1988 in comics

Events and publications

• Jack Binder, creator of the original Daredevil, dies at c. age 86.
• Tarpé Mills, creator Miss Fury, dies at c. age 73.
• Brought to Light, a political anthology of two nonfiction stories, is published by Eclipse Comics. Both are based on material from lawsuits filed by the Christic Institute against the U.S. Government. The two stories are "Shadowplay: The Secret Team," by Alan Moore and Bill Sienkiewicz; and "Flashpoint: The LA Penca Bombing," documented by Martha Honey and Tony Avirgan and adapted by Joyce Brabner and Tom Yeates.
• Someplace Strange a graphic novel written by Ann Nocenti, with artwork by John Bolton, published by the Marvel Comics imprint Epic Comics.
• Marvel Graphic Novel #34: Cloak and Dagger: Predator and Prey, by Bill Mantlo and Larry Stroman, published by Marvel.

February

• February 2: Underground cartoonist Dori Seda passes away at age 37.
• February 4: Inker Frank Giacoia dies at age 63.
• February 13: British comics artist Ron Embleton dies of a heart attack at age 57.

March

• March 2: Leslie Turner, cartoonist for Captain Easy for more than three decades, dies at age 88.
• March 14: Time features cover and interior art for Superman's 50th anniversary by John Byrne and Jerry Ordway
• Batman: The Killing Joke, by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland, published by DC Comics.

April

• Action Comics #599 features the first Bonus Book, a free insert showcasing the work of new comics creators.
• Teen Titans Spotlight is canceled by DC Comics with issue #21.
• April 10: FoxTrot, by Bill Amend, is launched by Universal Press Syndicate.
• April 23: The Journal of Luke Kirby series begins in 2000 AD #571 (IPC Media)

May

• Action Comics #600: Golden anniversary issue featuring Superman and Wonder Woman in "Different Worlds," by John Byrne and George Pérez. (DC Comics)
• The Amazing Spider-Man #300: "Venom," by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane. (Marvel Comics)
• Green Lantern Corps is canceled by DC with issue #224.
• May 24: Action Comics, with issue #601, becomes a weekly anthology title (this format lasting until issue #642, March 14, 1989). (DC Comics)

June

• The Evolutionary War crossover event in Marvel Comics

July

• Tales of the Teen Titans is canceled by DC with issue #91.

September

• September 27: Inker Paul Reinman dies at age 78.

October

• "Inferno" company-wide Marvel Comics crossover debuts, involving the mutant titles The Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, The New Mutants, and Excalibur, as well as the X-Terminators limited series and various other Marvel titles.

November

• Creator's Bill of Rights signed in Northampton, Massachusetts, by Steve Bissette, Craig Farley, Gerhard, Mark Martin, Larry Marder, Michael Zulli, Ken Mitchroney, Scott McCloud, Dave Sim, Rick Veitch, Peter Laird, Kevin Eastman, and the artists of Mirage Studios.
• Black Orchid #1 (of 3), the first American comic written by Neil Gaiman, published by DC Comics.
• Star Trek is canceled by DC Comics with issue #56.
• The Draft, a New Universe one-shot, published by Marvel Comics.
• Concrete vol. 1 is canceled by Dark Horse with issue #10.

December

• Aristocratic Xtraterrestrial Time-Traveling Thieves is canceled by Comics Interview with issue #12.
• Mazinger, by Go Nagai, published by First Comics.
• New Teen Titans vol. 2 changes its name to The New Titans with issue #50.
• Silver Surfer #1 (of 2), an out-of-continuity mini-series by Stan Lee and Moebius, published by Marvel. (Issue #2 published in January 1990; later collected as the trade paperback Silver Surfer: Parable.)
• The Warlord is canceled by DC Comics with issue #133.
• "Semper Fi'" #1 published by Marvel Comics

Conventions

• January 29–31: Angoulême International Comics Festival (Angoulême, France) — 15th annual festival
• April 23–24: Wonderful World of Comics Convention (Oakland Convention Center, Oakland, California) — 2nd iteration of what eventually becomes known as WonderCon
• Summer: Dragon Con (Piedmont Plaza Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia) — 1,700 attendees
• Summer: FantaCon (Albany, New York) — horror/comics show returns after a four-year hiatus
• June: Heroes Convention (Charlotte, North Carolina)
• June 16–19: International Superman Expo (Cleveland Convention Center, Cleveland, Ohio) — commemorating Superman's 50th anniversary; official guests include Curt Swan, Jerry Ordway, George Pérez, Marv Wolfman, and Julius Schwartz
• June 24–26: Atlanta Fantasy Fair XIII (Atlanta Hilton and Towers, Atlanta, Georgia) — guest of honor: Stan Lee; official guests include Mark Gruenwald, Archie Goodwin, Steven Grant, Bob Burden, Kevin Maguire, Julius Schwartz, and Chris Claremont
• June 24–26: Comix Fair '88 (Ramada Hotel Southwest, Houston, Texas) — guests include Sergio Aragonés, Kim DeMulder, Mike Leeke, and William Messner-Loebs
• June 25–26: Creation Con I (Penta Hotel, New York City)
• July 1–3: Chicago Comicon (Ramada O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois) — c. 5,000 attendees; special guests: Max Allan Collins and Dick Locher; other guests: Bernie Wrightson, Michael Kaluta, Dave Stevens, and Chris Claremont
• July 1–3: Dallas Fantasy Fair I (Sheraton Park Central, Dallas, Texas) — guests include Harvey Kurtzman, Burne Hogarth, and Gil Kane
• July 22–24: Memphis Fantasy Convention V (Garden Plaza Hotel, Memphis, Tennessee) — guests include Michael Kaluta, Joe Staton, and John Ostrander
• August 4–7: San Diego Comic-Con (Convention and Performing Arts Center and Omni Hotel, San Diego, California) — 8,000 attendees; official guests: Art Adams, Robert Asprin, Jules Feiffer, Ray Feist, David Gerrold, Matt Groening, George R.R. Martin, Matt Wagner
• October 7–9: Dragon*Con (Piermont Plaza Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia) — guests include Alan Dean Foster, Fred Saberhagen, Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Gary Gygax, and Larry Elmore
• September 24: UKCAK88 (The Institute of Education, London, England) — presentation of the Eagle Awards
• November 25–27: Creation Con II (Penta Hotel, New York City)
• November 25–27: Dallas Fantasy Fair II (Marriott Park Central, Dallas, Texas)

Awards

Eisner Awards

See also: Eisner Awards

Presented in 1989 for comics published in 1988:

• Best Single Issue/Single Story: Kings in Disguise #1, by James Vance and Dan Burr (Kitchen Sink Press)
• Best Black-and-White Series: Concrete, by Paul Chadwick (Dark Horse Comics)
• Best Continuing Series: Concrete, by Paul Chadwick (Dark Horse)
• Best Finite Series/Limited Series: The Silver Surfer: Parable, by Stan Lee and Jean "Moebius" Giraud (Marvel Comics)
• Best New Series: Kings in Disguise, by James Vance and Dan Burr (Kitchen Sink)
• Best Graphic Album: Batman: The Killing Joke, by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland (DC Comics)
• Best Writer: Alan Moore, Batman: The Killing Joke (DC)
• Best Writer/Artist: Paul Chadwick, Concrete (Dark Horse)
• Best Artist/Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team: Brian Bolland, Batman: The Killing Joke (DC)
• Best Art Team: Alan Davis and Paul Neary, Excalibur (Marvel)
• Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award: Phil Yeh
• Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame: Harvey Kurtzman

First issues by title

DC Comics

Animal Man

Release: September Writer: Grant Morrison. Artists: Chas Truog and Doug Hazlewood.

Checkmate

Release: April Writer: Paul Kupperberg. Artists: Steve Erwin and Al Vey.

C.O.P.S.

Release: August Writer: Doug Moench. Artists: Pat Broderick and Pablo Marcos.

Hellblazer

Release: January Writer: Jamie Delano. Artist: John Ridgway.

Starman

Release: October Writer: Roger Stern. Artists: Tom Lyle and Bob Smith.

Wanderers

Release: June. Writer: Doug Moench. Artists: Dave Hoover and Robert Campanella.

Limited series

Batman: The Cult (4 issues)

Release: August Writer: Jim Starlin. Artist: Bernie Wrightson.

Black Orchid (3 issues)

Release: November Writer: Neil Gaiman. Artist: Dave McKean.

Cosmic Odyssey (4 issues)

Release: December Writer: Jim Starlin. Artist: Mike Mignola.

Crimson Avenger (4 issues)

Release: June Writers: Roy and Dann Thomas. Artist: Greg Brooks.

Millennium (8 weekly issues)

Release: January Writer: Steve Englehart. Artists: Joe Staton and Ian Gibson.

Power Girl (4 issues)

Release: June. Writer: Paul Kupperberg. Artists: Rick Hoberg and Arne Starr.

The Prisoner: Shattered Visage (4 issues)

Release. Writer/Artist: Dean Motter.

Unknown Soldier (12 issues)

Release: Winter. Writer: James Owsley. Artist: Phil Gascoine.

The Weird (4 issues)

Release: July. Writer: Jim Starlin. Artist: Bernie Wrightson.

Kodansha

Natsuko's Sake

Release: on Weekly Morning. Author: Akira Oze.

Marvel

Count Duckula

Release: November from Star Comics. Writer: Michael Gallager. Artist: Warren Kremer.

Death's Head

Release: December from Marvel UK. Writer: Simon Furman. Artists: Bryan Hitch and Mark Farmer.

Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme

Release: November Writer: Peter Gillis. Artists: Richard Case and Randy Emberlin.

Dragon's Claws

Release: June from Marvel UK. Writer: Simon Furman. Artist: Geoff Senior.

Excalibur

Release: October Writer: Chris Claremont. Artist: Alan Davis.

Marvel Comics Presents

Release: September Editors: Terry Kavanagh and Michael Higgins.

The Punisher War Journal

Release: November Writer/Penciller: Carl Potts. Inker: Jim Lee.

Wolverine

Release: November Writer: Chris Claremont. Artists: John Buscema and Al Williamson.

Limited series

Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. (6 issues)

Release: June. Writer: Bob Harras. Artists: Paul Neary and Kim DeMulder.

Stray Toasters (4 issues)

Release: by Epic Comics. Writer/Artist: Bill Sienkiewicz.

X-Terminators (4 issues)

Release: October Writer: Louise Simonson. Artist: Jon Bogdanove.

Independent titles

• AARGH (Mad Love)
• The Adventures of Tintin: Breaking Free (Attack International, April )
• Aquablue (Delcourt, April )
• Brought to Light (Eclipse Comics)
• Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future (Continuity Comics, August )
• Crisis (Fleetway, September )
• Deadline (Deadline Publications Ltd., October )
• Dinosaurs for Hire (Eternity Comics, March )
• The Forever War (Dupuis)
• Fright Night (Now Comics, October )
• Maze Agency (Comico Comics, December )
• The Real Ghostbusters (Now Comics, August )
• Shaloman (Mark 1 Comics)
• Taboo (Spiderbaby Grafix, Fall)
• Terminator (Now Comics, September )
• The Tick (New England Comics, June)
• The True North (Comic Legends Legal Defense Fund, August )

Limited series

Aliens (6 issues)

Release: May by Dark Horse Comics. Writer: Mark Verheiden. Artist: Mark A. Nelson.

Black Kiss (12 issues)

Release: June by Vortex Comics. Writer/Artist: Howard Chaykin.

• Crossroads (First Comics, July, 5 issues)
• Godzilla (Dark Horse Comics, May, 6 issues) — American adaptation of the manga adaptation of the Japanese film Gojira 1984
• Kings in Disguise (Kitchen Sink Press, March, 6 issues)

Initial appearance by character name

DC Comics

• Black Orchid (Flora Black) in Black Orchid Vol. 1 #1 (November )
• Deacon Blackfire in Batman: The Cult #1 (August )
• Danny Chase in New Teen Titans vol. 2, Annual #3
• G'nort in Justice League International #10 (February )
• Gloss in Millennium #2 (January )
• Godiva in The New Teen Titans vol. 2, Annual #3
• Grandmaster in Millennium #1 (January )
• KGBeast in Batman #417 (March )
• L-Ron in Justice League International #14 (June)
• Legs in Detective Comics #587 (June)
• Major Force in Captain Atom vol. 3, #12 (February )
• Ratcatcher in Detective Comics #585 (April )
• Shrapnel in Doom Patrol vol. 2 #7 (April )
• Cornelius Stirk in Detective Comics #592 (November )
• Supergirl (Matrix) in Superman v2, #16 (April )
• Ventriloquist in Detective Comics #583 (February )
• The Weird in The Weird #1 (July)

Marvel Comics

• Robbie Baldwin in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #22
• Bullet in Daredevil #250 (January )
• Marlo Chandler in The Incredible Hulk #347 (September )
• Firepower in Iron Man #230 (May)
• Gosamyr in New Mutants #66 (August )
• Jessan Hoan in Uncanny X-Men #229 (May)
• Lobo Brothers in Spectacular Spider-Man #143 (October )
• Al MacKenzie in Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. #3 (August )
• Taki Matsuya in X-Terminators #1 (October )
• N'astirh in X-Factor #32 (October )
• Kate Neville in Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. #3 (August )
• Alexander Goodwin Pierce in Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. #3 (August )
• Puff Adder in Captain America #337 (January )
• Tarantula in Web of Spider-Man #35 (February )
• Tombstone in Web of Spider-Man #36 (March )
• Typhoid Mary in Daredevil #254 (May)
• Viper II in Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. #3 (August )
• X-Terminators in X-Terminators #1 (October )

Independent titles

• Luke Kirby in 2000 AD #571 (IPC Media, April 23)
• Piccolo in Weekly Shōnen Jump #167 (Shueisha, April 4)
• Rat King in Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4 (Mirage Studios, February )
• Shaloman in Shaloman #1 (Mark 1 Comics)
• Son Gohan in Dragon Ball chapter #196 (Shueisha)
• Tick in The Tick #1 (New England Comics, June)
• Vegeta in Weekly Shōnen Jump #204 (Shueisha, December 19)