1966 in comics

Notable events of 1966 in comics. See also List of years in comics.

Events and publications

Year overall

• Myron Fass founds Eerie Publications and M. F. Enterprises
• On Italy, while the success of Satanik generates several black comics with female protagonists (Samantha, Masokis, Super women, Jena), all short lived, the writer and publisher Renzo Barbieri launches the first explicitly erotic comics (the spy-story Goldrake, the peplum Messalina, the swashbuckler Isabella).

January

• January 1: The final episode of Theo Fünke Kupper's De Verstrooide Professor is published.[1]
• January 4: Greg and Hermann's Bernard Prince makes his debut.[2]
• January 8: The final issue of the Italian comics magazine Il Vittorioso is published.
• January 9: For the first time since 1952 a new episode of Will Eisner's The Spirit is published. [3]
• January 21: The final episode of Pieter Kuhn's Kapitein Rob is published.[4] The artist died one day earlier.
• January 22: The first issue of the British comics magazine Lady Penelope is published. It will run until 13 December 1969.
• Adventure Comics (1938 series) #340 - DC Comics - The first appearance of Computo by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Curt Swan.
• Hawkman (1964 series) #11 - DC Comics - The first appearance of the Shrike by writer Gardner Fox and artist Murphy Anderson
• House of Mystery (1951 series) #156 - DC Comics - First Dial H for Hero by writer Dave Wood and artist Jim Mooney
• Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt (1966 series) #1 - Charlton Comics - The first appearance of Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt by creator Pete Morisi

February

• February 5: The first issue of the British comics magazine Smash is published. It will run until April 1971.
• February 6: Bob West's Theophilus makes its debut. It will run until 19 April 2002.[5]
• February 10: Francis' Marc Lebut et son Voisin debuts in Spirou, where it will run for 20 years. [6]
• February 27: Dick Cavalli's Winthrop makes its debut, after debuting under the different name Morty Meekle on 9 January 1956. The series will run until 1994.
• In Quino's Mafalda Miguelito makes his debut. [7]
• The first episode of Max Bunker and Roberto Raviola (Magnus) 's Gesebel is published. It will run until October 1967.
• Vibranium makes its first Marvel Universe appearance, in Daredevil #13
• Adventure Comics (1938 series) #341 - DC Comics - Triplicate Girl becomes Duo Damsel when Computo destroys one of her duplicates.
• Journey into Mystery (1952 series) #125 - Marvel Comics - Final issue of the series. Becomes Thor with next issue
• Justice League of America (1960 series) #42 - DC Comics - Metamorpho refuses membership in the Justice League
• Showcase (1956 series) #60 - DC Comics - The first Silver-Age appearance of the Spectre by writer Gardner Fox and artist Murphy Anderson
• Fightin' Air Force, with issue #53, is canceled by Charlton.

March

• March 1: The first episode of José Miguel Heredia's Perro Mundo is published. [8]
• Adventure Comics (1938 series) #342 - DC Comics - Star Boy is expelled from the Legion.
• Challengers of the Unknown (1958 series) #48 - DC Comics - Doom Patrol cross-over
• Doom Patrol (1964 series) #102 - DC Comics - Challengers of the Unknown cross-over
• Fantastic Four (1961 series) #48 - Marvel Comics - First appearance of the Silver Surfer and Galactus by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby
• Green Lantern (1960 series) #43 - DC Comics - First appearance of Major Disaster by writer Gardner Fox and artist Gil Kane
• Justice League of America (1960 series) #43 - DC Comics - First appearance of the Royal Flush Gang by writer Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky
• Tales of Suspense (1959 series) #75 - Marvel Comics - first appearance of Sharon Carter and Batroc the Leaper by writer Stan Lee and artists Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers
• Thor (1952 series) #126 - Marvel Comics - Title becomes Thor. Previously Journey into Mystery

April

• April 2: Francisco Ibáñez Talavera's Pepe Gotera y Otilio makes its debut.
• April 7: In Peyo's The Smurfs the characters Smurfette and Poetry Smurf makes their debut in the story La Schtroumpfette.[9]
• April 16: The final episode of Little Annie Rooney is published.[10]
• Lenny of Laredo (Print Mint) — the underground printing and distribution business publishes its first comic, a reprint of Joel Beck's self-published title[11]

May

• May 1: The first issue of the American comics magazine Ghostly Tales is published. It will run until October 1984.
• May 2: John M. Burns' The Seekers makes its debut in The Daily Sketch. It will run until 1971.[12][13]
• May 21: Martin Lodewijk's Agent 327 makes its debut in the Dutch comics magazine Pep.[14]
• The final episode of the Superman newspaper comic is published.
• The Ultimate Nullifier makes its Marvel Universe debut, in Fantastic Four #50
• Ghostly Tales debuts with issue #55, taking over the numbering of Unusual Tales. (Charlton)
• Judomaster debuts with issue #89, taking over the numbering of Gunmaster. (Charlton)
• Fightin' Navy, with issue #125, ceases publication (it is briefly revived in 1983). (Charlton)

June

• June 1: In the 103th issue of Mad Paul Coker's Horrifying Clichés series makes its debut.[15]
• June 18: The final issue of the British comics magazine Ranger is published. It merges with Look and Learn on 25 June.
• Fantastic Four #51, "This Man... This Monster!" by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (Marvel Comics)

Summer

• The first issue of Wally Wood's underground comics magazine Witzend is published.[16]

July

• The Cosmic Cube makes its first Marvel Universe appearance, in Tales of Suspense #79
• Adventure Comics #346 — Jim Shooter makies his debut as a comics writer with a Legion of Super-Heroes story.[17]
• Marvel Tales #3 (renamed from Marvel Tales Annual), becomes an ongoing title (Marvel Comics)
• Fantastic Four #52 introduces Black Panther (Marvel Comics)
• The Brave and the Bold #54 introduces Teen Titans, by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani.
• Treasure of Marco Polo, by Carl Barks, on Uncle Scrooge 66.

August

• August 22: In Charles M. Schulz' Peanuts Peppermint Patty makes her debut.
• *Adventure Comics #347 — conclusion of the "Legion of Super-Heroes" story arc, "One of Us Is a Traitor"
• The Amazing Spider-Man #39 (Marvel Comics): "How Green Was My Goblin"

September

• September 3: The final episode of Edwina Dumm's Cap Stubbs and Tippie is published. It will run until February 1983.
• The first issue of the American comics magazine Eerie is published.
• The first issue of the Provo magazine God, Nederland en Oranje is published. Two cartoons by Willem lead to a court case for insulting public authority and lèse-majesté. He will in 1968 eventually only be sentenced for the first account, not the second. [18]
• The Amazing Spider-Man #40 (Marvel Comics): "Spidey Saves The Day"
• Thor Annual #2 renamed from Journey into Mystery Annual (Marvel Comics)
• With issue #110, DC Comics suspends publication of Mystery in Space (1951 series); the title is temporarily revived in 1980.

October

• After the first edition was held in Bordighera, Italy, the year before the Lucca Comics festival is now held in Lucca, Italy, where it is still held to this day as one of the oldest comics festivals in the world. [19]
• At the University of Strasbourg André Bertrand creates the four-page comic strip La Retour de la Colonne Durutti (The Return of the Durutti Column, 1966), which is distributed as a pamphlet during student protests. [20]

November

• The Flash #165: Barry Allen marries Iris West (DC Comics).[21]
• The Amazing Spider-Man #42: Mary Jane Watson (cameo), first time her face is seen.

December

• The first episode of Giorgio Cavedon and Sandro Angiolini's Isabella is published.[22]

Deaths

January

• January 20: Pieter Kuhn, Dutch comics artist (Kapitein Rob), dies at age 55.[4]

February

• February 13:
  • George Scarbo, American comics artist (Be Sure You're Right, Closeup and Comedy, The Comic Zoo, Zoo's Whoo, Tinymites, The Great American Home, Radiomania, Ticklers), passes away at the age of 67. [23]
  • Tony Royle, British comics artist (continued Belinda), dies at age 66. [24]

March

• March 8: Francisco Darnis, Spanish comics artist (Nick Pecho de Hiero, El Jabato), dies at age 56. [25]
• March 15: Henriette Willebeek le Mair, Dutch illustrator and comics artist (reillustrated Heinrich Hoffmann's Der Struwwelpeter), passes away at age 76.[26]

April

• April 28: Jesse Marsh, American comics artist and animator (Tarzan, John Carter of Mars, comics based on Gene Autry), passes away at age 58.[27][28]
• April 28: Gladys Parker, American comics artist (Mopsy, continued Flapper Fanny Says), dies at the age of 56.[29]

June

• June 8: Clyde Lamb, American comics artist (Herman), dies at age 53. [30]

July

• July 16: Leslie Elton, American animator and comics artist (Jack Daw's Adventures), dies at age 72.[31]

August

• August 24: Boris Angelushev, Bulgarian caricaturist, illustrator and comics artist, passes away at age 63.[32]

October

• Henry Louis Diamond, British comics artist (Mikey Midge the Merry Midget), dies at age 62.[33]

November

• November 7: Bob Wood, American comics artist (Crime Does Not Pay), dies at age 49 in a traffic accident. [34]

December

• December 15: Walt Disney, American animator, film producer, voice actor and businessman (Mr. George's Wife, Walt Disney's Comics & Stories), dies at age 65.[35]

Specific date unknown

• Jeff Hayes, American comics artist (continued Adamson's Adventures as Silent Sam), dies at age 62 or 63.[36]
• Pierre Mouchot, aka Chott, French comics publisher and comics artist (Éditions Piere Mouchot, Société d'Éditions Rhodaniennes), dies at age 54 or 55. [37]
• S.K. Perkins, British comics artist (Spadger's XI, The Adventures of Elsie, Winnie and Johnny, Smiler the Sweeper), passes away at age 76 or 77. [38]
• Jon Small, British comics artist (Bulletman), dies at an unknown age. [39]
• Giorgio Scudellari, Chilean-Italian comics artist (illegal Mickey Mouse newspaper comics, continued Fulmine), dies at age 57 or 58. [40]
• Ed Wheelan, American cartoonist (Minute Movies), dies at age 80.[41]

Conventions

• July 23–24: New York Comicon (Park Sheraton Hotel, New York City) — produced by John Benson[42] — guests include Jack Kirby, Jim Steranko, Otto Binder, Len Brown, Larry Ivie, Jack Binder, Roy Thomas, Gil Kane, Archie Goodwin, bhob Stewart, Klaus Nordling, Sal Trapani, Rocke Mastroserio and Ted White; keynote speech by Kirby, a discussion about censorship between Don Thompson and Comics Code Authority acting administrator Leonard Darvin, a panel about the Golden Age of Comics, and one on the "so-called 'Forgotten ’50s,' particularly EC Comics. Bhob Stewart, on a panel with Archie Goodwin and Ted White, predicts that there will soon be "underground comics" just as there are already "underground films."[43]
• July 23–24: Southwestern Con (Hotel Southland, Dallas, Texas) — c. 70 attendees; organized by Larry Herndon; official guest is Academy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors executive secretary/"Academy Con" promoter Dave Kaler[44]
• August 12–14: Academy Con II (City Squire Inn, New York City)[42] — produced by Dave Kaler; official guests include Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Bill Everett, Carmine Infantino, Julius Schwartz, and Bill Finger[42][45]
• Fall: Salone Internazionale del Comics (Lucca, Italy) — 2nd annual show moves to a small piazza in the center of Lucca

First issues by title

Harvey Comics

Bunny

Release: December.

Double-Dare Adventures

Release: December. Writer: Otto Binder. Artist: Bill Draut

Spyman

Release: September. Artists: George Tuska, Jim Steranko, Dick Ayers

Other publishers

Comandante Mark - Sergio Bonelli editore

Release: September Artist: EsseGesse

Fantasy Masterpieces — Marvel Comics

Release: February. Editor: Stan Lee

Gesebel — Editoriale Corno

Release: February. Writer: Max Bunker. Artist: Magnus

Golden Legacy — Fitzgerald Publishing Co.

Writer: Leo Carty. Artist: Leo Carty

Henry Brewster — M. F. Enterprises

Release: February. Writer: Bob Powell. Artist: Bob Powell

Lady Penelope — City Magazines

Release: 22 January.

Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt — Charlton Comics

Release: January. Writer: Pete Morisi. Artist: Pete Morisi

Smash! — International Publishing Corporation

Release: February 1966. Editor: Albert Cosser ("Cos")

Teddy Bob - Astorina

Release: July - Artist: Pier Carpi

Teen Titans — DC Comics

Release: January. Writer: Bob Haney. Artist: Nick Cardy

Undersea Agent — Tower Comics

Release: January. Artist: Ray Bailey

Weird (listed as vol. 1, #10) — Eerie Publications

Release: January. Editor: Roger Elwood

witzend — Wally Wood (self-published)

Release: Summer. Editor: Wally Wood

Zorro — Gold Key Comics

Release: January. Artist: Alex Toth

Initial appearances by character name

Charlton Comics

• Blue Beetle (Ted Kord), in Captain Atom vol. 2, #83 (November)
• Doctor M.T. Graves, in Ghostly Tales #55 (May)
• Doctor Spectro, in Captain Atom #79 (February)
• Nightshade, in Captain Atom #82 (September)
• Peacemaker, in Fightin' 5 #40 (November)
• Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt, in Thunderbolt #1 (January)
• Tiger, in Judomaster #91 (October)

DC Comics

• The Ant, in Teen Titans #5 (Sept.)
• R. J. Brande, in Adventure Comics #350 (Nov.)
• Cluemaster, in Detective Comics #351 (May)
• Computo, in Adventure Comics #340 (Jan.)
• Dial H for Hero, in House of Mystery #156 (Jan.)
• Ding Dong Daddy, in Teen Titans #3 (Jan.)
• Duo Damsel, in Adventure Comics #341 (Feb.)
• Enchantress, in Strange Adventures #187 (Apr.)
• Ferro Lad, in Adventure Comics #346 (July)
• Karate Kid, in Adventure Comics #346 (July)
• Khund, in Adventure Comics #346 (July)
• Nemesis Kid, in Adventure Comics #346 (July)
• Ocean Master, in Aquaman #29 (Sept.)
• Chief O'Hara, in World's Finest Comics #159 (August)
• Outsider, in Detective Comics #356 (Oct.)
• Parasite, in Action Comics #340 (August)[46]
• Poison Ivy, in Batman #181 (June)[47]
• Prince Evillo, in Adventure Comics #350 (Nov.)
• Royal Flush Gang, in Justice League of America #43 (Mar.)
• Sensor (comics), Adventure Comics #346 (July)
• Shaggy Man, in Justice League of America #45 (June)
• Shrike (comics), in Hawkman #11 (Jan.)
• Spellbinder (Delbert Billings), in Detective Comics #358 (Dec.)
• Stanley and His Monster, in The Fox and the Crow #95 (Jan.)
• Universo, in Adventure Comics #349 (Oct.)
• Unknown Soldier, in Our Army at War #168 (June)
• Rond Vidar, in Adventure Comics #349 (Oct.)
• White Witch, in Adventure Comics #350 (Nov,)

Harvey Comics

• Bee-Man, in Double-Dare Adventures #1 (Dec.)
• Bunny, in Bunny #1 (Dec.)
• Jigsaw, in Jigsaw (Sept.)
• Spyman, in Spyman #1 (Sept.)

Marvel Comics

• Ares, in Thor #129 (June)
• Batroc the Leaper, in Tales of Suspense #75 (Mar.)
• Black Panther, in Fantastic Four #52 (July)
• Boomerang, in Tales to Astonish #81 (July)
• Peggy Carter, in Tales of Suspense #77 (May)
• Sharon Carter, in Tales of Suspense #75 (Mar.)
• Collector, in Avengers #28 (May)
• Dionysus, in Thor #129 (June)
• Dredmund the Druid, in Strange Tales vol. 1 #144 (May)
• Ego the Living Planet, in Thor #132 (Sept.)
• Elders of the Universe, in Avengers #28 (May)
• Fafnir, in Thor #134 (Nov.)
• Fixer (comics), in Strange Tales #141 (Feb.)
• Bill Foster, in Avengers #32 (Sept.)
• Freak, in Tales of Suspense #74 (Feb.)
• Galactus, in Fantastic Four #48 (Mar.)
• Hera, in Thor #129 (June)
• High Evolutionary, in Thor #134 (Nov.)
• Gladiator, in Daredevil #18 (July)
• Hippolyta, in Thor #127 (Apr.)
• Kaluu, in Strange Tales #147 (Aug.)
• Klaw, in Fantastic Four #53 (Aug.)
• Living Laser, in Avengers #34 (Nov.)
• Looter, in The Amazing Spider-Man #36 (May)
• Man-Beast, in Thor #135 (Dec.)
• Masked Marauder, in Daredevil #16 (May)
• Maximus, in Fantastic Four #47 (Feb.)
• Mentallo, in Strange Tales #141 (Feb.)
• Mimic, in Uncanny X-Men #19 (Apr.)
• New Men, in Thor #135 (Dec.)
• Plunderer, in Daredevil #13 (Feb.)
• Pluto, in Thor #127 (Apr.)
• Punisher, in Fantastic Four #49 (Apr.)
• Prester John, in Fantastic Four #54 (Sept.)
• Quasimodo, in Fantastic Four Annual #4 (Nov.)
• Rhino, in The Amazing Spider-Man #41 (Oct.)
• Silver Surfer, in Fantastic Four #48 (Mar.)
• Jasper Sitwell, in Strange Tales #144 (May)
• Mendel Stromm, in The Amazing Spider-Man #37 (June)
• Ultimo, in Tales of Suspense #76 (Apr.)
• Umar, in Strange Tales #150 (Nov.)
• Valkyrior, in Thor #133 (Oct.)
• Mary Jane Watson, in The Amazing Spider-Man #42 (Nov.)
• Wyatt Wingfoot, in Fantastic Four #50 (May)

Other publishers

• Emil Eagle - Disney (May)
• Diclie Duck, by Romano Scarpa, in Topolino (December)

• Jodelle, in Hara-Kiri (Éditions du Square)
• Lone Sloane, in Mystère des Abîmes
• Pepe Gotera y Otilio, in Tío Vivo (April 2)
• Peppermint Patty, in Peanuts (August 22)
• Sally the Witch, in Ribon
• Smurfette, in Spirou (Dupuis)

References

1. "Theo Funke Küpper". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
2. BDoubliées. "Tintin année 1966" (in French).
3. "Will Eisner". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
4. "Pieter Kuhn". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
5. "Bob West". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
6. "Francis". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
7. "Quino". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
8. "José Miguel Heredia". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
9. "Peyo". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
10. "Ed Verdier". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
11. Fox, M. Steven. "Lenny of Laredo," ComixJoint. Accessed Nov. 24, 2016.
12. Filippini, Henri (1997). Encyclopédie de la bande dessinée érotique (in French). La Musardine. p. 73. ISBN 2-84271-082-7.
13. Lambiek Comiclopedia. "John M. Burns".
14. "Martin Lodewijk". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
15. "Paul Coker Jr". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
16. "Witzend Index". Retrieved May 15, 2020.
17. McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 118: "In his first-ever published story, fourteen-year-old Jim Shooter admitted four new members into the Legion of Super-Heroes ... Shooter's long, memorable tenure as one of the Legion's greatest writers was officially underway."
18. "Willem". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
19. https://www.luccacomicsandgames.com/fileadmin/documents/16.07.21._LC_G__Presentazione_edizione_2016.pdf
20. https://www.lambiek.net/artists/b/bertrand_andre.htm
21. McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 119
22. "Sandro Angiolini". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
23. https://www.lambiek.net/artists/s/scarbo_george.htm
24. https://www.lambiek.net/artists/r/royle_tony.htm
25. "Francisco Darnis". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
26. "Henriëtte Willebeek Le Mair". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
27. Jesse Marsh at INDUCKS
28. "Jesse Marsh". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
29. "Gladys Parker". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
30. "Clyde Lamb". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
31. "Leslie Elton". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
32. "Boris Angelushev". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
33. "H. Louis Diamond". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
34. "Bob Wood". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
35. "Walt Disney". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
36. "Jeff Hayes". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
37. "Chott". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
38. "S. K. Perkins". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
39. "Jon Small". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
40. "Giorgio Scudellari". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
41. "Edgar Wheelan". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
42. Schelly, Bill. "The Kaler Con: Two Views: Bigger And Better Than The Benson Con Just Three Weeks Before?? (Part VIII of '1966: The Year Of (Nearly) Three New York Comics Conventions')," Alter-Ego #64 (Jan. 2007).
43. Schelly, Bill. "1966: The Year Of THREE (Or Maybe 21/2) New York Comicons!: Part 2: The 1966 New York 'Benson' Con," Alter-Ego #54 (Nov. 2005).
44. Schelly, Bill. Founders of Comic Fandom: Profiles of 90 Publishers, Dealers, Collectors, Writers, Artists and Other Luminaries of the 1950s And 1960s (McFarland, 2010), p. 60.
45. Schelly, Bill. "Introduction," Founders of Comic Fandom: Profiles of 90 Publishers, Dealers, Collectors, Writers, Artists and Other Luminaries of the 1950s and 1960s (McFarland, 2010), p. 8
46. McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 118: "With a story written by Jim Shooter and drawn by Al Plastino, the Parasite entered Superman's life."
47. McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 118: "Poison Ivy first cropped up to plague Gotham City in issue #181 of Batman. Scripter Robert Kanigher and artist Sheldon Moldoff came up with a villain who would blossom into one of Batman's greatest foes"