2004 in comics

Events

• The Canadian publisher Arcana Studio is founded.

  February

• February 6: Marvel Enterprises and Electronic Arts announce a multi-year agreement in which EA will develop a new generation of fighting video games pitting Marvel superheroes against a new, original set of EA heroes.
• February 20: Erik Larsen becomes the new publisher of Image Comics, replacing Jim Valentino, who stepped down.

  March

• March 10: After 27 years of continuous publication Dave Sim's Cerebus the Aardvark ends 300-issue run.

  April

• April 21: Top Cow Productions launches its new property, Proximity Effect, with the first of two free online issues ; the second issue was to premiere on May 26. A 96-page trade paperback collecting the series, with additional anthology stories and a new cover by Marc Silvestri, would be [|released June 30].
• April 21: In Groningen, the Netherlands, the Dutch Comics Museum opens its doors. It will exist until 2019.
• April 24: Nat Gertler and About Comics organize the first annual 24 Hour Comics Day, after a 1990 initiative by Scott McCloud. On this day, comics creators around the world are invited to spend the day making a 24-hour comic. Many comic book stores support this event by setting up space for participating artists to work on their comic. It attracts many writers and artists, working both in print and web media.
• April 26: Cartoonist Jim Scancarelli has the character Phyllis Wallet, wife of Walt, pass away in Gasoline Alley.

  May

• May 9: Sam Linthout, son of Belgian cartoonist Willy Linthout, commits suicide at age 21. This will motivate Linthout to draw a graphic novel about his grief: Years of the Elephant.
• May 19: At the instigation of Kees Kousemaker, owner of the Amsterdam comics store Lambiek, the first buildings of the Stripheldenbuurt in the Dutch city Almere are inaugurated. This is a district where all street names are named after famous comics characters and cartoonists.

  June

• With issue #1595, Comics Buyer's Guide changes its format from a weekly tabloid to a monthly squarebound magazine. In addition, in hopes of enhancing newsstand sales, CBG adds a price guide for contemporary comics as well as other new features intended to make the magazine more appealing to those with an avid interest in comic books as an investment.
• June 3: Marvel Comics announces the creation of its first prose imprint Marvel Press. Three novels were scheduled for 2004: the young adult novel Mary Jane II would land on bookstore shelves in June, followed by an adult fantasy Wolverine title in October and a middle grade Spider-Man title in November.
• June 18: CrossGen Entertainment files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy at the US Bankruptcy Court in Tampa, Florida. (
• Daniel Clowes' The Death-Ray is prepublished in Eightball.

  August

• August 22: The first episode of Bunny is posted.
• August 26: Italian journalist and translator of Doonesbury in comics magazine Linus Enzo Baldoni is murdered by terrorists in Iraq.

  September

• September 29: Mark Retera wins the Stripschapprijs. Normally he would be awarded the prize during the Stripdagen in Alphen aan de Rijn a month later, but since he planned a holiday then he is given it during a broadcast of the TV show Vara Laat.

  October

• October 6: Marvel Enterprises announces an agreement with Antefilms Production to produce a new animated television series based on The Fantastic Four.
• 23-24 October: During the Stripdagen in Alphen aan de Rijn Jan Joosse of the organisation Biblion wins the P. Hans Frankfurther Prize. Nico van Dam, Bert Bus en Harry Balm receive the Bulletje en Boonestaakschaal.

  November

• November 30: Artist Michael Ryan signs an exclusive 3-year contract with Marvel Comics.

  December

• December 1: Colorist Frankie D'Armata signs an exclusive 3-year contract with Marvel Comics.
• December 2: Artist Michael Lark and colorist Morry Hollowell sign exclusive contracts with Marvel Comics.
• December 3: Artist Mark Brooks signs a 3-year exclusive contract with Marvel Comics.

  Deaths

January

• January 7: Jerzy Skarzynski, Polish theatre artist and comics artist, dies at age 79.
• January 8: Eddy Ryssack, Belgian comics artist, dies at age 75 from a heart attack.
• January 20: George Woodbridge, American comics artist, dies at age 73 from emphysema.
• January 31: Giorgio Cambiotti, Italian comics artist, passes away at age 72.

  February

• February 1:
• * Josep María Madorell, Spanish comics artist, dies at age 80.
• * James Simpkins, Canadian animator and comics artist, dies at age 93.
• February 3: Fiep Westendorp, Dutch illustrator and comics artist, passes away at age 87.
• February 8: Julius Schwartz, American comics editor dies at age 88.
• February 8: Norman Thelwell, British comics artist, dies at age 80.
• February 16: Bill Oakley, American comics letterer dies at age 39.
• February 24:
• * Rudy Lapick, American comics inker, passes away at age 77.
• * Jean-Marc Lelong, French comics artist, dies at age 55.
• February 25: Albert Chartier, Canadian illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 91.

  March

• March 8: Mario Uggeri, Italian painter, sculptor and comics artist, dies at age 70.
• March 11: Gilles Nicoulaud, French comics artist, dies at age 57 or 58.
• March 30: Doug Tainsh, Australian cartoonist, gag writer, screenwriter and comics artist, dies at age 82.

  April

• April 5: Gébé, French comics artist, passes away from a tumor at age 74.
• April 10: Chester Commodore, American comics artist, passes away at age 89.
• April 11: Irv Novick, American comics artist artist, passes away at age 93.
• April 14: Pepe Huinca, Chilean comics artist, dies at age 61 in a car accident.
• April 15: Mitsuteru Yokoyama, Japanese manga artist, passes away at age 69 in a home fire.

  May

• May 1: Jørgen Mogensen, Danish comics artist, passes away at age 82.
• May 10: Henry Kiefer, American comics artist and illustrator, passes away at age 67.
• May 12: Syd Hoff, American cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 91.
• May 15:
• * Jack Bradbury, American comics artist, passes away at age 89.
• * Gill Fox, American comics artist, passes away at age 88.
• May 16: Remus Dimitrie Sbiera, aka Sool Sbiera, Romanian comics artist, dies at age 67.

  June

• June 6: Kate Worley, American comics writer, dies of cancer at age 46.
• June 7: Karel Biddeloo, Belgian comics artist, passes away from cancer at age 60.
• June 17: Todor Dinov, Bulgarian animator and comics artist, dies at age 84.
• June 24: Heinz Rammelt, German comics artist, passes away at age 92.

  July

• July 2: John Cullen Murphy, American comics artist, dies at age 85.
• July 25: Joe Buresch, American comics artist, dies at age 87.
• July 26: Oğuz Aral, Turkish comics artist, dies at age 68.
• Specific date in July unknown: Mario Capaldi, British comics artist and illustrator, dies at age 69.

  August

• August 2: François Craenhals, Belgian comics artist, passes away at age 77.
• August 11: George Breisacher, American comics artist, dies at age 64.
• August 26: Enzo Baldoni, Italian journalist and translator of Doonesbury in the Italian magazine Linus, is kidnapped and murdered by terrorists in Iraq at age 55.
• August 30: Bart Huges, Dutch activist and comics writer, passes away at age 70.

  September

• September 5: Carlos Leopardi, Argentine comics artist, dies at age 57.

  November

• November 2: Theo van Gogh, Dutch film director and comics writer, is murdered at age 47.
• November 6: Lars Hillersberg, Swedish caricaturist and comics artist, dies at age 67.
• November 12: Harry Hargreaves, British comics artist, illustrator and animator, dies at age 82.
• November 13: Harry Lampert, American comics artist, dies at age 88.
• November 25: Bob Haney, American comics writer, dies at c. age 78.
• November 29: Irwin Donenfeld, American comics executive, dies at age 78.

  December

• December 3: Hans Nordenström, aka Brul, Swedish cartoonist, illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 77.
• December 22: Loek van Delden, Dutch comics artist, passes away at age 86.
• December 22: Ben van Voorn, Dutch comics artist and animator, dies at age 67.
• December 26: Pierre Dupuis, French comics artist, dies at age 75.

  Specific date unknown

• Lucien Meys, Belgian comics artist and comics writer, dies at age 67 or 68.

  Exhibitions

• September 15–December 10: "Gillray's Legacy," curated by Lucy Shelton Caswell

  Conventions

• January 10–11: Florida Extravaganza
• February 21–22: Alternative Press Expo
• February 29: Emerald City ComiCon — guests: Stan Sakai, J.G. Jones, Howard Chaykin, Dave Johnson, Todd Nauck, Jeff Johnson, Tomm Coker, Stefano Gaudiano, Brian Michael Bendis, Phil Noto, Matt Wagner, Ford Gilmore, Bob Schreck, Kurt Busiek, Jay Faerber, Greg Rucka, Darick Robertson, John Layman, David Hahn, Karl Kesel, Paul Guinan, Matt Haley, Steve Lieber, Dan Norton, Jason Pearson, and Michael T. Gilbert
• February 29: Toronto ComiCON I
• March 5–7: MegaCon — guests include Kaare Andrews, Brian Michael Bendis, John Cassaday, Amanda Conner, Phil Jimenez, Andy Lee, Tony Lorenz, David W. Mack, James O'Barr, Jimmy Palmiotti, Walter Simonson, Craig Thompson, Skottie Young, Luis Amado, Tony Bedard, Jose Caraballo, Patrick Carlucci, Jim Cheung, Laura DePuy, Chuck Dixon, Steve Epting, Glenda Finkelstein, Jeff Johnson, Greg Land, Ron Marz, Stanley Morrison, Mike Perkins, Brandon Peterson, Justin Ponsor, Ariel Rivero, Tone Rodriguez, Steven Sanchez, Bart Sears, Josh Sullivan, Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes, Allison Mack, Walter Koenig, Ken Foree, Brad Dourif, Noah Hathaway, Herbert Jefferson, Jr., Brian Thompson, Glenn Shadix, Marc Singer, Angela Cartwright, Bill Mumy, Virginia Hey, and Sid Haig
• March 6–7: London Film and Comic Con I — inaugural event
• March 13–14: Chicago ComicFest
• March 19–21: Wizard World Los Angeles — inaugural event; 19,000 attendees; guest of honor Kevin Smith; other guests include Eric Basaldua, Brian Michael Bendis, Alex Ross, Avi Arad, Selma Blair, Guillermo Del Toro, James Franco, Gale Anne Hurd, Thomas Jane, Stan Lee, Kevin Nash, Ron Perlman, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, and Marc Silvestri
• April: Phoenix Comicon
• April 1–3: National Comic Book, Art, and Sci-Fi Expo I — guest of honor Jerry Robinson; other guests include Sergio Aragonés, Jim Lee, Mark Bagley, Bill Sienkiewicz, Roy Thomas, Alex Maleev, and Kevin Eastman
• April 3: Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo — special guests: Dave Sim and Gerhard. Sim awarded the SPACE Lifetime Achievement Award
• April 16–18: Atlanta Comicon — 2,000–6,000 attendees
• April 30–May 2: Pittsburgh Comicon — guests include Jim Rugg, George A. Romero, Lani Tupu, and Virginia Hey
• May 2: Toronto ComiCON Fan Appreciation Event
• May 1–2: WonderCon
• May 14–16: Motor City Comic Con I — 15th anniversary show; guests include Julie Benz, Erin Gray, Kate Jackson, Ron Perlman, and Alfonso Ribeiro.
• May 15: East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention — presentation of the ECBACC Pioneer Lifetime Achievement Award
• May 21–23: Wizard World East
• May 23–24: Comic Festival — guests include Gary Spencer Millidge, Bob Finch, Norman Lovett, John McCrea, Duncan Fegredo, David Roach, Rob Williams, Jon Foster, and Gary Erskine
• June 5–6: Adventure Con 3 — 3,000 attendees
• June 6: Stumptown Comics Fest — first inaugural event, hosted by the Old Church, a non-profit organization whose goal was to preserve an old church. 22 exhibitor tables, 150 attendees
• June 11–13: Heroes Convention — guests include Jim Amash, Murphy Anderson, John Beatty, Mark Brooks, Nick Cardy, Richard Case, John Cassaday, Dave Cockrum, Steve Conley, Kim DeMulder, Tommy Lee Edwards, Steve Epting, Matt Feazell, Tom Feister, Ron Garney, Chris Giarrusso, Keron Grant, Cully Hamner, Scott Hampton, Tony Harris, Irwin Hasen, Sam Henderson, Adam Hughes, Georges Jeanty, Dan Jolley, Nat Jones, Jim Krueger, Dick Kulpa, Jason Latour, Rick Leonardi, Joseph Michael Linsner, Aaron Lopresti, David W. Mack, Ed McGuinness, Joshua Middleton, Martin Nodell, Phil Noto, Michael Avon Oeming, Jeff Parker, Jason Pearson, Brandon Peterson, Paul Pope, Howard Porter, Eric Powell, George Pratt, James Pruett, Joe Pruett, Budd Root, Josef Rubinstein, Paul Ryan, David Self, Bill Sienkiewicz, Joe Sinnott, Joe Staton, Brian Stelfreeze, Karl Story, Roy Thomas, Tim Townsend, Robert Ullman, Dexter Vines, Neil Vokes, Loston Wallace, Mike Wieringo, and Larry Young
• June 18–20: Toronto Comic Con — guests of honor: Will Eisner and Dave Sim
• June 26–27: MoCCA Festival
• July 22–25: Comic-Con International — 95,000 attendees; official guests: Jack Adler, Roger Dean, Dave Gibbons, Tom Gill, Harry Harrison, Sid Jacobson, Geoff Johns, Batton Lash, Chuck McCann, Aaron McGruder, Brad Meltzer, Mike Mignola, Rebecca Moesta, Bill Plympton, Eduardo Risso, Jean Schulz, Frank Springer, Tim Thomerson, Craig Thompson, and John Totleben. Comic-Con expands into Hall H of the San Diego Convention Center and now occupies the entire exhibit space.
• August 8: National Comic Book, Art, and Sci-Fi Expo II
• August 13–15: Wizard World Chicago — guest of honor: Joss Whedon; special guests: Kelly Hu and Amber Benson; other guests: Brian Michael Bendis, Josh Blaylock, J. Scott Campbell, John Cassaday, Jim Cheung, Marie Croall, Tony Daniel, Lou Ferrigno, Gene Ha, Greg Horn, Geoff Johns, Dan Jolley, Jim Lee, Jeph Loeb, Sean McKeever, Angel Medina, Mark Millar, Mike Norton, Joe Quesada, Alex Ross, Alex Saviuk, Marc Silvestri, Kevin Smith, Michael Turner, Brian K. Vaughn, and Skottie Young
• August 14–15: "CAPTION is History" — guests include Al Davison and Pat Mills
• August 27–29: Fan Expo Canada — 27,684 attendees; guests include George Takei, Julie Benz, Peter Mayhew, Mercedes McNab, Anthony Montgomery, Aron Eisenberg, Cirroc Lofton, George A. Romero, Tom Savini, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Doug Bradley, Yoshitoshi ABe, Yasuyuki Ueda, George Pérez, Brian Azzarello, Mike Deodato, Rags Morales, Skottie Young, Adam Hughes, David W. Mack, and Jill Thompson
• September 3–6: Dragon Con — 20,000+ attendees
• September 18–19: National Comic Book, Art, and Sci-Fi Expo III — guests include Jim Steranko, Sal Buscema, Glen Fabry, Los Bros Hernandez, and Angel Medina
• September 23: Comics Salon
• October 2–3: Small Press Expo
• October 16–17: Motor City Comic Con II — guests include Dan Mishkin, Rowena Morrill, Bill Morrison, Stephanie Murnane, Eddy Newell, Diana Okamoto, Mike Okamoto, Mike Pascale, Scott Rosema, Steve Rude, Stan Sakai, Paul Sizer, Layne Toth, Daniel Webb, Bill Wilkinson, and Randy Zimmerman
• October 23: London Comic Festival — guests include Gary Spencer Millidge
• October 23–24: Dallas Comic Con — guests include Adam Hughes, Michael Lark, Greg Horn, Dan Brereton, Cal Slayton, and Michael Jantze
• November 5–7: Wizard World Texas — guests include Jim Lee, Brian Pulido, Marc Silvestri, Michael Turner, Mark Waid, and Skottie Young
• November 6–7: Comic Expo — first iteration of this annual convention; guests include Simon Furman, Mike Carey, and Mike Collins
• November 6–7: London Film and Comic Con II
• November 27–28: Mid-Ohio Con — guests include Sergio Aragonés, John Byrne, Talent Caldwell, Stan Goldberg, Marc Hempel, David Mack, Michael Avon Oeming, Jeff Smith, and Tom Batiuk

  First issues by title

DC Comics

Marvel Comics

Other publishers

Initial appearances by character name

Footnotes