Today in the history of the Americna comic strip: July 19

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.

7.19.1961: Terry LaBan, the co-creator (with his wife Patty LaBan) of Edge City, is born in Michigan. The strip followed the adventures of the Ardins, a Jewish family, from 2000 until 2016.

7.19.1982. Geech, a strip created by Jerry Bittle, premieres. From 1982 until 2003, it showcased small-town life, as exemplified in the fictional city of Grimace, Texas.

 

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.