1969 in comics explained
See also: List of years in comics. Notable events of 1969 in comics.
Events
Year overall
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
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 (in the rebooted version by Greg) is published.[20]
- 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.[21]
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 (August -September 1969).[22]
October
- October 12: in Corriere dei Piccoli, the story Valentina Mela Verde (The Green Apple) by Grazia Nidasio is first serialized, a coming-of-age story about a girl from the Milan middle-class. [23]
- October 13: The first episode of the controversial British satirical and erotic comic strip Varoomshka by John Kent is published.[24]
- 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.[25] 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.[25]
- October 25 : In Pilote, the first chapter of the Valérian and Laureline story Empire of a Thousand Planets, by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières is serialized, marking the first apparition of XB982, Valerian’s spaceship.[26] In the same issue, the Lucky Luke story Western circus by Goscinny and Morris takes off.
- 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.
- In Sgt. Kirk, the story Gli scorpioni del deserto (The Desert's Scorpions), a war series by Hugo Pratt takes off.[27]
November
December
Specific date unknown
Births
November
Deaths
January
February
March
- March 20: Henri van de Velde, Dutch painter, illustrator, graphic artist and comics artist (Het avontuur van Haverstok met den koffer van Verweegen en Kok), dies at age 73.[33]
April
- April 16: Nils Larsson, Swedish illustrator and comics artist (Den Illa gör), dies at age 91.[34]
May
- May 10: George Klein, American comics artist (Superman), dies from cirrhosis at age 53 or 54.[35] [36]
- May 18: Alfredo Adduard, Chilean comics artist and illustrator (Don Bilz), dies at age 69 or 70.[37]
- May 25: Boy ten Hove / Barend ten Hove, Dutch caricaturist, advertising artist and comics artist (Kees Kogel, Piet en Puk), dies at age 60.[38]
June
July
- July 5: Guillermo Divito, Argentine comics artist, illustrator, caricaturist and editor (Bombolo, Pochita Morfoni, El Doctor Merengue, Fulmine, Fallutelli, Divito Girls, founder of the magazine Rico Tipo), dies at age 54 in a car crash.[40]
- July 17: Clayton Knight, American comics artist (Ace Drummond), dies at age 78.[41]
- July 24: Ira Schnapp, Austrian-American graphic designer and comics letterer (designed logos for DC Comics), dies at age 74.[42]
August
- August 2: Russell Stamm, American comics artist (Invisible Scarlet O'Neil), dies from a heart attack at age 53.[43]
- August 20: Dudley D. Watkins, British comics artist (Oor Wullie, Desperate Dan, The Broons, Lord Snooty, Mickey the Monkey, Jack Flash, Biffo the Bear, Jimmy and his Magic Patch, Morgyn the Mighty), dies at age 62.[44]
- August 25: Bjarne Restan, Norwegian illustrator and comics artist (Per og Peik i Sukkerlandet, Paal og Pelles Reise, Sjur Sjursen vil bli Kapitalist), dies at age 70.[45]
September
- September 1:
- Alex Blum, Hungarian-American comics artist (contributed to Classics Illustrated), dies at age 80.[46]
- Auguste Liquois, French comic artist (Coco de la Lune, comic adaptations of literary works), dies at age 67.[47]
- September 25: Frans van Lamsweerde, aka Faun, Dutch comics artist, illustrator and animator (Pekky, Marco's Avonturen), dies at age 49.[48]
October
- October 19: Mario Morelli di Popolo, Italian-Egyptian comics artist (Zouzou), dies at age 67 or 68.[49]
November
- November 27: Cecilia May Gibbs, Australian children's book illustrator and comics artist (Bib and Bub, Tiggy Touchwood), dies at age 92.[50]
Specific date unknown
- Ernst Akerbladh, Swedish illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 78 or 79.[51]
- Javier Puerto Bagüeña, Spanish comics artist, dies at an unknown age.[52]
- Tom Cottrell, aka S. Seymour, aka Jolly, British editorial cartoonist and comics artist (Paper Cap), dies at age 78 or 79.[53]
- Dan Gordon, American animator, storyboard artist and comics artist (Real Life Comics, Better Publications, Western Publishing), dies at an unknown age.[54]
- Barye Phillips, American illustrator and comics artist (comic strip of Huckleberry Finn), dies at age 44 or 45.[55]
- Harris Steinbrook, aka Harris Steinberg, American comics artist (drew funny animal comics), dies at age 56 or 57.[56]
Exhibitions and shows
- May 20-June 15: Corcoran Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.) — 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[57] [58]
- October 28–November 22: Phoenix Gallery (Berkeley, California) — The New Comix, curated by gallery owner Si Lowinsky, featuring the Zap Comix collective (Robert Crumb, Gilbert Shelton, S. Clay Wilson, Victor Moscoso, and Rick Griffin); the gallery was brought up on obscenity charges because of the show[59]
Conventions
- Summer: Comicon '69 (British Comic Art Convention 2) (Waverley Hotel, London, England) — organized by Bram Stokes, Frank Dobson, and Steve Moore; guests include Steve Parkhouse and Barry Smith[60]
- June 7–8: Triple Fan Fair (Howard Johnson's Downtown Motor Lodge, Detroit, Michigan) — guests include Edmond Hamilton, Leigh Brackett, Stan Lee, and Al Williamson
- June 20–22: Southwesterncon IV/[61] Houston Comic Book Convention (Ramada Inn, Houston, Texas)[62]
- July 4–6: Comic Art Convention (Statler Hilton Hotel, New York City) — 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;[63] 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.[64]
- December 27: Miamicon[65]
Awards
Presented July 1969 at the Comic Art ConventionBest Comic Magazine Section
Professional Work
- Best Editor - Dick Giordano (DC Comics)
- 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 (Marvel Comics)
- Best Feature Story - "At the Stroke of Midnight," by Jim Steranko, Tower of Shadows #1 (Marvel Comics)
- Hall of Fame - "Deadman", by Neal Adams (DC Comics)
Special Awards
- 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".
Popularity Poll
- Best Adventure Hero Strip - The Amazing Spider-Man (Marvel Comics)
- Best Adventure Group Strip - Fantastic Four (Marvel Comics)
- Best Supporting Character - Rick Jones (The Incredible Hulk, The Avengers, and Captain America) (Marvel Comics)
- Best Villain - Doctor Doom (Fantastic Four) (Marvel Comics)
- Strip Most Needing Improvement - Superman (DC Comics)
Newspaper Strip Section
Fan Activity Section
First issues by title
DC Comics
Date with Debbi
Release: January /February Editor: Dick Giordano.
From Beyond the Unknown
Release: October Editor: Julius Schwartz.
The Phantom Stranger
Release: May–June. Editor: Joe Orlando.
The Witching Hour
Release: February /March : Editor: Joe Orlando.
Marvel Comics
Chamber of Darkness
Release: October. Editor: Stan Lee.
Tower of Shadows
Release: September Editor: Stan Lee.
Other publishers
Alan Ford
Release: by Max Bunker Press. Writer: Max Bunker. Artist: Magnus.
Archie's TV Laugh-Out
Release: December by Archie Comics.
Čtyřlístek
Release: May 15. Creator: Jaroslav Němeček
Everything's Archie
Release: May by Archie Comics.
Golden Comics Digest
Release: May by Gold Key Comics.
Gothic Blimp Works
Release: February 1 by the East Village Other. Editor: Vaughn Bodē
Poem Strip
Creator: Dino Buzzati
Canceled titles
DC Comics
Marvel Comics
Other publishers
Initial appearance by character name
DC Comics
Marvel Comics
- Controller, in Iron Man vol. 1, #12 (April)
- Digger, in Tower of Shadows #1 (September)
- Falcon, in Captain America #117 (September)
- Father Set, in Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner #9 (January)
- Vanessa Fisk, in The Amazing Spider-Man #70 (March)
- Frankenstein's Monster, in Silver Surfer #7 (August)
- Galaxy Master, in The Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #111 (January)
- Glob, in The Incredible Hulk vol. 2, #121 (November)
- Grandmaster, in The Avengers #69 (October)
- Guardians of the Galaxy, in Marvel Super-Heroes #18 (January)
- Havok, in Uncanny X-Men #54 (March)
- Hyperion, in The Avengers #69 (October)
- Larry Trask, in Uncanny X-Men #57 (June)
- Living Monolith, in Uncanny X-Men #54 (March)
- Machinesmith (Starr Saxon), in Daredevil #49 (February)
- Man Mountain Marko, in The Amazing Spider-Man #73 (June)
- Man-Ape, in The Avengers #62 (March)
- Midas, in Iron Man #17 (September)
- Naga, in Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner #9 (January)
- Nighthawk (Kyle Richmond), in The Avengers #69 (October)
- Prowler, in The Amazing Spider-Man #78 (November)
- Sauron, in Uncanny X-Men #60 (September)
- Savage Land Mutates
- Silvermane, in The Amazing Spider-Man #73 (June)
- Doctor Spectrum, in The Avengers #69 (October)
- Stingray, in Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner #19 (November)
- Super-Patriot, in Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #13 (July)
- Titanium Man, in Tales of Suspense #69 (September)
- Undying Ones, in Doctor Strange #183 (November)
- Viper, in Captain America #110 (February)
- Whizzer II (James Sanders), in The Avengers #69 (October)
Notes and References
- Web site: Mile High Comics History. www.milehighcomics.com. May 15, 2020.
- Book: Hignite, Todd. In the Studio: Visits with Contemporary Cartoonists. Sep 21, 2007. Yale University Press. 978-0300133875. May 15, 2020. Google Books.
- Web site: Vaillant/Pif (1945 - 1992, 2004 - 2009). www.lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: André Chéret. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Bob De Groot. lambiek.net. December 3, 2023.
- Web site: Turk. lambiek.net. December 3, 2023.
- Web site: Janus Stark (Character). Comic Vine. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Janus Stark. www.internationalhero.co.uk. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Bono . Gianni . 25 April 2015 . Lucrezia la bellissima Borgia . Guida al fumetto italiano.
- Web site: Lazo Sredanovic. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Reg Bunn. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Charles M. Schulz. lambiek.net. February 2, 2021.
- Book: McAvennie, Michael. Dolan. Hannah . 1960s. DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. . 2010 . 978-0-7566-6742-9 . 132. "The Man Who Murdered Himself" in House of Mystery was...the first DC story illustrated by Berni Wrightson (who left the "e" off his first name to distinguish himself from a famous diver..
- Web site: Google Translate. the unofficial website dedicated to the legendary Czech magazine and comic Čtyřlístek. . google.com. 19 April 2015.
- Web site: Aloha. www.lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Giuramento, Il - Scheda(tex/?IT-TX-103-106) - uBC Fumetti . 2023-05-24 . www.ubcfumetti.com.
- Web site: Giovan Battista Carpi. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Charles Kuhn. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Zagor racconta... . 2023-05-24 . www.ubcfumetti.com.
- Web site: Zig, Puce et Alfred . 2018-08-18 . 2007-09-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070930153725/http://bdoubliees.com/tintinbelge/series6/zigpuce.htm . dead .
- Web site: Robert Crumb. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Book: McAvennie, Michael . 1960s . Dolan. Hannah . DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle . . 2010 . 978-0-7566-6742-9. 134 . Artist Neal Adams targeted the Emerald Archer for a radical redesign that ultimately evolved past the surface level...the most significant aspect of this issue was Adams' depiction of Oliver Queen's alter ego. He had rendered a modern-day Robin Hood, complete with goatee and mustache, plus threads that were more befitting an ace archer..
- Web site: 2009-10-30 . Valentina Melaverde vol.1 by Coniglio Editore - Issuu . 2023-05-25 . issuu.com . en.
- Web site: John Kent. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Mike Lacey. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: L'impero dei mille pianeti . 2023-05-25 . www.ubcfumetti.com.
- Web site: Maltese . Corto . 2020-11-05 . Gli Scorpioni del deserto torna in libreria, nuova edizione di Rizzoli Lizard . 2023-05-25 . Corto Maltese . it-IT.
- Web site: Spirou Année 1969. bdoubliees.com. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Luis Roca. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Earl Duvall. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Roger Melliès. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Al Taliaferro. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Henri van de Velde. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Nils Larsson. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Jay, Alex. "Comics: George Klein, Artist," Tenth Letter of the Alphabet (April 11, 2016).
- Interview with Pat Sekowsky, Alter Ego #33 (Feb 2004), pp. 5-20.
- Web site: Alfredo Adduard. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Boy ten Hove. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Frank O. King. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Guillermo Divito. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Clayton Knight. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Klein, Todd. "Ira Schnapp and the early DC logos, new information," Kleinletters.com (May 4, 2012)
- Web site: Russell Stamm. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Dudley D. Watkins. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Bjarne Restan. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Alex Blum. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Auguste Liquois. lambiek.net. 1 August 2022.
- Web site: Frans van Lamsweerde. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Mario Morelli di Popolo. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Cecilia May Gibbs. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Ernst Akerbladh. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Javier Puerto Bagüeña. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Tom Cottrell. lambiek.net. November 9, 2020.
- Web site: Dan Gordon. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Barye Phillips. lambiek.net. May 15, 2020.
- Web site: Harris Steinbrook. lambiek.net. March 16, 2021.
- Web site: Archives: Results for the year 1969 . Corcoran Gallery of Art . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20040103215107/http://www.corcoran.org/exhibitions/archive_results.asp?Year=1969 . 2004-01-03.
- News: Richard . Paul . Walter Hopps, Museum Man with a Talent for Talent . Washington Post . March 22, 2005.
- Fox, M. Steven. "Snatch Comics," ComixJoint. Accessed Dec. 9, 2016.
- Skinn, Dez. "Early days of UK comics conventions and marts," DezSkinn.com. Accessed Mar. 3, 2013.
- Hanerfeld, Mark. "On the Drawing Board," The Comic Reader #72 (Mar. 1969).
- The 1969 Houston Comic Convention (advertisement). Rocket's Blast Comicollector. 62. 1969. G. B. Love.
- Groth . Gary . Editorial: Con Games . .
- 76
. Oct 1982 . 4–6.
- Web site: The 1969 Comic Art Convention Progress Report . John . Benson . 1969 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071004215132/http://splashpages.com/wood/woodlist/catalogprogramsketchbook/comicartcon1969.html . dead . 2007-10-04 .
- Ellis. John. February 1970. Miamicon, Dec. 1969: A Look At Southern Florida's First Comicon. Rocket's Blast Comicollector (RBCC). 68. 11.