Jump on our Virtual Newsstand as we journey back to 1961. See and read the comic books on sale month by month, and find out the major news of the day.

January: United States Navy SEALs are activated. SEAL Team One in the Pacific Fleet & Team Two in the Atlantic Fleet

February: While aboard Friendship 7, John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit the Earth, three times in 4 hours, 55 minutes

March:Wilt Chamberlain scores 100 points in a single basketball game for Philadelphia Warriors against the New York Knicks

April: As a result of a computer failure, the Ranger 4 spacecraft crashes into the far side of Moon without transmitting any scientific data

May: As part of Project Mercury Scott Carpenter orbits the Earth 3 times in the Aurora 7 space capsule. He lands 250 miles off target

June: Frank Morris, John Anglin and Clarence Anglin escape from the Alcatraz Island prison. The men are never heard from again

July: AT&T's Telstar, the world's first commercial communications satellite launched & relays live trans-Atlantic television signals

August: Film legend Marilyn Monroe found dead from overdose of sleeping pills & chloral hydrate, officially ruled a "probable suicide"

September: Sonny Liston knocks out Floyd Patterson in the first round to become the World Heavyweight Champion

October: A U-2 flight over Cuba takes photos of Soviet nuclear weapons being installed. A stand-off then ensues for another 12 days

November: Britain & France sign agreement to develop the Concorde supersonic airliner. It is now considered an aviation icon

December: David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia" featuring Peter O' Toole, Omar Sharif, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins & Anthony Quinn premieres