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 October 4-10, 2013…
100 years ago October 6, 1913 Harvey Comics founder Alfred Harvey is born, with his company’s credits including Little Dot and Richie Rich.
75 years ago October 9, 1938 Writer-artist Russell Myers is born. He creates the Broom-Hilda comic strip.
70 years ago October 4, 1943 It’s the first episode of the Kerry Drake adventure strip by writer Allen Saunders and artist Alfred Andriola. (Think there could have been a connection with last week’s Saunders and Andriola event?)
70 years ago October 9, 1943 Pulitzer Prize-winning and Reuben Award-winning editorial cartoonist Mike Peters is born. He also writes and draws the Mother Goose and Grimm comic strip.
60 years ago October 7, 1953 Artist Marvin Perry Mann is born. He works under the penname of “mpMann,” and his work includes The Lone and Level Sands (written by A. David Lewis).
60 years ago October 7, 1953 Writer and law professor Rod Underhill is born. He is co-author (with Nat Gertler) of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Making Millions on the Internet, founds MP3.com, and cofounds Podlinez.com.
55 years ago October 6, 1958 Award-winning writer-editor Michael Carlin is born.
40 years ago October 10, 1973 Artist Austin Briggs dies of leukemia at age 55. He was Alex Raymond’s assistant, eventually taking over Secret Agent and Flash Gordon. He also drew Fawcett’s Spy Smasher and was one of the founding teachers of the Famous Artists School.
And spanning the month of October…
75 years ago October 1938 Detective Comics #20 introduces Jim Chambers’ The Crimson Avenger (Lee Travis).
70 years ago October 1943 What happens when he says, “Shazam”? Uncle Marvel first appears in Fawcett’s Wow Comics #18. The story by Otto Binder and Marcus Swayze is titled “Mary Marvel Meets Her Uncle Marvel.”
70 years ago October 1943 The American Comics Group introduces itself with the first issues of anthology titles Ha Ha and Giggle. Eventually (under the guidance of Editor Richard Hughes), it introduces characters including Nemesis, Magicman, and Herbie.
65 years ago October 1948 Who’s unquestionably one of the top Batman villains? First appearing in DC’s Detective Comics #140, The Riddler is cover-featured, introduced in a story by Bill Finger, Dick Sprang, and Charles Paris. Meanwhile that month, Batman #49 introduces both The Mad Hatter and Vicki Vale in “The Scoop of the Century!” by Finger, Bob Kane, Lew Schwartz, and Paris.
50 years ago October 1963 When in Tales of Suspense #46, Iron Man confronts Khrushchev’s agent assigned to “wreck Stark’s project and get rid of Iron Man,” it’s the first time Marvel fans see Crimson Dynamo (Anton Varko). The story is by Stan Lee, Robert Bernstein, and Don Heck.
50 years ago October 1963 The Porcupine first appears in Marvel stories when he plans to rob a burglar-proof bank in Tales to Astonish #48. Ant-Man and The Wasp may complicate his scheme in a story by Stan Lee, Ernie Hart, and Don Heck.
50 years ago October 1963 As if enough else isn’t going on in the Marvel Universe this month, Fantastic Four #19 introduces time-traveler Rama-Tut in “Prisoners of the Pharoah!” [sic]. The story is by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Dick Ayers.
50 years ago October 1963 Meanwhile, at DC, Green Lantern #24 introduces an ordinary shark. But can you guess what happens when there’s a nuclear accident? The story by John Broome, Gil Kane, and Joe Giella introduces The Shark.
45 years ago October 1968 Marvel invites readers to “Behold … The Vision!” when it introduces the (Silver Age) Vision in Avengers #57 in a story by Roy Thomas, John Buscema, Marie Severin, and George Klein.
40 years ago October 1973 Charlton brings Nicola Cuti and Joe Staton’s E-Man (and Nova Kane) to readers for the first time in “The Beginning” in E-Man #1.
40 years ago October 1973 Daimon Hellstrom (also known as Son of Satan) makes his first full appearance in Marvel’s Ghost Rider #2.
40 years ago October 1973 DC offers its take on the pulp and radio character The Shadow in “The Doom Puzzle” by Denny O’Neil and Michael W. Kaluta in The Shadow #1.
40 years ago October 1973 “The Himalayan Incident” by Archie Goodwin and Walter Simonson in Detective Comics #437 tells the origin of Manhunter and lets him show off his new costume for the first time.
40 years ago October 1973 He first appeared in a “Sons of the Tiger” story in Marvel’s Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #23 (April 1976), but Marvel Premiere #44 lets The Jack of Hearts stand on his own in a story by Bill Mantlo, Keith Giffen, and Rudy Nebres.
30 years ago October 1983 The Michael W. Kaluta cover of House of Mystery #321 asks, “Is This the End of the … House of Mystery,” and the frame includes DC staffers—because: yes.
30 years ago October 1983 Red Circle’s Comet #1 reintroduces “the blood-thirsty cosmic avenger” The Comet in a story by Bill Dubay, Carmine Infantino, and Alex Nino.
30 years ago October 1983 Fury of Firestorm #17 introduces Firehawk in “On Wings of Fire!” by Gerry Conway, Pat Broderick, George Tuska, and Rodin Rodriguez.
