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 March 14-20, 2025…

160 years ago March 19, 1865 German artist Victor Schramm is born in Romania. Some of his cartoons appear in the Chicago Tribune.

135 years ago March 15, 1890 Norwegian strip writer and newspaper and magazine editor Otto Luihn is born.

130 years ago March 16, 1895 British artist Henry George Hine dies at age 83. The Punch cartoonist created Mr. Crindle’s Rapid Career upon Town in 1847.

130 years ago March 20, 1895 Psychiatrist Fredric Wertham is born. The author of the comics-bashing Seduction of the Innocent switches his target to TV after the Comics Code is introduced and later expresses an interest in fanzines.

125 years ago March 18, 1900 Jack Patton is born. The editorial cartoonist creates the newspaper strips Restless Age and Dolly Burns (later renamed Spencer Easley).

115 years ago March 16, 1910 British artist Tom Browne dies at age 39 following an operation. He founded the London Sketch Club, created strips including Weary Willy and Tired Tim, and is credited with creating the first celebrity comic (Dan Leno) in 1898.

115 years ago March 18, 1910 Magazine cartoonist Abner Dean is born (as Abner Epstein).

110 years ago March 14, 1915 Spanish artist Antoni Batllori Jofré is born.

105 years ago March 14, 1920 Animator and award-winning cartoonist Hank Ketcham is born. He creates the Dennis the Menace panel cartoon.

100 years ago March 19, 1925 French artist Firmin Bouisset dies at age 65.

100 years ago March 20, 1925 Artist and animator Bill Lignante is born. He is the longtime artist of the comic book adventures of The Phantom.

90 years ago March 18, 1935 Instructor and artist Frank McLaughlin is born. The Charlton art director and Judomaster co-creator (with Joe Gill) freelances for Marvel, DC, Acclaim, and Broadway and draws several other newspaper strips including Gil Thorpe.

80 years ago March 20, 1945 Dutch artist Arno van Dijk is born.

80 years ago March 20, 1945 Dutch teacher and comics artist Johannes Franciscus Nuijens dies at age 78. The comics pioneer signed as “Korporaal Achilles.”

75 years ago March 14, 1950 Israeli cartoonist Dudu Geva is born.

75 years ago March 15, 1950 French artist Alex Barbier is born.

75 years ago March 16, 1950 The British strip The Gambols by Barry Appleby begins.

75 years ago March 19, 1950 Pulp writer Edgar Rice Burroughs dies of a heart attack at age 74. His creations included Tarzan and John Carter.

70 years ago March 14, 1955 Award-winning artist, editor, educator, and publisher Stephen R. Bissette is born. With a focus on horror tales, he works with Alan Moore and John Totleben on Swamp Thing and founds Spiderbaby Grafix.

70 years ago March 18, 1955 Writer-artist Kent Marshall Burles is born. His work appears in role-playing games and in Malibu comics.

70 years ago March 18, 1955 Artist Bill Reinhold is born. He draws tales of The Badger, Punisher, and Silver Surfer and co-creates the Spyke series with Mike Baron.

70 years ago March 20, 1955. Dutch artist Ben Jansen is born. He co-creates the comics collective Studio Arnhem.

65 years ago March 17, 1960 Colorist Rich Powers is born.

65 years ago March 20, 1960 Steven Philip Jones is born. He writes for Malibu and Caliber.

65 years ago March 20, 1960 Artist Vince Argondezzi is born. He’s known for his work on Next Man and Infinity, Inc.

60 years ago March 14, 1965 Spirou introduces Sibylline by Raymond Macherot.

60 years ago March 14, 1965 The Kite-Eating Tree is named in Charles Schulz’ Peanuts.

60 years ago March 17, 1965 DC colorist Trish Mulvihill is born.

55 years ago March 18, 1970 Dutch artist Jacobus Grosman dies at age 62. He created Gijsje Goochem.

45 years ago March 14, 1980 Dutch writer Arie Pleysier dies at age 89.

40 years ago March 17, 1985 Greg Evans’ Luann strip begins.

25 years ago March 14, 2000 Artist Don Komisarow dies at age 85. He assisted on King Features strips and on the Superman newspaper strip and worked with Lou Fine to produce advertising comics.

25 years ago March 20, 2000 Belgian writer Johan Anthierens dies of Hodgkin lymphoma at age 62.

20 years ago March 17, 2005 Award-winning magazine cartoonist John Gallagher dies at age 79 from complications of emphysema.

15 years ago March 19, 2010 Suffering from multiple sclerosis, British Judge Dredd artist John Hicklenton dies by suicide at age 42. He created the award-winning documentary Here’s Johnny about his illness.

10 years ago March 18, 2015 Award-winning artist-teacher Roy Doty dies at age 92. The NCS Hall of Fame inductee was known (among countless projects) for Wordless Workshop (created for Popular Mechanics) and for his Laugh-In strip.

10 years ago March 20, 2015 Berry’s World writer-artist Jim Berry dies at age 83.

5 years ago March 17, 2020 Actor Lyle Waggoner dies of cancer at age 84. He played Steve Trevor in the 1975-1980 Wonder Woman TV series.

5 years ago March 18, 2020 Belgian artist Erwin Drèze dies of a brain tumor at age 59.

5 years ago March 19, 2020 Mexican animator, teacher, and artist Román Arámbula dies of a heart attack at age 83. He succeeded Floyd Gottfredson on the Mickey Mouse newspaper strip.

5 years ago March 20, 2020 French artist François Dermaut dies at age 70.

5 years ago March 20, 2020 Italian animator and artist Giovanni Romanini dies of a heart attack at age 75.