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 August 16-22, 2024…

140 years ago August 18, 1884 French artist Léonce Petit dies at age 45. He was called the “French Töpffer.”

125 years ago August 17, 1899 Dutch artist Peter Lutz is born.

125 years ago August 19, 1899 Colleen Moore is born (though she says she was born in 1902). The movie star plays Ella Cinders in the film adaptation of the strip by Bill Conselman and Charles Plumb.

110 years ago August 20, 1914 Ger Sligte is born. The Dutch artist is known for Mieke Meijer and Bertje Branie.

110 years ago August 22, 1914 Newspaper cartoonist Chester Commodore is born. He works for the Chicago Defender and Pittsburgh Courier.

105 years ago August 22, 1919 Leon Lazarus is born. The writer-editor works for Martin Goodman’s Magazine Management Company, Timely, and Atlas.

100 years ago August 18, 1924 Yugoslavian political cartoonist and comic book writer-artist Milorad Dobric is born. His work includes such features as Kurir Fica, Slavuj Glisa, and Inspektor Zuca.

95 years ago August 17, 1929 Longtime artist for IPC/Fleetway John Gillatt is born. The work of the British artist includes the Billy’s Boots strip, written by Fred Baker.

95 years ago August 17, 1929 Cemal Nadir Güler’s comic strip Amcabey begins.

95 years ago August 18, 1929 Editorial and sports cartoonist Stan Hunt is born.

95 years ago August 21, 1929 Eisner Hall of Fame artist Marie Severin is born. She colors EC and Marvel comics, co-creates Spider-Woman, and draws a variety of Marvel titles.

90 years ago August 17, 1934 British comic book artist Gordon Livingstone is born. Lambiek calls him “the most prolific artist for DC Thomson’s war title Commando.”

90 years ago August 21, 1934 John Miles is born. The award-winning British cartoonist is known for the pantomime strip Perkins.

80 years ago August 19, 1944 Underground comix writer-artist Skip Williamson is born. He is internationally famed for his satirical work featuring such characters as Snappy Sammy Smoot and Nell ’n’ Void.

70 years ago August 19, 1954 Cartoonist Stephen R. Bentley is born. He is especially noted for his Herb & Jamaal comic strip.

60 years ago August 20, 1964 Writer Kirk Chritton is born. He handles marketing and event coordination for Kansas City’s Planet Comicon.

60 years ago August 22, 1964 Writer-editor D.G. Chichester is born. His work includes Daredevil and Nick Fury titles for Marvel.

55 years ago August 20, 1969 British artist Dudley D. Watkins dies at age 62. He worked for DC Thomson and created Morgyn the Mighty.

45 years ago August 19-20, 1979 Tom Skulan begins the annual Albany, NY, FantaCon show.

40 years ago August 17, 1984 Doom Patrol co-creator (with Arnold Drake) Bruno Premiani dies at age 77. The artist worked on Tomahawk, Pow-Wow Smith, and Classics Illustrated stories.

40 years ago August 19, 1984 Don Newton dies of a heart attack at age 49. The fan artist became a comics pro via Charlton and, eventually, DC, where he drew Batman.

40 years ago August 21, 1984 Pioneering “Father of the Direct Market” and New York Comic Art Convention organizer Phil Seuling dies of liver disease at age 50.

25 years ago August 19, 1999 Golden Age writer-artist Arthur Pinajian dies at age 85. He worked for the Eisner-Eiger Studio and Funnies, Inc. and contributed to Fiction House, Fox, Lev Gleason, Quality, and Timely/Atlas/Marvel.

20 years ago August 22, 2004 The first episode of Bunny is posted.

5 years ago August 16, 2019 Richard Williams dies of cancer at age 86. The animation director on the 1988 Oscar-winning film Who Framed Roger Rabbit was a teacher and created The Animator’s Survival Kit.

5 years ago August 18, 2019 Italian animator and artist-writer Giulio Chierchini dies at age 91.

5 years ago August 20, 2019 Award-winning writer Larry Siegel dies at age 93. His satiric work included contributions to Mad (including The Mad Show) and Playboy.

5 years ago August 22, 2019 Indonesian artist, animator, and producer Dwi Koendoro dies after a series of strokes at age 78.