Lee Walter Travis was raised to wealth and privilege but nonetheless developed a social conscience, becoming a member of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade during the Spanish Civil War and then turning to publishing and producing a progressive paper called The Globe Leader. It was while attending a Halloween costume ball in 1938, however, that he…
On this day in 1876, Alexander Graham Bell conducted his first successful experiment with his newest invention, the telephone. He used it to summon his assistant, Thomas Watson, with the now-famous words, “Mr. Watson—come here—I want to see you.” It’s been over 130 years since then, and we’re still addicted to calling people we could…
Giovanni “John” Zatara was born today in 1919 and by his mid-20s had a successful career as a stage magician while concealing an awesome secret—he could do real magic! Zatara was descended from the Homo Magi, a race of magic-wielding humans, and learned the secrets of harnessing that power—speaking backwards—by reading the diaries of his…
One of those rare heroes whose career has spanned not only two eras but two names and superhero motifs, Patrick “Pat” Dugan (born March 5 sometime in the late-1910s) was already an adult and working as an auto mechanic on July 4, 1941, when he met young Sylvester Pemberton III. The two became the Star-Spangled…
Fred (Fred Othon Artistidès) was born on this day in 1931. A French comic strip creator, Fred created his first comic in 1954. In 1960 he became art director of Hara-Kiri, and illustrated several pieces for the magazine (and its first 60 covers!) over the next few years. He is best known for his comic…
