1988 in comics

Events and publications

February

• February 19: The Dutch comics magazine Eppo Wordt Vervolgd changes its name again into Sjors en Sjimmie Weekblad, based on the popularity of their signature series Sjors en Sjimmie. It will continue until 1994, after which it becomes Sjosji. In the first issue Hanco Kolk and Peter de Wit's photo comic Mannetje en Mannetje makes its debut.

  March

• March 14: Time features cover and interior art for Superman's 50th anniversary by John Byrne and Jerry Ordway
• , by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland, published by DC Comics.

  April

• April 7: Morris receives a medal by the World Health Organization for making Lucky Luke a non-smoker after so many decades.
• 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
• 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.

  May

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

  June

• The Evolutionary War crossover event in Marvel Comics

  July

• July 1–3: The first annual Harvey Awards are organized and presented at the Chicago Comicon.
• Tales of the Teen Titans is canceled by DC with issue #91.

  August

• August 26: Belgian comics character Jommeke receives his first statue. It is revealed in front of the library of Beveren, but will unfortunately be destroyed by vandals a few years later.

  October

• October 16: The final episode of Lee Holley's comic strip Ponytail is published.
• "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

• November 4-5-6: During the Stripdagen in Den Haag Toon van Driel wins the Stripschapprijs. Wilbert Plijnaar, Jan van Die and Robert van der Kroft win the Jaarprijs voor Bijzondere Verdiensten.
• 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, 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

• December 27: The gag comic Schanulleke, a spin-off of Suske en Wiske, is launched in Okki by Willy Vandersteen, though written by Patty Klein and drawn by Eric De Rop.
• Aristocratic Xtraterrestrial Time-Traveling Thieves is cancelled 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, an out-of-continuity mini-series by Stan Lee and Moebius, published by Marvel.
• The Warlord is canceled by DC Comics with issue #133.
• "Semper Fi'" #1 published by Marvel Comics

  Specific date unknown

• 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: , by Bill Mantlo and Larry Stroman, published by Marvel.

  Deaths

January

• January 4: Henfil, Brazilian comics artist, dies at age 43 from AIDS.
• January 30: Homer Brightman, American animation screenwriter and comics writer, passes away at age 86.

  February

• February 11: Lino Landolfi, Italian comics artist, dies at age 62.
• February 25: Dori Seda, American underground comics artist, dies of respiratory failure at age 37.
• February 4: Frank Giacoia, American comics artist, dies at age 63.
• February 13: Ron Embleton, British comics artist dies of a heart attack at age 57.

  March

• March 2:
• * Enrodi István, Hungarian designer and comics artist, dies at age 67.
• * Leslie Turner, American comics artist, dies at age 88.
• March 6: Jack Binder, American comics artist, dies at age 86.
• March 8: Jan Kraan, Dutch illustrator, animator and comics artist, dies at age 87.
• March 26: Rit-Ola, Swedish comics artist, dies at age 82.
• March 31: Georges Lévis, French comics artist, passes away at age 63.

  April

• April 3: Milton Caniff, American comics artist, dies at age 81 from lung cancer.
• April 8: Clem Gretter, American comics artist, dies at age 83.
• April 16: Siauw Tik Kwie, Indonesian comics artist , dies at age 74.

  May

• May 17: Al Wiseman, long-time artist for the Dennis the Menace comic books, dies at age 69.

  June

• June 6: Willi Kohlhoff, German illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 82.
• June 7: Octave Joly, Belgian comics writer, passes away at age 78.
• June 16: Andrea Pazienza, Italian comics artist, dies at age 32 from a heroin overdose.
• June 25: Evert Werkman, Dutch journalist, poet, columnist and comics writer, dies at age 73.

  July

• Specific date unknown: Julius Stafford Baker II, British comics artist, passes away at age 84.

  August

• August 7: Wilfred Jackson, American animator, dies at age 82.

  September

• September 6: Roger Bussemey, French comics artist , dies at age 67.
• September 11: Roger Hargreaves, British illustrator and comics writer/artist, dies at age 53 from a stroke.
• September 12: Mars Ravelo, Filipino comics artist, dies at age 71.
• September 25: Barrie Phillip Nichol, American novelist, poet and comics artist, dies at age 43.
• September 27: Paul Reinman, American comics artist and inker for Jack Kirby, dies at age 78.
• September 28: Charles Addams, American cartoonist and comics artist, passes away from a heart attack at age 76.

  October

• October 25: Eric Larson, American animator, dies at age 83.

  November

• November 7: Bill Hoest, American comics artist, dies at age 62 from cancer.

  December

• December 3: Jean David, French illustrator, cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 82 or 83.
• December 11: Frank S. Pepper, British comics writer, dies at age 78.
• December 12: Tarpé Mills, American comics artist, dies at age 73.
• December 17: Alberto Solsona, dies at age 41.
• December 19: Robert Bernstein aka R. Berns, American comics writer, playwright and concert impresario, dies from heart failure at age 69.
• December 26: Herluf Bidstrup, Danish comics artist and cartoonist, dies at age 76.

  Specific date unknown

• Dan Gormley, American comics artist, dies at age 69 or 70.

  Exhibitions and shows

• June 27–August 10: Galería Esquina de la Libertad — "Spain: a View from the Bottom: Posters, Comic Strips, Caricatures and More."

  Conventions

• January 29–31: Angoulême International Comics Festival — 15th annual festival
• April 23–24: Wonderful World of Comics Convention — 2nd iteration of what eventually becomes known as WonderCon
• Summer: Dragon Con — 1,700 attendees
• Summer: FantaCon — horror/comics show returns after a four-year hiatus
• June: Heroes Convention
• June 16–19: International Superman Expo — 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 — 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 — guests include Sergio Aragonés, Kim DeMulder, Mike Leeke, and William Messner-Loebs
• June 25–26: Creation Con I
• July 1–3: Chicago Comicon — 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 — guests include Harvey Kurtzman, Burne Hogarth, and Gil Kane
• July 22–24: Memphis Fantasy Convention V — guests include Michael Kaluta, Joe Staton, and John Ostrander
• August 4–7: San Diego Comic-Con — 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 — guests include Alan Dean Foster, Fred Saberhagen, Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Gary Gygax, and Larry Elmore
• September 24: UKCAK88 — presentation of the Eagle Awards
• November 25–27: Creation Con II
• November 25–27: Dallas Fantasy Fair II

  Awards

Eisner Awards

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

  First issues by title

DC Comics

Limited series

Kodansha

Marvel

Limited series

Independent titles

• AARGH
• Aquablue
• Brought to Light
• Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future
• Crisis
• Deadline
• Dinosaurs for Hire
• The Forever War
• Fright Night
• Maze Agency
• The Real Ghostbusters
• Shaloman
• Taboo
• Terminator
• The Tick
• The True North

  Limited series

• Crossroads
• Godzilla — American adaptation of the manga adaptation of the Japanese film Gojira 1984
• Kings in Disguise

  Initial appearance by character name

DC Comics

• Black Orchid in Black Orchid #01
• Deacon Blackfire in ' #01
• Phantasm in New Teen Titans Annual #03
• G'nort in Justice League International #10
• Gloss in Millennium #02
• Godiva in The New Teen Titans Annual #03
• Grandmaster in Millennium #01
• KGBeast in Batman #417
• L-Ron in Justice League International #14
• Legs in Detective Comics #587
• Major Force in Captain Atom #12
• Ratcatcher in Detective Comics #585
• Shrapnel in Doom Patrol #07
• Cornelius Stirk in Detective Comics #592
• Supergirl in Superman #16
• Arnold Wesker in Detective Comics #583
• The Weird in The Weird #01
• Jewelee in Secret Origins #28
• Tora Olafsdotter in Justice League International #12
• V in V for Vendetta #01
• Dawn Granger in Hawk and Dove #01
• William Payton in Starman #01
• Papa Midnite in Hellblazer #01
• Eddie Lawton in Deadshot #02
• Reactron in Doom Patrol #10
• Queen Bee in Justice League International #16
• Zed in Hellblazer #04
• Dorothy Spinner in Doom Patrol #14
• Punch in Secret Origins #28
• Jet ' in Millennium'' #02

  Marvel Comics

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

  Independent titles

• Luke Kirby in 2000 AD #571
• Piccolo in Weekly Shōnen Jump #167
• Rat King in Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4
• Shaloman in Shaloman #1
• Son Gohan in Dragon Ball chapter #196
• Tick in The Tick #1
• Vegeta in Weekly Shōnen Jump #204