Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for April 25 through May 1, 2025…

185 years ago April 28, 1840 Writer-artist Palmer Cox is born. He creates The Brownies, which is among the first comics features to enjoy pop culture commercialization.

140 years ago April 29, 1885 Wilford Fawcett is born. He founds Fawcett Publications (which eventually adds a comics publishing department) in 1919.

140 years ago May 1, 1885 Controversial and influential French caricaturist André Gill dies at age 44. He is credited with pioneering the practice of drawing a large head on a small body.

135 years ago April 27, 1890 Artist Dudley Fisher is born. He creates the newspaper features Right around Home and Myrtle.

130 years ago April 29, 1895 Prolific British artist Allan Morley is born. His work appears in the first issue of The Dandy, and he draws many strips for DC Thomson.

120 years ago April 26, 1905 Award-winning Slovene writer-artist Milko Bambič is born. He also works as “Cvetanov” and “Banetov.”

120 years ago April 26, 1905 Joseph Hughes Newton is born. He creates the Biblical comic strip Tullus.

110 years ago April 25, 1915 Pioneering science fiction fan and agent Mort Weisinger is born. The magazine and comic book editor co-creates such characters as Aquaman, Green Arrow, and Johnny Quick and is best known for his work on DC’s Superman titles.

100 years ago April 28, 1925 Artist, teacher, and Wayout strip creator Ken Muse is born.

95 years ago April 25, 1930 Henk Gijsbers is born. The award-winning Dutch artist and political cartoonist works as “Gys.”

85 years ago April 29, 1940 Sparky Watts begins as a newspaper comic strip superhero satire by Boody Rogers.

85 years ago May 1, 1940 Artist Alex Niño is born. He’s especially known for his work on DC, Marvel, and Warren science fiction and fantasy stories. For DC, he co-creates (with Robert Kanigher) “Captain Fear” and (with Jack Oleck) “Space Voyagers.”

80 years ago April 25, 1945 Artist Jack Wilhelm dies at age 41. He worked on strips for the McClure Syndicate and the Central Press Association.

80 years ago April 30, 1945 At age 60, German artist and editor Erich Schilling commits suicide at the end of the Third Reich.

70 years ago April 26, 1955 Award-winning writer-artist and publisher Brad Foster is born. He founds Jabberwocky Graphix.

65 years ago April 25, 1960 Writer-artist Brian Thomas is born.

65 years ago April 25, 1960 In Peanuts, Lucy van Pelt hugs Snoopy and declares, “Happiness is a warm puppy.”

60 years ago April 25, 1965 Artist Thomas A. Tenny is born.

60 years ago April 30, 1965 Writer Nat Gertler is born. The historian establishes the 24-hour, 24-page comic book challenge as well as About Comics.

55 years ago April 30, 1970 Editorial cartoonist Sam Milai dies at age 62. He creates the Don Powers strip and draws Facts about the Negro.

50 years ago May 1, 1975 Spanish artist José Peñarroya dies at age 64 or 65.

35 years ago April 28, 1990 Cap Stubbs and Tippie creator Edwina Dumm dies at age 96. She may have been the first female full-time US editorial cartoonist.

30 years ago April 29, 1995 Swedish writer-artist Ingrid Wallerström dies at age 102.

30 years ago April 30, 1995 Following Marvel’s buying and making Heroes World its exclusive distributor, DC announces an exclusive distribution deal with Diamond Comic Distributors. (In July, Image and Dark Horse announce similar arrangements, and others quickly follow the move to Diamond.)

20 years ago April 25, 2005 Award-winning artist Ko Woo-young dies of colon cancer at age 66. He was a major South Korean manhwa artist.

20 years ago April 28, 2005 Artist Zeke Zekley dies at age 90. The longtime Bringing up Father assistant created the Sponsored Comics company to produce commercial comics.

20 years ago April 28, 2005 Paramount agrees with Marvel Enterprises to distribute up to 10 Marvel produced films in eight years, and Marvel announces settlement with Stan Lee over claims for participation in profits.

20 years ago April 29, 2005 Dutch writer-artist Hugo Lous dies at age 93.

15 years ago April 27, 2010 Dutch store owner, publisher, writer, and Lambiek and Comiclopedia founder Kees Kousemaker dies of cancer at age 68.

15 years ago May 1, 2010 French cartoonist Pierre Stora (who worked as “Esspé”) dies at age 66.

10 years ago April 25, 2015 Belgian artist Marcel Steurbaut dies at age 82.

5 years ago April 26, 2020 French artist Jean-Claude Pertuzé dies at age 70.

And here are the anniversaries spanning the month of May…

85 years ago May 1940 Quality’s Crack Comics #1 introduces Madam Fatal, drawn by Art Pinajian. The Grand Comics Database suggests that that makes Richard Stanton the “first crossdressing superhero.” I’m not sure how super he is, but what the heck. There are other intros in the issue, including The Black Condor, written by Will Eisner and drawn by Lou Fine.

85 years ago May 1940 Tem Publishing Co. introduces Strongman, “the perfect human,” and Blue Streak in Crash Comics Adventures #1. It’s the first from that short-lived company.

85 years ago May 1940 The first issue of Big Shot Comics features a bunch of existing characters (Charlie Chan, Joe Palooka, The Bungles) and introduces Spy-Master and The Face by Mart Bailey and Skyman by Gardner Fox and Ogden Whitney. It’s also the first title from the Columbia Comics Group. On the cover, by the way, Skyman is set to rescue existing comic strip character Dixie Dugan from kidnappers in an oddball crossover.

85 years ago May 1940 They don’t get so much as a tip of the hat on the cover, but DC’s More Fun Comics #55 introduces Doctor Fate and Inza in a story by Gardner Fox and Howard Sherman.

85 years ago May 1940 Hot dog! “World famous detective solves an exciting mystery – a complete crime case in this issue!” says “A Scoop!” on the cover of Whitman’s Crackajack Funnies #23. “The Adventure of the Coffin Clue,” drawn by Bill Ely, introduces Ellery Queen (created more than a decade earlier) to comic books.

85 years ago May 1940 Hyper Mystery Comics #1 (the only title from Hyper Publications) introduces (who else?) Hyper, the Phenomenal, drawn by Reginald Greenwood. “It’s New! Different! Adventure Romance Action Thrills” – and it lasts two issues.

85 years ago May 1940 Dell’s Popular Comics #51 introduces The Voice (“the Invisible Detective”), drawn by Jim Chambers. His adventures only appear until #75, two years later. Would Tim Brant in his “invisible suit” have been more successful as a radio character? (Oh, wait. The Shadow’s on-air skills have already clouded men’s minds so they couldn’t see him for more than two years. Never mind.)

85 years ago May 1940 Fiction House’s Jumbo Comics #15 provides the first appearance of Lightning (and Dr. Evil; just saying).

75 years ago May 1950 Dell Four Color #278 marks the first comic book appearance of Western movie star Wild Bill Elliott.

75 years ago May 1950 Bobby Benson’s B-Bar-B Riders #1 from Magazine Enterprises features the first comic book appearance of Bobby Benson, who has already starred in Mutual radio stories of “action and adventure in the modern West!” (How many collectors today would have heard of Bobby, if it hadn’t been for the gorgeous Frazetta cover of #11? But several other covers will be drawn by the great Bob Powell; just saying.)

75 years ago May 1950 Superbaby is introduced in DC’s Superboy #8. “When Superboy Was a Superbaby” is by Bill Finger, Curt Swan, and John Fischetti.

75 years ago May 1950 EC introduces “a new trend in magazines,” when A Moon, a Girl … Romance becomes Weird Fantasy with #13: “Fantastic SuspenStories we dare you to read!”

70 years ago May 1955 Marvel’s Black Knight #1 introduces Black Knight, “the greatest knight of them all!” in stories conveying “thrills from King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table!” I say thee woo hoo to tales by Stan Lee and Joe Maneely!

60 years ago May 1965 In Charlton’s Mysteries of Unexplored Worlds #46, Johnny Mann becomes Son of Vulcan, who speaks some of the least traditional archaic English of the 1960s. (I seem to remember the word “thouest” in one of the stories. But I may digress.) “A Mighty Champion Is Born!” in the story by Pat Masulli, Bill Fraccio, and Tony Tallarico more than two years after Marvel’s Journey into Mystery #83 featured Dr. Don Blake becoming Thor.

60 years ago May 1965 Marvel’s The X-Men #11 introduces The Stranger, who’s collecting mutants in “The Triumph of Magneto!” by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Chic Stone.

60 years ago May 1965 In Marvel’s Tales of Suspense #65, The Red Skull first appears in the Silver Age. Or does he? “The Red Skull Strikes!” is by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Chic Stone.

60 years ago May 1965 Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! DC’s Batman #171 introduces The Riddler to the Silver Age in a story by Gardner Fox, Sheldon Moldoff, and Joe Giella.

60 years ago May 1965 In a “spectacular special issue” that is “the start of a great new Avengers line-up,” Marvel’s The Avengers #16 introduces, yes, a new Avengers line-up. “The Old Order Changeth!” is by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers, and Carl Hubbell. (Cap becomes the leader, for starters.)

60 years ago May 1965 Ik! Lightning Lad loses an arm in “The Super-Moby Dick of Space!” (It’s written by award-winning science fiction author Edmond Hamilton, by the way.) Aw, come on, Superboy! Can’t you let him get a little revenge for losing an arm in DC’s Adventure Comics #332? (Art is by John Forte and George Klein.)

50 years ago May 1975 Is DC’s The Joker the first regular series to star a villain? It won’t be the last. “The Joker’s Double Jeopardy!” is by Denny O’Neil, Irv Novick, and Dick Giordano.

50 years ago May 1975 Giant-Size X-Men #1 knocks the figurative socks off many Marvel fans, when Len Wein and Dave Cockrum offer “Second Genesis,” in which Professor X puts together a new team of X-Men in a story that introduces Storm, Nightcrawler, Colossus, and Thunderbird.

50 years ago May 1975 OK, right, Tor originally appeared in comics from St. John. But now, it’s a couple of decades later, and DC introduces Joe Kubert’s character to a new audience in Tor #1.

50 years ago May 1975 Supernatural librarian Lucien is introduced in DC’s Weird Mystery Tales #18 and Tales of Ghost Castle #1 in material mostly written by Paul Levitz. We’ll see Lucien again starting in 1989 in Sandman #2 – when he’s envisioned by Neil Gaiman.

50 years ago May 1975 DC’s Claw the Unconquered #1 introduces (you got it!) Claw the Unconquered (“The World Trembles before the Blade Of …”) in “The Sword and the Silent Scream!” by David Michelinie and Ernie Chan.

45 years ago May 1980 In “The Man Who Walked with Beasts” by Gerry Conway, Jose Delbo, and Vince Colletta, DC’s Wonder Woman #267 reintroduces Animal Man. [His last previous appearance was in Strange Adventures #201 (June 1967) in “The Mod Gorilla Boss!” drawn by Jack Sparling.]

40 years ago May 1985 DC’s Sgt. Rock #400 features “Easy’s 400th” by Robert Kanigher and Adrian Gonzales – and Robin Snyder’s list of all the soldiers who have appeared in Easy Company.

40 years ago May 1985 DC’s The Shadow War of Hawkman by Tony Isabella, Richard Howell, and Alfredo Alcala begins.

40 years ago May 1985 OK, the peril faced by an assortment of universes continues in DC’s Crisis on Infinite Earths #2. In this installment, readers are introduced to The Anti-Monitor in “Time and Time Again!” by Marv Wolfman, George Pérez, and Dick Giordano.

40 years ago May 1985 He appeared the month before, but DC’s Tales of the Teen Titans #53 has the first full appearance of Azrael in “Devil on the Wing!” by Marv Wolfman, George Pérez, Rich Buckler, and Mike DeCarlo.

40 years ago May 1985 “Warhunt 2” in Marvel’s The Uncanny X-Men #193 has the first appearance of Thunderbird/Warpath in costume. He’s asked to join The X-Men in the story by Chris Claremont, John Romita, Jr., and Dan Green.

35 years ago May 1990 In “Life’s Blood” by Howard Mackie, Javier Saltares, and Mark Texeira, Marvel’s Ghost Rider #1 features the first full appearance of the new Ghost Rider (Dan Ketch). “A spirit reborn!” – as the cover says.

35 years ago May 1990 Marvel’s Silver Surfer #37 provides a full reintroduction of Drax the Destroyer in “A Destructive Encounter” by Jim Starlin, Ron Lim, and Tom Christopher.

30 years ago May 1995 “Continuing the tradition of greatness! The 64-page 400th issue!” is, yes, Marvel’s Fantastic Four #400. There’s a whole bunch of stuff (and characters) in stories by Tom DeFalco, Paul Ryan, and Danny Bulanadi.

30 years ago May 1995 In DC’s Superman #100, “The Death of Clark Kent” is by Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding, and Josef Rubinstein.

30 years ago May 1995 Image’s Shadowhawk #18 ends the series with “Can a Hero Die?” by Jim Valentino, Brad Foster, Chance Wolf, and Dan Davis.

25 years ago May 2000 DC kicks off a series based on the Cartoon Network show with The Powerpuff Girls #1. “Squirrelly Burly” is by Jennifer Moore, Sean Carolan, and Phil Moy.

25 years ago May 2000 DC’s Sins of Youth event features Klarion the Witch Boy changing the ages of DC characters, with adults becoming teens and teens becoming adults. Characters involved include Aquaboy/Lagoon Man; Batboy/Robin; JLA, Jr./Kid Flash/Impulse; Starwoman/Junior Society; Superman, Jr./Superboy, Sr.; Secret/Deadboy; Wonder Girls; and Young Justice.

25 years ago May 2000 Marvel’s X-Men #100 has nine variant editions. “End of Days” is by Chris Claremont, Leinil Francis Yu, and Mark Morales.

25 years ago May 2000 Drawn & Quarterly #3, edited by Chris Oliveros, is released by Drawn & Quarterly. It will receive the Eisner Award for Best Anthology of the year.

20 years ago May 2005 Remember that Image Shadowhawk event in May 1995? The series begins a Volume 2 with the story “Shadows and Light” by Jim Keplinger, Carlos Rodríguez, and Albert Puig.

20 years ago May 2005 Marvel’s Spellbinders six-issue miniseries begins with “Signs and Wonders” by Mike Carey, Mike Perkins, and Andrew Hennessy.

20 years ago May 2005 The first issue of DC’s The Human Race seven-issue series begins with “The Awakening Part One” by Ben Raab, Justiniano, and Walden Wong. Eek! Will the alien virus wipe out everyone?

20 years ago May 2005 DC’s Blood of the Demon begins with “Born Again” by John Byrne, Will Pfeifer, and Bud LaRosa. (Jason Blood is killed, gets better, but oops!)

20 years ago May 2005 DC’s seven-issue series Otherworld begins with “Spells & Bindings” by Phil Jimenez and Andy Lanning.

20 years ago May 2005 The first of five issues of DC’s Lex Luthor: Man of Steel is by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo.

20 years ago May 2005 The first of three issues of Marvel’s Tales of the Thing is by Steve Gerber, Brandon Thomas, Scott Hepburn, Udon Studios, Mike O’Hare, Mostafa Moussa, and Wing Renacs.

20 years ago May 2005 The first of four issues of DC’s Seven Soldiers: Shining Knight is by Grant Morrison and Simone Bianchi.

20 years ago May 2005 The first of four issues of DC’s Seven Soldiers: Guardian is by Grant Morrison and Cameron Stewart.

20 years ago May 2005 The first of five issues of Marvel’s Ultimate Iron Man is by Orson Scott Card, Andy Kubert, and Danny Miki.

20 years ago May 2005 The first of four issues of Marvel’s Ultimate Secret is by Warren Ellis, Steve McNiven, and Mark Morales.

15 years ago May 2010 In DC’s American Vampire #1, Rafael Albuquerque illustrates stories by Scott Snyder and Stephen King.

15 years ago May 2010 DC’s First Wave #1 brings together classic characters in a story by Brian Azzarello and Rags Morales.

15 years ago May 2010 Hey, what if a bunch o’ creators got a bunch o’ characters together? Just a thought … Marvel’s Girl Comics #1 features the work of Colleen Coover, G. Willow Wilson, Ming Doyle, Trina Robbins, Stephanie Buscema, Flo Steinberg, Valerie D’Orazio, Nikki Cook, Sana Takeda, Lucy Knisley, Marie Severin, Robin Furth, Agnes Garbowska, Devin Grayson, and Emma Rios.

15 years ago May 2010 How to drive fans nuts: Marvel’s Millar & McNiven’s Nemesis #1 (by, yes, Mark Millar and Steve McNiven) is not to be confused with DC’s Nemesis: The Imposters #1 (by Ivan Brandon and Cliff Richards).

15 years ago May 2010 Yes, they’re Marvel’s Ultimate New Ultimates #1. “Thor Reborn” is by Jeph Loeb and Frank Cho.

15 years ago May 2010 DC’s Vertigo line introduces American Vampire. It will win the Eisner Award for the Best New Series of the year.

10 years ago May 2015 In the midst of its “All-New” titles (Captain America, Invaders, Ultimates, X-Men, etc.), Marvel launches All-New Hawkeye with five variants. Oh, and its All-New Ghost Rider wraps up with #12.

10 years ago May 2015 DC’s Batman: Arkham Knight #1 (otherwise known as “The Official Prequel to the Arkham Trilogy Finale”) is by Peter J. Tomasi, Viktor Bogdanovic, and Art Thibert.

10 years ago May 2015 With nine variants, Dark Horse’s Fight Club 2 kicks off a 10-issue series with “The Tranquility Gambit #1: Keep the Home Fires Burning” by Chuck Palahniuk and Cameron Stewart.

10 years ago May 2015 And, yes, Marvel’s Howard the Duck #1 has 10 variants (in the course of three printings). “Trapped in a world he’s grown accustomed to,” he stars in a story by Chip Zdarsky and Joe Quinones.

10 years ago May 2015 Marvel’s Princess Leia #1 has (ummm, yes) 22 variant covers. It’s by Mark Waid and Terry and Rachel Dodson, and the first line of dialogue is “Hhhggrhh.”

10 years ago May 2015 Drawn & Quarterly’s Optic Nerve #14 features “Killing and Dying” by Adrian Tomine. It will win the Eisner Award for Best Short Story of the year.

5 years ago May 2020 Ooo! DC’s one-shot Robin 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular has (yes) 100 pages (and nine variant covers) and features “all-new tales of Gotham’s high flying hero!” The 10 stories are accompanied by a number of features.

5 years ago May 2020 DC celebrates The Flash #750 with 13 variant covers for the 84-page issue and reverts to “legacy numbering.” The six stories are accompanied by a number of features.

5 years ago May 2020 The first issue of Archie’s five-issue Sabrina the Teenage Witch series “Something Wicked” has a dozen variant covers.

5 years ago May 2020 The first issue of Marvel’s Hellions has nine variant covers. “Let Them Be Snakes” is by Zeb Wells and Stephen Segovia.

5 years ago May 2020 Well, Marvel says it’s Spider-Woman #1 and has 27 variant covers in celebration. But later in the run, numbering will reveal it’s actually #96. Just letting you know.

5 years ago May 2020 Marvel has had several Cable series over the years. This 12-issue version begins with “Big Guns” by Gerry Duggan and Phil Noto (and six variant covers).

5 years ago May 2020 Marvel’s Strange Academy is, yes, strange – and has 15 variant covers. Are they, like, superheroes? In the story by Skottie Young and Humberto Ramos, Doctor Voodoo says they’re “something else altogether.”

5 years ago May 2020 More conventions are announced as canceled – or rescheduled and eventually canceled – because of COVID-19.