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 24-30, 2020…

135 years ago July 26, 1885 Artist Paul Bransom is born. He’s known for the comic strip The Latest News from Bugville.

130 years ago July 26, 1890 The first issue of Alfred Harmsworth’s British comic book Illustrated Chips is published.

110 years ago July 26, 1910 George Herriman’s The Dingbat Family introduces Krazy Kat in an appearance at the side of the strip.

105 years ago July 28, 1915 Award-winning artist Dick Sprang is born. He’s best known for his work on Batman (including the 1950 version of the Batmobile and the design of the original Riddler).

90 years ago July 28, 1930 Award-winning writer-artist Jean Roba is born. He creates Boule et Bill and La Ribambelle.

90 years ago July 29, 1930 Magazine publisher Jim Warren is born. His titles include Famous Monsters of Filmland, Creepy, Eerie, Vampirella, Blazing Combat, and Help!

90 years ago July 30, 1930 Award-winning artist Henry Scarpelli is born. He draws the Archie comic strip and, with Dick Dillin, draws “Saga of the Super Sons!” introducing Batman Jr. and Superman Jr.

85 years ago July 24, 1935 Patrick Oliphant, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Reuben, and other awards, is born. The editorial cartoonist’s work includes a tiny commenting penguin named Punk.

80 years ago July 27, 1940 Artist Ernie Chan is born. Also working as Ernie Chua, he’s especially known for his work on horror titles and on Conan, Kull, and Power Man.

80 years ago July 28, 1940 Danish-French artist Gerda Wegener dies at age 54.

80 years ago July 29, 1940 Danish writer-artist Ole Lund Kirkegaard is born.

75 years ago July 28, 1945 Award-winning cartoonist Jim Davis is born. He’s best known as the creator of the comic strips Garfield and U.S. Acres.

70 years ago July 26, 1950 Austrian-German editor-cartoonist Eduard Thöny dies at age 84.

70 years ago July 27, 1950 Barelli by Bob De Moor begins.

65 years ago July 29, 1955 Award-winning artist-writer Dave Stevens is born. He creates Rocketeer.

65 years ago July 30, 1955 Colorist Tom Ziuko is born.

65 years ago July 30, 1955 Don Winslow of the Navy by Frank Victor Martinek ends.

65 years ago July 30, 1955 The Beano introduces Ken Reid’s Grandpa.

60 years ago July 28, 1960 Award-winning artist Jon J Muth is born. He’s especially known for his work on M, J.M. DeMatteis’ Moonshadow, Grant Morrison’s The Mystery Play, and Neil Gaiman’s Sandman.

55 years ago July 24, 1965 The first Detroit Triple Fan Fair is held, with comics such a component that it may be considered the oldest regularly held comics con in the world. It runs July 24-25.

50 years ago July 24, 1970 Canadian artist James McIsaac dies at age 81.

50 years ago July 25, 1970 R.B. Clark’s Boofhead ends.

35 years ago July 24, 1985 The Walt Disney version of Lloyd Alexander’s The Black Cauldron opens. The wrap-up novel of Alexander’s fantasy series won the Newbery Award, but the Disney version of series events will be criticized by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston in The Disney Villain: “The story had been a once in a lifetime opportunity and it was heartbreaking to see such wonderful material wasted.”

35 years ago July 29, 1985 Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson begins.

30 years ago July 25, 1990 Freelance artist Samuel E. Grainger dies at age 60 of diabetes-related issues. He worked for Marvel and DC and for the TSR games company.

25 years ago July 24, 1995 Image and Dark Horse announce that Diamond Comic Distribution, Inc., will be their exclusive distributor.

25 years ago July 25, 1995 German artist Balthasar Lippisch dies at age 74 or 75. He drew a comic book starring Pip & Zip.

25 years ago July 27, 1995 Comic-Con changes its name to Comic-Con International and introduces its Richard Bruning-designed logo. The show runs through July 30.

20 years ago July 28, 2000 Charles Eber “Chic” Stone dies at age 77. The Golden Age artist had returned to comics in the 1960s, inking Jack Kirby’s work for Marvel and freelancing for Archie, DC, Tower, Dell, ACG, and Skywald.

15 years ago July 27, 2005 Award-winning Dutch comics creator Marten Toonder dies at age 93. He was best known for his characters Tom Poes and Olivier B. Bommel.

10 years ago July 24, 2010 Cartoonist John Callahan dies at age 59.