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 July 14-20, 2023…

140 years ago July 19, 1883 Animator Max Fleischer is born. The inventor, film director, and producer is the co-founder of the Fleischer Studios.

110 years ago July 19, 1913 The Adventures of William Mug by Zif Dunstan begins. It’s one of the earliest Australian comic strips.

110 years ago July 19, 1913 German illustrator, caricaturist, and comics artist Walther Caspari dies at age 43.

110 years ago July 19, 1913 Marc Swayze is born. The Golden Age writer-artist is known for his story and art contributions to Fawcett’s Captain Marvel, co-creates Mary Marvel with Otto Binder, and writes “We Didn’t Know It Was the Golden Age!” for Alter Ego.

95 years ago July 18, 1928 Dutch political cartoonist Rob Wout is born. He works as “Opland” and draws the adventure comic De Wonderlijke Avonturen van Anna.

90 years ago July 14, 1933 “Popeye the Sailor” is a Fleischer Studios “Betty Boop” cartoon that introduces the Elzie Segar Thimble Theatre character to animation.

90 years ago July 15, 1933 Italian comics artist Guido Crepax is born. He’s especially known for Valentina.

90 years ago July 16, 1933 Tack Knight’s Little Folks ends.

90 years ago July 17, 1933 Czech artist Frantisek Kobik is born. He’s known for his work for the magazine ABC.

90 years ago July 18, 1933 Syd Mead is born. The influential visual concept artist is known for designs for such science fiction films as Blade Runner.

90 years ago July 18, 1933 Portuguese artist Carlos Alberto Santos is born.

85 years ago July 17, 1938 Award-winning Belgian comic book writer-artist Hermann Huppen is born. He creates Jeremiah, Nick, and Les Tours de Bois-Maury.

80 years ago July 16, 1943 Writer-artist Steve Stiles is born.

80 years ago July 17, 1943 “There’s a thrill in the air!” Disney’s Victory through Air Power opens. The 70-minute documentary is based on the book by Alexander P. de Seversky.

75 years ago July 14, 1948 Menomonee Falls Gazette and Comic Reader co-publisher (with Mike Tiefenbacher) Jerry Sinkovec is born.

75 years ago July 15, 1948 Superman opens. The 15-chapter Columbia serial is based on the comic book feature created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. It stars Kirk Alyn as Superman and Noel Neill as Lois Lane.

75 years ago July 18, 1948 Flemish artist Michel Mahy is born. He creates De Spookjes.

75 years ago July 18, 1948 The final episode of the Bunky comic strip is published.

55 years ago July 16, 1968 Italian artist Enver Bongrani dies at age 54.

55 years ago July 18, 1968 Writer-artist Mark O’Hare is born. The storyboard writer-artist creates the Citizen Dog newspaper strip.

50 years ago July 16, 1973 Letterer Chad Woody is born.

50 years ago July 16, 1973 Writer-artist Feg Murray dies at age 79. He created “True Stories about Stamps” for True Comics and was known for Seein’ Stars.

40 years ago July 18, 1983 Award-winning cartoonist and creator of the Grin and Bear It newspaper feature George Lichty dies of a heart attack at age 78.

30 years ago July 20, 1993 Award-winning cartoonist George Wolfe dies at age 82. He created the comic strip Pops and the panel Citizen George.

25 years ago July 16, 1998 Artist Tony Sgroi dies at age 73. His career included drawing adventure and Western comics for Dell and working on Hanna-Barbera animation.

20 years ago July 17, 2003 Danish artist Siegfried Cornelius (who worked as “Cosper”) dies at age 92.

20 years ago July 18, 2003 The first issue of the Croatian comics magazine Q Strip is published.

20 years ago July 20, 2003 Golden Age comics writer William Woolfolk dies at age 86. His features included Captain Marvel and Blackhawk, he created Captain Marvel’s “Holy moley” catchphrase, and he was a novelist, screenwriter, and columnist.

15 years ago July 15, 2008 The first act of the award-winning supervillain focused Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog streams online. It’s followed by Act Two (July 17) and Act Three (July 19).

15 years ago July 17, 2008 Golden Age artist Creig Flessel dies following a stroke at age 96. He was especially known for his work on the Golden Age Sandman and Shining Knight.

15 years ago July 18, 2008 The Dark Knight opens, starring Christian Bale as Batman and Heath Ledger (bringing him a posthumous Supporting Role Actor Academy Award and BAFTA Film Award) as The Joker. Directed, produced, and co-written by Christopher Nolan, it’s the second of Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy.

10 years ago July 18, 2013 Award-winning Dutch writer-artist Gerrit Stapel dies at age 92. He was known for work for the Toonder Studios and many others and created Huon de Neveling.

5 years ago July 19, 2018 Belgian artist and animator Claude Viseur (who worked as “Clovis”) dies at age 72.

5 years ago July 20, 2018 Award-winning Australian cartoonist Jeff Hook dies at age 89.