Jan Steeman (23 May 1933 – 24 January 2018, The Netherlands) was a cartoonist. He won the 2005 Stripschapprijs, the award presented annually by Stripschap, the Dutch organization of comics fans.

At Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Steeman
In the GCD — https://tinyurl.com/yb9yz8em

Cover from Eppo #2/1976

Raymond Leblanc (22 May 1915 – 21 March 2008, Belgium) was a comics publisher and editor and a film producer.

He and his partners founded Le Lombard publishing, “Tintin” magazine, PubliArt advertising agency, and Belvision Studios.

He is well-known for publishing “The Adventures of Tintin” by Hergé and “Blake and Mortimer” by Edgar P. Jacobs.

Leblanc received the Alph-Art d’Honneur at Angoulême in 2003 for his lifetime contribution to comics.

At Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Leblanc
In the GCD — https://tinyurl.com/y9a9wnck
Le Lombard in the GCD — https://tinyurl.com/y83kvdw8
In the IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0495749/

Cover from Kuifje #29/1973

Georges Prosper Remi (22 May 1907 – 3 March 1983), known by the pen name Hergé, was a Belgian comics writer and artist. His best known and most substantial work is the 23 completed comic books in The Adventures of Tintin series, which he wrote and illustrated from 1929 until his death in 1983, although he was also responsible for other well-known comic book series such as Quick & Flupke (1930–1940) and Jo, Zette and Jocko (1936–1957).

Born into a middle-class family in Etterbeek, Brussels, he took a keen interest in Scouting in early life, something that would prove highly influential on his later work. Initially producing illustrations for Belgian Scouting magazines, in 1927 he began working for the conservative newspaper Le XXe Siècle, where he adopted the pen name "Hergé" [ɛʁʒe], based upon the French pronunciation of "RG", his initials reversed. It was here, in 1929, that he began serialising the first of the Adventures of Tintin, Tintin in the Land of the Soviets.

The notable qualities of the Tintin stories include their vivid humanism, a realistic feel produced by meticulous and wide ranging research, and Hergé's ligne claire drawing style. Adult readers enjoy the many satirical references to the history and politics of the 20th century. The Blue Lotus, for example, was inspired by the Mukden incident that resulted in the Japanese invasion of Manchuria. King Ottokar's Sceptre could be read against the background of Hitler's Anschluss or in the context of the struggle between the Romanian Iron Guard and the King of Romania, Carol II; whilst later albums such as The Calculus Affair depict the Cold War. Hergé has become one of the most famous Belgians worldwide and Tintin is still an international success.

Hergé is a prominent national hero in his native country, to the extent where he has been described as the actual "personification of Belgium". The long-awaited Hergé Museum was opened in Louvain-La-Neuve on 2 June 2009. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Christian de Portzamparc, the museum reflects Hergé's huge corpus of work which has, until now, been sitting in studios and bank vaults. His work remains a strong influence on comics, particularly in Europe. He was inducted into the Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2003.

At Comiclopedia — https://www.lambiek.net/artists/h/herge.htm
At Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herg%C3%A9
In the GCD — https://tinyurl.com/ycbut96z

Cover from Le journal de Tintin #30/1953

George Baker (22 May 1915 – 7 May 1975, USA) was a cartoonist from the earliest days of the USA industry.

He worked as an animator for Walt Disney in the late 1930s. Drafted for World War II, he worked on animation for training films.

He also created ‘The Sad Sack’, a pantomime comic for “Yank, the Army Weekly”. After the war, he continued the strip in general syndication and in comic books.

There was a ‘Sad Sack’ radio program (1946) and the Jerry Lewis film of the same name (1957) was based on the strip.

While others wrote the scripts, Baker drew ‘Sad Sack’ until his death.

At Comiclopedia — https://www.lambiek.net/artists/b/baker_g.htm
At Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Baker_(cartoonist)
In the GCD — https://tinyurl.com/y99q84rw

Cover from Comic Hits #3

Craig Shutt (born 22 May 1954, USA) is a comics editor and commentator.

He is known for his column ‘Ask Mr. Silver Age’ in the “Comics Buyer’s Guide”, which appeared from 1993 to the final issue of the magazine in 2013. Some of the columns were collected in “Baby Boomer Comics” (Krause, 2003).

He has also written for “Wizard”, “Comic Book Marketplace”, “Hogan’s Alley”, and other magazines.

At Wikipedia — http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Shutt
In the GCD — https://tinyurl.com/ya67awzw

Cover from Dr. Wonder #3

Arthur Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930, UK) was a physician who is best remembered for his writing, most prominently the stories of the detective Sherlock Holmes.

He also wrote science fiction stories, stage plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels.

His works and characters have frequently been adapted to other media, including comics.

At Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Conan_Doyle
In the GCD — https://tinyurl.com/ybonbfyu

Cover from Classic Comics #33 - Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Mark Crilley (21 May 1966, USA) creates comic books and children’s books.

His famous character ‘Akiko’ came to life while he was teaching in Taiwan and Japan in the early 1990s. The comics series “Akiko” (Sirius Entertainment, 1995–2004) was nominated for 13 Eisner Awards during its run. There have also been a series of “Akiko” novels.

His other works include “Miki Falls” (HarperTeen, 2007), a four-volume manga.

At Comiclopedia — https://www.lambiek.net/artists/c/crilley_mark.htm
At Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Crilley
In the GCD — https://tinyurl.com/y9fx4j4w

Cover from Akiko #21

Lee Elias (21 May 1920 – 8 April 1998, UK; USA) was a comics artist who worked in comic books and in syndicated strips.

His family emigrated to the USA when he was young. He studied music and art at the Cooper Union and the Art Students League and began publishing in comics books in the early 1940s.

He appeared in Fiction House comics from 1943 to 1946. He drew “Black Cat” (Harvey) from her second issue in 1946 through the early 1950s. His striking art style on the stuntwoman-turned-crimefighter was influenced by Milt Caniff (whom he had once assisted) and Noel Sickles.

During this time, he also drew ‘The Flash’ (Jay Garrick) in “All-Flash” and “Flash Comics” (DC, 1947–1948).

He created the brilliant science-fiction newspaper strip ‘Beyond Mars’ with writer Jack Williamson (1952–1955).

He returned to DC to draw ‘Green Arrow’ (1959–1964), ‘Cave Carson’ (1964), ‘Adam Strange’ (1964–1965), and stories in the science fiction, mystery, and romance anthology comics.

He and Bob Haney co-created ‘Eclipso’ in “House of Secrets” (1963) — Alex Toth became the artist with the third story.

In the late 1970s, he drew “Power Man” (1977–1979) and other comics at Marvel. His last major project was “The Rook Magazine” (Warren, 1979–1982).

At Comiclopedia — https://www.lambiek.net/artists/e/elias_lee.htm
At Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Elias
In the GCD — https://tinyurl.com/y9v85cuk

Cover from Chamber of Chills Magazine #6

Frank Bellamy (21 May 1917 – 5 July 1976, UK) was a comics artist whose career began in the late 1940s.

He began publishing in “Eagle” in 1959, where he would co-create features such as ‘Fraser of Africa’ (1960–1961) and ‘Heros the Spartan’ (1962–1965).

He drew ‘Thunderbirds’ in “TV Century 21” / “TV21” (1966–1968) and he drew the newspaper strip ‘Garth’ in the “Daily Mirror” from 1971 until his death in 1976.

At Comiclopedia — https://www.lambiek.net/artists/b/bellamy_frank.htm
At Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Bellamy
In the GCD — https://tinyurl.com/y7b58j4t

Cover from TV Century 21 #57

Don Trachte (21 May 1915 – 4 May 2005, USA) was a comics creator known for producing the syndicated strip ‘Henry’ for half a century.

He became an assistant to veteran comics creator Carl Anderson in 1932, which is when Anderson created ‘Henry’.

Anderson retired in 1942 and Trachte took over creating the Sunday strip, which he continued to do until 1993. (The daily strip was taken over by another longtime assistant, John Liney.)

At Comiclopedia — https://www.lambiek.net/artists/t/trachte_don.htm
At Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Trachte
In the GCD — https://tinyurl.com/y7lhku7d

Cover from Family Funnies #6