Today in the history of the American comic strip: July 18

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.

7.18.1968: Mark O’Hare, the creator of Citizen Dog (1995-2001), is born in San Pedro, California. The strip focused on the antics of Mel and his male dog Fergus.

7.18.1983: George Lichty, creator of the long-running Grin and Bear It (1932-2015), dies in Santa Rosa, California. He was 78.
 

 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.