1998 in comics

Events and publications

February

• Superman Red/Superman Blue begins.
• Ghost Rider, vol. 3., 1990 series, cancelled by Marvel with issue #93

  March

• begins.

  May

• The first episode of Daniel Clowes' David Boring is prepublished in Eightball.
• Marvel Comics' Identity Crisis begins.
• Batman: Cataclysm concludes.

  Spring

• Gay Comix, with issue #25, publishes its final issue

  June

• Emerald Knights begins.
• Identity Crisis concludes.
• Superman Red/Superman Blue concludes.

  August

• August 24: The Dutch comics magazine Sjosji changes its name again into Sjosji Striparazzi.It will continue until 1999, after which it changes its name into Striparazzi.

  September

• September 9: Through a long trial Albert Uderzo wins the profits and rights to all his Asterix-related merchandise and albums from previous publisher Dargaud.

  October

• October 10-11: During the Stripdagen in Breda Joost Swarte receives the Stripschapprijs. Publisher Hansje Joustra wins the P. Hans Frankfurtherprijs.
• Toy Biz buys Marvel Comics
• The "Emerald Knights" storyline concludes
• The Gathering of Five, taking place over Spider-Man's four main ongoing series
• Daredevil vol. 1, 1964 series, is canceled by Marvel with issue #380
• Excalibur is canceled by Marvel with issue #125
• The Sensational Spider-Man is canceled by Marvel with issue #33

  November

• DC One Million takes place.
• The Final Chapter begins and concludes, taking place over Spider-Man's three main ongoing series
• The imprint Marvel Knights debuts with three new titles:
• * Daredevil vol. 2 — the "Guardian Devil" storyline begins
• * Black Panther vol. 3
• * Inhumans vol. 2
• Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man is canceled by Marvel with issue #263.
• Silver Surfer vol. 2 is canceled by Marvel with issue #146.
• What If vol. 2 is canceled by Marvel with issue #114.
• November 18: The first page of Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik's Penny Arcade is uploaded to the Internet.

  December

• The Hunt for Xavier begins.
• The Amazing Spider-Man and are both restarted with new #1 issues.

  Specific date unknown

• Jim Lee announced that DC Comics would take over WildStorm Productions.
• MU Press publishes Those Annoying Post Bros. #63, the final issue of that title.

  Deaths

January

• January 7: Eli Bauer, American comics artist and animator, dies at age 69.
• January 11: Win Mortimer, American comics artist, dies at age 78.
• January 28: Shotaro Ishinomori, Japanese manga artist, dies at age 60 of heart failure.

  February

• February 8: John Miles, British cartoonist and comics artist, passes away at age 63.
• February 14: Thomas McKimson, American comics artist and animator, dies at age 90.
• February 16: Gervy, French comics artist, passes away at age 89.
• February 28: Antonio Prohías, Cuban-American comics artist, dies at age 77.

  March

• March 1: Archie Goodwin, American comics writer, dies at age 60.
• March 3: Olaf Stoop, Dutch activist and underground comics artist, dies at the age of 52 from a heart attack.
• March 23: John Sikela, Slovakian-American comics artist, dies at age 90 or 91.

  April

• April 7: Alex Schomburg, Puerto Rican-American comics artist, dies at age 92.
• April 8: Lee Elias, British-American comics artist, dies at age 77.
• April 17: E.E. Hibbard, American painter and comics artist, dies at age 89.
• April 26: Bill Crooks, American comics artist, dies at age 80.

  June

• June 13: Reg Smythe, British comics artist, dies at age 80.

  July

• July 16: Tony Sgroi, American animator and comics artist, dies at age 73.

  August

• August 1:
• * René Bonnet, French comics artist, dies at age 92.
• * Florenci Clavé, Spanish comics artist, dies at age 62.
• August 20: Robert Rigot, French illustrator, caricaturist and comics artist, dies at age 89.

  September

• September 1: Francisco Coching, Filipino comics artist, dies at age 86.
• September 3: Vincent Alascia, American comics artist, dies at age 84.

  October

• October 28: Les Carroll, American comics artist, dies at age 86.

  November

• November 2: Enric Sió, Spanish comics artist, dies from a stroke at age 56.
• November 3: Bob Kane, American comics artist, dies at age 83.
• November 17: Bill Ward, American comics artist, dies at age 79.
• November 24: Jacques Eggermont, Belgian comics artist and animator, passes away at age 80.

  December

• December 10: Ray Goossens, Belgian comics artist and animator, dies at age 74.
• December 21: André LeBlanc, Haitian-American-Brazilian comics artist, dies at age 77.
• December 23: Joe Orlando, American comics artist, dies at age 71.
• December 29: Jean-Claude Forest, French comics artist, dies at age 68.
• December 31: Sándor Gugi, Hungarian comics artist, dies at age 81.
• Specific date unknown: Reginald Ben Davies, British illustrator and comics artist, passes away at age 90 or 91.

  Specific date unknown

• Kim Young-hwan, aka Gita Koji, Korean comics artist, passes away at age 85 or 86.

  Conventions

• January 22–25: Angoulême International Comics Festival
• February 21–22: Alternative Press Expo
• March 13–15: MegaCon — guests include Stephen Furst and Robin Downs of Babylon 5
• March 21–22: United Kingdom Comic Art Convention — guests include Joe Sacco, Alex Ross, Eddie Campbell, Colleen Doran, Woodrow Phoenix, William Messner-Loebs, Alan Grant, and Dave Taylor ; presentation of the National Comics Awards; final iteration of the UKCAC
• April 17–19: WonderCon
• April 25–26: Pittsburgh Comicon — guests include Kevin Smith and Jim Mahfood
• May 15–17: Motor City Comic Con I
• May 16: Ramapo Comic Con XII — guests include Barry Blair, Howard Cruse, Evan Dorkin, Sarah Dyer, Dave Cockrum, Joe Quesada, Jimmy Palmiotti, Fred Hembeck, and Amanda Conner
• Summer: "The Death of CAPTION"
• June 3–5: Heroes Convention — guests include "Trilogy Tour" II members Jeff Smith, Charles Vess, Linda Medley, Mark Crilley, Jill Thompson, and Stan Sakai
• June 26–28: Fan Expo Canada — 6,778 attendees; guests include Joe Quesada, Greg Capullo, Joseph Michael Linsner, Jimmy Palmiotti, Humberto Ramos, Christina Z, Amanda Conner, Chester Brown, Joe Matt, and Seth
• July 17–19: Wizard World Chicago — 25,000 attendees; guest of honor: Todd McFarlane; special guests: David Prowse and Kenny Baker; other guests include "Trilogy Tour" II members Jeff Smith, Charles Vess, Linda Medley, Mark Crilley, Jill Thompson, and Stan Sakai
• July 17–18: Zinefest
• Aug. 11–12: Pro/Con — 6th Pro/Con moves from Oakland to San Diego; held right before Comic-Con International
• August 13–17: Comic-Con International — 42,000 attendees. Special guests include John Broome, Eddie Campbell, Nick Cardy, Mark Crilley, Colleen Doran, Lorenzo Mattotti, Terry Moore, Paul S. Newman, James Robinson, Joe Simon, Paul Smith, Vin Sullivan, Naoko Takeuchi, Chris Ware, and Robert Williams
• September 3–6: Dragon Con — 18,000 attendees
• September 11–12: Big Apple Comic Con I
• September 26–27: Small Press Expo
• October 9–10: Festival of Cartoon Art — 6th edition
• October 10: Big Apple Comic Con II
• October 10–11: Motor City Comic Con II
• October 17–18: SuperCon III
• November 13–15: The Graphic Novel: a 20th Anniversary Conference on an Emerging Literary and Artistic Medium — program book features a brief essay by Will Eisner, "Twentieth Anniversary Reflections on A Contract with God"
• November 13–14: Big Apple Comic Con III
• November 28–29: Mid-Ohio Con — guests include "Trilogy Tour" II members Jeff Smith, Charles Vess, Linda Medley, Mark Crilley, Jill Thompson, and Stan Sakai

  First issues by title