1991 in comics

Notable events of 1991 in comics. See also List of years in comics.

Events

Year overall

• Publishers Cartoon Books, Comic Zone Productions, Personality Comics, and Boneyard Press all enter the arena; First Comics stops publishing.
• Egmont UK bought Fleetway Publications and forced to merge with London Editions to form Fleetway Editions.

January

• Checkmate is canceled by DC Comics with issue #33.
• El Diablo vol. 2 is canceled by DC with issue #16.
• Count Duckula is canceled by the Marvel Comics imprint Star Comics with issue #15.
• Alien Legion: On The Edge is canceled with issue #3.
• Avengers Spotlight is cancelled with #40.

February

• The Amazing Spider-Man #344 - First appearance of Cletus Kasady, who later becomes the super-villain Carnage.
• Frank by Jim Woodring debuts in the second issue of Buzz. [1]
• New Mutants #98 - Introduction of Deadpool, Domino, and Gideon. (Marvel Comics)
• Power Pack is canceled by Marvel with issue #62.
• Heathcliff is cancelled with issue #56.

March

• Weapon X begins in Marvel Comics Presents.
• With #12, Stalkers is cancelled by Epic Comics.
• With #4, The Last American is cancelled by Epic Comics.

April

• New Mutants #100, the title's final issue, featuring the debut of X-Force (Marvel Comics).
• With #6 Cadillacs & Dinosaurs is cancelled.
• With #5, Hollywood Superstars is cancelled.
• First issue of Seth's Palookaville
• Nightcat a one-shot comic book published by Marvel featuring real-life singer Jacqueline Tavarez. Written by Barry Dutter and drawn by Denys Cowan and Jimmy Palmiotti. The cover art by Joe Jusko was also used on the compact disc and cassette tape release of Tavarez's music album.[2]

May

• May 11: The British girls' comics magazine Mandy merges with Judy. [3]
• W. B. Park receives the National Cartoonist Society Advertising and Illustration Award.

June

• The final issue of Françoise Mouly and Art Spiegelman's Raw is published. [4] [5]
• Armageddon 2001 crossover event.

July

• July 13: René Windig and Eddie de Jong (Heinz) receive the Stripschapprijs. [6] The Jaarprijs voor Bijzondere Verdiensten (nowadays the P. Hans Frankfurtherprijs) goes to publishing company Big Balloon. [7]
• In Brussels, Belgium, the first mural depicting a famous Belgian comics series (Frank Pé's Broussaille), is inaugurated. This launches the Brussels' Comic Book Route project. [8]
• Superman: The Man of Steel #1 - debut issue of fourth ongoing Superman title. Written by Louise Simonson and drawn by Jon Bogdanove, Tom Grummett, Bob McLeod, Dan Jurgens, Dennis Janke, Jerry Ordway, and Brett Breeding.
• Wizard publishes its premiere issue.
• Muir Island Saga begins.
• With #10, Mighty Mouse is cancelled.
• With #80, The Transformers is cancelled by Marvel Comics.
• With #25, Yummy Fur moves to Drawn and Quarterly

August

• New Gods vol. 3 is canceled by DC with issue #28.
• With #19, Cloak & Dagger is cancelled.

September

• Alpha Flight #100: "The Final Option, Part Four: Decisions of Trust," written by Fabian Nicieza.
• With #2, Impossible Man Summer Vacation Spectacular is cancelled.
• With #4, Car Warriors is cancelled.
• With #3, Samurai Cat is cancelled.
• With #4, Damage Control v3 is cancelled.
• Everything's Archie is canceled by Archie Comics with issue #157.

October

• Crisis is canceled by Fleetway with issue #63.
• With #2, Legion of Night is cancelled.
• With #3, Terminator 2: Judgment Day is cancelled.
• With #4, Alpha Flight Special is cancelled.
• With #6, Sweet XVI is cancelled.
• With #10, Foolkiller v1 is cancelled.

November

• November 21 – the Marathi comic strip Chintoo is first published.
• Alpha Flight #102: Introduction of Wild Child as Weapon Omega.
• Maze Agency is canceled by Innovation Comics with issue #23.
• With #12, Marvel Comics' Zorro is cancelled.
• Daniel Clowes' Art School Confidential is prepublished in Eightball.

December

• December 31: The final episode of Marten Toonder's Panda is published. Running for 45 years it was his longest-running series in syndication.[9]
• The Incredible Hulk #388: Jim Wilson revealed to be HIV-positive.

Specific date unknown

• The final episode of Costa Rican artist Fernando Zeledón Guzmán's satirical comic strip La Semana en Serio in the communist magazine Adelante is published. [10]

Deaths

January

• January 16: Maurieta Wellman, American illustrator, painter and comics artist (Goofus and Gallant), dies at age 88. [11]
• January 24: J.H. Koeleman, jr., Dutch illustrator and comics artist (Pinkie Pienter, aka Ronny Roberts), dies at age 64. [12]

February

• February 11: Michel Mahy, Belgian comics artist (De Spookjes, assisted on Bessy), dies at age 42. [13]
• February 19: Gradie Knipscheer, Dutch comics artist and musician (Keesje Konijntje), dies at age 76. [14]

March

• March 29: Sytze Henstra, Dutch illustrator, cartoonist and painter (sports cartoons for De Telegraaf), dies at age 96. [15]

April

• April 4: Graham Ingels, American comics artist (EC Comics), dies at age 75 from stomach cancer.[16]
• April 19: Frederik Bramming, Danish animator and comics artist (Frederik, Chas, Motorskatten), dies at age 79. [17]

May

• May 1: Adolfo Samper, Colombian comics artist (Mojicón, La Hermana de Mojicón, Los Filipicines, Godofredo Cascarrabias, Don Amancise), dies at age 91. [18]
• May 6: Guido Martina, Italian comics writer (L'Inferno di Topolino), dies at age 85.
• May 8: Kathleen O'Brien, Australian comics artist (Wanda the War Girl), passes away at age 76. [19]
• May 14: Joy Batchelor, British animator and film director (Halas & Batchelor), dies at age 77.
• May 20: Milko Bambič, Slovene illustrator, painter, novelist and comics artist (Zamorček Bu-ci-bu, in English best known as Little Negro Bu-ci-bu), passes away at age 86.
• May 27: Ed Dodd, American comics artist (Mark Trail), dies at age 88.[20]

June

• June 3: Vince Colletta, Italian-American comics artist and inker (drew many romance comics and worked for Marvel Comics and DC Comics), dies at age 67. [21]
• June 6: Gianni De Luca, Italian comics artist (Commissario Spada), passes away at age 64.[22]
• June 10: Jean Bruller, aka Vercors, French novelist, illustrator and comics artist (Le Mariage de Monsieur Lakonik), dies at age 89.[23]
• June 10: Milorad Dobrić, Yugoslavian (Serbian) comics artist (Pera Pesak, Ljuba Truba, Kurir Fica, Slavuj Gilsa, Inspektor Zuca), dies at age 66. [24]

July

• July 4: Fernand Cheneval, Belgian comics artist and publisher (founder of the magazine Heroïc Albums), passes away at age 73.[25]
• July 4: Art Sansom, American comics artist (The Born Loser), dies at age 70.[26]
• July 6: Nicholas P. Dallis, American comics writer (Rex Morgan, M.D., Judge Parker, Apartment 3-G), passes away at age 89.
• July 9: Petr Sadecký, Czech comics artist (Octobriana), passes away.
• July 31: Jess Benton, American comics artist (Jasper Jooks), passes away at age 90. [27]

August

• August 18: Rick Griffin, American underground comix artist (Flying Eyeball, Murphy, Man From Utopia) dies at age 47 in a motorcycle accident.[28]
• August 24: Reynold Brown, American poster designer and comics artist (continued Tailspin Tommy), dies at age 73.

September

• September 4: Bing Coughlin, Canadian advertising illustrator and comics artist (Herbie), dies at age 86. [29]
• September 5: Carol Kalish, American comics publisher and vice President of New Product Development at Marvel Comics, dies at age 36 from a brain aneurysm.
• September 13: Edmond Good, Canadian illustrator and comics artist (Rex Baxter, Johnny Law, Sky Ranger, assisted on Scorchy Smith, Bruce Gentry - Daredevil of the Skies, Casey Ruggles and Dixie Dugan), passes away at age 81. [30]
• September 18: Vinicio Berti, Italian painter and comics artist (Atomino, Chiodino, Ciondolino, Gian Burrasca), passes away at age 70. [31]
• September 24:
  • Dom Orejudos, American illustrator and comics artist (Meatman, Startrick), dies at age 58 from AIDS. [32]
  • Dr. Seuss, American children's novelist, illustrator, animator and comics artist (Hejji), dies at age 87.[33]

October

• October 16: Henricus Kannegieter, Dutch illustrator and comics artist (made various one-shot comics in the 1930s), dies at age 93.[34]
• October 23: Antonio Canale, Italian comics artist (Amok), passes away at age 76.[35]

November

• November 7: Tom of Finland, Finnish comics artist and illustrator, passes away at age 71.[36]
• November 11: Franziska Bilek, German comics artist and illustrator (worked for Simplicissimus), passes away at age 85.[37]
• November 18: Reg Parlett, British comics artist (Ivor Lott and Tony Broke, Mustapha Million), passes away at age 87.[38]
• Specific date unknown: Neville Colvin, British comics artist (Ginger & Co., comic strip based on James Bond, continued Modesty Blaise), dies at age 72. [39]

December

• December 3: Alex Graham, Scottish comics artist (Fred Basset), dies at age 78.[40]
• December 21: Sheldon Mayer, American comics artist (Sugar and Spike), dies at age 74.[41]
• December 29: Tony Strobl, American animator and comics artist (Disney comics, Looney Tunes comics, Hanna-Barbera comics), dies at age 76.[42]

Specific date unknown

• Albert Edgard Beard, British comics artist and illustrator (The Gaisby Knights), dies at age 88 or 89. [43]
• Gordon Boshell, British novelist, journalist and comics writer (Garth), dies at age 81 or 82. [44]
• Jaap Lamberton, Dutch illustrator and comics artist (worked on Panda), passes away at age 45.[45]
• Charles Popineau, French illustrator and comics artist (worked on the Le Crime ne Paie Pas and Les Amours Célèbres series), dies at age 65 or 66. [46]
• Alberto Romero, Argentine comics artist (Roberto, un as del Deporte, continued El Vengador), dies at age 75 or 76. [47]
• Eugen Taru, Romanian illustrator, caricaturist and comics artist ('Barbăcot), dies at age 78.[48]

Conventions

• April 27–28: WonderCon (Oakland Convention Center, Oakland, California) — guests include Kevin Eastman, Mark Bodé, Miguel Ferrer, Bill Mumy, Steve Leialoha, and Max Allan Collins[49]
• June: Heroes Convention (Charlotte, North Carolina)
• June 21–23: Comix Fair (Holiday Inn-Medical Center, Houston, Texas) — ninth annual convention; guests include Russ Heath, Nestor Redondo, Jeff Millar, Bill Hinds, and Richard Klaw[50]
• June 21–23: Chicago Comicon (Ramada O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois) — guests include Jim Steranko, Kevin Eastman, and Chris Claremont[51]
• July:[52] Tri-State Con (New York City) — guests include Michael Avon Oeming, Evan Dorkin, Nat Gertler, Romeo Tanghal, Paul Ryan, Bob Wiacek, and Mike Manley
• July 4–7: San Diego Comic-Con (San Diego Convention Center and Pan Pacific Hotel, San Diego, California): 15,000+ attendees; official guests: Clive Barker, Dan DeCarlo, Harlan Ellison, Neil Gaiman, Keith Giffen, Joe Haldeman, Lynn Johnston, Joe Kubert, Jim Lee, Don Maitz, Sheldon Moldoff, Rick Sternbach, and Janny Wurts
• July 12–14: Dragon Con/Atlanta Comics Expo (Atlanta Hilton & Towers, Atlanta, Georgia) — 5,200 attendees; guests include Philip José Farmer and Frank Miller[53]
• July 19–21: Dallas Fantasy Fair (Dallas, Texas) — presentation of the Harvey Awards
• July 26–28: Atlanta Fantasy Fair (Atlanta Hilton & Towers, Atlanta, Georgia) — official guests include Marina Sirtis, Dean Stockwell, Marc Singer, Matt Wagner, Julius Schwartz, Greg Bear
• September 21–22: Miamicon (Ft. Lauderdale Design Center Sheraton Hotel, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; and Miami Marriott, Miami, Florida) — guests include Chris Warner, Evan Dorkin, Bob Schreck, and Matt Wagner
• November: Mid-Ohio Con (Ohio)

Awards

First issues by title

DC Comics

• Deathstroke the Terminator
• Superman: The Man of Steel

Limited series

• Black Canary

Release: November.

Dark Horse Comics

• Star Wars: Dark Empire

Marvel Comics

• Barbie

Release: January

• Barbie Fashion

Release: January.

• Bill & Ted's Excellent Comic Book

Release: December.

• Captain Planet and the Planeteers

Release: October.

• Darkhawk

Release: March.

• Deathlok v2

Release: July.

• The Destroyer v3

Release: December.

• Double Dragon

Release: July.

• Original Ghost Rider Rides Again

Release: July.

• NFL SuperPro

Release: October.

• Sleepwalker

Release: June.

• Sweet XVI

Release: May.

• The Toxic Avenger

Release: April.

• Wonder Man

Release: September.

• X-Force v1

Release: August.

• X-Men v2

Release: October.

Limited series

• Adventures of Captain America

Release: September.

• Alpha Flight Special

Release: July.

• Captain Confederacy

Release: November by Epic Comics.

• Car Warriors

Release: June by Epic Comics.

• Damage Control v3

Release: June.

• Deadly Foes of Spider-Man

Release: May.

• Deathlok Special (reprint of Deathlok v1)

Release: May.

• The Infinity Gauntlet

Release: July.

• Legion of Night

Release: September.

• The Pirates of Dark Water

Release: November.

• Samurai Cat

Release: June by Epic Comics.

• Spider-Man Saga

Release: November.

• Terminator 2

Release: September.

• The Transmutation of Ike Garuda

Release: July by Epic Comics.

• Weaveworld

Release: December by Epic Comics.

Independent

• Bone

Release: July by Cartoon Books

• Dirty Plotte

Release: January by Drawn and Quarterly

• Palookaville

Release: April by Drawn and Quarterly

• Rubber Blanket

Release: by Rubber Blanket Press

Initial appearance by character name

DC Comics

• Abattoir in Detective Comics #625
• Alexandre LeRoi in Batman: Master of the Future
• Atomic Skull II in Adventures of Superman #483
• Bloody Mary in Hawk and Dove vol. 2 #21 (February )
• Donna Cavanaugh in The Sandman #32 (November )
• Chantinelle in Hellblazer #43 (July )
• Destruction of the Endless in The Sandman Special #1 (November )
• Electrocutioner II in Detective Comics #626 (February )
• General Glory I in Justice League America # 46 (January )
• King Snake in Robin #2 (February )
• Linear Men in Adventures of Superman #476 (March )
• Lynx II in Robin v1 #1 (January )
• Mirage II in The New Titans #79
• Monarch I in Armageddon 2001 #2 (October )
• Nightrider in New Titans Annual #7
• Pantha in New Titans #73 (February )
• Speed Queen in Hawk and Dove vol. 2 #21 (February )
• Terra II in New Titans #79 (September )
• Ron Troupe in Adventures of Superman #480 (July )
• Malice Vundabar in Hawk and Dove vol. 2 #21 (February )
• Waverider in Armageddon 2001 #1 (May)
• Paul Westfield in Superman Vol. 2, #58 (August )

Marvel Comics

• 8-Ball in Sleepwalker #1 (June )
• Helmut in The Incredible Hulk #379 (March )
• Lucas Bishop in Uncanny X-Men #282 (November )
• G.W. Bridge in X-Force v1 #1 (August )
• Copycat in New Mutants #98 (February )
• Abraham Cornelius in Marvel Comics Presents #73 (March )
• Fabian Cortez in X-Men vol. 2, #1 (October )
• Cyber in Marvel Comics Presents #85 (September )
• Darkhawk in Darkhawk #1 (March )
• Deadpool in The New Mutants #98 (February )
• Devos the Devastator in Fantastic Four #359 (December )
• Marco Delgado in X-Men v. 2, #1 (October )
• Wyndell Dichinson in Web of Spider-Man #81 (October )
• Feral in New Mutants vol. 1, #99 (March )
• Firebrand II in Web of Spider-Man vol. 1, #77 (June )
• Trevor Fitzroy in Uncanny X-Men #281 (October )
• Muriel Frost in Doctor Who Magazine #169
• Gauntlet I in X-Factor v. 1, #65 (April )
• Gideon in New Mutants (vol. 1) #98 (February )
• Impala in Captain America #388 (July )
• Krugarr in Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1
• Lodestone in Darkhawk #7 (September )
• Fabian Marechal-Julbin in New Warriors #9 (March )
• Nox in Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #31 (July )
• Paibok in Fantastic Four Vol. 1, #358 (November )
• Phobos I in Dr. Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #32 (August )
• Phoenix (Giraud) in Guardians of the Galaxy #11 (April )
• Protégé in Guardians of the Galaxy #15 (August )
• Psynapse in X-Factor #65 (April )
• Rancor in Guardians of the Galaxy #8 (January )
• Replica in Guardians of the Galaxy #9 (February )
• Shatterstar in New Mutants vol. 1, #99 (March )
• Shinobi Shaw in X-Factor #67 (June )
• Sleepwalker in Sleepwalker #1
• Speedfreek in The Incredible Hulk #388 (December )
• Squirrel Girl in Marvel Super-Heroes Special vol. 2, #8 (Winter)
• Jeremy Stevens in Uncanny X-Men #283 (December )
• Carl Stricklan in Daredevil Annual #9
• Talon in Guardians of the Galaxy #18 (November )
• Tusk in X-Factor #65 (April )
• Nathan Taylor in The Incredible Hulk #379 (December )
• Weapon X II in X-Force v. 1, #2 (September )
• Buford Wilson in New Warriors vol. 1, #9 (March )
• John Wraith in Wolverine (vol. 2) #48 (November )
• Zodiak in Ghost Rider Vol. 3, #10 (February )

Other publishers

• Detective-Judge Armitage in Judge Dredd Megazine v.1, #9 (Fleetway, June)
• Lady Death in Evil Ernie #1 (Chaos! Comics, December )
• Erica Pierce in Solar, Man of the Atom v. 2, #1 (Valiant Comics, September )

References

1. "Jim Woodring". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
2. Wilber, Steven (April 2017). "She Sings, She Fights, She's Dynamite, It's Nightcat!". Back Issue!. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing (95): 73–76.
3. http://comicsuk.co.uk/forum/download/file.php?id=3908&mode=view
4. https://www.lambiek.net/artists/m/mouly_francoise.htm
5. https://www.lambiek.net/magazines/raw.htm
6. "Stripschapprijs voor Rene Windig en Eddie de Jong". NRC. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
7. https://www.stripschap.nl/pages/stripschapprijzen/p.-hans-frankfurtherprijs/complete-lijst.php
8. "Frank". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
9. "Marten Toonder". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
10. "Fernando Zeledón Guzmán". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
11. "Maurieta Wellman". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
12. "J. H. Koeleman jr". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
13. "Michel Mahy". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
14. "Gradie Knipscheer". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
15. "Sytze Henstra". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
16. "Graham Ingels". lambiek.net.
17. "Frederik Bramming". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
18. "Adolfo Samper". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
19. "Kath O'Brien". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
20. "Ed Dodd". lambiek.net.
21. "Vince Colletta". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
22. "Gianni De Luca". lambiek.net.
23. "Jean Bruller". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
24. "Milorad Dobrić". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
25. "Fernand Cheneval". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
26. "Art Sansom". lambiek.net.
27. "Jess Benton". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
28. "Rick Griffin". lambiek.net.
29. "Bing Coughlin". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
30. "Edmond Good". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
31. "Vinicio Berti". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
32. "Dom Orejudos". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
33. "Dr. Seuss". lambiek.net.
34. "Henricus Kannegieter". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
35. "Antonio Canale". lambiek.net.
36. "Tom of Finland". lambiek.net.
37. "Franziska Bilek". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
38. "Reginald Parlett". lambiek.net.
39. "Neville Colvin". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
40. "Alex Graham". lambiek.net.
41. "Sheldon Mayer". lambiek.net.
42. "Tony Strobl". lambiek.net.
43. "Albert Edgar Beard". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
44. "Gordon Boshell Poems | Poemist". www.poemist.com. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
45. "Jaap Lamberton". lambiek.net.
46. "Charles Popineau". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
47. https://www.lambiek.net/artists/r/romero_alberto.htm
48. "Eugen Taru". lambiek.net.
49. Stack, Peter. "Something Else," San Francisco Chronicle (27 Apr 1991), p. C4.
50. "'Rocketeer' lands at Comix Fair," Houston Chronicle (21 June 1991), p. 2.
51. "Rosemont to Host Comicon," Chicago Sun-Times (June 28, 1991).
52. Tomasso, Rich. "BLOOD & THUNDER," The Comics Journal #164 (Dec. 1993), pp. 2-5.
53. Thomas, Keith L. "Comics Expo to Feature Creator of the Darker Side of Batman," The Atlanta Constitution (11 July 1991), p. D4.