!” It reintroduces the Golden Age’s Three Lieutenants Marvel in a story by E. Nelson Bridwell, Kurt Schaffenberger, and Vince Colletta.
40 years ago July 1977 At an unspecified date this month, animator and Supermouse artist Milt Stein commits suicide at age 56.
35 years ago July 1982 DC’s The New Teen Titans #21 adds an insert preview of the Night Force series. And, in a story by Marv Wolfman, George Pérez, and Romeo Tanghal, the issue introduces Brother Blood and The Monitor (well, his voice, anyway), heralding the coming Crisis on Infinite Earths.
30 years ago July 1987 He’s back in his own series again. Marvel’s Silver Surfer #1 features “—Free—” by Steve Englehart, Marshall Rogers, and Joe Rubinstein.
30 years ago July 1987 Eddy Current #1 kicks off “a twelve hour book by Ted McKeever.”
30 years ago July 1987 Usagi Yojimbo begins from Fantagraphics. Stan Sakai’s Rabbit Ronin began his adventures in Albedo Anthropomorphics #2, but now he has his own title.
30 years ago July 1987 DC’s Superman #7 introduces Rampage in (wait for it) “Rampage!” by John Byrne and Karl Kesel.
25 years ago July 1992 The character has to wait for a month to get his own series, but Jim Valentino’s Shadowhawk gets his first appearance in Image’s Youngblood #2.
25 years ago July 1992 The last issue of Fantagraphics’ award-winning Amazing Heroes is #203. (Wiki says it’s #204, but I’m just saying.)
25 years ago July 1992 In Marvel’s Iron Man #282, “War Machine” is by Len Kaminski, Kevin Hopgood, and Bob Wiacek and, yes, introduces War Machine.
25 years ago July 1992 okay, there was a tease about the character last month, but Valiant’s Solar, Man of the Atom #11 provides the first full appearance of the Eternal Warrior. “Justifiable Homicides” is by Jim Shooter, Steve Ditko, Ted Halsted, and Gonzalo Mayo.
20 years ago July 1997 It’s prequel time! Marvel’s Flashback Month features standalone stories taking place before the events in 1961’s Fantastic Four #1. The issues are numbered #-1.
5 years ago July 2012 The New 52 starts fresh characters and numberings for some DC series this month, starting with new #1 issues. “A different world! A different destiny!” Earth 2 features “The Price of Victory” by James Robinson, Nicola Scott, and Trevor Scott in which a bunch of supers die and new supers get under way. Dial H for Hero offers “What’s the 411?” by China Miéville and Mateus Santolouco. (You know the premise, right?) Worlds’ Finest teams Huntress and Power Girl in “Rebirth” by Paul Levitz, George Pérez, Scott Koblish, and Kevin Maguire. Even G.I. Combat joins in, featuring “The War That Time Forgot” by J.T. Krul and Ariel Olivetti. You get the idea.
