1983 in comics

Events and publications

• Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird found Northampton, Massachusetts-based Mirage Studios.
• Chicago-based First Comics makes a strong entry into the publishing field, putting out four ongoing titles, American Flagg!, E-Man, Jon Sable Freelance, and Warp!; featuring the talents of such established creators as Howard Chaykin, Mike Grell, Frank Brunner, and Joe Staton.
• DC Comics acquires most of Charlton Comics' "Action Hero" superhero characters — including Blue Beetle, Captain Atom and The Question — from the failing publisher.
• Long-time comics publisher Warren Publishing declares bankruptcy.
• Publicly traded Archie Comics acquired by Richard Goldwater and Michael Silberkleit, returning the publisher to private ownership.
• Noble Comics, original publisher of Justice Machine, ceases publication. Texas Comics picks up the title, publishing the Justice Machine Annual, featuring the first appearance of Bill Willingham's Elementals, as well as a crossover between the Justice Machine and the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents. After Texas folds later the same year, takes over both Justice Machine and Elementals.

  January

• January 14: The first episode of Gilles de Geus by Hanco Kolk and Peter de Wit is published in Eppo.

  February

• Wonder Woman #300: Special anniversary issue written by Roy Thomas, Danette Thomas, and Dan Mishkin.
• Bizarre Adventures publishes its final issue, #34.
• The Buyer's Guide to Comics Fandom is acquired by Krause Publications and changes its name to Comics Buyer's Guide.

  March

• March 3: Philippe Geluck's Le Chat makes its debut. It will run for exactly 30 years.
• March 16: Queen Fabiola of Belgium pays an official visit to Willy Vandersteen's studio.
• David Anthony Kraft publishes the first issue of his long-running magazine Comics Interview.
• Archie Comics revives its Red Circle Comics superhero imprint with Mighty Crusaders #1.
• Billy the Kid, with issue #153, canceled by Charlton.

  April

• The Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 2 #298 features an insert previewing the upcoming Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld series by writers Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn and artist Ernie Colón.
• Crazy Magazine, with issue #94, canceled by Marvel.

  May

• Jason Todd makes his debut as the second Robin in Detective Comics #526.

  June

• June 25: Jack Edward Oliver's Cliff Hanger debuts in Buster.
• Action Comics #544: 68-page anniversary issue; origins of revamped Lex Luthor and Brainiac.
• Adventure Comics #500: 148-page giant, reprints of "Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes" from issues #305–313, mostly written by Edmond Hamilton.
• Legion of Super-Heroes #300: 68-page anniversary issue; the cover features the Legionnaires drawn by over twenty separate artists.
• With issue #124, DC publishes the final issue of its supernatural war comic Weird War Tales.
• Master of Kung Fu, with issue #125, is cancelled by Marvel.
• Marvel Two-in-One, with issue #100, is cancelled by Marvel.

  July

• July 13: The first episode of the Lucky Luke story Fingers is prepublished in the magazine VSD, which marks the first time Luke is drawn with a straw, rather than a cigarette.
• First issue of Frank Miller's Ronin limited series published by DC Comics.
• With issue #200, DC publishes the final issue of The Brave and the Bold, which also features a preview insert for the new title Batman and the Outsiders.

  August

• Alan Moore's "The Bojeffries Saga" starts with "The Rentman Cometh," in Warrior #12, published by Quality Communications.
• Harris Publications acquired bankrupt publisher Warren Publishing's company assets at auction.

  September

• September 29: The first episode of Raoul Cauvin and Marc Hardy's Pierre Tombal is published in Spirou.
• With issue #503, DC ceases publishing Adventure Comics, which had been running continuously since November 1938.

  October

• House of Mystery, with issue #321, canceled by DC.
• The Comet — #1 of a planned six-issue limited series, published by Red Circle Comics.
• The Black Hood, with issue #3, is cancelled by Red Circle.

  November

• Walt Simonson makes his debut as writer/artist on Thor with issue #337 and introduces the character Beta Ray Bill.
• The Daredevils, with issue #11, is merged with The Mighty World of Marvel.

  December

• First issue of Marvel's Magik , written by Chris Claremont.
• Lancelot Strong: The Shield, with issue #3, is re-titled Shield—Steel Sterling.
• The Comet, a planned six-issue limited series, is cancelled with issue #2 by Red Circle Comics.

  Specific date unknown

• Peter van Straaten wins the Stripschapprijs. The Jaarprijs voor Bijzondere Verdiensten is given to Maarten de Meulder, the editorial board of Donald Duck and Betty Sluyzer, Cees Taheij and Fred Marschall for their book Stripwerk.
• The official Rupert the Bear fanclub, The Followers of Rupert, is founded.

  Deaths

January

• January 9: Merrill Blosser, American comics artist, dies at age 90.
• January 17: Doodles Weaver, American actor, comedian, musician and comics writer, commits suicide at age 71.
• January 19: Willy Kuyper, Dutch comics artist and illustrator, passes away at age 54.
• January 28: Frank Chiaramonte, Cuban-American comics artist and inker, dies at age 40.

  February

• February 10: Wally Robertson, Scottish comics artist, dies at age 80.
• February 24: Roy Krenkel, American illustrator and comics artist, passes away at age 64.

  March

• March 1: Val Heinz, American comics artist, dies at age 75.
• March 3: Hergé, Belgian comics artist, dies at age 75.
• March 5: Ruggero Giovannini, Italian comics artist, dies at age 60.
• March 19: Harry Nielsen, Danish comics artist, dies at age 87.
• March 23: Wolfgang Hicks, German cartoonist and caricaturist, dies at age 73.

  April

• April 6: Christopher Rule, American comics inker, dies at age 88.

  May

• May 13: Lucie Lundberg, Swedish illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 74.
• May 25: Cy Hungerford, American comics artist, dies at age 92 or 93.
• Specific date in May unknown: Kho Wang Gie, Indonesian comics artist, dies at age 74 or 75.

  June

• June 8: Jacques Van Melkebeke, Belgian comics artist, comics writer, journalist, painter, art critic and first chief editor of Tintin magazine, passes away at age 78.
• June 25: Celmar Poumé, Uruguayan comics artist and sports journalist, dies at age 59.

  July

• July: Jack Greenall, British comics artist, dies at the age of 78.
• July 18: George Lichty, American comics artist, dies of a heart attack at age 78.
• July 22: Jack Rickard, American illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 61.
• July 31: Mark Lasky, American comics artist, dies from cancer at the age of 29.

  August

• August 15: Al Kilgore, American comics artist, dies at age 55 from an embolism.
• August 29: Rory Hayes, American underground cartoonist, dies in his sleep from a drug overdose at age 34.

  September

• September 5: Lloyd Piper, Australian comics artist, dies at age 59.
• September 14: Laure Hovine, Belgian comics writer, dies at age 87.

  October

• October 4: Dino Battaglia, Italian comics artist, dies age 60.
• October 23: Helge Hall Jensen, Danish comics artist, passes away at age 76.

  November

• November 5: Jean-Marc Reiser, French cartoonist, dies of bone cancer at age 42.
• November 7: Hanns Erich Köhler, aka Erik, German caricaturist, illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 78.
• November 18: Loÿs Pétillot, French illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 72.

  Specific date unknown

• Gustav Bergström, Swedish comics artist, dies at age 83 or 84.
• Hector Brault, aka Tom Lucas, Canadian comics artist, dies at age 75.
• Fred Julsing Sr., Dutch comics artist, dies at age 74 or 75.
• Shigeo Mayo, Japanese woodblock artist and caricaturist, dies at age 81.
• Nora Schnitzler, Dutch comics artist, painter and illustrator , dies at age 81 or 82.

  Exhibitions and shows

• July 19–August 26: The Comic Art Show: Cartoons and Paintings from Winsor McCay and Stuart Davis through R. Crumb and Keith Haring — curated by John Carlin and Sheena Wagstaff; artists include Alfred Jarry, Stuart Davis, Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, Lyonel Feininger, and Art Spiegelman

  Conventions

• January 28–30: Angoulême International Comics Festival — 10th annual festival
• Summer: FantaCon — show returns after a one-year hiatus; guests include James Doohan
• June: Heroes Convention
• June 25–26: Colorado Comic Art Convention — official guests include Phil Normand, Marshall Rogers, Larry Mahlstedt, Ron Wilson, Gil Kane, and Edward Bryant
• July 2–4: Comic Art Convention — final iteration of this long-running show; guests include Philip José Farmer; presentation of the Saturn Awards
• July 22–24: Chicago Comicon
• July 29–31: Comix Fair 83 — first annual show; guests include Terrance Dicks, Bill Mumy, Jim Shooter, Steve Englehart, Chris Claremont, Paul Smith, Kerry Gammill, Ernie Chan, Josef Rubinstein, Sam De La Rosa, Dick Giordano, Sal Amendola, Marv Wolfman, Len Wein, Mike W. Barr, P. Craig Russell, Rick Obadiah, Mike Grell, Mark Wheatley & Marc Hempel, Dave & Deni Sim, Cat Yronwode, Dean Mullaney, Max Allan Collins, Terry Beatty, John Carbonaro, Jaxon, Jeff Millar & Bill Hinds, and Jerry Bittle
• August 4–7: San Diego Comic-Con — 5,000 attendees; official guests: Douglas Adams, Bob Clampett, Floyd Gottfredson, Harvey Kurtzman, Norman Maurer, Grim Natwick, George Pérez, Trina Robbins
• August 5–7: Atlanta Fantasy Fair — guests include Chuck Jones, Theodore Sturgeon, Chris Claremont, Wendy & Richard Pini, Forrest Ackerman, Mike Grell, Ted White, and Bob MacLeod; admission to the show: $19 at the door
• September: OrlandoCon — guests include Harvey Kurtzman, Wayne Boring, Will Eisner, C. C. Beck, Joe Kubert, Don Wright, Ralph Kent, Morris Weiss, Dik Browne, and Dean Young
• October 15: London Comic Mart — presentation of the Eagle Awards by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
• November: Mid-Ohio Con — guests include David Prowse
• November 25–27: Fantasy Festival — guests include Roger Zelazny, Alan Dean Foster, George R.R. Martin, and Howard Waldrop

  Awards

• Ronald Michaud receives the Advertising and Illustration Award from the National Cartoonist Society.

  [Eagle Awards]

• Best Story: V for Vendetta, by Alan Moore and David Lloyd
• Best Graphic Novel: Nemesis the Warlock, by Bryan Talbot
• Favourite Group Book: The New Teen Titans
• Favourite Group or Team: The X-Men
• Favourite Character: Torquemada, from Nemesis the Warlock, by Brian Talbot
• Favourite Comics Writer: Alan Moore, "V for Vendetta", Warrior
• Favourite Artist: Bill Sienkiewicz
• Favourite Inker: Terry Austin
• Favourite Single or Continued Story : "Marvelman", in Warrior #1–3 & 5–6, by Alan Moore and Garry Leach
• Best UK Title: Warrior, edited by Dez Skinn
• Best New Title : The Daredevils, edited by Bernie Jaye
• Favourite Artist : Alan Davis
• Roll of Honour: Will Eisner

  First issues by title

Archie Comics

DC Comics

First Comics

Marvel Comics

Independent titles

Initial appearances by character name

DC Comics

• Amazing-Man, in All-Star Squadron #23
• Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld, in Legion of Super-Heroes #298
• Cheshire, in New Teen Titans Annual #02
• Doc I in Omega Men #03
• Felicity in Omega Men #04
• Hippolyta Trevor, in Wonder Woman #300
• Green Man, in Green Lantern #164
• Atom Smasher in All-Star Squadron #25
• Hector Hall in All-Star Squadron #25
• Jade in All-Star Squadron #25
• Obsidian in All-Star Squadron #25
• Killer Croc in Detective Comics #523
• Lobo, in Omega Men #03
• Geo-Force in Brave and the Bold #200
• Halo in Brave and the Bold #200
• Katana in Brave and the Bold #200
• Nightslayer , in Detective Comics #529
• Nocturna, in Detective Comics #529
• Shlagen in Omega Men #3
• Thunder and Lightning, in New Teen Titans #32
• Vigilante , in New Teen Titans Annual #2
• Harbinger, in New Teen Titans Annual #2
• Adeline Wilson in New Teen Titans #34
• Reactron in Supergirl #08
• Northwind in All-Star Squadron #25
• Jason Todd in Batman #357
• Tokamak in Firestorm #15
• Deathbolt in All-Star Squadron #21
• Little Cheese in Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew #12
• Alexander Luthor Jr. in Action Comics #544
• Henry King, Jr. in All-Star Squadron #24
• Comet Queen in Legion of Super-Heroes #304
• Trident in New Teen Titans #33
• Atomic Knight in DC Comics Presents #57
• Sunburst in Superboy #45
• Crescent Moon in World's Finest #295
• Protector in New Teen Titans Drug Awareness Special
• New Moon in World's Finest #295

  Marvel Comics

• Beta Ray Bill, in Thor #337
• Box, in Alpha Flight #1
• Cypher, in New Mutants #13
• Diamond Lil, in Alpha Flight #1
• Hobgoblin, in The Amazing Spider-Man #238
• Lord Dark Wind, in Daredevil #196
• Magma, in New Mutants #8
• Meggan, in The Mighty World of Marvel #7, published by Marvel UK
• Morlocks, in Uncanny X-Men #169
• * Callisto
• * Masque
• * Sunder
• Yuriko Oyama, in Daredevil #197
• Madelyne Pryor, in Uncanny X-Men #168
• Puck, in Alpha Flight #1
• Selene, in New Mutants #9
• Marrina Smallwood, in Alpha Flight #1
• Talisman, in Alpha Flight #5
• Kate Waynesboro, in The Incredible Hulk #287
• White Rabbit, in Marvel Team-Up #131
• Wild Child, in Alpha Flight #1

  Independent titles

• Big Ben, in Warrior #9
• Dragonfly, in Americomics #4
• Grimjack, in Starslayer #10
• Stardust, in Bill Black's Fun Comics #4
• Miyamoto Usagi, in Albedo Anthropomorphics #2