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 January 15-21, 2021…

170 years ago January 17, 1851 Arthur Burdett Frost is born. The Life writer-artist is especially known for such works as Stuff and Nonsense and illustrations of Joel Chandler Harris’ “Uncle Remus” stories.

140 years ago January 17, 1881 New York City newspaper cartoonist Eugene Carr is born. He creates Lady Bountiful.

130 years ago January 21, 1891 Award winning writer-artist and sports and political cartoonist Ernest Shaw is born. He creates The Dingbats.

115 years ago January 16, 1906 Prolific French writer-artist Eugène Gire is born.

115 years ago January 16, 1906 Swedish writer-artist Sten Rinaldo is born.

110 years ago January 19, 1911 Award winning cartoonist George Wolfe is born. He creates the strip Pops and the panel cartoon Citizen George.

100 years ago January 16, 1921 Award winning writer-artist André LeBlanc is born. He creates Intellectual Amos, illustrates The Picture Bible, and assists Will Eisner on The Spirit and Sy Barry on The Phantom.

100 years ago January 17, 1921 Antonio Prohias is born. The Cuban-American writer-artist is known for Spy vs. Spy.

95 years ago January 15, 1926 Artist, teacher, and animator Linus Maurer is born. (Charles Schulz names a Peanuts character after him.)

95 years ago January 16, 1926 Belgian artist Marcel Remacle is born. One of the artists who works on Spirou, he’s known for Le Vieux Nick.

90 years ago January 21, 1931 Charles W. Kahles dies of a heart attack at age 53. The cartoonist was best known for pioneering daily strip continuity with Clarence the Cop and also created Sandy Highflyer and Hairbreadth Harry.

85 years ago January 19, 1936 The Adventures of Jo, Zette and Jocko by Hergé begins in Coeurs Vaillants.

75 years ago January 18, 1946 In Fawcett’s Captain Marvel Adventures #52, readers are introduced to Thaddeus Bodog Sivana Jr. in “The Son of Sivana” by Otto Binder and Pete Costanza.

65 years ago January 21, 1956 Editor and writer-artist Mark Martin is born. He creates Gnatrat and 20 Nude Dancers 20.

65 years ago January 21, 1956 British comics magazine The Beezer begins.

60 years ago January 21, 1961 Award-winning Belgian artist Philippe Delaby is born. He specializes in historical stories and co-creates Murena with Jean Dufaux.

55 years ago January 20, 1966 Dutch artist Pieter Kuhn dies at age 55. He created the comics series De Avonturen van Kapitein Rob.

55 years ago January 16, 1966 Painter David M. DeVries is born.

50 years ago January 17, 1971 Danish artist Oscar Knudsen dies at age 72.

50 years ago January 18, 1971 Artist Virgil Finlay dies at age 56. Though best known for his science fiction pulp magazine work, he also drew features for DC’s Real Fact Comics and Mystery in Space.

45 years ago January 16, 1976 Artist Fred Meagher dies at age 63. He was known for work on Straight Arrow and other Western comics.

35 years ago January 15, 1986 British artist Alfred Bestall dies at age 93. The Punch artist continued Rupert Bear when creator Mary Tourtel left that series.

35 years ago January 20, 1986 Marten Toonder’s Tom Poes ends.

30 years ago January 16, 1991 Artist Maurieta Wellman dies at age 88. She was the first artist on Goofus and Gallant and drew features for Children’s Activities and Highlights for Children.

25 years ago January 19, 1996 Writer, artist, editor, and publisher Bernard Baily dies at age 79. He co-created Tex Thomson (who became Mister America and Americommando), Spectre, and Hourman, wrote and drew the Gilda Gay strip, and contributed to Cracked.

20 years ago January 17, 2001 Rocket’s Blast/ComiCollector editor-publisher Gordon Belljohns Love dies of complications following an auto accident at the age of 61.

20 years ago January 19, 2001 Ed McGeean dies at age 72. The cartoonist, columnist, and comics historian was an active member of the Comic Arts Professional Society.

15 years ago January 17, 2006 Award-winning artist, animator, and animated film director Norm McCabe dies at age 94. He worked for Warner Brothers, DePatie-Freleng, Filmation, and more.

15 years ago January 18, 2006 Writer Rose Ellison King dies from complications of breast cancer. The American Greetings art director wrote the comic strip Flo & Friends.

10 years ago January 18, 2011 Belgian artist Marcel Marlier dies at age 80.

5 years ago January 17, 2016 Award-winning Swiss-German writer-artist and German comics pioneer Hansrudi Wäscher dies at age 87.

5 years ago January 19, 2016 Scottish artist and animator Mike Docherty dies at age 60.

5 years ago January 21, 2016 Belgian artist and teacher Willem Dolphyn dies at age 80.