anniversaries

Jim Lee is a businessman, a superstar artist, the talent behind the best-selling single issue of all time, the figurehead of the indie revolution, and the co-publisher of the oldest established comics company. Lee went from struggling artist to industry-topping fan-favorite, he co-founded Image Comics, and he helmed many of Marvel and DC's highest-profile projects. His hyper-detailed, fine-line technique has inspired legions of imitators, and influenced generations of creators, making him one of comics' best-known and most recognizable creators. And today is his birthday.

Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is one of the great inexplicable pop phenomenons of our time, a creation that began as a one-note joke between friends, and went on to conquer the world. It's a franchise that's proven to be endlessly adaptable, appearing in endless variations in numerous media, with an appeal that spans generations and a fanbase that continues to expand with each passing year.