Notable events of 1979 in comics .
Events
January
February
February 20 : Kees Kousemaker and his wife Evelien publish Wordt Vervolgd. Stripleksikon der Lage Landen , the follow-up to their earlier comics encyclopaedia Strip voor Strip (1979).[ 3]
February 22 : In Spirou , the first chapter of the Yoko Tsuno story La lumiere d’Ixo , by Roger Leloup , is published.
February 26 : In Pif Gadget , Les Robinsons de la Terre (The Planet Earth’s Robinson ) by Roger Lécureux and Alfonso Font makes its debut.
First issue of Cliff (Editoriale Corno), by Luciano Secchi ; the series, a sort of Italian version of Hulk , lasts just 16 numbers.[ 4]
March
April
May
May 5 : David Sutherland introduces Dennis' pet pig Rasher in Dennis the Menace and Gnasher . [ 8]
May 15 : In Tintin , the first chapter of the Jonathan story Douniacha, il y a longtemps… (Douniacha, long time ago ) by Cosey is published.
May 19 : A statue of Suske en Wiske , designed by René Rosseel, is revealed at the Antwerp Zoo .[ 9] [ 10]
Frank Miller takes over from Gene Colan as regular penciler on Daredevil with issue #158.
Vince Colletta resigns as art director of DC Comics .
Rawhide Kid , with issue #135, canceled by Marvel.
Captain Marvel , with issue #62, cancelled by Marvel.
Howard the Duck (vol. 1), with issue #31, canceled by Marvel.
Black Panther , with issue #15, cancelled by Marvel.
In Il mago , Piombo di mancia (Tip lead) by Vittorio Giardino ; debut of the Bolognese private eye Sam Pezzo.[ 11]
June
June 6 : In Tintin , the first chapter of the Thorgal story Les Trois Vieillards du pays d'Aran (The three old men from Aran country), by Jean Van Hamme and Grzegorz Rosiński is published.[ 12]
June 17 : The final episode of the weekly political-satirical gag comic spin-off of Jean Tabary 's Iznogoud is printed in the Sunday newspaper Journal du Dimanche. [ 13]
June 21 : In Spirou , the first chapter of the Spirou & Fantasio story Des haricots partout by Jean Claude Fournier is published.
First issue of Il Paperino d’oro (The golden Donald Duck ), published by Mondadori ; reprints of the classic stories by Carl Barks .
In Alterlinus , La lunga notte (The long night), by Sergio Toppi , first episode of the series Sharaz-de , inspired by One Thousand and One Nights .[ 14]
In Super Goofy , The Day a Knight Was Born , by Del Connel and Pete Alvarado ; debut of the Mighty Knight, Middle-age version of Super Goofy .
Cico story , by Guido Nolitta and Gallieno Ferri ; first album fully dedicated to the Zagor ’s Mexican partner.[ 15]
In Italy, first issue of Storie blu (Blue stories, Ediperiodici), anthological magazine of sci-fi and erotic comics.
Summer
July
World of Krypton – #1 of 3, by DC Comics. The first official limited series , this three-issue "mini-series" was originally slated for Showcase #104-106 to coincide with the premiere of Superman: The Movie . The storyline was rescheduled for Showcase #110-112 when the film's release date was delayed; but ultimately, Showcase was cancelled after issue #104. Finally, the material is revised and released as a limited series by Paul Kupperberg and Howard Chaykin .[ 16]
With issue #24, Marvel cancels Godzilla, King of the Monsters .
La resa dei conti (The showndown), by Magnus , last episode of La compagnia della forca .
In Marvel Two-in-one 53, the story arc Project Pegasus begins.
July 25 : Marvel UK publishes the final weekly issue (#352) of Marvel Comic .
July 26 : In the German magazine Zack , the parody Western series Silas Finn by the Italian authors Tiziano Sclavi and Giorgio Cavazzano is published.[ 17]
August
With issue #70, Marvel publishes the final issue of The Tomb of Dracula , ending writer Marv Wolfman and artist Gene Colan 's uninterrupted six-year run on the title.
In the story Mister No va alla guerra (Mr. No goes to war), by Guido Nolitta and Gallieno Ferri , the true name of the character (Jerry Drake) is revealed.[ 18]
In Pif Gadget , debut of two adventure series: Ayak , by Jean Ollivier and Eduardo Teixeira Coelho , set in the Klondike Gold rush , with an arctic wolf as protagonist, and Marine fille de pirate (The pirate’s daughter) by Francois Corteggiani and Pierre Tranchand.
August 19 : in Topolino , Topolino e l’enigma di Mu , by Massimo De Vita; debut of Prof. Zachary Zapotec .
August 25 : IPC Magazines merged two comic books 2000 AD and Starlord and Tornado into "2000 AD and Tornado".
September
September : The Indian comics magazine Target is launched. Inside the first issue, Ajit Ninan 's detective comic Detective Moochhwala makes its debut. [ 19]
September 9: For Better or For Worse , by Lynn Johnston , debuts, distributed by Universal Press Syndicate .
September 17 : Jaap Vegter receives the Stripschapprijs .[ 20]
All-Out War #1: a new war title in the Dollar Comics format is launched by DC Comics with a September/October cover date.
The Best of DC #1: a reprint anthology title in the digest format is launched by DC Comics with a September/October cover date.
"The Proteus Saga ", by Chris Claremont and John Byrne , begins in Uncanny X-Men #125 (running through issue #128).
Marvel Comic , with issue #353, becomes a monthly title and is renamed Marvel Superheroes . (Marvel UK)
The Invaders , with issue #41, is cancelled by Marvel.
The first edition of the Helsinki Comics Festival is organized in Helsinki , Finland.[ 21]
Calibro 45 , by Ennio and Vladimiro Missaglia (Daim Press ); first album of the short-lived western series Judas ,[ 22]
In the fall issue of Co-Evolution Quarterly , Robert Crumb 's one-shot comic A Short History of America is printed. [ 23]
October
October 1 : Hergé 's Tintin and Snowy receive a statue in Uccle .[ 24]
January 6 : The final episode of Kees Stip and Nico Visscher's newspaper gag-a-day comic In de Wolken is published.[ 25]
October 6 : In The Louisville Times , the first episode of Don Rosa ’s Captain Kentucky is published.
October 21 : In Il giornalino , the first chapter of the Dino Battaglia ’s comics adaptation of Gargantua and Pantagruel is published.[ 26]
Action Comics #500: 68-pages, "The Life Story of Superman," by Martin Pasko , Curt Swan , and Frank Chiaramonte .
Star*Reach , with issue #18, publishes its final issue.
Time Warp #1: a new science-fiction anthology in the Dollar Comics format is launched by DC Comics with an October/November cover date.
With issue #28, Marvel cancels John Carter, Warlord of Mars .
In the Argentine magazine El pendulo the first episode of the series Las puertitas del senor Lopez , by Carlos Trillo and Horacio Altuna is published.[ 27]
December
December 21 : In VSD , the first chapter of Le magot des Dalton (The Daltons’ swag ) by Morris and Vicq is published. Vicq succeeds the late Goscinny as Lucky Luke ’s writer.
The final issue of the Dutch adult comics magazine Gummi/De Ballooen is published.[ 28]
In Linus , the first strip of Sergio Staino ’s Bobo appears.[ 29]
Specific date unknown
Due to weak sales numbers from 1978,[ 30] during the course of the year Marvel Comics cancels a number of ongoing titles: Black Panther ; Captain Marvel ; Godzilla, King of the Monsters ; Howard the Duck ; The Human Fly ; The Invaders ; John Carter, Warlord of Mars ; Kid Colt Outlaw ; Marvel Triple Action ; and Rawhide Kid .
The "Demon in a Bottle " storyline, by David Michelinie , Bob Layton , and John Romita, Jr. , runs through Iron Man (issues #120–128, March–November).
Alien: The Illustrated Story , a comics adaptation of Alien , by Archie Goodwin and Walt Simonson , published by Heavy Metal .
In Turnhout , Belgium the first edition of the Stripgids Festival is organized by Jan Smet.[ 31] [ 32] [ 33]
Belgian comic artist Morris is knighted in the Order of Leopold II . [ 34]
Comic artist Gary Panter publishes the Rozz Tox Manifesto , in which he encourages counterculture artists to infiltrate the mainstream media . [ 35]
Births
March
November
Deaths
January
February
February 9 : Daniël Jansens, Belgian comics writer (Bessy , Lombok , Bakelandt , Kramikske ), dies from a heart attack at age 47.
February 15 : Roy d'Ami, Italian comics writer, artist and founder of the Studio Creazioni d'Ami, dies at age 55.[ 39]
February 22 : John Coleman Burroughs , American illustrator and comics artist (John Carter of Mars , David Innes of Pellicudar ), dies at age 65.[ 40]
March
April
June
July
July 4 : Pagsilang Rey Isip, Filipino-American comics artist, painter, photographer and musician, dies at age 68 from a heart attack.[ 42]
July 19 : Paul Bransom , American comics artist, illustrator and painter (The Latest News from Bugville ), dies at age 94.[ 43]
August
August 10 : Emmerich Huber, German comics artist (Das Neueste von Onkel Jup , Hans und Lottchen , Meine Lustige Fibel , Die Himmelswerkstatt , Bei Tüddelwitt im Zwergenwald , Bilderbogen von Emmerich Huber , Familie Kindermann ), illustrator and advertising artist, dies at age 75.[ 44]
August 15 : Walter Berndt , American comics artist (Smitty ), dies at age 80.[ 45]
August 26 : Mika Waltari , Finnish novelist and comics writer (wrote for Asmo Alho [ 46] ), dies at age 70.[ 47]
September
September 12 : Les Clark , American animator (Disney Studios ), dies at age 71.[ 48]
September 20 : Erich Gold, AKA Goltz, AKA Eric Peters, Austrian-American caricaturist, political cartoonist, comic writer and artist (Abbott & Costello comics, Elsie the Cow comics), dies at age 80. [ 49]
September 26 : Carl Grubert , American comics artist (The Berrys ), dies at age 68.[ 50]
October
October 16 : René Brantonne, French illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 76.[ 51]
October 30 : Oscar Conti , aka Oski, Argentine cartoonist, caricaturist, animator and comics artist (Cascabel , The True History of the Indies ), dies at age 65.[ 52]
November
November 2 : Walter Bell, British comics artist (continued Weary Willy and Tired Tim and Casey's Court , made celebrity comics for Film Fun ), dies at age 86.
November 5 : Al Capp , American comics artist (Li'l Abner , Abbie an' Slats , Long Sam ), dies at age 70.[ 53]
November 22 : Hugh McNeill, British comics artist (Ping the Elastic Man , Pansy Potter , Winnie the Witch , Jack and Jill ), dies at age 68.[ 54]
November 23 : Eugène Gire, French comics artist (Cap'tain Vir de Bor ), dies at age 73.[ 55]
November 30 : Dick Huemer , American animator (Disney Studios ) and comics writer (The Adventures of Buck O'Rue ,[ 56] True Life Adventures [ 57] ), dies at age 81.
December
Specific date unknown
Garrett Price , American comics artist, cartoonist and illustrator (White Boy , later renamed Skull Valley ), dies at age 81 or 82.[ 59]
Carlos Laffond, Spanish comics artist (Thierry Le Chevalier , illustrated L'Oncle Paul ), dies at age 49 or 50.[ 60]
Conventions
April 6–8 : MiamiCon II (Holiday Inn, Miami, Florida) — first iteration of the show since 1975; guests include Stan Lee [ 61]
June : Comicon (Australia) (RMIT , Melbourne , Australia) — first Australian comic book convention[ 62]
June : Houstoncon (Houston, Texas) — guests include George Pérez and Walter Koenig
June : World of Comics — guests include Jim Steranko [ 63]
June 7–10 : D-Con '79 (Dallas, Texas) — Larry Lankford's revival of D-Con after a hiatus; antecedent to Lankford's later Dallas Fantasy Fair
June 30–July 1 : Comic Art Convention I (Statler Hilton Hotel, New York City)
July 14–15 : Comic Art Convention II (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
July 20–22 : Chicago Comicon (Pick-Congress Hotel, Chicago, Illinois) — special guests: Mike W. Barr and John Byrne ; first year that Joe Sarno is not one of the show's organizers, leaving the duties to Larry Charet and Bob Weinberg
August : Atlanta Fantasy Fair (Downtown Atlanta Sheraton, Atlanta, Georgia) — official guests include John Byrne , Dave Sim
August : FantaCon '80 (The Egg convention center, Empire State Plaza , Albany, New York) — first annual Albany-area horror and comic book convention, hosted by FantaCo Enterprises publisher Thomas Skulan[ 64]
August 1–5 : San Diego Comic-Con (Convention and Performing Arts Center and U.S. Grant Hotel, San Diego, California) — 6,000 attendees; official guests: Kelly Freas , Mike Jittlov , Harvey Kurtzman , Victor Moscoso , Nestor Redondo , Marshall Rogers , John Romita Sr. , Mort Walker , Len Wein , and Marv Wolfman
August 11–12 : Comicon '79 (London) British Comic Art Convention 11 (Rembrandt Hotel, Thurloe Place, London) — sponsored by Valhalla Books of Ilford, and organized by Ian Starling, Neville Ferris, and Ian Knox ; guests include Jim Starlin (guest of honor), Paul Neary , Dez Skinn [ 65]
August 31–September 2 : Comicon '79 (Birmingham) U.K. Comic Art & Fantasy Convention (Hotel Metropole, National Exhibition Centre ; Birmingham, England) — produced by Colin Campbell/Biytoo Books; guests include Jim Steranko (guest of honor), Marshall Rogers , Terry Austin , Paul Levitz , Howard Chaykin , Len Wein , Joe Staton , Dez Skinn , and Dave Gibbons ; presentation of the Eagle Awards [ 66]
September : OrlandoCon (Orlando, Florida) — guests include Will Eisner , C. C. Beck , Bob Cummings , Kirby Grant , and Jack Rosen
November 24–26 : Creation '79 (Statler Hilton Hotel, New York City) — guests include Tom Savini ; admission: $6/day[ 67]
December 15 : "Christmas Con " (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) — guests include Rick Marschall [ 68]
Awards
Presented in 1980 for comics published in 1979:
First issues by title
DC Comics
The Best of DC — Digest size title
Release : September /October
All-Out War — Dollar Comics title
Release : September /October Editor : Murray Boltinoff
Time Warp — Dollar Comics title
Release : October /November Editor : Jack C. Harris
Marvel Comics
Amazing Adventures vol. 3
Release : December. Reprinting the original X-Men title.[ 69]
Doctor Who Magazine
Release : October 11 by Marvel UK .
Hulk Comic
Release : March 7 by Marvel UK . Editor : Dez Skinn .
Man-Thing vol. 2
Release : November. Writer : Michael Fleisher . Artists: Jim Mooney and Bob Wiacek .
Marvel Spotlight vol. 2
Release : July. Editor : Roger Stern .
Micronauts
Release : January. Writer : Bill Mantlo . Artist : Michael Golden .
Rom: Spaceknight
Release : December. Writer : Bill Mantlo . Artist : Sal Buscema .
Shogun Warriors
Release : February. Writer : Doug Moench . Artist : Herb Trimpe .
Tales to Astonish vol. 2
Release : December. Reprinting edited versions of the 1968 Sub-Mariner title.[ 69]
Independent titles
Battle of the Planets
Release : June by Gold Key Comics . Writer : Gary Poole . Artist : Win Mortimer .
Best Buy Comics
Release February by Apex Novelties . Writers and Artists: Robert Crumb and Aline Kominsky
Starblazer
Release : April by D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
Initial appearances by character name
DC Comics
Marvel Comics
El Aguila , in Power Man and Iron Fist #58
Alpha Flight , in Uncanny X-Men #120
Black Cat , in The Amazing Spider-Man #194
Dire Wraith , in Rom #1
Followers of the Light , in Shogun Warriors #1
Justin Hammer , in Iron Man #120
H.E.R.B.I.E. , in Fantastic Four #209
Kroton (Cyberman) , in Doctor Who Weekly #5 (Marvel UK)
Cassandra Lang (as "Cassie Lang"), in Marvel Premiere #47
Scott Lang , in The Avengers #181; as Ant-Man II in Marvel Premiere #47
Lady Lotus , in Invaders #37
Night Raven , in Hulk Comic #1 (Marvel UK)
Quasar , in The Incredible Hulk #234
Proteus , in Uncanny X-Men #125
Rom , in Rom: Spaceknight #1
Schizoid Man , in Spectacular Spider-Man #36
Shadow King , in Uncanny X-Men #117 (January)
Screaming Mimi , in Marvel Two-in-One #54
Vampiro , in The Mighty Thor #290 (December)
War Machine , in Iron Man #118
Debra Whitman , in The Amazing Spider-Man #196
Mariko Yashida , in Uncanny X-Men #118
Notes
^ "Joe Galaxy – Comics, Space Wonders & Horrors" . Nocturno . Retrieved 2020-08-24 .
^ "Una tequila señor" . Corrierino e Giornalino . 16 September 2015. Retrieved 2020-08-24 .
^ "The History of Lambiek (1975-1980)" .
^ "SCOPERTO IL DISEGNATORE MISTERIOSO DI CLIFF" . - GIORNALE POP - (in Italian). 2017-06-20. Retrieved 2023-03-01 .
^ "Guida Fumetto Italiano" . www.guidafumettoitaliano.com . Retrieved 2020-08-24 .
^ "Vahan Shirvanian" . lambiek.net . Retrieved May 20, 2020 .
^ "John Dirks" . lambiek.net . Retrieved November 11, 2024 .
^ "David Sutherland" . lambiek.net . Retrieved 15 February 2023 .
^ "Willy Vandersteen" . lambiek.net . Retrieved June 24, 2021 .
^ "Het statige standbeeld - Suske en Wiske no. 169" . suskeenwiske.ophetwww.net . Retrieved May 20, 2020 .
^ "Piombo di mancia, prima storia di Sam Pezzo" . www.slumberland.it . Retrieved 2020-08-24 .
^ "I tre anziani del paese d'Aran, terzo episodio del fumetto Thorgal firmato Rosinski e Van Hamme" . www.slumberland.it . Retrieved 2020-08-24 .
^ "Jean Tabary" . lambiek.net . Retrieved August 1, 2022 .
^ "Sharaz-de, le mille e una notte nella splendida versione di Sergio Toppi" . www.slumberland.it . Retrieved 2020-08-24 .
^ "uBC" . www.ubcfumetti.com . Retrieved 2020-08-24 .
^ McAvennie, Michael; Dolan, Hannah, eds. (2010). "1970s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle . Dorling Kindersley . p. 181. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9 . The worldwide success of Superman: The Movie motivated [DC] to publish more Superman-related titles. With that, editor E. Nelson Bridwell oversaw a project that evolved into comics' first official limited series - World of Krypton ...Featuring out-of-this-world artwork from Howard Chaykin, [Paul] Kupperberg's three-issue limited series explored Superman's homeworld.
^ "Silas Finn, fumetto western umoristico di Sclavi e Cavazzano" . www.slumberland.it . Retrieved 2020-08-24 .
^ "uBC" . www.ubcfumetti.com . Retrieved 2020-08-24 .
^ "Ajit Ninan" . Lambiek.net . Retrieved 13 September 2023 .
^ "Leidsch Dagblad | 17 september 1979 | pagina 23" . Historische Kranten, Erfgoed Leiden en Omstreken . Retrieved May 20, 2020 .
^ "Suomen sarjakuvaseura ry - In english" . www.sarjakuvaseura.fi . Retrieved 23 February 2019 .
^ "uBC: Descrizione Judas" . www.ubcfumetti.com . Retrieved 2020-08-24 .
^ CoEvolution Quarterly Fall 1979 . Fred Collopy. The Point Foundation. 1979.{{cite book }}
: CS1 maint: others (link )
^ "Hergé" . lambiek.net . Retrieved May 20, 2020 .
^ "Nico Visscher" . lambiek.net . Retrieved 3 October 2021 .
^ "Gargantua e Pantagruel di Rebelais a fumetti, riletti dall'arte di Dino Battaglia" . www.slumberland.it . Retrieved 2020-09-18 .
^ "Uscita di sicurezza - Fumetto di Horacio Altuna e Carlos Trillo" . www.slumberland.it . Retrieved 2020-08-24 .
^ "Gummi/De Balloen" . www.lambiek.net . Retrieved 23 February 2019 .
^ "Generazione Bobo - CorriereFiorentino" . corrierefiorentino.corriere.it . Retrieved 2020-08-24 .
^ "Marvel Trims Line Again," The Comics Journal #45 (March 1979), p. 11.
^ Meesters, Gert (2010). "De internationalisering van de Vlaamse strip" . Praagse Perspectieven (in Dutch). Jaargang 6: 118– 119. OCLC 85724716 . Retrieved June 15, 2016 .
^ (in Dutch) Turnhout , Belgium.be
^ (in Dutch) Strip Turnhout 2005: Een nieuwe start , Gva.be
^ "Morris" . lambiek.net . Retrieved April 27, 2023 .
^ "Gary Panter" . lambiek.net . Retrieved March 9, 2024 .
^ Tokyo Mew Mew Artist Mia Ikumi Passes Away Due to Hemorrhage
^ Pitts, Lan (November 5, 2014). "Skyward Creator Jeremy Dale Dead at 34" . Newsarama .
^ "Victor Hubinon" . lambiek.net . Retrieved 23 February 2019 .
^ "Roy D'Ami" . lambiek.net . Retrieved 23 February 2019 .
^ "John Coleman Burroughs" . lambiek.net . Retrieved May 20, 2020 .
^ "Hardie Gramatky" . lambiek.net . Retrieved May 20, 2020 .
^ "Pagsilang Rey Isip" . lambiek.net . Retrieved May 20, 2020 .
^ "Paul Bransom" . lambiek.net . Retrieved 23 February 2019 .
^ "Emmerich Huber" . lambiek.net . Retrieved 23 February 2019 .
^ "Walter Berndt" . lambiek.net . Retrieved 23 February 2019 .
^ "Asmo Alho" . lambiek.net . Retrieved May 20, 2020 .
^ "Mika Waltari -seura" . Mika Waltari Society (in Finnish)
^ "Les Clark" . IMDb . Retrieved 23 February 2019 .
^ "Erich Gold" . lambiek.net . Retrieved 2 September 2022 .
^ "Carl Grubert" . lambiek.net . Retrieved 23 February 2019 .
^ "René Brantonne" . lambiek.net . Retrieved 23 February 2019 .
^ "Oski" . lambiek.net . Retrieved May 20, 2020 .
^ "Al Capp" . lambiek.net . Retrieved 23 February 2019 .
^ "Hugh McNeill" . lambiek.net . Retrieved 23 February 2019 .
^ "Eugène Gire" . lambiek.net . Retrieved 23 February 2019 .
^ "Paul Murry" . lambiek.net . Retrieved 23 February 2019 .
^ "George Wheeler" . lambiek.net . Retrieved 23 February 2019 .
^ "Leslie Illingworth" . lambiek.net . Retrieved September 29, 2020 .
^ "Garrett Price" . lambiek.net . Retrieved 23 February 2019 .
^ "Carlos Laffond - Lambiek Comiclopedia" .
^ Ashton, Bill. "POW! Comic Book Buffs Swoop Into Town for a 3-Day Bash," Miami Herald (1979).
^ Sallis, Ed. "Fan-Things," BEM #26 (Dec. 1979), p. 31.
^ Etcetera & The Comic Reader #86: Special Convention Edition (June 1969).
^ Green, Roger. "FantaCon 2013: the Tom Skulan interview," Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine "Information Without The Bun," TimeUnion.com (Feb. 7, 2013).
^ Comicon '79 program (1979) .
^ Comicon advertisement, BEM #23 (Apr. 1979), p. 14.
^ Shenker, Israel. "Comic-Book Fans Gather for 'Creation '79'; The Hand Is the Ticket," New York Times (Nov. 25, 1978).
^ David, Howard Leroy. "The Toymaker Syndrome!" BEM #28 (May 1980), p. 19.
^ a b During this period, Marvel published a number of reprint titles.
^ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 180 "Batman #307 (January 1979) Writer Len Wein and artist John Calnan introduced Bruce Wayne's new executive, Lucius Fox, in this issue of Batman ."