Notable events of 1994 in comics. Events
Year overall Huge changes in the North American marketplace (mostly due to the collapse of the speculation market) force many retailers and small publishers out of business. Aircel Comics, Apple Comics, Attic Books, Axis Comics, Blackball Comics, Comic Zone Productions, Continuity Comics, Continüm Comics, Dagger Enterprises, Eternity Comics, Fantagor Press, NOW Comics, Revolutionary Comics, Imperial Comics, Innovation Corporation, Majestic Entertainment, Ominous Press, Silver Moon Comics, and Triumphant Comics all cease publishing. All the same, a number of publishers debut, including Axis Comics, Big Bang Comics, Chaos! Comics, Crusade Comics, Event Comics, Les 400 coups, Mojo Press, Ominous Press, Re-Visionary Press, and Sirius Entertainment.
January January 2: Peter de Wit's gag-a-day comic Sigmund, which debuted a year earlier in the Flemish newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws under the different title Mijnheerke Psi, is now published in the Dutch newspaper Het Parool, where it will remain a mainstay for decades to come. January 14: Eagle (1982 series), with issue #574, canceled by Fleetway. Iron Man #300: The Iron Legion vs. Ultimo, written by Len Kaminski. Kyle Rayner is introduced as a new Green Lantern. Avengers West Coast is canceled by Marvel Comics with issue #102.
February February 7: Dick Tracy characters Dick Tracy and Tess Trueheart go through a divorce, which becomes a big media story. The couple is eventually reunited. Captain America #425 is the debut of the 12-part storyline "The Fighting Chance." She-Hulk vol. 2 is canceled with issue #60. The caption on the cover reads: "O.K., kids, we had a deal.... now hand over those X-Men comics!" First issue of The Sandman: The kindly ones, by Neil Gaiman and Marc Hempel (DC comics). In À suivre, first chapter of L’enfant penchée, by Benoît Peeters and François Schuiten. La voce nella tempesta (The voice in the storm) – by Claudio Nizzi and Aurelio Galeppini. For the 400th issue of Tex Willer, the legendary Galep draws his last album, appeared on newsstands a few days before his death. Prophetically, the cover shows the hero bidding farewell to the reader.
March March 19: U.S. comic artist Mike Diana becomes the first cartoonist in the United States to be convicted according to obscenity laws, complete with a ban to continue drawing his infamous comic series Boiled Angel. X-Men vol. 2, #30: Scott Summers marries Jean Grey. (Marvel Comics) Marc Spector: Moon Knight is canceled by Marvel with issue #60. X-Men crossover "Child's Play" begins.
April The final episode of Murray Ball's gag comic Footrot Flats is published. X-Men crossover "Child's Play" concludes. Starblast concludes, both as a limited series and as a crossover.
May May 30 - July 31: Carl Barks travels to Europe in an official, heavily mediatized visit, where he meets several Disney comics publishers in various countries. The Incredible Hulk issue #417 features Rick Jones’ infamous stag party in which the Marvel heroes discover that Jones’ fiancée was an adult film star. early webcomic NetBoy is first uploaded to the World Wide Web. The cirlces of power by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières (Dargaud).
June Action Comics #700: 68-page anniversary issue. "The Fall of Metropolis" ("Triangle" chapter 24). One of Curt Swan's final Superman jobs. Conan the Barbarian returns to comics with two titles: Conan the Adventurer and Conan Classic (reprinting the early stories from the 1970s) The Incredible Hulk issue #418 is Rick and Marlo Chandler's wedding issue with an appearance by DC Comics’ character Death. Written by Peter David, with art by Gary Frank and Cam Smith. Thor reaches issue #475 and re-introduces Donald Blake, Thor's first secret identity, and romantic interest Jane Foster. Thor also gets a new armor and costume. A second attempt to launch a Lucky Luke monthly magazine is made, which will run until January 1995.
July Quasar is canceled by Marvel with issue #60.
August August 29: The Dutch comics magazine Sjors and Sjimmie Weekblad changes its name again into Sjosji. It will continue until 1998, after which it becomes Striparazzi. DC Comics launches the Zero Month promotion. The Incredible Hulk #420: "Lest Darkness Come," by Peter David, Gary Frank, and Cam Smith. Jim Wilson dies of AIDS.
September
September 10: In Hoeilaart, Belgium, Nero receives a statue. L.E.G.I.O.N. is canceled by DC with issue #70. Justice League International vol. 2 is canceled by DC with issue #68. "Phalanx Covenant," an X-Men crossover storyline, begins. Il dito nella piaga (The salt in the wound) – by Claudio Nizzi and Bruno Ramella; the past and the family story of Nick Raider are revealed. Il passato di Carson (Kit Carson’s past) – by Mauro Boselli and Carlo Marcello (Tex Willer series)
October October 13: Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner publish Our Cancer Year, a graphic novel about Pekar's cancer diagnosis and treatment. October 15–16: During the Stripdagen in Breda, the Netherlands, Don Lawrence (Storm, Trigië), receives the Stripschapprijs. Peter Kuipers and Mat Schifferstein of publishing company Sherpa receive the Jaarprijs voor Bijzondere Verdiensten (nowadays the P. Hans Frankfurtherprijs). Daniel Clowes' The Sensual Santa is prepublished in Eightball. The Spider-Man Clone Saga begins. (Marvel Comics)
November Marvel Comics abolishes the position of editor-in-chief, replacing Tom DeFalco with five group editors-in-chief. Rather than name a successor, the company appoints five "Editors-in-Chief," each of whom oversees a certain number of titles, collected into broad groups: the X-Men titles (Bob Harras), the Spider-Man titles (Bob Budiansky), so-called "Marvel Universe" titles (Mark Gruenwald), the newly created Marvel Edge (Bobbie Chase), and licensed-property titles (Carl Potts). Marvel Tales (1966 series), the long-running reprint title (primarily of Spider-Man stories), is canceled with issue #291. November 3: Marvel Comics purchases Malibu ComicsReynolds, Eric. "The Rumors are True: Marvel Buys Malibu," The Comics Journal #173 (December 1994), pp. 29–33.
December December 9: The first Inktspot awards for Best Political Cartoon are held in The Netherlands. The first winner is Peter van Straaten, who will win the award four times more in the future. X-Men #41 is the prologue to the Age of Apocalypse with Legion murdering Professor X. G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, published by Marvel Comics, is canceled with issue #155. On Ken Parker magazine, Immagini by Giancarlo Berardi and Calo Ambrosini, team-up between Ken Parker and Dylan Dog. December 28: Marvel Comics purchases distributor Heroes World Distribution.Gray, Bob. "Newswatch: Marvel Buys 3rd Largest Distributor: Heroes World Purchase Signals Fundamental Changes in the Direct Market," The Comics Journal #174 (Feb. 1995): pp. 15–22.Duin, Steve and Richardson, Mike (ed.s) "Capital City" in Comics Between the Panels (Dark Horse Publishing, 1998) , p. 69
Specific date unknown Belgian comic artist Mic Delinx is knighted as a Chevalier in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Heidi MacDonald, Trina Robbins, Deni Loubert, Anina Bennett, Liz Schiller and Jackie Estrada establish Friends of Lulu, a non-profit organization to promote readership of comic books by women and the participation of women in the comic book industry.
Deaths
January January 5: Joop Du Buy, Dutch animator, textile salesman and comics artist (Appie Kim, Nimfke en de Nonnenneuker), dies at age 59. January 17: Reamer Keller, American cartoonist and comics artist (Kennesaw, Medicare), dies at age 89. January 25: Filip Fermin, Dutch comics artist (Robur & Hanekamp), dies at age 46. January 28: Richard Doxsee, American comic artist (ghosted Let's Explore Your Mind, drew various romance, war, mystery and western comics), dies at age 64.
February February 6: Jack Kirby, American comic book writer and artist (Marvel Comics, DC Comics), dies at age 76. February 10: Mel Calman, British illustrator and comics artist (The Little Man), dies from a heart attack at age 62. February 18: Rodlow Willard, American comic artist (worked on King of the Royal Mounted, continued Scorchy Smith), dies at age 87. Specific date in February unknown: T.M. Maple, real name: Jim Burke, Canadian comics fan who gained popularity through his frequent and prozaic letters to comics fanzines, dies from a heart attack at age 37 or 38.
March March 10: Aurelio Galleppini, Italian comics artist (Tex Willer), dies at the age of 76. Reuben Timmins, American animator and comics artist (comics starring Laurel & Hardy), dies at the age of 84. March 15: Nadir Quinto, Italian comics artist (Tom Boy, Swea, I Delfini, Jacopo del Mare, Vele Capitani, continued Larry Yuma, dies at age 75. March 19: René Deynis, French illustrator, comics artist and writer (wrote Les Espadons, drew Oscar Mittoman, Albator, continued Jean et Jeanette, Jacques Flash), dies at age 63. March 22: Walter Lantz, American comics artist and animator (Woody Woodpecker), dies at age 94. March 31: José Escobar Saliente, Spanish animator, comics writer and artist (Carpanta, Zipi y Zape), dies at age 85. Specific date unknown: Jack Dunkley, British comics artist (The Larks, Patsy, Mr. Digwell), dies at age 87.
April April 5: Kurt Cobain, American rock singer and guitarist (made some comics in his diaries, which were posthumously released), commits suicide at age 27. April 9: Keith Watson, British comics artist (Dan Dare, Roel Dijkstra), dies at age 59.
May May 1: John Milton Morris, American political cartoonist and comics artist (Neighbourly Neighbors, continued Scorchy Smith), dies at age 87. May 6: Murray Boltinoff, American comics writer and editor (DC Comics), dies at age 83. May 9: Reinhold Escher, German comics artist (Mecki), dies at age 89. May 16: Dorul van der Heide, Dutch painter and comics artists (worked for Rolf Kauka), dies at age 90. May 22: Mitacq, Belgian comics artist (La Patrouille des Castors), dies at age 66. May 23: Don Thompson, American comics writer, critic, collector and co-editor of the comics magazine Comics Buyer's Guide, dies at age 58. May 24: Julien Hébert, Canadian architect, industrial designer and comics artist (Mouchette), dies at age 76. May 25: Jan de Poel, Dutch illustrator and comics artist (Muisje Wit, Trippie), dies at age 89. May 26: Nico Oeloff, Dutch painter and comics artist (Kopkewoartel), dies at age 75.
June June 1: Bob Leguay, French illustrator and comics artist (worked for Publi-Vog and Bédé Adult), dies at age 67. June 10: Jack Hannah, American animator and comics artist (Donald Duck), dies at age 81. June 21: Neal Pozner, American comics writer and editor (DC Comics), dies at age 38 or 39 from AIDS. June 23: Piet van Elk, Dutch comics artist and animator (De Avonturen van Bim, Dokie Durf), dies at age 74. June 28: Richard Bickenbach, American animator and comics artist (Hanna-Barbera comics), dies at age 86.
July July 4: Alfred Harvey, American comics artist and publisher (Harvey Comics), dies at age 80. July 21: Marijac, French comics artist (Jim Boum, Les Trois Mousquetaires du Maquis, Jules Barigoule) and writer (Colonel X), dies at age 85. July 23: Owen Fitzgerald, American animator and comics artist (celebrity comics based on Martin & Lewis and Bob Hope, continued Dennis the Menace, Disney comics), dies at age 77.
August August 1: Augstí Ascensio Saurí, aka Asen, Spanish animator and comics artist (Nicasso, Pintor Moderno, Tarzán 1990, Los Birimboyas), dies at age 45 in a car accident. August 13: Richard Klokkers, Dutch comics artist (Marten Toonder Studios), dies at age 70. August 23: Jean-Claude Gal, French comics artist (Les Armées du Conquérant), dies at age 52. August 24: Wijnanda Nanny Aberson, Dutch writer and comics writer (wrote the script of the very first Kapitein Rob story), dies at age 82.