Happy National Bikini Day!

Ever since the great Louis Réard introduced the scandalous garment to a shocked public way back on July 5, 1946, the bikini has been an iconic piece of swimwear as unforgettable as the place it was named after.

In celebration of National Bikini Day, let's take a look at the bikini's memorable appearances in comic books!

What better way to introduce a dame like Torchy Todd than to put her in a bikini? Artist Gill Fox brings his "good girl art" style to this cover to Torchy #4 from 1950.

Archie Andrews has been pining for Betty and Veronica for years. The bikinis they often wore at the beach were probably one of the biggest reasons, as seen here on the cover of Archie #158 in 1965.

Marvel's Tigra made her debut in Giant-Sized Creatures #1 in 1974, wearing a bikini that accentuated her feral features!

Fanzine Amazing Heroes made "swimsuit issues" as early as 1987 (apparently due to the prodding of one Mark Waid!), culminating in a special dedicated entirely to the concept. Shown here is the cover to their first swimsuit special featuring Reed Waller's characters from the controversial comic "Omaha" the Cat Dancer.

Fresh off of their parody of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, Marvel went all in and produced the Marvel Swimsuit Special starting in 1992. One of their covers featured Rogue in a yellow and green bikini rendered by the master Joe Jusko!

Speaking of masters, Frank Cho is at his best when he needs to draw cheesy cheesecake art, like this cover for Harley Quinn and Her Gang of Harleys #5!

While swimsuit issues aren't en vogue for the Big 2 these days, DC Comics paid homage to that era with swimsuit variants for some of their more popular titles in 2022. You can't go wrong with Stanley "Artgerm" Lau, who rendered this incredible Supergirl in a bikini as a sought-after variant for Action Comics #1046 — as if his variants aren't sought after enough!

Hope you enjoyed this look back at all the bikinis in comics! Happy National Bikini Day and don't forget to wear sunscreen!