Topper Tuesday (“Rosie’s Beau,” topper to “Bringing Up Father”):

Following several years of appearing in a handful of college newspapers, Tim Downs's fondly remembered "Downstown" began national syndication on March 24, 1980. (After discontinuing "Downstown" in 1986, Downs went on to a successful career as a crime novelist.) Here’s the first week of dailies:

The More You Know Monday (“This Curious World” by William Ferguson):

Steve Roper, who would eventually take over the strip, first appeared in “Big Chief Wahoo” on March 23, 1940. (He was unnamed initially. This week’s worth of dailies includes the strip where he gives his name.)

Fritzi and Nancy Before Sluggo (“Fritzi Ritz” strips from March 13-18, 1933):

Slice-of-Life Sunday:

The radio adaptation of John Hix’s “Strange As It Seems” was first broadcast on March 22, 1935. (The feature was one of the many imitators that came in the wake of the success of Ripley’s Believe It or Not.) Hix’s feature had been running in newspapers since 1928.

Doctors have been dismissing female patients’ concerns for decades. It’s all in your head.

Sluggo Saturday (“Nancy” strips from March 5-10, 1945):

Charlie Brown flew a kite for the first time in "Peanuts" on March 21, 1952. (In case you wondered, the kite-eating tree didn't appear until 1956.)

Riverdale Week in Review (“Archie” strips from March 21-26, 1949):

The Friday Flop:

J.R. Williams's marvelous “Out Our Way" first appeared on March 20, 1922. Here are the first four panels of this classic work:

"Betty Brown, Ph.G." by Boody Rogers, originally published on March 21, 1938, and titled "Drafted Druggists."

Carl Anderson's Henry first appeared in the Saturday Evening Post on March 19, 1932. (Henry’s daily comic strip didn’t appear until December 1934.) Here’s his SEP debut:

Wordless Wednesday:

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All that’s missing is Schulz’s signature.

Topper Tuesday (“And So They Were Never Married,” topper to “Polly and Her Pals”):

“Luann” by Greg Evans first appeared on March 17, 1985 (a Sunday debut). Here’s the first strip:

The More You Know Monday (“This Curious World” by William Ferguson):

In E.C. Segar's "Thimble Theatre," the Jeep (at least its tail) made its debut 90 years ago, on March 16, 1936. The coy first appearance:

Happy Ides of March…special shout-out to my senators!

Fritzi and Nancy Before Sluggo (“Fritzi Ritz” strips from March 6-11, 1933):

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Slice-of-Life Sunday:

The "Tarzan" Sunday page, drawn by Rex Maxon, first appeared on March 15, 1931. (The character had appeared in newspaper comics since 1929, drawn by Hal Foster, but it didn’t have a Sunday page.) Here are the first two weeks. (I would have shown more, but it quickly gets pretty…offensive.)

Who’s up for a little midcentury COMEDY GOLD?

Sluggo Saturday (“Nancy” strips from February 26-March 3, 1945):

The iconic cartoon mascot Reddy Kilowatt (then a mascot of the Alabama Power Co.) first appeared 100 years ago, on March 14, 1926. Here’s a newspaper ad announcing his debut.

Happy Pi Day from Hogan’s Alley!

Riverdale Week in Review (“Archie” strips from March 14-19, 1949):

The Friday Flop (I usually show only the flop panel, but I wanted you to see that even the jellyfish is flopping!)

Goodbye civilian life, hello Camp Swampy! Beetle Bailey enlisted in the Army 75 years ago, on March 13, 1951. Here’s that strip, and the ones that bookended it:

"Betty Brown, Ph.G." by Boody Rogers, originally published on March 14, 1938, and titled "Knee Action." Go to bettybrownbook.com and enter the code PRINTED15 at checkout—valid through tomorrow—to get 15% off your copy of The Complete Betty Brown, Ph.G. in paperback or hardcover.

Hank Ketcham’s “Dennis the Menace” first appeared 75 years ago, on March 12, 1951. Here are the first four panels. (The “Yale 66” shirt leads to number crunching: if Dennis would be 22 in 1966, that would place him around <checks math> seven years old in 1951.)

Wordless Wednesday:

F.B. Opper's "Happy Hooligan" first appeared on March 11, 1900. The strip was Opper’s first big hit, spawning a number of adaptations in other media, including film and music. Here’s his first appearance:

Gotta love the corporate synergy.

Topper Tuesday (“No Brains But,” topper to “Bringing Up Father”):

Bill Holman’s "Smokey" ("Stover" wasn't added until May 26, 1935) first appeared on March 10, 1935. (It was a Sunday-only strip at first.) Here’s the premiere:

Vintage ad (Gahan Wilson for Esquire Socks):

The More You Know Monday (“This Curious World” by William Ferguson):

Fritzi and Nancy Before Sluggo (“Fritzi Ritz” strips from February 27-March 4, 1933):

Slice-of-Life Sunday:

In "Peanuts," Snoopy first appeared in his astronaut persona on March 8, 1969. (It was a few months before the first manned moon landing that July. Charles Schulz was a big fan of NASA and space exploration.) Here's that strip and the ensuing dailies:

Sluggo Saturday (“Nancy” strips from February 19-24, 1945):

Lt. Sonny Fuzz first appeared in "Beetle Bailey" 70 years ago, on March 7, 1956. Here’s his debut:

Riverdale Week in Review (“Archie” strips from March 7-12, 1949):

The Friday Flop: