On this day, April 13, 2009, the world’s longest webcomic, Homestuck, officially begins. Written, drawn, and animated by Andrew Hussie, Homestuck is a complex construct of a hypertext fiction built on serialized visual storytelling.  

On this day, April 12, 1907, author and animator Hardie Gramatky was born in Dallas, Texas. After studies at Stanford University and at the Chouinard Art Institute, his skills as a watercolorist found him hired as a senior animator at the Walt Disney Studios, a job that lasted six years.  Later Gramatky worked as an illustrator

On this day, April 11, 1964, illustrator, artist, and author Hannes Bok (pseudonym for Wayne Francis Woodard) died in New York City. During his extensive career, Bok created many  illustrations (cover color and interior black and white images) for various pulp and science fiction magazines.

On this day, April 10, 1890, Mary (Marsh) Buff was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Mary Marsh studied art at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and at the Cincinnati Art Academy. After her marriage to Conrad Buff they collaborated writing and illustrating children’s books and winning Newbery Medal honous for three of their collaborative efforts.

On this day, April 9, 1949, illustrator of science fiction and fantasy Stephen Hickman was born in Washington, DC. Hickman found his path in 1967 at the NY Comic Convention where he met Frank Frazetta and Roy G. Krenkel who gave him advice and direction. By 1972 Hickman’s career was launched. His memorable work in science

On this day, April 8, 1939, children’s book illustrator Trina Schart Hyman was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After studying at the Philadelphia Museum College of Art and then the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Hyman studied in Stockholm and illustrated her first children’s book. Hyman was awarded the Caldecott Medal in 1985 for

On this day, April 7, 2007, cartoonist Johnny Hart died in Nineveh, New York. Hart’s first published work was in Stars and Stripes done when he was enlisted in the U. S. Air Force.  In 1957 Hart created the cartoon B. C. and later was the co-creator of The Wizard of Id with Brant Parker.

On this day, April 6, 1891, illustrator Alfred Waud died in Marietta, Georgia. Born in England, Waud immigrated to the U. S. in 1850 and worked illustrating for a variety of weekly periodicals. During the Civil War, Waud’s detailed field sketches of the battlefields and army camps were engraved and published back home. After the war, Waud continued to

On this day, April 5, 1900, illustrator and graphic designer Herbert Bayer was born in Haag, Austria-Hungary. Bayer was trained at the Darmstadt Artists’ Colony and later at the Bauhaus. After teaching at the Bauhaus, Bayer left to work for Vogue in Berlin. In 1938 he settled in the U. S. and worked as an artist,

On this day, April 4, 1941, illustrator David Edward Byrd was born in what is now Cleveland, Tennessee. Byrd studied at the Boston Museum School and at the Carnegie –MellonUniversity. From the late 1960s through the mid-1970s Byrd created posters for a variety of Rock groups and stars including the original poster for the 1969 Woodstock Festival.