Patrick A. Reed

Born on this day in 1954, Matt Groening's instantly recognizable visual style, off-kilter humor, and knack for depicting the innate dysfunctionality of personal interactions have defined him as one of the most influential cartoonists of the late 20th/early 21st century. From self-publishing comics in the late '70s, to overseeing a multi-media empire in the new millennium, he's followed an unorthodox and unlikely path to fame and fortune, without compromising his idiosyncratic vision.

Devastator Press is releasing The Official Handbook Of The Bowieverse, a minicomic that riffs on the numerous characters and personas that Bowie created, in a format that pays affectionate tribute to the classic Marvel Comics Official Handbook and DC Who's Who series of the 1980s. Check out an exclusive preview of its cosmic delights.

Today, Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers is one of the greatest heroes in the Marvel Universe, one of the company's most powerful and popular characters. She's the star of her own best-selling series, she's a high-profile member of The Avengers and The Ultimates, her visage adorns merchandise from apparel to action figures, and she's a major part of the "Phase Three" expansion of Marvel's movie universe. But it hasn't always been like this. Since she made her first appearance in a supporting role to a second-string hero on December 12, 1967, Carol Danvers has walked, flown, and fought her way along a twisting and often-confusing path.

Since breaking into the comics industry in the early '80s, Jerry Ordway has gained a reputation as one of the industry's great multi-faceted craftsmen. He's an artist's artist, as adept at portraying emotion and expression as he is at illustrating intergalactic action sequences. He's a world class penciller, a respected writer, and well renowned for his inking and painting work. He's contributed to some of the most influential and best-selling superhero stories in history, and his work on Superman and Shazam over the course of a decade defined DC's two mightiest heroes for a generation of readers. And he's still going strong.

Dedicated fan, influential creator, esteemed editor, respected historian; the legendary Roy Thomas, born November 22, 1940, has assembled one of the comics medium's most diverse and wide-ranging resumes over the course of his six-decade-plus career. From helping to establish the groundwork for organized comic fandom in the early '60s, to his much-loved stints writing many of Marvel and DC's best-beloved characters, to his modern-day work as editor and author of numerous reference works, he's long been one of the most knowledgeable and passionate voices in the industry.

This autumn, the universe's most inefficient sleuth will move into a new medium, as Dirk Gently becomes the animated hero of the BBC America/Netflix TV series Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. ComicsAlliance had the chance to speak with Arvind Ethan David, who is both the author of the IDW Dirk Gently comic series and, as a partner in Ideate Media, intimately involved in the upcoming TV adaptation. The conversation was lively and far-ranging, touching on subjects including Douglas Adams' ongoing influence in popular culture, Dirk Gently's enduring appeal, and David's personal connection to the character and property.

Some comic creators are known for their work on a specific title, some for their association with a specific character, some for particular stylistic innovations, some for the impact they had on other people working in their field. Joe Kubert was known for all those things and more, to the point that it's probably just best to describe him as being known for being Joe Kubert.

Spider-Man. Superman. Starman. Doctor Strange. The Avengers. These are just a few of the characters Roger Stern has left his mark on over the course of his long career in comics. He rose from passionate fan to consummate professional over the course of a few years in the '70s, and went on to play a role in some of the most entertaining (and successful) stories of the ensuing decades. He co-created the Hobgoblin, and was a major force behind the death (and eventual rebirth) of Superman. He's one of comics' most reliable writers, known for his consistently tight plots, his strong characterization, and his continual creativity.

Howard The Duck is one of the great idiosyncratic characters in comics; an ill-tempered alien waterfowl with no special powers or abilities, who has nonetheless ended up as a fixture of the Marvel Universe. Since he first appeared on 11 September 1973 in second-tier horror title Adventures Into Fear #19, waddling out of the bushes to interrupt a hallucinogenic story by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik, he's constantly beaten the odds, becoming a beloved character to generations.

Artist, author, historian, agent, activist, businessman: Denis Kitchen, born August 27, 1946, has worn all these hats (and a number of others) over the course of his storied career. He's worked with many of comics' finest artists, brought lost classics back into the public eye, written definitive texts on some of the medium's most important creators, and laid the groundwork for countless alternative publishers. On top of all that, he's the founder of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, an organization that works to ensure full First Amendment protection for comic creators, retailers, and readers.