This Day in Comic Book History — September 26, 2026
This Day in Comic Book History
Louise Simonson Is Born
Writer and editor Louise Simonson was born Mary Louise Alexander on September 26, 1946, in Atlanta, Georgia. She started at Warren Publishing in 1974, rising to senior editor on its horror titles, then joined Marvel in 1980, where she edited Uncanny X-Men (#137–182) and Conan the Barbarian (#114–148) before writing full time in late 1983.
Her résumé reads like a map of modern superhero comics: Power Pack (1984–88), X-Factor (1986–91), where Apocalypse debuted and Cable was co-created with Rob Liefeld, New Mutants (Rictor), and at DC, Superman: The Man of Steel, where she co-created Steel and contributed to "The Death of Superman."
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Miss America Flies In
Marvel dates the debut of Madeline Joyce, Miss America, to September 26, 1943, in Marvel Mystery Comics #49 (cover-dated November 1943). Created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Gabriele, she gained flight and super-strength when lightning struck an experimental device. She joined the All-Winners Squad alongside Captain America and Namor, and was the third female heroine to get a solo book, after Wonder Woman and Sheena.
Alex Kotzky, Artist of Apartment 3-G
Alex Kotzky died September 26, 1996, in New York City. He drew Apartment 3-G from its May 8, 1961 launch, created with psychiatrist Nick Dallis, and took over the writing after Dallis died in 1991. Earlier he worked on DC's Johnny Quick and Sandman and drew backgrounds for Will Eisner's The Spirit. The strip outlived him, running 54 years until November 22, 2015.
Brommy & Tommy Debuts
On September 26, 1958, Dutch newspaper Het Parool ran the first Brommy en Tommy by Jan Dirk van Exter (1915–1982), a "text comic" about two little bears. It became his most successful work, adopted balloon lettering in 1972, and ran until 1978.
First Issues, Debuts & Premieres
Verified for today: Miss America's 1943 debut in Marvel Mystery Comics #49 (above) and the 1958 launch of Brommy & Tommy. We found no verifiable high-profile first issue or comic-based movie/TV premiere dated September 26, and we're not padding the list.
Fact check: Miss America's September 26 date comes from Marvel.com's history feature; Wikipedia gives the issue's November 1943 cover date, which is consistent with an on-sale date roughly two months earlier.
Panel of the Day
Apartment 3-G co-creator Nick Dallis was a psychiatrist by profession. The strip he launched in 1961 outlasted both him and Kotzky, running until 2015.