1941 in comics

Events and publications

• Stan Lee becomes editor-in-chief at Timely Comics.
• Adventures of Captain Marvel, a twelve-chapter film serial adapted from the popular Captain Marvel comic book character for Republic Pictures, debuts. It was the first film adaptation of a comic book superhero.

  January

• January 9: In The Adventures of Tintin story The Crab With the Golden Claws, prepublished in the juvenile supplement of Le Soir, Tintin and Captain Haddock first meet.
• January 10: The first issue of the Turkish children's magazine Cemal Nadir ve Arkadaş is launched, by Cemal Nadir Güler. It nevertheless only lasts 17 weeks.
• Action Comics #32 - National Periodical Publications
• Adventure Comics #58 - National Periodical Publications
• All-American Comics #22 - National Periodical Publications
• Crack Comics #9 - Quality Comics
• Detective Comics #47 - National Periodical Publications
• Flash Comics #13 - National Periodical Publications
• Hit Comics #7 - Quality Comics
• Human Torch Comics #3 – Timely Comics
• Marvel Mystery Comics #15 - Timely Comics
• Master Comics #10 - Fawcett Comics
• More Fun Comics #63 - National Periodical Publications
• Mystery Men Comics #18 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Smash Comics #18 - Quality Comics
• Whiz Comics #12 - Fawcett Comics

  February

• Action Comics #33 - National Allied Publications
• Adventure Comics #59 - National Allied Publications
• All-American Comics #23 - National Allied Publications
• Crack Comics #10 - Quality Comics
• Detective Comics #48 - National Allied Publications
• Flash Comics #14 - National Allied Publications
• Hit Comics #8 - Quality Comics
• Marvel Mystery Comics #16 - Timely Comics
• Master Comics #11 - Fawcett Comics
• More Fun Comics #64 - National Allied Publications
• Mystery Men Comics #19 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Smash Comics #19 - Quality Comics
• Superman #8 - National Allied Publications
• Whiz Comics #13 - Fawcett Comics

  March

• March 16: Marten Toonder's Tom Poes makes its debut.
• Action Comics #34 - National Allied Publications
• Adventure Comics #60 - National Allied Publications
• All-American Comics #24 - National Allied Publications
• Better Comics #1. In the first issue Vernon Miller's Iron Man makes his debut, the first Canadian superhero.
• Captain America Comics #1 - Timely Comics
• Crack Comics #11 - Quality Comics
• Detective Comics #49 - National Allied Publications
• Flash Comics #15 - National Allied Publications
• Hit Comics #9 - Quality Comics
• Marvel Mystery Comics #17 - Timely Comics
• Master Comics #12 - Fawcett Comics
• More Fun Comics #65 - National Allied Publications
• Mystery Men Comics #20 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Mystic Comics #5 - Timely Comics
• Smash Comics #20 - Quality Comics
• Whiz Comics #14 - Fawcett Comics
• Whiz Comics #15 - Fawcett Comics

  April

• Action Comics #35 - National Allied Publications
• Adventure Comics #61 - National Allied Publications. In this issue Gardner Fox and Jack Burnley's Starman debuts.
• All-American Comics #25 - National Allied Publications
• All-Star Comics #4 - National Allied Publications
• Batman #5 - National Allied Publications
• Blue Beetle #6 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Captain America Comics #2 - Timely Comics
• Captain Marvel Adventures #1 - Fawcett Comics
• Crack Comics #12 - Quality Comics
• Daring Mystery Comics #7 - Timely Comics
• Detective Comics #50 - National Allied Publications
• Flash Comics #16 - National Allied Publications
• Hit Comics #10 - Quality Comics
• Human Torch Comics #4 - Timely Comics
• Marvel Mystery Comics #18 - Timely Comics
• Master Comics #13 - Fawcett Comics
• More Fun Comics #66 - National Allied Publications
• Mystery Men Comics #21 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Smash Comics #21 - Quality Comics
• Sub-Mariner Comics #1 - Timely Comics
• Superman #9 - National Allied Publications
• Whiz Comics #16 - Fawcett Comics
• World's Best Comics #1 - National Allied Publications

  May

• May 12: The first episode of R.B. Clark's Boofhead is published.
• Action Comics #36 - National Allied Publications
• Adventure Comics #62 - National Allied Publications
• All-American Comics #26 - National Allied Publications
• Big 3 #3 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Captain America Comics #3 - Timely Comics
• Detective Comics #51 - National Allied Publications
• Flash Comics #17 - National Allied Publications
• Hit Comics #11 - Quality Comics
• Marvel Mystery Comics #19 - Timely Comics
• Master Comics #14 - Fawcett Comics
• More Fun Comics #67 - National Allied Publications
• Mystery Men Comics #22 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Smash Comics #22 - Quality Comics
• Whiz Comics #17 - Fawcett Comics

  June

• Action Comics #37 - National Allied Publications
• Adventure Comics #63 - National Allied Publications
• All-American Comics #27 - National Allied Publications
• All-Winners Comics #1 - Timely Comics
• Blue Beetle #7 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Captain America Comics #4 - Timely Comics
• Crack Comics #13 - Quality Comics
• Detective Comics #52 - National Allied Publications
• Flash Comics #18 - National Allied Publications
• Hit Comics #12 - Quality Comics
• Human Torch Comics #5 - Timely Comics
• Marvel Mystery Comics #20 - Timely Comics
• Master Comics #15 - Fawcett Comics
• More Fun Comics #68 - National Allied Publications
• Mystery Men Comics #23 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Smash Comics #23 - Quality Comics
• Sub-Mariner Comics #2 - Timely Comics
• Superman #10 - National Allied Publications
• Whiz Comics #18 - Fawcett Comics
• Young Allies Comics #1 - Timely Comics

  July

• July 12: In Marten Toonder's Tom Poes story In De Tovertuin Olivier B. Bommel makes his debut.
• Action Comics #38 - National Allied Publications
• Adventure Comics #64 - National Allied Publications
• All-American Comics #28 - National Allied Publications
• All-Flash Comics #1 - National Allied Publications
• All-Star Comics #5 - National Allied Publications
• Big 3 #4 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Bulletman #1 - Fawcett Comics
• Captain Marvel Adventures #2 - Fawcett Comics
• Crack Comics #14 - Quality Comics
• Detective Comics #53 - National Allied Publications
• Flash Comics #19 - National Allied Publications
• Hit Comics #13 - Quality Comics
• Marvel Mystery Comics #21 - Timely Comics
• Master Comics #16 - Fawcett Comics
• More Fun Comics #69 - National Allied Publications
• Mystery Men Comics #24 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Smash Comics #24 - Quality Comics
• Whiz Comics #19 - Fawcett Comics
• World's Finest Comics #2 - National Allied Publications - Changed from "World's Best Comics"
• Wow Comics #2 - Fawcett Comics

  August

• August 14: Marten Toonder's Tom Poes story De Geheimzinnige Roverhoofdman is first published. Halfway the story Tom Poes' home town Rommeldam makes its debut, as do the recurring characters Bulle Bas and Brigadier Snuf.
• Action Comics #39 - National Allied Publications
• Adventure Comics #65 - National Allied Publications
• All-American Comics #29 - National Allied Publications
• Blue Beetle #8 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Captain America Comics #5 - Timely Comics
• Crack Comics #15 - Quality Comics
• Detective Comics #54 - National Allied Publications
• Flash Comics #20 - National Allied Publications
• Hit Comics #14 - Quality Comics
• Marvel Mystery Comics #22 - Timely Comics
• Master Comics #17 - Fawcett Comics
• Military Comics #1 - Quality Comics - It marks the debut of Will Eisner and Bob Powell's Blackhawk.
• More Fun Comics #70 - National Allied Publications
• Mystery Men Comics #25 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Police Comics #1 - Quality Comics - This marks the debut of Jack Cole's Plastic Man.
• Smash Comics #25 - Quality Comics
• Superman #11 - National Allied Publications
• U.S.A. Comics #1 - Timely Comics
• Whiz Comics #20 - Fawcett Comics

  September

• September 16: Marten Toonder's Tom Poes story De Drakenburcht is first published. Halfway the story Olivier B. Bommel's castle Bommelstein and his car, De Oude Schicht, make their debut.
• September 23: The Belgian children's comics magazine Le Soir-Jeunesse, a supplement of the Nazi-controlled newspaper Le Soir, disappears after hardly a year of publication. The Adventures of Tintin, which was published in its pages since 1940, moves within Le Soir itself.
• Action Comics #40 - National Allied Publications
• Adventure Comics #66 - National Allied Publications
• All-American Comics #30 - National Allied Publications
• All-Flash Comics #2 - National Allied Publications
• All-Star Comics #6 - National Allied Publications
• All-Winners Comics #2 - Timely Comics
• Batman #6 - National Allied Publications
• Big 3 #5 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Bulletman #2 - Fawcett Comics
• Captain America Comics #6 - Timely Comics
• Captain Marvel Adventures #3 - Fawcett Comics
• Crack Comics #16 - Quality Comics
• Detective Comics #55 - National Allied Publications
• Doll Man #1 - Quality Comics
• Flash Comics #21 - National Allied Publications
• Green Lantern #1 - National Allied Publications. This marks the debut of Bill Finger and Martin Nodell's Green Lantern.
• Hit Comics #15 - Quality Comics
• Human Torch Comics #5 - Timely Comics - This is #5b. Human Torch has its own numbering now.
• Marvel Mystery Comics #23 - Timely Comics
• Master Comics #18 - Fawcett Comics
• Military Comics #2 - Quality Comics
• Minute-Man #1 - Fawcett Comics
• More Fun Comics #71 - National Allied Publications
• Mystery Men Comics #26 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Police Comics #2 - Quality Comics
• Smash Comics #26 - Quality Comics
• Spy Smasher #1 - Fawcett Comics
• Sub-Mariner Comics #3 - Timely Comics
• Uncle Sam Quarterly #1 - Quality Comics
• Whiz Comics #21 - Fawcett Comics
• World's Finest Comics #3 - National Allied Publications
• Wow Comics #3 - Fawcett Comics

  October

• October 18: Marten Toonder's Tom Poes story Het Verdwijneiland is first published. Halfway the story the characters Wal Rus and professor Joachim Sickbock make their debut.
• October 23: On Nazi orders two Dutch comics magazines, namely De Humorist and Sjors, are banned from publication. Sjors will nevertheless still be published but within the pages of the magazine Panorama until it finally vanishes in March 1942 and won't return until after the war in June 1947.
• Action Comics #41 - National Allied Publications
• Adventure Comics #67 - National Allied Publications
• All-American Comics #31 - National Allied Publications
• All Star Comics #8 marks the debut of William Moulton Marston and Harry G. Peter's Wonder Woman.
• Blue Beetle #9 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Captain America Comics #7 - Timely Comics
• Captain Marvel Adventures #4 - Fawcett Comics
• Crack Comics #17 - Quality Comics
• Detective Comics #56 - National Allied Publications
• Flash Comics #22 - National Allied Publications
• Hit Comics #16 - Quality Comics
• Marvel Mystery Comics #24 - Timely Comics
• Master Comics #19 - Fawcett Comics
• Military Comics #3 - Quality Comics
• More Fun Comics #72 - National Allied Publications
• Mystery Men Comics #27 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Mystic Comics #6 - Timely Comics
• Police Comics #3 - Quality Comics
• Smash Comics #27 - Quality Comics
• Star Spangled Comics #1 - National Allied Publications
• Superman #12 - National Allied Publications
• Whiz Comics #22 - Fawcett Comics
• Whiz Comics #23 - Fawcett Comics

  November

• November 24: Gus Arriola's Gordo makes its debut.
• Action Comics #42 - National Allied Publications
• Adventure Comics #68 - National Allied Publications
• Air Fighters Comics #1 - Hillman Periodicals
• All-American Comics #32 - National Allied Publications
• All-Flash Comics #3 - National Allied Publications
• All-Star Comics #7 - National Allied Publications
• America's Greatest Comics #1 - Fawcett Comics
• Batman #7 - National Allied Publications
• Big 3 #6 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Captain America Comics #8 - Timely Comics
• Crack Comics #18 - Quality Comics
• Detective Comics #57 - National Allied Publications
• Fantastic Comics #23 — cancelled by Fox Feature Syndicate
• Flash Comics #23 - National Allied Publications
• Hit Comics #17 - Quality Comics
• Green Lantern #2 - National Allied Publications
• Human Torch Comics #6 - Timely Comics
• Leading Comics #1 - National Allied Publications
• Marvel Mystery Comics #25 - Timely Comics
• Master Comics #20 - Fawcett Comics
• Military Comics #4 - Quality Comics
• Minute-Man #2 - Fawcett Comics
• More Fun Comics #73 - National Allied Publications: This issue marks the debut of Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger's Aquaman.
• Mystery Men Comics #28 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Police Comics #4 - Quality Comics
• Smash Comics #28 - Quality Comics
• Spy Smasher #2 - Fawcett Comics
• Star Spangled Comics #2 - National Allied Publications
• Sub-Mariner Comics #4 - Timely Comics
• Uncle Sam Quarterly #2 - Quality Comics
• U.S.A. Comics #2 - Timely Comics
• Whiz Comics #24 - Fawcett Comics
• World's Finest Comics #4 - National Allied Publications
• Wow Comics #4 - Fawcett Comics
• Young Allies Comics #2 - Timely Comics

  December

• The couple Betsy and Stanley Baer launch their own comic strip The Toodles, drawn by Rod Ruth, which debuts in The Chicago Sun. It will run until 1965.
• Action Comics #43 - National Allied Publications
• Adventure Comics #69 - National Allied Publications
• All-American Comics #33 - National Allied Publications
• All-Winners Comics #3 - Timely Comics
• America's Greatest Comics #1 - Fawcett Comics
• Blue Beetle #10 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Captain America Comics #9 - Timely Comics
• Captain Marvel Adventures #5 - Fawcett Comics
• Crack Comics #19 - Quality Comics
• Detective Comics #58 - National Allied Publications
• Flash Comics #24 - National Allied Publications
• Hit Comics #18 - Quality Comics
• Human Torch Comics #6 - Timely Comics
• Marvel Mystery Comics #26 - Timely Comics
• Master Comics #21 - Fawcett Comics
• Military Comics #5 - Quality Comics
• More Fun Comics #74 - National Allied Publications
• Mystery Men Comics #29 - Fox Feature Syndicate
• Mystic Comics #7 - Timely Comics
• Pep Comics #22 - marks the debut of Bob Montana's Archie Comics, who will receive their own title a year later.
• Police Comics #5 - Quality Comics
• Smash Comics #29 - Quality Comics
• Star Spangled Comics #3 - National Allied Publications
• Superman #13 - National Allied Publications
• Whiz Comics #25 - Fawcett Comics

  Specific date unknown

• Mutt and Jeff #3 - National Allied Publications.
• Roberto Sgrilli's Formichino ends.

  Deaths

January

• January 4: George Roller, British illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 84.

  February

• February 13: J.B. Lowitz, American comics artist, dies at age 57.

  August

• August 13: John Stuart Blackton, British animator and film director , dies at age 66.
• August 19: Caumery, French comics writer, dies at age 64.

  October

• October 8: Win Smith, Canadian-American animator and comics artist, dies at age 53.
• October 14: Leoncio Martínez, aka Leo, Venezuelan journalist, playwright, illustrator, caricaturist and comics artist, passes away at 52 years.
• October 22: Louis Markous, Ludwig Markous and/or Louis Marcoussis, French illustrator, painter and comics artist, dies at age 63.

  November

• November 26: Patrick Kroon, Dutch caricaturist, painter, illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 69.

  December

• December 4: Axel Bäckman, Swedish comics artist, dies at age 73.
• December 21: Arthur Racey, Canadian illustrator, caricaturist, advertising and comics artist, passes away at age 70 or 71.
• December 31: Sol Hess, American comics writer, passes away at age 59.

  Exhibitions and shows

Conventions

Awards

First issues by title

• All-Flash
• All Winners Comics
• Air Fighters Comics
• Captain America Comics
• Captain Marvel Adventures
• Classics Illustrated
• Green Lantern
• Leading Comics
• Police Comics
• Star-Spangled Comics
• Sub-Mariner Comics
• World's Finest Comics
• Young Allies

  Initial appearances by character name

• Anita Diminuta, created by Jesús Blasco, in Mis Chicas
• Aquaman, created by Mort Weisinger and Paul Norris, in More Fun Comics #73, published by DC Comics
• Archie Andrews, created by Bob Montana, in Pep Comics #22, published by
• Beast-Ruler, created by George Tuska, in Captain Marvel Adventures #3, published by Fawcett Comics
• Blackhawk, created by Chuck Cuidera with input from both Bob Powell and Will Eisner, in Military Comics #1, published by Quality Comics
• Bucky Barnes, created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, in Captain America Comics #1, published by Timely Comics
• Captain America, created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, in Captain America Comics #1, published by Timely Comics
• Captain Marvel Jr., created by France Herron and Mac Raboy, in Whiz Comics #25, published by Fawcett Comics
• Captain Nazi, created by C. C. Beck and Bill Parker, in Master Comics #21, published by Fawcett Comics
• Doctor Mid-Nite, created by Charles Reizenstein and Stanley Josephs Aschmeier, in All-American Comics #25, published by DC Comics
• Dummy , created by Mort Weisinger and Mort Meskin, in Leading Comics #1, published by DC Comics
• Firebrand , created by S. M. Iger and Reed crandall, in Police Comics #1, published by Quality Comics
• Green Arrow, created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, in More Fun Comics #73, published by DC Comics
• Ian Karkull, created by Gardner Fox and Howard Sherman, in More Fun Comics #69, published by DC Comics
• Jester , created by Paul Gustavson, in Smash Comics #22, published by Quality Comics
• Johnny Quick , created by Mort Weisinger, in More Fun Comics #71, published by DC Comics.
• Midnight created by Jack Cole, in Smash Comics #18. published by Quality Comics
• Minute-Man, created by Charlie Sultan, in Master Comics #11, published by Fawcett Comics
• Miss America , created by Elmer Wexler, in Military Comics #1, published by Quality Comics
• Nabu , created by Gardner Fox and Howard Sherman, in More Fun Comics #67, published by DC Comics
• Nelvana of the Northern Lights, created by Adrian Dingle, in Triumph-Adventure Comics #1, published by Hillborough Studios
• Pat Dugan, created by Jerry Siegel, in Action Comics #40, published by DC Comics
• Paul Kirk, in Adventure Comics #58
• Penguin , created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, in Detective Comics #58, published by National Allied Publications
• Phantom Lady, created by Arthur F. Peddy, in Police Comics #1, published by Quality comics
• Plastic Man, created by Jack Cole, in Police Comics #1, published by Quality Comics
• Queen Bee , created by Ken Fitch and Bearnard Baily, in Action Comics #42, published by DC Comics
• Red Skull, created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, in Captain America Comic #7, published by Timely Comics
• Roy Lincoln, created by Paul Gustavson, in Police Comics #1, published by Quality Comics
• Sandy Hawkins, created by Mort Weisinger and Paul Norris, in Adventure Comics #69, published by National Allied Publications
• Sargon the Sorcerer, created by Steve Niles and Scott Hampton, in All-American Comics #26, published by DC Comics.
• Scarecrow , created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, in World's Finest Comics #3, published by DC Comics
• Seven Soldiers of Victory, created by Mort Weisinger and Mort Meskin, in Leading Comics #1, published by National Allied Publications
• Shade , created by Mort Weisinger and Mort Meskin, in Action Comics #43, published by DC Comics
• Shining Knight, created by Creig Flessel, in Adventure Comics #66, published by DC Comics.
• Speedy, created by Mort Weisinger and Paul Norris, in More Fun Comics #73, published by National Allied Publications
• Starman , created by Jack Burnley, in Adventure Comics #61, published by DC Comics.
• Star-Spangled Kid Sylvester Pemberton, created by Jerry Siegel, in Action Comics #40, published by DC Comics.
• Tarantula , created by Mort Weisinger, in Star-Spangled Comics #1, published by National Allied Publications
• Vigilante , created by Mort Weisinger and Mort Meskin, in Action Comics #42, published by National Allied Publications
• Wildfire , created by Robert Turner and Jim Mooney, in Smash Comics #25, published by Quality Comics
• Wonder Woman, created by William Moulton Marston, in All Star Comics #8, published by All-American Publications