Today in the history of the American comic strip: June 5

American cartoonists and writers may not have invented the comic strip, but some argue that the comics, as we know them today, are an American creation. Clearly, the United States has played an outsize role in the development of this underappreciated art form.

6.5.1893: Ben Batsford, the creator of Frankie Doodle, is born in Canada. He worked for a time on Little Annie Rooney, which was influenced by Little Orphan Annie.

6.5.1944: Frank Robbins launches the adventure strip Johnny Hazard, which ran until 1977.

6.5.1950: Little Lulu, who had appeared previously in The Saturday Evening Post, gets her own daily comic strip, which ran until 1969.

6.5.1955: Lance, a strip created and self-syndicated by Warren Tufts, makes its debut. It was notable as the last of the full-page strips.

6.5.1965: Prolific cartoonist and illustrator Vernon Greene, whose work included The Shadow in the early 1940s, dies from cancer. He was 56.

6.5.1983: The Sunday installment of Stan Lynde’s Latigo ends its run, killing the comic, which had previously discontinued the daily strip.

6.5.2022: Cartoonist Randy Milholland takes the reins of the legendary Popeye strip, following the retirement of Hy Eisman, who wrote and drew the comic for close to 30 years.

Latigo

Most of the information listed here from one day to the next comes from two online sites -- Wikipedia, and Don Markstein's Toonopedia -- as well as 100 Years of American Newspaper Comics, edited by Maurice Horn. Note that my focus is on American newspaper comic strips (and the occasional foreign strip that gained popularity in the United States). Thus, comic books and exclusively online comics are not included here.