1969 in comics

Events

Year overall

• Paragon Publications established in Longwood, Florida, by Bill Black.
• Tower Comics goes out of business.
• Kinney National Company, parent of National Periodical Publications, takes over Warner Bros.-Seven Arts, changing its name to just Warner Bros..
• Chuck Rozanski starts selling comics at age 13, from his parents' basement, which is the foundation of Mile High Comics, a comics store in Boulder, Colorado, which he'll open as a professional store at age 19.

  January

• Rip Off Press established in San Francisco by Gilbert Shelton, Jaxon, Dave Moriaty, and Fred Todd.
• Sub-Mariner #9: First appearance of the Serpent Crown.
• Marvel Super-Heroes #18: debut of the Guardians of the Galaxy

  February

• February 1: The first issue of the underground comix magazine Gothic Blimp Works is published. It will last until 1 September.
• February 24: The first issue of the French comics magazine Pif Gadget is published. It marks the debut of Rahan by Roger Lécureux and André Chéret.
• The Golden Age character Phantom Stranger makes his first Silver Age appearance in Showcase #80.
• Flash Gordon, with issue #12, is picked up by Charlton Comics, taking over from the defunct King Comics.

  March

• March 15: The first episode of Tom Tully and Francisco Solano López's Janus Stark is published.
• The final issue of the Italian comics magazine Killing is published.
• Strange Adventures, with issue #217, becomes a reprint title.
• Renzo Barbieri and Giorgio Cavedon's Jacula makes its debut.

  April

• April 19: Nikola Lekić and Lazo Sredanović 's Dikan makes his debut.
• April 26: The final issue of the British comics magazine Eagle is published.
• April 26: The final episode of Ted Cowan and Reg Bunn's The Spider is published.
• House of Mystery #179, "The Man Who Murdered Himself" was the first professional comic work by artist Bernie Wrightson.

  May

• May 15: The first episode of Jaroslav Němeček' Čtyřlístek is published.
• The first issue of the Dutch underground magazine Aloha is published. It will run until April 1974.
• The first episode of Max Bunker and Roberto Raviola's Alan Ford is published.
• The final issue of the magazine Not Brand Echh is published.

  June

• June 8: Elisa Penna, Guido Martina and Giovan Battista Carpi's introduce Donald Duck's masked crusader alter ego Paperinik in the Italian Disney comics universe.
• June 28: The final episode of Charles Kuhn's Grandma is published.
• In Wonder Woman Volume 1 Mike Sekowsky introduces the character of Drusilla, who is Wonder Woman's younger sister.
• DC Comics raises the price of its typical comic from 12 cents to 15 cents.

  August

• August 8: The first episode of Fujiko F. Fujio's Doraemon is published.
• August 12: The final episode of Alain Saint-Ogan's Zig et Puce is published.
• Marvel Comics follows DC's lead and raises the price of its typical comic from 12 cents to 15 cents.
• The first issue of the Italian comics magazine Re di Picche is published in which Luciano Bottaro's Re di Picche makes his debut.
• In the 4th issue of Zap Comix Robert Crumb's controversial comic strip Joe Blow causes scandal over its tale of incest within the all-American family. The magazine is banned from many stores afterwards.

  September

• September 6: The final issue of the British comics magazine TV Century 21 is published. It merges with Joe 90 on 27 September and will continue in this format until 25 September 1971.
• The first issue of the comics magazine Vampirella is published, introducing Forrest J. Ackerman and Trina Robbins's character Vampirella.
• The first issue of the horror comics magazine Tower of Shadows is published.
• The final issue of Strange Suspense Stories is published.
• The Brave and the Bold #85, Artist Neal Adams updated Green Arrow's visual appearance by designing a new costume for the character in The Brave and the Bold #85.

  October

• October 13: The first episode of the controversial British satirical and erotic comic strip Varoomshka by John Kent is published.
• October 18: The first issue of the British comics magazine Whizzer and Chips is published. In its first issue Mike Lacey's Sid's Snake debuts, which will run until 2000. Another comic strip to make its debut is Terry Bave's Odd Ball.
• October 25: In the second issue of Whizzer and Chips Mike Lacey's Shiner debuts, which will run until 1976.
• The final issue of the first run of Space Family Robinson is published. It will be rebooted in October 1973.
• The Marvel Comics reprint title Marvel Collectors' Item Classics, with issue #23, becomes Marvel's Greatest Comics.
• The first issue of the Italian comics series Vartan by Sandro Angiolini is published.

  November

• Warner Bros.-Seven Arts buys National Comics Publications.

  December

• December 13: The final issue of the British girls' comics magazine Lady Penelope is published.
• December 25: The first episode of Yvan Delporte, André Franquin, Raymond Macherot and Will's Isabelle is published.
• Metal Men, with issue #41, suspends publishing. .

  Specific date unknown

• The first episode of Charles Grigg's Splodge is published.
• Lucho Olivera's Gilgamesh the immortal makes its debut.
• Fat Freddy's Cat makes his debut in Gilbert Shelton's Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers.
• Dino Buzzati's Poem Strip debuts.
• Jo Addams and Luis Roca's Scarth A.D. 2195 debuts as Scarth.
• Edwina Dumm’s Alec the Great comes to an end.
• The final episode of the newspaper comic Little Lulu is published.

  Deaths

January

• January 7: Earl Duvall, American animator and comics artist , dies at age 70.

  February

• February 2: Roger Melliès, French comics artist, dies at age 67.
• February 3: Al Taliaferro, American comics artist, dies at age 63.

  March

• March 20: Henri van de Velde, Dutch painter, illustrator, graphic artist and comics artist, dies at the age of 73.

  April

• April 16: Nils Larsson, Swedish illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 91.

  May

• May 10: George Klein, American comics artist, dies from cirrhosis of the liver at age 53 or 54, six months after getting married.
• May 18: Alfredo Adduard, Chilean comics artist and illustrator, passes away at age 69 or 70.
• May 25: Boy ten Hove / Barend ten Hove, Dutch caricaturist, advertising artist and comics artist, dies at age 60.

  June

• June 24: Frank King, American comics artist, passes away at age 86.

  July

• July 5: Guillermo Divito, Argentine comics artist, illustrator, caricaturist and editor, dies at age 54 in a car crash.
• July 17: Clayton Knight, American comics artist, dies at age 78.
• July 24: Ira Schnapp, Austrian-American graphic designer and comics letterer, dies at age 74.

  August

• August 2: Russell Stamm, American comics artist, dies from a heart attack at age 53.
• August 20: Dudley D. Watkins, British comics artist, dies at age 62.
• August 25: Bjarne Restan, Norwegian illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 70.

  September

• September 1: Alex Blum, Hungarian-American comics artist, dies at age 80.
• September 25: Frans van Lamsweerde, aka Faun, Dutch comics artist, illustrator and animator, dies at age 49.

  October

• October 19: Mario Morelli di Popolo, Italian-Egyptian comics artist, dies at age 67 or 68.

  November

• November 27: Cecilia May Gibbs, Australian children's book illustrator and comics artist, passes away at age 92.

  Specific date unknown

• Ernst Akerbladh, Swedish illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 78 or 79.
• Javier Puerto Bagüeña, Spanish comics artist, dies at an unknown age.
• Dan Gordon, American animator, storyboard artist and comics artist, dies at an unknown age.
• Barye Phillips, American illustrator and comics artist, passes away at age 44 or 45.

  Exhibitions and shows

• May 20-June 15: Corcoran Gallery of Art — White Rain: The Phonus Balonus Show of Some Really Heavy Stuff, curated by Bhob Stewart for museum director Walter Hopps, includes work by R. Crumb, Gilbert Shelton, Vaughn Bodé, Kim Deitch, Jay Lynch and others
• October 28–November 22: Phoenix Gallery — The New Comix, curated by gallery owner Si Lowinsky, featuring the Zap Comix collective ; the gallery was brought up on obscenity charges because of the show

  Conventions

• Comicon '69 — organized by Bram Stokes, Frank Dobson, and Steve Moore; guests include Steve Parkhouse and Barry Smith
• June 7-8: Triple Fan Fair — guests include Edmond Hamilton, Leigh Brackett, Stan Lee, and Al Williamson
• June 20-22: Southwesterncon/Houstoncon
• July 4–6: Comic Art Convention — first official Comic Art Convention, produced by Phil Seuling; guest of honor: Hal Foster; other guests and attendees include Gil Kane, Roy Thomas, Gray Morrow, John Buscema, Al Williamson, Jeff Jones, Don McGregor, Richard Marschall; Al Milgrom, Alan Weiss, Angelo Torres, Archie Goodwin, Arvell Jones, Bill Devine, Bill Pearson, Bob Lewis, Carole Seuling, Dick Giordano, Gary Brown, Gary Groth, Gary Via, Greg Potter, Hal Foster, Irene Vartanoff, Jerry Bails, Joe Sinnott, John Fantucchio, John Verpoorten, Len Wein, Mark Hanerfeld, Martin Greim, Marv Wolfman, Mary Skrenes, Phil Seuling, Rich Buckler, Richard "Grass" Green, Sal Trapini, Tom Fagan, and Woody Gelman; attendees pay $3.50 for a three-day ticket, with daily passes at $1.50. Admittance free with a hotel room rental, which costs $15-and-up per day.
• December 27: Miamicon December 1969

  Awards

[Alley Awards]

• Best Adventure Title — Fantastic Four
• Best Fantasy/SF/Supernatural Title - Doctor Strange
• Best Western Title - Bat Lash
• Best War Title - Star Spangled War Stories
• Best Humor Title - Archie
• Best Romance Title - Young Love
• Best Reprint Title - Marvel Super-Heroes

• Best Editor - Dick Giordano
• Best Writer - Roy Thomas
• Best Pencil Artist - Neal Adams
• Best Inking Artist - Tom Palmer
• Best Cover - Captain America #113, by Jim Steranko
• Best Full-Length Story - "...And Who Shall Mourn for Him?," by Stan Lee, John Buscema & Sal Buscema, The Silver Surfer #5
• Best Feature Story - "At the Stroke of Midnight," by Jim Steranko, Tower of Shadows #1
• Hall of Fame - "Deadman", by Neal Adams

• Carmine Infantino, "who exemplifies the spirit of innovation and inventiveness in the field of comic art".
• Joe Kubert, "for the cinematic storytelling techniques and the exciting and dramatic style he has brought to the field of comic art".
• Neal Adams, "for the new perspective and dynamic vibrance he has brought to the field of comic art".

• Best Adventure Hero Strip - The Amazing Spider-Man
• Best Adventure Group Strip - Fantastic Four
• Best Supporting Character - Rick Jones
• Best Villain - Doctor Doom
• Strip Most Needing Improvement - Superman

• Best Adventure or Human Interest Strip - Prince Valiant, by Hal Foster
• Best Humor Strip or Panel - Peanuts, by Charles Schulz
• Hall of Fame - Tarzan, by Burne Hogarth

• Best Limited Reproduction Fanzine - Newfangles by Don & Maggie Thompson
• Best Unlimited Reproduction Fanzine - The Comic Reader
• Best Fan Artist - John Fantucchio
• Best Comic Strip Writer - Mark Hanerfeld
• Best Fan Project - 1969 New York ComiCon

  [National Cartoonist Society]

• Advertising and Illustration Award — Ronald Michaud

  First issues by title

DC Comics

Marvel Comics

Other publishers

Canceled titles

DC Comics

• Bat Lash, with issue #7
• Beware the Creeper, with issue #6
• Secret Six, with issue #7

  Marvel Comics

• Not Brand Echh, with issue #13
• Doctor Strange, with issue #183

  Other publishers

• T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, with issue #20

  Initial appearance by character name

DC Comics

• Abel, in DC Special #4
• Jason Bard, in Detective Comics #392
• Black Canary , in Justice League of America #75 — ret-con
• Mindgrabber Kid, in Justice League of America #70
• Nightmaster, in Showcase #82
• Superman , in Justice League of America #73
• Tala, in Phantom Stranger #4
• Tim Trench, in Wonder Woman #179
• Bork in Brave and the Bold'' #81

  Marvel Comics

• Controller, in Iron Man vol. 1, #12
• Digger, in Tower of Shadows #1
• Falcon, in Captain America #117
• Father Set, in Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner #9
• Vanessa Fisk, in The Amazing Spider-Man #70
• Frankenstein's Monster, Silver Surfer #7
• Galaxy Master, in The Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #111
• Glob, in The Incredible Hulk vol. 2, #121
• Grandmaster, in The Avengers #69
• Guardians of the Galaxy, by Marvel Super-Heroes #18
• Havok, in Uncanny X-Men #54
• Hyperion, in The Avengers #69
• Larry Trask, in Uncanny X-Men #57
• Living Monolith, in Uncanny X-Men #54
• Machinesmith , in Daredevil #49
• Man Mountain Marko, in The Amazing Spider-Man #73
• Man-Ape, in The Avengers #62
• Midas, in Iron Man #17
• Naga, in Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner #9
• Nighthawk , in The Avengers #69
• Prowler, in The Amazing Spider-Man #78
• Sauron, in Uncanny X-Men vol. 1, #60
• Savage Land Mutates
• * Amphibius, in Uncanny X-Men vol. 1, #62
• * Barbarus, in Uncanny X-Men vol. 1, #62
• * Brainchild, in Uncanny X-Men vol. 1, #62
• * Gaza, in Uncanny X-Men vol. 1, #62
• * Lorelei, in Uncanny X-Men vol. 1, #63
• * Lupo, in Uncanny X-Men vol. 1, #62
• * Piper, in Uncanny X-Men vol. 1, #62
• Silvermane, in The Amazing Spider-Man #73
• Doctor Spectrum, in The Avengers #69
• Stingray, in Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner #19
• Super-Patriot, in Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #13
• Titanium Man, in Tales of Suspense #69
• Undying Ones, in Doctor Strange vol. 1, #183
• Viper, in Captain America #110
• Whizzer II , in The Avengers #69