And, since women love the bad boys, let’s throw one of the founding members of Batman’s rogues gallery in for good(?) measure.

Edward Nygma,..

Wait, does a name like that make you wonder about predestination?

Anyway, Edward Nygma, or E. Nygma, first donned his green togs in Detective Comics 140, October of 1948. Bill Finger and Dick Sprang are responsible for the criminal mastermind hobbled by the obsession to incorporate riddles and puzzles into his crimes.

His Golden Age appearances were limited to his debut and Detective Comics 142. Presumably the Riddler was a guest of the state until the Silver Age when, upon his release in Batman 171 he continued his criminal career.

Since then, Nygma has made up for lost time never far from a comic book appearance throughout the ensuing ages and crises.

And, if you’re curious as to the answers on the Valentine, it’s printed upside down in the lower left hand corner and the title of today’s post.

So far this countdown we’ve had the boys showing their feelings, so lets soften the mood with one of the ladies.

While the moniker Ms. Marvel encompasses others, we’re talking about the OG Carol Danvers. She first graced the four color world in Marvel Super Heroes issue 13 in 1968. At the time she was a non-powered United States Air Force officer. The following year she was caught in an explosion with Captain Marvel, courtesy of the Kree. The explosion caused hers and Marvel’s DNA to merge giving her super powers. In 1977 she was given her own self-titled book and became a mainstay on the periphery of the Avengers.

X-Men scribe Chris Claremont would have her memories and powers stolen by the mutant Rogue in Avengers annual 10. Her misadventure would lead her to the X-Men where she would become Binary and, later, Warbird.

Carol officially became Captain Marvel in 2012.

Others assuming the title of Ms. Marvel include Sharon Ventuera, Karla Sofen and Kamala Khan.

Okay, I kinda wanna try these out myself.

DC’s Super Friends was still airing in the 1980s when these hit the shelves. The show’s full tenure ran from 1973 to 1985. It’s original incarnation would premiere and rerun through 1977 when an annual renewal would continue till its demise in ‘85.

Apparently one of the licenses sold would lead to these Uber cool Valentines cards that were almost too good to give away. This sheet features the Joker, Batman, Superman and Aquaman.

Each have had their share of romantic partners, Joker with Harley Quinn/Harlequin. Harley has the distinction of first being introduced on Batman: The Animated Series.

Batman/Bruce Wayne with Julie Madison from way back in Detective Comics 31. Vickie Vale who first appeared in Batman 49. She would go on hiatus from the Bat titles between 1964 and the early 1980s. Selina Kyle/Catwoman who was introduced in Batman issue one. Talia Al Ghul from Detective Comics 411. There would be others, but the above mentioned were the ones who got away.

Unlike his playboy counterpart, Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman has only had eyes for one woman: Lois Lane.

Arthur Curry/Aquaman is pretty much a one-woman hero himself. That honor falls to wife Mera.

Continuing to show some love this February is a Hallmark classic with the ever lovin’, blue eyed Thing.

For anyone who’s ever felt self conscious about their appearance, here’s Yancy Street’s most famous alum, Aunt Petunia’s own Bashful Benjamin J. Grimm.

Ben would spend most of his comic book career dating blind sculptress Alicia Masters. Their romance would be interrupted by teammate Johnny (Human Torch) Storm’s advances. She and Storm would marry only to learn later his Alicia was really a Skrull imposter.

The real Alicia, it was learned, had been in suspended animation during that time.

Ben would propose to schoolteacher Debbie Green only to leave her for fear of retribution by enemies.

Ben and Alicia would finally marry in Fantastic Four issue 650.

So, don’t give up hope, there’s someone for everyone.

Welcome to February.

As with December we’re gonna count down to the big day: Valentine’s Day. Instead of ornaments we’re gonna use the commodity of the month, Valentine’s Cards.

Not those contrived, costly Hallmark cards, either. These are the the meaningful missives passed out in elementary school.

I grew up in the 1970s when you bought those box bound greetings by the dozen in a colorful container, promising puppy love could flourish as your favorite mascot pitched your woo.

The night before handing them out, you sat down with mom and made a list of your fellow classmates. Then came decisions as to who received which of the barely three dimensional greetings.

The following day you were turned loose to drop these sappy salutations into school-made boxes or bags.

I don’t know if this still transpires today, but here’s a memento of days gone by and a good example of what passed for poetry for primary school pupils.

Looking at the calendar, there seemed to be too big a gap between Observe the Weather Day and the start of the countdown to Valentine’s Day. So, here’s a quick filler to bridge the hole between events.

And with that, welcome to Pop Art Day.

Drowning Girl

Artist Roy Lichtenstein is regarded as the father of pop art. His use of Ben-Day dots offered a commercial print quality with its pixelated effect.

Though not originally considered a high art form, Lichtenstein’s appreciation of the mass-market entertainment was his inspiration. Wham! and Drowning Girl are two of his more iconic pieces.

Though initially branded as plagiarism, pop art was eventually accepted by the comic book community. In 1965 the National Cartoon Society commissioned Lichtenstein for a piece. He was also the first of honor at the event.

Whaam!

If you’ve looked outside to see what the weather is like, you’ve already celebrated today’s non-holiday.

Today is Observe the Weather Day which has its roots in the birth of astrology in Babylonia around 650 BC. Around 360 BC scholar Aristotle jotted down weather patterns in his book Meteorologica. Fast forward 60 years and Indian astronomers began developing techniques to predict weather patterns. In 1854 Naval Officer Francis Beaufort and Robert FitzRoy start their campaign for forecasting to become a science, giving birth to weather observation as known today.

The Flash (1959) 110

And, that in a nutshell, is a history of weather forecasting.

Today’s emcee will be Flash foe Weather Wizard, first appearing in The Flash 110.

Created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, Weather Wizard – aka Mark Mardon – originally wielded a wand crafted by brother Clyde to control weather patterns. The wand eventually drove Mardon insane, but DC’s New 52 cured him, allowing his return.

As part of The Flash’s Rogue’s Gallery, Mardon has appeared outside of comic books in a plethora of multi-media formats.

So, depending on the weather, choose an appropriate activity for the day which might include a review of today’s man of the hour and a little Weather Channel to fully appreciate the strides made to keep you warm and dry.

January days seem so long though they grow dark too early.
Still suffering from the big holidays hangover, it’s almost like work trying to find anything mildly interesting to survive the month.

Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man 98 (1976)

This non-holiday caught my attention and triggered a memory of a Spidey villain from years past. Who better than The Spot to host National Polka Dot Day?

Why someone established a day for polka dots is beyond me. It just exists. The word first appeared in the 1857 Philly publication Godey’s Lady’s Book.

Since their introduction as a form of ladies wear fashion, polka dots have transferred to everything from napkins to fingernails. They are a fashion statement and fashion stigma depending which way the whims of haute couture are blowing.

For our purposes polka dots are a means of transportation.

Dr. Johnathon Ohnn made his debut in Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man 97 as a Kingpin minion. The MIT grad was under orders to recreate Cloak’s – of Cloak and Dagger fame – means of teleportation.

A laboratory mishap caused Ohnn to become the means of transference himself, peppered in black polka dots that are pathways to wherever his desire may lie.

Al Milgrom, writer, and Herb Trimpe, artist, are his creators.

Spot would also come to life as part of Marvel’s animated universe. He starred in his self-titled episode in 1994 on Fox Kids animated Spider-Man series and in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in 2018 and Spider-Man: Across the Universe in 2023.

After a season of overindulgence, today may seem ironic as it is Prohibition Remembrance Day.

Iron Man 128 (1968)

January 16, 1919, saw the ratification of the 18th Amendment prohibiting the production, transportation and sale of alcohol in the United States. Prohibition was lifted Dec. 5, 1933, with the 21st Amendment, but during its time allowed the rise of organized crime to take hold.

Iron Man issue 128 was chosen to commemorate the day as the lauded Demon in a Bottle saga concludes.

Playboy Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, was long known for his daliances with both ladies and liquor. Writers David Michelinie and Bob Layton, with art by John Romita, Jr., Layton and Carmine Infantino, brought his reliance on alcohol to the forefront with Iron Man issues 120-28 in 1979.

So influential was the story arc, Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau chose to include a druken Iron Man battling his own bottle in an abbreviated version of issues 120-28.

Help for those with substance abuse is available by dialing 988.

In the meantime, hunt down the originals or trade to this compeling story.

If planning a little after Christmas travel, here’s a thought:  Benin, Africa – for January 10. That puts you right in the heart of the Fete du Vodoun Festival.

Literally translated, that’s Vodoun Festival, also known as Traditional Religions Day.

Strange Tales 169

Vodoun was officially declared a religion in Benin in 1996. It begins with the slaughter of a goat in honor of the spirits. The remainder of the celebration is filled with singing, dancing and the imbibing of liquor, especially gin.

If that sounds a little intimidating or your passport is just expired, maybe something a little closer to home. Like a comfy chair and a copy of Strange Tales 169. The book features Dr. Jericho Drumm, created by Marvel publisher Stan Lee, writer Len Wein and artist John Romita Sr.

Included in the village that spawned and raised him was Marvel editor-in-chief Roy Thomas who suggested the name Doctor Voodoo. Fortunately cooler heads prevailed and he was christened Brother Voodoo. Gene Colan handled the art chores.

Brother Voodoo began his journey through the Marvel U in Strange Tales 169 through 173 and culminated the initial adventure as a backup story in Marvel’s horror magazine Tales of the Zombie issue six.

Brother Voodoo continues to this day, though Marvel did receive some negative letters from religious groups in the beginning. The Sci-Fi Channel announced in 2003 an ongoing series, but it never materialized.