Action Comics Centennial 300 and 400

This time around, continuing our celebration of Action Comics and its many hundreds of issues...

...with a look back at Action Comics #300 and #400, with adventures of the classic Silver Age Superman!

Action Comics 300

The anniversary issue, Action Comics #300 (May, 1963), with a cover by Curt Swan and George Klein, was indeed a special one, as by this time, Action Comics was dominated by Superman and his family.

Superman was featured in the main story, "Superman Under The Red Sun" by Edmond Hamilton and Al Plastino, wherein the Man of Steel ends up in the far future thanks to the machinations of the Superman Revenge Squad, where Superman is the last man on Earth (and does not possess his powers, as Earth's sun has turned red).  This story details Superman's fight to survive and get to his Fortress of Solitude, wherein he is able to use a rocket there and some Red Kryptonite to get home.

There is also back up story, featuring Supergirl and one of the earliest appearances of Comet the Super-Horse!

Action Comics 400

The cover for Action Comics #400 (May, 1971) is an odd one, done by Neal Adams and Dick Giordano.

The main story of the issue, "My Son...Is He Man Or Beast?" is by Leo Dorfman, Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson, where Superman becomes the guardian to Gregor Nagy, the son of a scientist who dies.  Gregor becomes the Changling, randomly changing into animals, until Superman helps him learn to control his power, and teaches the boy the morality to be a hero, as Gregor sacrifices his life to save others.

This issue also features a tale of the bottle city of Kandor, where Superman and Supergirl tell of two Kandorian students who learn the value of working together.     

Check back as we continue going up the numbers of Action Comics until it reaches 1000 in April!

Thank A Mail Carrier Day 2018

Today we thank our letter carriers for their service, but none more so than Calvin Jackson, "Earth Hero Number One" (as of Strange Adventures #148 of January, 1963 by Gardner Fox, Gil Kane and Murphy Anderson, with a cover by Murphy Anderson), as future students of the school named after him  look back to the day he saved the Earth from alien invaders!

Better still, this story has been reprinted twice, once in Super DC Giant #27 of the Summer of 1976 (with a cover by Ernie Chan), and once in the U.F.O Invaders Digest (DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #14 of October, 1981, with a cover by Joe Kubert), giving even more people a chance to review the historical record....

Eclipso After Crisis

Thinking about the moon makes you think about the lunar villain, Eclipso, who had a small run of his own series in the House Of Secrets in the 1960s, then menaced a few select heroes like the Justice League of America, Metal Men and Green Lantern in the 1970s and 1980s....

...but, after the Crisis On Infinite Earths, Eclipso was working his way up to bigger and better things!

Those things included appearances in the Outsiders, Phantom Stranger and Starman..

Outsiders

Eclipso returned in Outsiders #17 (March, 1987 by Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo), with "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night--!", but it was the return of Batman that took the focus of the cover.  Batman had left the team about the time Looker became a member, but fate had a way of bringing them back together again.

A series of museum robberies put Batman and the Outsiders on the trail of the People of the Dark, and their high priestess, leading the Outsiders and Batman to the island of Diablo, where the Prime Minister of the land recounted the origin of Eclipso, how high priest Morphir scratched solar scientist Bruce Gordon with a black diamond during an eclipse....and Gordon was on the island at the time continuing his research along with his fiancee, Mona Bennet.  The high priestess and her cult captured Batman and the Outsiders, who met Bruce Gordon, whom the priestess was using in a ceremony during the eclipse to reform...Eclipso (who must have reformed slightly during the Crisis, but had been bodiless since his last appearance facing off against John Stewart during his early run as Green Lantern.  The Outsiders figured to wait until the eclipse passed to face Eclipso (since he was most powerful at this time), except...Eclipso made sure the eclipse wouldn't end!

Then, in Outsiders #18 (April, 1987, by Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo), the team would "...Rage, Rage Against The Dying Of The Light!", trying to find a way to stop Eclipso's artificially continuing eclipse.  The team was well suited to face Eclipso, with Black Lightning and Metamorpho working in tandem, Halo's light powers, Looker's mind powers, Geo-Force's gravity and Katana's mystic blade, but Eclipso revealed that he is "no mortal man, but the personification of a concept", allowing him to survive their attacks, and still grow stronger, until the team again combined their attacks under Batman's direction to weaken him and trap in the one prison that had held him for years...the body of Bruce Gordon.

This ended the immediate menace, but began a more tortured life for Dr. Bruce Gordon again...

Phantom Stranger

Both Bruce Gordon and Eclipso were on hand next for the four issue mini-series of the Phantom Stranger from the 1980s, where Eclipso would again threaten the Earth.  The Phantom Stranger himself was only beginning to reform in Phantom Stranger #1 (October, 1987 by Paul Kupperberg, Mike Mignola and P. Craig Russell), but events were happening in Gotham and Metropolis (as well as the rest of the world) that would require his attention and "The Heart Of A Stranger".  Commissioner James Gordon was finding the remains of a mob hit, while Jimmy Olsen found ties to the Russian mob in Metropolis, and the United States and Russia were approaching a state of war as natural upheavals were taking the Earth, with S.T.A.R. Labs scientist, Jenet Klyburn trying to piece together the troubles....and Bruce Gordon, knowing that there is trouble wishes someone would help him against it.

Phantom Stranger faces Lycaon and his cult, with a little help from James Gordon against a demon, then confronts Eclipso, who, working with the Lords of Chaos and claiming to have just found magic, is subtly working to destroy the world, hiding his plans from all the usual heroes....with the Phantom Stranger looking for new allies, finding a disheartened Bruce Gordon.  

With Phantom Stranger #2 (November, 1987, by Kupperberg, Mignola and Russell), it is a fight for "The Soul Of Man!", with Eclipso tormenting Bruce Gordon via their mental link, but the Phantom Stranger working on Gordon's behalf.  Jimmy Olsen continues to follow his leads on the Russian mob, while the world gets worse, and Gordon and the Phantom Stranger find they will get no help from the Lords of Order, but instead go to recruit Jenet Klyburn, with the trio going to research a disaster site.

While there, they discover the mystic connection to the supposed natural problems the Earth is having, with the doctor taking action to help Phantom Stranger and Gordon stop this particular problem, while Lycaon and his cult grow in power, as does Eclipso.

With one end of Earth ended, Eclipso focuses his mind on the next two.

Phantom Stranger deals with dreams of being helpless in "Thunder In The Night" from Kupperberg, Mignola and Russell's Phantom Stranger #3 (December, 1987).  The Phantom Stranger deals with his new found humanity, and gets comfort from Bruce Gordon, himself dealing with having unleashed Eclipso (though Phantom Stranger comforts him with the thought if it hadn't been Bruce, it could have easily just been someone else....).

Tensions between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. get worse, with Valentina Volstok (Negative Woman of the new Doom Patrol) working for the U.S. government trying to find the cause, with Jimmy Olsen finding the Russian mobster has ties much further up than he thought, being pursued by a demon Russian mobster, with Phantom Stranger showing up to rescue him (instead of his usual pal, Superman).  Gordon, Olsen and the Phantom Stranger head to the White House, where it is found that the demon can shift bodies, and takes over the U.S. President, to begin World War III, with only the combined effort of the Phantom Stranger, Jimmy Olsen, Bruce Gordon and Ronald Reagan stop this world threat.  Meanwhile, Lycaon works out a TV deal, and Eclipso hoping his last mystic end to Earth will be the one to end all life on Earth.

Phantom Stranger #4 (January, 1988 by Kupperberg, Mignola and Russell) offers "A World Full Of Voices" for Lycaon, or more accurately, a chance for him to expand his Temple of Divine Light with a worldwide television audience.   Eclipso plans to have Lycaon unite the world's will as one, and use the power that comes from that to destroy the planet.  Valentina Vostok tries to stop Lycaon, but fails, while the still all too human Phantom Stranger tries to gain power of his own at Stonehenge, getting into conflict directly with Eclipso, who uses his own black diamond against the Stranger.  All the while, Lycaon tries to unite humanity's will. with Bruce Gordon in the audience...and, as he does tap into the power of humanity, it pulls the Stranger and Eclipso to the studio, where the Phantom Stranger is able to stop Lycaon, tapping into that power instead to restore his own mystic might, ending the threat of Eclipso for a time (though Phantom Stranger would hand around with Bruce Gordon for a bit, during a run in Action Comics Weekly....).

Starman

After resting for a while, Eclipso returned in Starman, stepping out of the "Star Shadows" for a four issue run, starting with Starman #42 (January, 1992, by Len Strazewski, John Calimee, Andrew Smith, Roy Richardson and Alan Kupperberg.  The solar powered Starman (Will Payton) is having overload problems with his powers, and goes to get help from Dr. Kitty Faulkner of S.T.A.R. Labs (who is also the solar powered heroine, Rampage).  While there, Starman meets Dr. Bruce Gordon, who is a solar scientist, with Kitty letting Will know Bruce knows her secret, and Will and Bruce swap origin stories, (with Will's being he became Starman after being struck by an energy beam from space).  Gordon suggests they take his solar jet into space so he can get readings off of Starman in order to diagnose his condition, and off the two go.

While in space, their ship runs into intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo, and, while Starman is occupied with him, the moon crosses the sun, turning Bruce into...Eclipso!

With "Blue Moon" from Starman #43 (February, 1992 by Len Strazewski and Vince Guarrano), it is revealed that the Lords of Chaos put Lobo on the hunt for Eclipso, for his failing to destroy the Earth, offering Lobo quite the bounty.

Lobo and Starman fight on the moon, while Eclipso retrieves his black diamond and costume (which he had subconsciously gotten Bruce Gordon to hide on the solar jet).  Eclipso asserts that it was his satellite which had generated the energy beam which turned Will Payton into Starman, and that Eclipso had been using his heroic creation as an energy storehouse.  Lobo and Starman's battle eventually brought them to where Eclipso had landed the solar plane, and Lobo was ready to take in Eclipso for his bounty.

Lobo and Eclipso would battle on the "Dark Side Of The Moon" in Starman #44 (March, 1992 by Len Strazewski, John Calimee and Roy Richardson).  During that battle, Starman helped, separating the two for a bit, and getting a few facts from Bruce Gordon as Lobo had weakened Eclipso, figures its us (Starman and Eclipso) against them (Lobo and the Lords of Chaos), works with Eclipso to make Lobo think Starman had incinerated him, getting Lobo to leave with "proof" of Eclipso's death to get his money.

But, Starman then learns of Eclipso's duplicity, nearly getting brain damage, as the villain takes the solar plane on the run to head back to Earth and Kitty at S.T.A.R. Labs....leaving Starman behind, realizing he will need help to defeat Eclipso.

With Starman #45 (April, 1992 by Len Strazewski, John Calimee and Roy Richardson), Kitty is indeed there at S.T.A.R. Labs for the return of the solar jet, but instead finds Eclipso in "Starlight, Star Bright".  Eclipso defeats Kitty, even when she turns into Rampage, and Eclipso plans on using her as a power battery (letting slip that Gordon had gotten Eclipso's origin a little wrong, suggesting "there is a little of me in everybody".).  Eclipso's devilish plan to get more power from the approaching Starman is foiled, as Starman recruited help from Justice League Europe's Power Girl (a friend of his since the Invasion!), exposing Eclipso to the concentrated sunlight Starman can generate...bring back Dr. Bruce Gordon.  With the menace averted, Gordon is able to get answers for Starman's power surge, that it was natural, and he just has to get use to his new more powerful self.

This ends up being the last issue of Will Payton's Starman, but Kitty, Bruce Gordon, Mona Bennet and especially Starman get to be involved in Eclipso's next plan, revealed over the course of the DC Annuals of 1992, as well as the 2 issue bookends of Eclipso: The Darkness Within (as well as Eclipso's 18 issue series), with seeds to Eclipso's true nature having been planted in these series, to enhance his history after his appearances in House of Secrets.

Superman and The Legion of Super-Heroes On The Moon

Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes once met on the moon, and it was quite the disaster.

But, perhaps we're skipping a little a head of ourselves in this story....and that's exactly what Superman was doing at the time.

So, perhaps it would be better to step back a bit, to allow you to catch up....

The Linear Men

It all started in Adventures Of Superman #476 (March, 1991, by Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding), with Clark Kent trying to get use to being engaged to Lois Lane, ended up having to help Booster Gold (the greatest hero you've never know) against a Linear Man (one of the self-appointed protectors of the timestream), who wanted to return Booster Gold to his proper time (Booster was originally a resident of the 25th Century, who "borrowed" some equipment from the Space Museum, to travel back in time to become a hero....).

The encounter did nothing to change Booster's status as a hero before his time, but did send Superman forward in time, where he met the charter members of the Legion of Super-Heroes (Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad) early in their career, but for Superman, it was the first time meeting the Legion (after the Crisis On Infinite Earths, Superman hadn't had his career as Superboy, so hadn't met the Legion of Super-Heroes until recently...).

Lost In The '40s Tonight

In Action Comics #663 (March, 1991 by Roger Stern and Bob McLeod), the Legion, busy with saving their city at the time, are startled to meet Superman, having not yet met him this early in their careers, get distracted, so an explosion there sends Superman back in time...


....all the way to 1943, where after a brief distraction at a circus, Superman gets the idea of enlisting the help of the then young and active Justice Society of America at their townhouse...but, the ghostly guardian, the Spectre, advises against that, rightfully saying that meeting Superman would mess up the JSA's history (which had already been changed in the aftermath of the Crisis On Infinite Earths so that they didn't have a Superman in their ranks), so sends the time-lost Man of Steel across the world to...

The Warsaw Ghetto

With Superman #54 (April, 1991 by Jerry Ordway and Dennis Janke), Superman did get more involved in World War II, messing up the life of the immortal General Zieten (whom Superman had just met in the modern day a few weeks previously, as Mr. Z, and where Clark's fiance, Lois Lane, was currently worried about the missing Clark Kent/Superman)...

....deciding to take a more active role in World War II due to seeing the suffering of citizens of Warsaw (unconcerned about historical damage he could cause), Superman tried to stop an experimental Nazi bomb, which exploded, engulfing him and sending him back to the future (but still beyond his own time....).   

Death Rekindled

The explosion sent Superman into space, meeting the Legion of Super-Heroes again (further along in their timeline, with members of the team being Lightning Lad, Phantom Girl, Shrinking Violet, Ultra Boy and Wildfire...corresponding to their time in the 1970s, or is that 2970s?).  

This adventure from Adventures Of Superman #476 (April, 1991 by Dan Jurgens and Art Thibert) against the menace of the Sun-Eater (a gaseous creature that....well, eats suns).  

The Legion had a bomb that they planned to use to stop the creature, but, yet again, it was Superman who was there to help defeat the menace.

That bomb's explosion sent Superman back in time yet again...  

Many Long Years Ago...

Back to Action Comics #664 (April, 1991, by Roger Stern and Bob McLeod), and to a meeting with a Tyrannosaurus Rex! 

You'd think Superman would be alone at this time, but it didn't work out that way, as he met up with Atom's foe, Chronos, who had been trapped in this time period after a battle with the Blue Beetle.

Chronos had plans to return to his own time, but that was fouled up by Superman (so Chronos had to put himself in suspended animation and get home the long way, but even then, Chronos arrived to modern time early, letting him be better prepared for future battles with the Atom), while Superman ended up a little farther in the future (but still the past), and, with yet another explosion, ended up in...

Camelot

With Superman #55 (May, 1991 by Jerry Ordway), Superman found himself in the court of Camelot, as it was under attack by the forces of Morgan Le Fey and Mordred, and being protected by Merlin, and his demon, Etrigan.

Superman wasn't as much help against all the magic menaces that were around (as Kryptonian powers don't seem to work well against magic), so Merlin was forced to use desperate measures to save Camelot, bonding Etrigan to the human druid, Jason Blood, while Superman found himself yet another explosion, hurtling him into the far future once again (all the while, Lois wondering where Clark was...).

Moon Rocked

Getting readers of this article to where we started with, with Adventures Of Superman #478 (May, 1991, by Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding), with Superman, and members of the Legion of Super-Heroes (from a period in their future called "Five Years Ahead" with members Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl, Lightning Lad, Laurel Gand, Chameleon Boy (going by Cham), Shrinking Violet (going by Vi), Furball (formerly Timber Wolf), where their were facing off against a homicidal Daxamite by the name of Dev-Em, with plans to blow up Earth's moon (as the Earth at this time had been taken over by the Dominators).

Superman shows up, but this time, stops the explosion of the moon.  That's when the Linear Man shows up, knowing that the moon must explode at this time, and continues the countdown, resulting in the moon exploding (sending Superman back to his home time, and Lois, with the knowledge that the Earth will lose its moon in 2995....).

As for the fate of the moon, and the future of the Earth, the Legion of Super-Heroes have to deal with that, starting with Legion of Super-Heroes #19 (June, 1991, with stories by Keith Giffen, Tom and Mary Bierbaum and Al Gordon, making their bleak future that much more dismal....

...at least until time resets the Legion's future (which happens again and again for a while....).

Action Comics Centennial 100 and 200

Starting a celebration of every 100 issues of Action Comics, where Superman began back in June, 1938.

This time, looking back at his first and second 100 issues, with Action Comics #100 and #200.

Action Comics 100

The first of these special issues was Action Comics #100 (September, 1946) with a cover by Wayne Boring and Ed Dobrotka.

This issue features the main story of "The Sleuth Who Never Failed" by Alvin Schwartz and Ira Yarbrough, where Inspector Hawkins from Scotland Yard comes to America to find out Superman's secret identity...following around Clark Kent for a time, but eventually giving up on Kent as Superman's alter ego, after a myriad of super-tricks, and one not so obvious, that of finding Clark's will, where Superman is named as a beneficiary!

This issue is unique as this is the only one that features the original, Golden Age Earth-2 Superman as the star, and also has many other features, such as the Hayfoot Henry, Congo Bill (who later got a magic ring and merged with Congorilla), the Vigilante (the Seven Soldiers of Victory member) and Zatara (Zatanna's father).

Action Comics 200

J. Winslow Mortimer provided the cover for the next centennial issue of Action Comics, which was #200 (January,1955).

Here, Superman faced the "Tests Of A Warrior" by no credited writer, and artists Wayne Boring and Stan Kaye.  Superman helps the son of Indian Chief Hun-Sha, who is being forced to pass tribal tests by the evil medicine man, Morwatha, until Superman can expose his treachery.

This is a story of the Silver Age Superman of Earth-1, and with shrinking page counts, only has two other adventures, that of future Space Planeteer, Tommy Tomorrow, and jungle explorer, Congo Bill (who 48 issues later becomes Congorilla).

Come back as the countdown to Action Comics #1000 continues...

Secret Origins Of Super Villains 1

Looking back at all those Secret Origins, they all seemed to be heroes, though the title did promise there would be a few villains along the way.


Villains, having such big egos and working their own schedule (not willing to give up too many origins in Wanted: The World's Most Dangerous Villains), instead appeared in an oversized treasury edition, that of Limited Collectors' Edition C-39 of October-November, 1975, under this fighting cover by Dick Giordano, featuring Luthor, Joker, Captain Cold, Sivana (and a few more), facing their foes of Superman, Batman, Flash and Captain Marvel!

Joker

The Joker was first up, in Detective Comics #168 (February, 1951) by Bill Finger, Lew Sayre Schwartz and George Roussos, with "The Man Behind the Red Hood!", with Batman battling the Joker again, as well as a mysterious figure behind a red hood in a tuxedo.

Batman had to due some detective work to find out who was underneath the Red Hood, with a little help from Robin and some students, which led back to one of Batman's earliest cases where he faced this dastardly criminal before at a chemical plant near the Monarch Playing Card Company where his foe escaped by diving into a pit of chemicals.  This all lead up to a modern confrontation at State University with the Red Hood, and learning a little about how the Joker became the Joker, with the part Batman played in the clown prince of crime's origin. 

Luthor

Adventure Comics #271 (April, 1960) by Jerry Siegel and Al Plastino explains "How Luthor Met Superboy!", as it seemed Superman and Lex Luthor's feud went all the way back to Smallville.

When Superboy first met Lex Luthor, Lex had a full head of brown hair, and was a fan of the Boy of Steel, saving him from a Kryptonite meteor.  To return the favor, Superboy builds Lex a laboratory!  Lex invents a formula to make Superboy immune to Kryptonite, as well as a living protoplasm....yet, gets absent-minded, setting the lab on fire.  Superboy comes in and blows out the fire with his Super-breath, which ruins the protoplasm, and causes young Luthor's hair to fall out.  Luthor then vows to avenge his misfortune on Superboy, inventing items to help the residents of Smallville, to take the spotlight away from Superboy (but his quick plans only make menaces, that Superboy fixes them, infuriating Luthor more).  Luthor tries to kill Superboy with Kryptonite, but fails, leaving Superboy to only hope they can be friends again.  (Spoiler, their battles continue on and on....and even include Batman and the Joker).

Captain Cold

"The Coldest Man On Earth!" premiered in Showcase #8 (May-June, 1957) by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Frank Giacoia, that man being Captain Cold (though Cold gave Flash, and readers the finger, by not being on the cover!).

Leonard Snart was a small time thief, who accidentally creates a cold gun to take out the Flash, using this weapon to rob a bank, which causes the Flash to show up to stop him.  Snart stops Barry Allen by freezing the street below his feet, then escapes to make more plans against the Flash as Captain Cold.  Using Helium, Captain Cold finds he can create cold illusions, then faces off against the Flash at a lake nearby Central City.  The Flash was too quick to be fooled by these tricks, and captures Captain Cold!

Sivana

Though he premiered with Captain Marvel, Doctor Thaddeus Bodog Sivana had his origin told in Whiz Comics #15 (March, 1941) by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck.

Captain Marvel fought some villains, trying to escape them with Beautia Sivana leads him to say "Shazam!" and change back to Billy Batson, who then gets captured by Sivana and fights Gloppos, (Venusian Frog-Men) who lived on Venus, and Sivana's daugther, Beautia, explained how her father tried to invent items to help people on Earth, but was ridiculed, so built a spaceship to take her and her brother, Magnificus, to Venus, conquering its jungles.  Sivana returned to Earth to face Captain Marvel, many times, but this time Dr. Sivana has Billy trapped unable to turn into Captain Marvel using a device, that Billy eventually breaks, and faces Magnificus Sivana in a battle, injuring the scientist, whom Beautia wants to take back to Venus, where he will be no harm (though Beautia means well, that doesn't stay true, though at least Magnificus and Beautia remain Cap's friends, but Sivana's other kids, Junior and Georgia, join him to fight the whole Marvel Family).  

Terra-Man

Outlaw cowboy Jess Manning was training his son, Toby, to be just like him, at least until the pair came across an alien being and his spacecraft in "The Origin Of Terra-Man", the second story of Superman #249 (March, 1972) by Cary Bates, Dick Dillin and Neal Adams.

The spaceman killed Toby's father, but the alien took the young cowboy into space, adapting him to be a space cowboy, training him to be a thief, giving him devices that have an old west feel, and even Nova, a flying horse.  Toby settles up with the alien, figuring out a message his dying father left him, that the alien killed Jess.  After killing the alien, Toby, taking on the name, Terra-Man, returned to the modern Earth to take on the planet's top lawman in the modern age, who happened to be Superman.

The two then faced off many times....and more!

There was also an incredible center spread of some of DC's nastiest villains by Dick Giordano, including foes of Captain Marvel like Mr. Atom, Mr. Mind, King Kull, Aunt Minerva, Black Adam, Ibac and Sivana; Batman villains Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, Blockbuster, Catwoman, Joker, Riddler, Penguin, R'as Al Ghul and Talia; Superman foes Luthor, Mr. Mxyzptlk, and Toyman; and Flash Rogues including Captain Cold, Captain Boomerang, Pied Piper, Heat Wave, the Top, Mirror Master, Weather Wizard, Trickster, Mr. Element, Grodd, Reverse-Flash and Abra Kadabra...

...and, a text page summarizing the battles between Wonder Woman and Cheetah, Green Lantern and Sinestro, Hawkman and Shadow-Thief, and Atom and Chronos.  Some of these villains combine, in groups like the the Monster Society of Evil, the Injustice Gang of the World, the Flash's Rogue's Gallery, and later in groups like the Secret Society of Super-Villains and the Suicide Squad.

If you love DC's bad guys, this treasury is the one for you!

Happy Winnie The Pooh Day

Oh, bother.  Something a little different and lighthearted today, celebrating the work of English author A. A. Milne (January 18, 1882 to January 31, 1956), covering Winnie The Pooh!

Alan Alexander Milne wrote stories in the 1920s about his son's (Christopher Robin Milne) teddy bear (Winnie The Pooh), and other of his stuffed animals, such as Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga and Roo (and added characters of the Owl and the Rabbit).

Though A. A. Milne had passed long before, Gold Key/Whitman published 33 issues of a comic book based on those works under the title of Walt Disney's Winnie The Pooh from January, 1977 to July, 1984, with the bear and his friends having adventures (including looking for honey) through the Hundred Acre Wood.