1971 in comics

This is a list of comics-related events in 1971.

Events

Year overall

  • The Comics Code Authority revises the Code a number of times during the year. Initially "liberalized" on January 28, 1971, to allow for (among other things) the sometimes "sympathetic depiction of criminal behavior . . . [and] corruption among public officials" ("as long as it is portrayed as exceptional and the culprit is punished")[1] as well as permitting some criminal activities to kill law-enforcement officers and the "suggestion but not portrayal of seduction."[1] Also newly allowed were "vampires, ghouls and werewolves . . . when handled in the classic tradition such as Frankenstein, Dracula, and other high calibre literary works written by Edgar Allan Poe, Saki, Conan Doyle and other respected authors whose works are read in schools around the world." Zombies, lacking the requisite "literary" background, remain taboo.
  • Jack Kirby introduces his Fourth World series in a number of new DC titles[2]The Forever People, New Gods, and Mister Miracle — while continuing his run on Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen. Kirby writes and draws all four titles during the year.
  • Early in the year, DC Comics editorial director Carmine Infantino is promoted to publisher.
  • Bill Schanes and Steve Schanes co-found Pacific Comics, starting out as a mail-order company selling to consumers via ads in the Comics Buyer's Guide.
  • The Air Pirates collective is formed in San Francisco.
  • On Italy, the editor Renzo Barbieri launches two new horror-erotic series: Oltretomba (Underworld) and Lucifera.

January

February

First appearances of Highfather, Kalibak, Lightray, and Orion

Spring

March

  • March 4: The first episode of The Mansions of the Gods, by Goscinny and Uderzo, is prepublished in Pilote.
  • March 11: The final episode of Andries Brandt's Horre, Harm en Hella is published.[6]
  • March 14: In the story La resa dei conti (The showdown), by Claudio Nizzi and Carlo Boscarato, Larry Yuma gets his definitive name (in the two previous episodes, the character was called Dave).[7]
  • March 20: Andries Brandt and Jan Van Haasteren's Aafje Anders makes its debut. After a few stories Robert Hamilton and Richard Klokkers take over the artwork. The series will run until 17 April 1973.[6]
  • The Avengers #85 (Marvel Comics)
First appearance of the Squadron Supreme, as well as members Blue Eagle, Doctor Spectrum (Joseph Ledger), Golden Archer, Hyperion (Mark Milton), Lady Lark, Nighthawk (Kyle Richmond, Earth-712), Tom Thumb, and Whizzer (Stanley Stewart)

April

  • April: The final issue of the long-running French satirical cartoons and comics magazine Le Rire is published.
  • Mister Miracle #1 (DC Comics)
First appearance of Mister Miracle

May

First appearance of Talia al Ghul[11]
First appearance of Desaad
First appearance of Granny Goodness
  • With the publication of Savage Tales #1, Marvel creates its black-and-white magazine line, which published material that doesn't carry the seal of the Comics Code Authority.
First appearance of Man-Thing

June

  • June 12: First issue of the British comics magazine Knockout is published.
  • June 12: Norman Mansbridge's Fuss Pot makes its debut in Knockout.
  • June 26: The final episode of Marten Toonder's Koning Hollewijn is published.[12]
  • Batman #232 (DC Comics)
First appearance of Ra's al Ghul[13]

July

First appearance of Swamp Thing[15]
The woman appearing on the cover of this issue was modeled after future comics writer Louise Simonson.[16]
First appearance of Doc Samson

August

September

October

  • October 22: In Copenhagen the comics store Fantask opens its doors, which will become the oldest Danish comics store in the world.[20]
  • The Brave and the Bold #98 (written by Bob Haney) — Jim Aparo's first issue as artist. Haney and Aparo continue to contribute the majority of issues until the series' finale in July 1983.
  • In the Days of the Mob #1 and Spirit World #1, two one-shot black-and-white magazines by Jack Kirby.[21]
  • Mister Miracle #4 (DC Comics)
First appearance of Big Barda
First appearance of Morbius, the Living Vampire
  • Girls' Romances (1950 series), with issue #160, is cancelled by DC.
  • Under the sign of Capricorn, by Hugo Pratt, album reckoning six Corto Maltese's adventures set in the Caribbean and in Brazil.

November

  • Marvel Comics, following rival DC's lead, raises the price of its typical comic book from 15 cents to 25 cents, and the page-count from 36 to 52.
  • The Avengers #93: Neal Adams begins his celebrated stint as Avengers artist, continuing the "Kree-Skrull War" story arc begun in issue #89 of the title.
  • DC Special (1968 series), with issue #15 (November /December cover date), is cancelled by DC.

December

  • After a month-long experimentation with 25-cent comics, Marvel reduces the price of a typical comic to 20 cents, and returns the page-count from 52 to 36 pages.
  • Bill Spicer, Michael Moore and Fred Walker found the Los Angeles Comic Book Company in Los Angeles.
  • The Avengers #94: First appearance of the Mandroid power armor.
  • Marvel Feature #1 (Marvel Comics)
First appearance of The Defenders
First appearance of John Stewart

Specific date unknown

  • The first issue of the Flemish comics magazine/fanzine CISO-Magazine is published by Danny De Laet. It will change its name into Stripgids in 1974 and receive a new chief editor, Jan Smet.
  • The Finnish Comics Society is established.[22]
  • The final episode of Fuku-Chan by Ryuichi Yokoyama is published.[23]

Deaths

January

  • January 17: Oscar Knudsen, Danish illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 72. [24]
  • January 27: E. Simms Campbell, American comics artist (Harlem Girls, Cuties), dies at age 65.[25]

February

  • February 18: Walter Booth, British comics artist (Professor Potash), passes away at age 81.[26]
  • February 24: Jan Bouman, Dutch comics artist and illustrator (Lijntrekker), dies at age 56.[27]
  • February 21: Ercüment Kalmik, Turkish painter and comics artist (Çetin Kaptan, a.k.a Çetinin), passes away at age 61 or 62. [28]

March

  • March 10: Ladislaus Kmoch, aka Ludwig Kmoch, Austrian illustrator, cartoonist and comics artist (Tobias Seicherl), passes away at age 73.[29]

April

May

  • May 10: Ted Mathijsen, aka Roberic, Dutch comics artist (Ted Start), passes away at age 44.[32]

June

  • June 5: Otto Waffenschmied, German comics artist (Muck und Puck, Max und Miki), passes away at age 69. [33]
  • June 9: Russell R. Winterbotham, American novelist and comics writer (scripted Red Ryder[34]), dies at age 66.[35]
  • June: Henri Dimpre, French illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 64. [36]
  • June: Carl Rose, aka Earl Cros, American cartoonist (I say it's spinach), illustrator and comics artist (Our New Age), dies at age 68.[37]

July

August

  • Specific date unknown: Julius Svendsen, Norwegian-American comics artist and animator (Disney comics), dies at age 51 or 52.[42]

October

November

  • November: Hy Gage, American comics artist (Miss Information), dies at age 93.[44]
  • November 28: Vasil Zahariev, Bulgarian painter and comics artist, dies at age 76. [45]

December

  • December 20: Roy Disney, American film producer (Walt Disney Company) and brother of Walt Disney, dies at age 78 from an intracranial hemorrhage.
  • December 22: Godfried Bomans, Dutch novelist, columnist and comics writer (De Avonturen van Pa Pinkelman,[46] Dick Parker[47]), passes away at age 58 from a heart attack.
  • December 23: Gray Croucher, aka Gray, British-Belgian comics artist and illustrator (Rikske en Fikske), dies at age 51.[48]
  • December 28: Burt Gillett, American animator and film director (Walt Disney Company, Walter Lantz Productions), dies at age 80 from a heart attack.
  • Specific date unknown: Joe Easley, American comics artist and illustrator (Along the Iron Pike), dies at age 87.[49]

Specific date unknown

  • Georges Bourdin, French illustrator and comics artist (L'Histoire de Cochise), dies at age 83 or 84. [50]
  • Reg Bunn, British comics artist (The Spider), dies at age 65 or 66.[51]
  • Lev Gleason, American comics publisher (Lev Gleason Publications), passes away at age 62 or 63.[52]
  • James Jewell, Scottish comics artist (Wee Peem), dies at age 73.
  • Noé Solano Vargas, Costa Rican comics artist (Candelario), dies at age 71 or 72.[53]

Exhibitions

  • April 18–May 2: New York City — first exhibition of comic books[54]
  • September 8–November 7: 75 Years of the Comics, New York Cultural Center, New York — curated by Maurice Horn[55]

Conventions

I came back into the field because of [convention organizer Phil Seuling]. I remember [him] calling me in New London, [Connecticut], where I was sitting there as chairman of the board of Croft Publishing Co. My secretary said, 'There's a Mr. Seuling on the phone and he's talking about a comics convention. What is that?' ... I came down and was stunned at the existence of the whole world. ... That was a world that I had left, and I found it very exciting, very stimulating.[61] I went down to the convention, which was being held in one of the hotels in New York, and there was a group of guys with long hair and scraggly beards, who had been turning out what spun as literature, really popular 'gutter' literature if you will, but pure literature. And they were taking on illegal [sic] subject matter that no comics had ever dealt with before. ... I came away from that recognizing that a revolution had occurred then, a turning point in the history of this medium.[62]

Awards

Goethe Awards

Presented July 3, 1972, (for comics published in 1971) at the Comic Art Convention, New York City, in a ceremony emceed by Tony Isabella and Carl Gafford.[70] The Goethe Award ballot was initially published in The Buyer's Guide to Comics Fandom,[71] The Monster Times,[72] and Graphic Story World.[73] Nominations were sent in from 335 readers. Ultimately, there were 7 categories with 4-7 nominees in each category. 700 fans voted for the final nominees.[70] The award results were also published in Comic Art News & Reviews.[74]

  • Favorite Artist: TK
  • Favorite Writer: TK
  • Favorite Editor: TK
  • Favorite Comic Book: TK
  • Favorite Comic-Book Story: TK
  • Favorite Comic-Book Character: TK
  • Favorite Fanzine: The Buyer's Guide to Comics Fandom[70]
  • Favorite Fan Writer: Tony Isabella[75]

Shazam Awards

Presented in 1972 for comics published in 1971:

First issues by title

Charlton Comics

Ghost Manor vol. 2

Release: October Editor: Sal Gentile.

Ghostly Haunts

Release: September Editor: Sal Gentile.

Haunted

Release: September Editor: Sal Gentile.

DC Comics

Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love

Release: February /March Editor: Dorothy Woolfolk. Artist: Tony DeZuniga.

DC 100 Page Super Spectacular: debuts with issue #4

Release: September /October Editor: Joe Orlando.

Forever People

Release: February /March Writer/Artist: Jack Kirby.

Ghosts

Release: September /October Editor: Murray Boltinoff.

Mister Miracle

Release: April. Writer/Artist: Jack Kirby.

New Gods

Release: February /March Writer/Artist: Jack Kirby.

Weird War Tales

Release: September /October Editor: Joe Kubert.

Marvel Comics

Kull the Conqueror

Release: June. Writer: Roy Thomas. Artists: Ross Andru and Wally Wood.

Marvel Feature

Release: December. Writer: Roy Thomas. Artists: Ross Andru and Bill Everett.

Marvel Spotlight

Release: November. Writer: Gardner Fox. Artists: Syd Shores and Wally Wood.

Savage Tales

Release: May by Curtis Magazines. Editor: Stan Lee.

Independent titles

Air Pirates Funnies

Release: July by Last Gasp's imprint "Hell Comics".

Countdown

Release: February 20 by Polystyle Publications.

The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers

Release: February by Rip Off Press. Writer/Artist: Gilbert Shelton.

Mickey Rat

Release: December by Los Angeles Comic Book Company. Writer/Artist: Robert Armstrong.

Tammy

Release: February 6 by IPC Magazines.

Initial appearance by character name

DC Comics

Marvel Comics

Independent titles

References

  1. Thompson, Don & Maggie, "Crack in the Code" in Newfangles #44 (February 1971).
  2. McAvennie, Michael; Dolan, Hannah (2010). "1970s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 145. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. As the writer, artist, and editor of the Fourth World family of interlocking titles, each of which possessed its own distinct tone and theme, Jack Kirby cemented his legacy as a pioneer of grand-scale storytelling.
  3. Hazeu, Wim (Oct 17, 2012). "Marten Toonder: biografie". Bezige Bij b.v., Uitgeverij De. Retrieved May 20, 2020 via Google Books.
  4. "Raeburn Van Buren". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  5. McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 144 "New editor Julius Schwartz, new scripter Denny O'Neil, and regular artist Curt Swan removed the Man of Steel's greatest weakness from the face of the Earth."
  6. "Andries Brandt". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  7. "La resa dei conti, terzo episodio del fumetto Larry Yuma firmato da Nizzi/Boscarato, pubblicato tra marzo e aprile 1971". www.slumberland.it. Retrieved 2019-02-27.
  8. https://www.lambiek.net/artists/c/capp_a.htm
  9. Filippini, Henri (1997). Encyclopédie de la bande dessinée érotique (in French). La Musardine. pp. 73. ISBN 2-84271-082-7.
  10. Lambiek Comiclopedia. "John M. Burns".
  11. McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 145 "Before Batman first encountered one of his greatest adversaries, Ra's al Ghul, he met his daughter, the lovely but lethal Talia [in a story by] writer Denny O'Neil and artist Bob Brown."
  12. "Marten Toonder". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  13. McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 145: "Writer Denny O'Neil once stated that he and artist Neal Adams 'set out to consciously and deliberately to create a villain...so exotic and mysterious that neither we nor Batman were sure what to expect.' Who they came up with was arguably Batman's most cunning adversary: the global eco-terrorist named Ra's al Ghul."
  14. "Peter de Smet". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  15. McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 146: "'Swamp Thing' was the name of Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson's start of the 20th century tale, and its popularity with readers led a modernized version of the character into his own series a year later."
  16. Levitz, Paul (2010). 75 Years of DC Comics The Art of Modern Mythmaking. Taschen America. p. 481. ISBN 978-3-8365-1981-6. When Swamp Thing debuted in this issue of House of Secrets as a "one-shot", no one could have known it would lead to an enduring hit franchise, least of all its cover model, future comics writer Louise Simonson.
  17. McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 144: "Although decreasing sales and inflation dictated a hefty cover price increase from 15 to 25 cents, [DC Comics Publisher Carmine] Infantino saw to it that extra pages containing classic reprints and new back-up features were added to DC titles."
  18. Levitz, p. 451: "Marvel took advantage of this moment to surpass DC in title production for the first time since 1957, and in sales for the first time ever."
  19. McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 146 "It was taboo to depict drugs in comics, even in ways that openly condemned their use. However, writer Denny O'Neil and artist Neal Adams collaborated on an unforgettable two-part arc that brought the issue directly into Green Arrow's home, and demonstrated the power comics had to affect change and perception."
  20. "Fantask.com — Om os". www.fantask.dk. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  21. McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 147: "Believing that new formats were necessary for the comics medium to continue evolving, Kirby oversaw the production of what was labeled his 'Speak-Out Series' of magazines: Spirit World and In the Days of the Mob...Sadly, these unique magazines never found their desired audience."
  22. "Suomen sarjakuvaseura ry - In english". www.sarjakuvaseura.fi. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  23. "Ryuichi Yokoyama". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  24. "Oscar Knudsen". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  25. "E. Simms Campbell". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  26. "Walter Booth". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  27. "Jan Bouman". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  28. "Ercüment Kalmik". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  29. "Ludwig Kmoch". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  30. "Marius J.G. Thomassen". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  31. "David Law". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  32. "Ted Mathijsen". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  33. "Otto Waffenschmied". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  34. "Fred Harman". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  35. "Winterbotham, Russ". The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  36. "Henri Dimpre". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  37. "Earl Cros". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  38. "Art Helfant". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  39. "Ub Iwerks". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  40. "Pennsylvania Center for the Book". pabook.libraries.psu.edu. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  41. "Lou Fine". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  42. "Julius Svendsen". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  43. "Paul Terry". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  44. "Hy Gage". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  45. "Vasil Zahariev". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  46. "Carol Voges". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  47. "Rein van Looy". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  48. "Gray Croucher". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  49. "Joe Easley". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  50. "Georges Bourdin". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  51. "Reg Bunn". lambiek.net. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
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  53. "Noé Solano Vargas". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  54. Pascal, David. "Premiere Exposition de Bandes Dessinées a New York 18 April–2 Mai 1971," Phenix #17 (1971), pp. 22–23.
  55. Oelsner, Lesley. "A Retrospective on the Comics Opens (Pow!)," New York Times (September 8, 1971), p. 54.
  56. Van Hise, James (February 1971). "Miamicon '71 Was An Experience". Rocket's Blast-Comicollector. #78: 24–27.
  57. Skinn, Dez. "Early days of UK comics conventions and marts," Archived 2012-02-01 at the Wayback Machine DezSkinn.com. Accessed Mar. 3, 2013.
  58. Jacobson, Aileen. "Serious Comics Fans," Washington Post (August 16, 1971), p. B2.
  59. "The 1971 Goethe Awards" (ballot), Graphic Story World vol. 2, #2 (whole #6) (July 1972), p. 29.
  60. Miller, John Jackson. "Goethe/Comic Fan Art Award winners, 1971-74," CBGXtra (July 19, 2005).
  61. Eisner interview (excerpt), The Comics Journal #267 (May 1, 2005)
  62. Transcript, Will Eisner's keynote address, Will Eisner Symposium: The 2002 University of Florida Conference on Comics and Graphic Novels
  63. Karasik, Paul. "Meet Gary," in We Told You So: Comics as Art, edited by Michael Dean & Tom Spurgeon (Fantagraphics, 2016).
  64. Thomspon, Kim and Gary Groth. "War and Peace With Denny O'Neil," The Comics Journal #66 (September 1981), p. 56.
  65. Van Hise, James (September 1971). "Miamicon II". Rocket's Blast-Comicollector. #84: 120–121.
  66. Pinaha, Bob. "Creation '71 No Turkey!" Comic Fandom Monthly (Jan. 1971), pp. 4–7.
  67. Beerbohm, Robert. "Update to Comics Dealer Extraordinaire Robert Beerbohm: In His Own Words," Comic-Convention Memories (June 24, 2010).
  68. "The Comic Book Conventions: The humble beginnings...continued...," Creation Entertainment website. Accessed June 4, 2012.
  69. "The Comic Book Conventions: The humble beginnings...," Creation Entertainment website. Accessed June 4, 2012.
  70. Miller, John Jackson. "GOETHE/COMIC FAN ART AWARD WINNERS, 1971-74," Comics Buyer's Guide (July 19, 2005). Archived September 20, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  71. The Buyer's Guide to Comics Fandom #14 (Apr. 1972).
  72. "Comix Freex Rally! Unite! Vote for your favorite comix!", The Monster Times #7 (Apr. 26, 1972), pp. 6-8.
  73. "The 1971 Goethe Awards," Graphic Story World, v. 2, #2 (whole #6) (July 1972), p. 29.
  74. Seiler, Rick. "Telegraphics," Comic Art News & Reviews v. 1, #1 (Sept. 1972), pp. 3-4.
  75. The Comic Reader #90 (October 1972).
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