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 December 2-8, 2022…

120 years ago December 7, 1902 “Father of the American Cartoon” Thomas Nast dies of yellow fever at age 62. The editorial cartoonist established such images as the Republican elephant, the Democratic donkey, and the now-traditional Santa Claus.

110 years ago December 4, 1912 Cliff Sterrett begins Polly and Her Pals (as Positive Polly) for the New York Journal.

100 years ago December 6, 1922 Golden and Silver Age artist Dave Gantz is born. He creates the Gantz Glances panel cartoon.

95 years ago December 3, 1927 Cartoonist Joseph A. Lemon dies at age 57. He was known for Willy Cute and for Professor Bughouse.

95 years ago December 6, 1927 Artist Alfonso Greene is born. His Golden Age work includes a feature on Sojourner Truth in Wonder Woman #13. Ken Quattro writes in Invisible Men that, “this was the first comic book story to be both devoted to a Black person and also drawn by one. It was a landmark achievement not touted at the time.” Greene goes on to work for Marvel in the 1950s.

90 years ago December 2, 1932 Sergio Bonelli is born. The Italian writer and publisher creates Zagor and Mister No.

90 years ago December 5, 1932 The Alley Oop comic strip begins, created by V.T. Hamlin for Newspaper Enterprise Association.

90 years ago December 5, 1932 The Jane strip by Norman Pett begins.

90 years ago December 8, 1932 Hergé’s “Tintin” adventure “The Cigars of the Pharoah” begins in Le Petit Vingtième. It introduces Inspectors Thomson and Thompson.

85 years ago December 4, 1937 DC Thomson publishes The Dandy #1. The comic book will become the third longest running comic book (after Detective Comics and Il Giornalino).

85 years ago December 5, 1937 Artist Gustave Verbeck dies at age 70. He was especially known for The Upside Downs of Little Lady Lovekins and Old Man Muffaroo.

85 years ago December 7, 1937 Spanish artist Carlos Prunés is born. He contributes to British comics along with Spanish publications.

80 years ago December 2, 1942 Fawcett’s Master Comics #33 introduces Hopalong Cassidy to comic books. The story by Otto Binder and Ralph Carlson brings to four-color tales the character who was originated in stories by Clarence E. Mulford and then modified and brought to films featuring William Boyd.

80 years ago December 3, 1942 Prolific Belgian artist Frank Sels is born. He sets up his own Studio Sels.

75 years ago December 5, 1947 Stan Lee marries Joan Clayton Boocock.

70 years ago December 3, 1952 Writer-editor John Warner is born. His work includes Gold Key’s Dark Shadows and Flash Gordon and contributions to several Marvel magazines.

60 years ago December 6, 1962 Trollords co-creator (with Paul Fricke) Scott Beaderstadt is born.

60 years ago December 8, 1962 Erik Larsen is born. The writer-artist-publisher and Image co-founder is especially known for his Savage Dragon creation.

60 years ago December 8, 1962 Comics and game designer Mike Mulvihill is born.

55 years ago December 7, 1967 Jason Lutes is born. The writer-artist is known for his work on Jar of Fools and Berlin.

30 years ago December 5, 1992 Argentine artist Arturo Del Castillo dies at age 67. He was known for his Western comics stories.

25 years ago December 3, 1997 Prolific Italian comics artist Benito Jacovitti dies at age 74. He created many features and characters (including Cocco Bill) for Il Vittorioso and other comics.

25 years ago December 8, 1997 Italian comics artist Walter Molino dies at age 82. He co-created (with Federico Pedrocchi) Capitan l’Audace and drew many cineromanzi.

15 years ago December 3, 2007 Belgian artist Eduard De Rop dies of a brain hemorrhage at age 79.

15 years ago December 3, 2007 Award-winning Australian artist James Kemsley dies at age 59. The editorial cartoonist, TV host and actor, art director, creator of the Frogin comic strip, and president of the Australian Cartoonists’ Association took over Ginger Meggs in 1983.

15 years ago December 8, 2007 Artist Alvaro Scaduto dies at age 79. He worked for decades on Jimmy Hatlo’s features and characters. King Features called him the “longest continually syndicated cartoonist.”

10 years ago December 4, 2012 The last printed issue of The Dandy (#3610) is published by D.C. Thomson on the series’ 75th anniversary, as it launches the online The Digital Dandy.

5 years ago December 5, 2017 Argentinian artist Carlos Casalla dies at age 96.

5 years ago December 6, 2017 French writer-artist and animator Yves Ker Ambrun dies at age 63. As character designer and art director, he worked in animation, including for Disney.

5 years ago December 6, 2017 British artist Jim Watson dies at age 85. He created “Colony Earth” for 2000 AD magazine.