One year after his first appearance on the big screen, Bugs Bunny hit the four-color world of comic books.

This is important to know to properly celebrate National Bugs Bunny Day today.

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Bugs has been represented in all forms of media. He has never been out of the public eye since he first appeared in 1940’s A Wild Hare. From the cartoon shorts Bugs moved into a more static medium with his appearance in Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Comics issue one in 1941 courtesy of Dell Comics.

Bugs wouldn’t headline his own comic book until 1952. His fame led to the popularity of other characters who almost all of which would earn their own books through the 1950’s.

A year after his first appearance in comic books Bugs branched into newspapers with a comic strip that ran for more than 50 years.

To celebrate, host a Bugs Bunny cartoon marathon party. Birthday wishes may be sent using #NationalBugsBunnyDay.

A day to honor super heroes, real and fictional, National Super Hero Day was created in 1995 by Marvel Comics employees.

While it may seem odd to honor DC’s flagship character in light of who originally sponsored the day, Superman is the logical choice considering he was the OG Super Hero.

Without going into too much detail, the Man of Tomorrow was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster originally intended to be a newspaper strip character. Syndicated bosses thought differently. National Allied Publications accepted the submission and comic books were never the same.

Superman first appeared in Action Comics issue one. He received a self-titled book the following year. Both continue publication to this day.

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The success of Superman in comic books allowed him to finally appear as a newspaper strip. Later he became a radio and television star. The silver screen has beckoned several times. Initially Superman appeared as an animated hero courtesy of Fleischer Studios. A movie serial appeared in matinees in 1948. It wasn’t until 1978 that Superman was really super. At least on the big screen.

Touted that audiences would believe a man could-fly, Superman earned three sequels with Christopher Reeve in the cape. Superman Returns, starring Brandon Routh entered theaters 2006. Henry Cavill is the latest to don the tights, appearing in Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League.

In addition to all the media outlets Superman has conquered, he continues to see print on a monthly basis as new fans discover what so many have known for over 80 years.

As if Superman and Batman didn’t have enough problems, Bob Haney and Dick Dillin saddled the superheroes with sons in World’s Finest 215.

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The junior superheroes were near clones of their fathers down to their uniforms. The two appeared off and on in World’s Finest until issue 263 when Denny O’Neil revealed they were computer simulations created by Batman and Superman.

The concept would later be revisited in an Elseworlds book in 1999, then shelved until 2011 when the New 52 came about with Chris Kent and Damian Wayne living on Earth-16.

DC unveiled yet another incarnation in 2017. The super sons would go by Jonathan Kent, Superboy, a product of Clark Kent’s union to Lois Lane; and Damian Wayne, Robin, the son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul.

The series went 16 issues with one annual.

In August of 2018 a 12-issue mini was launched, helmed by Peter Tomasi with Carlo Barberi and Art Thibert handling art chores.

What does all of this have to do with Four Color Holidays? Just that today, April 23, is National Take Your Sons and Daughters to Work Day.

Enjoy the time you have with your children.

Okay, this is not a federal holiday.

National Library Worker’s Day is recognized within schools and community organizations with lunches, donations to libraries and other biblio-themed functions.

To honor those trusted with the keeping of stories and adventures, Four Color Holidays uses Detective Comics (1937) as a banner for the librarians of the world.

This issue, of course, is the first appearance Batgirl, aka Barbara Gordon. Bill Finger and Sheldon Modloff had originally created Betty Kane as the first Bat-Girl in 1961. Babs, as Police Chief James Gordon’s daughter, has become the more commonly recognized Daring Domino of the Bat-family.

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Her comic book appearance was not by chance. When producers of the Batman television series decided to add the character on screen, she was given a home in the printed DCU as well.

Over time, Barbara/Batgirl has served beside the Dynamic Duo as well as shone in solo adventures. In 1988 Alan Moore stepped away from Swamp Thing and penned a one-shot in which the Joker shot and paralyzed Babs.

She would remain in a wheelchair until the New 52 reboot in 2011. Between 1988 and 2011 Barbara served as Oracle, aiding the Bat-Family with information. Later, she would serve in the same capacity with the Birds of Prey.

While incapacitated the Batgirl cowl did not gather dust. It was donned by Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, Helena Bertinelli and Charlotte “Charlie” Gage-Radcliff.

In the end, the mantle will always be Barbara Gordon’s.

So, happy National Library Worker’s Day. Read a book, preferably a Batgirl comic book, and visit your local library to thank those who toil away as the guardians of knowledge and entertainment.

Happy National Garlic Day.

According to nationaltoday.com, garlic was a god to the Egyptians. Even used as currency. The Greeks swore by its strength-enhancing properties. It warded off the evil eye and nymphs.

What garlic is mainly known for, other than adding to the taste of almost any dish, is its ability to make even the stoutest of vampires weak in the knees.

That’s why we present Marvel’s Tomb of Dracula issue one.

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Gerry Conway and Gene Colan created Marvel’s king of vampires after the Comics Code Authority relaxed its stranglehold on the industry. Prior to 1972 vampires and other creatures of the night were verboten.

Given the rein, Marvel unleashed Dracula for the first time in comic books since 1951. The title would appear on stands until issue 70 in 1979.

In addition to its normal series, Dracula also starred in his own Giant-Size series in the mid-1970s and black and white magazine, Dracula Lives! for 13 issues from 1973 to 1975 and one annual.

Dracula returned in the 1990s with help from HYDRA who cloned his DNA.

As the new millennium dawned, he had an army of vampires based on the moon. Dracula was defeated by Excalibur – the sword, not the team.

By the first of the next decade he suffered defeat at the hands of the mutants.

Dracula would also guest in the animated exploits of Spider-Woman, Spider-Man (and his Amazing Friends), Avengers, Super-Hero Squad, Ultimate Spider-Man and Hulk and the Agents of Smash.

In 1980 Toei studios released Dracula: The Vampire Emperor of Darkness. It later aired on cable television in 1983 as Dracula: Sovereign of the Damned.

Most notably, Dracula, though in different form, appeared in the Blade trilogy based on the character of the same name.

Based on this information, readers may conclude the Lord of Darkness is not easily dispatched. All the more reason to give garlic it’s day and due.

April is the best time of year to observe bats, as they begin to wake from hibernation. To honor the only mammal capable of true and sustained flight, today has been set aside as International Bat Appreciation Day.

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Using Batman to represent the comic book industry would have been too easy. Instead, we’re looking at Robert Kirkland “Kirk” Langstrom, aka Man-Bat.

His first appearance was in Detective Comics 400. Neal Adams, Frank Robbins and Julius Schwartz are credited with his creation.

Langstrom is a zoologist specializing in the study of bats. A misguided test of his formula to develop sonar in humans turned the scientist into Man-Bat. Batman is able to develop a cure and restore him to his natural form.

The play as been acted out over and over. At times, Langstrom has even enlisted others including his wife, Francine Langstrom.

DC felt comfortable enough with the character to give him his own short-lived series in 1975. It lasted two issues.

Man-Bat has been part of the DCU in all its incarnations; still flying after the crises and reboots. He has also appeared in various animated versions of DC. He was featured in the first episode of Batman: the Animated Series that aired in 1992.

As a journeyman villain, Man-Bat serves his purpose; as a comic book anti-hero he’s an interesting diversion until one of Batman’s A-list foes finds a way out of Arkham.

Showcase 79 is the bridge we’ll use to travel to National Dolphin Day today.

Jay Scott Pike created the waterborne waif in 1968 for Showcase comics in issue 79. Not until 1986 in Secret Origins (1986) 50, did her origin appear. According to Steve Bove and Richard Bruning, Dolphin was swept from a cruise ship deck at a very young age. Her subsequent survival is courtesy of aliens who abduct and experiment on her. She is transformed into an aquatic being with webbed fingers and toes, gills and white hair.

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In addition, Dolphin is granted superhuman strength allowing her to adapt to the pressures of the deep. Her aging process is also slowed.

Dolphin escaped her captivity and is later domesticated by a crew of an oceanology ship. They are the ones who dub her Dolphin.

Over time she has been integrated with the DC Universe, most notably with Animal Man (1988) during Grant Morrison’s run on the title.

National Dolphin Day is listed as part of the American Veterinary Medical Association Pet Health Awareness Events. Those wishing to acknowledge the day on social media may do so:  #NationalDolphinDay.

Bet ya didn’t know there was a National Beer Day.

Well, there is. National Beer Day is a perennially celebrated non-holiday to honor the Cullen-Harrison Act, which made beer legal even before Prohibition ended December 1933.

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If you’re so inclined, crack a cold one and enjoy the following synopsis for ‘Time Runs Like Sand,’ as maudlin a sounding title as the story that follows.

Sandman, aka Flint Marko, has not had a good day. A good month for that matter. Well, a good coupla years. Not since he and Hydro-Man, aka Morris “Morrie” Bench, merged to form Mud-Thing in Amazing Spider-Man 217.

A little radiation goes a long way and the two are able to disassociate their molecules. Each go their separate ways, Marko’s path leading to a local watering hole. The bartender recognizes his patron and contacts the Fantastic Four. As fate would have it, Ben Grimm, aka the Thing, answers.

Figuring the worst that can happen is he’ll get a cold beer out of the visit, Ben hops on his skycycle.

Rather than fight, the two former combatants share a few beers. Marko recalls his past and how it led him to his life of crime.

Kinda of a soap opera of an issue, but, deep down, aren’t they all?

As March departs, let’s usher in Zebediah Killgrave to commemorate Epilepsy Awareness Day, or Purple Day.

Epilepsy Awareness Day is also known as Purple Day. Cassidy Megan of Nova Scotia, Canada, created Purple Day as a way to educate the public on the condition. The World Health Organization reports nearly 50-million people worldwide live with epilepsy. It is not known how it occurs, though it is non-contagious. While treatable, medical treatment is not available in all parts of the world.

For more information, log onto the Epilepsy Foundation site.

Killgrave is The Purple Man, introduced in Daredevil 4.

The second-tier villain was one who waited in the wings until the right writer came to his rescue. Brian Michael Bendis helped himself to Killgrave for Alias. The storyline matured Purple Man enough for modern-day audiences. Enough so it became part of the short-lived Netflix story of Jessica Jones where David Tennant portrayed him.

Killgrave produces a pheromone allowing him to control others.

Believe it or not there’s actually a National Proposal Day. The day you’re supposed to ask those four simple words that are the hardest to say, “Will you marry me?”

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To commemorate the day, let’s look at Amazing Spider-Man issue 182 when Peter Parker first asked Mary Jane Watson to marry him.

Not much special about the issue other than Peter popping the question. The Rocket Racer is back. Spider-Man attempts to knock Robert Farrell off his land board with no success.

Between battles readers wind through the day with Peter as he visits Aunt May, stops by the Daily Bugle and relaxes at home. Each stop offers him a chance to chase his thoughts. When he does catch up with them, they all lead in the same direction.

By book’s end Peter is at Mary Jane’s doorstep. In one hand is a box of Cracker Jack and his heart in the other. Read the issue to understand.

MJ would turn down the initial proposal, but relent by 1987 in ASM 290.

The two would later wed in Amazing Spider-Man annual 21.

A mock ceremony was held at Shea Stadium in 1987, Stan Lee officiating.