Notable events of 1989 in comics. Events
Year overall The "Inferno" company-wide Marvel Comics crossover continues, 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. Began in Marvel titles cover-dated October 1988; runs through issues cover-dated August 1989. DC Comics debuts its alternative imprint Piranha Press, rolling out such series as Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children, Epicurus the Sage, Etc., Gregory, and The Score; and the original graphic novels Desert Streams, The Sinners, and The Wastelands. Caliber Comics, Continüm Comics, Revolutionary Comics, and Trident Comics make their publishing debuts; Blackthorne Publishing, Comics Interview Group, Starblaze Graphics, and the UK publisher Harrier Comics all cease publishing. "The Man Who Falls," by Dennis O'Neil and Dick Giordano, published in Secret Origins of the World's Greatest Super-Heroes trade paperback. (DC Comics) NOW Comics decided to use the Comics Code Authority seal in that year. Dragon Ball Z is created by Shōnen Jump as a separate series to the original Dragon Ball
January January 27: Belgian comic artist Marc Sleen is named a Knight in the Crown Order. Ronald Perelman buys the Marvel Entertainment Group, the parent company of Marvel Comics, from New World Entertainment for $82.5 million, putting in $10.5 million of his own money and borrowing the rest. Invasion! crossover event in DC Comics
February Doom Patrol vol. 2, #19: "Crawling from the Wreckage" — Grant Morrison begins a celebrated run as Doom Patrol writer (lasting until issue #63, January 1993). Gotham by Gaslight, by Brian Augustyn, Mike Mignola, and P. Craig Russell, published by DC Comics. Justice League International #24 features the final Bonus Book, a free insert showcasing the work of new comics creators.Justice League International #24 at the Grand Comics Database Thor #400: "God vs. god in the greatest battle of all time," mostly written by Tom DeFalco. (Marvel Comics) The Avengers #300: 68-page Inferno crossover by Walter Simonson, John Buscema, and Tom Palmer. (Marvel Comics)
March March 4: The merger of Time Inc. and Warner Communications is announced. March 14: Action Comics, with issue #642, ends its weekly publication schedule (begun May 24, 1988) and goes on a short hiatus (resuming publication in July). (DC Comics) Morte di una star by Claudio Nizzi and Gustavo Trigo (Bonelli) ; debut of the journalist Violet McGraw, Nick Raider’s love interest.
April April 1: Hanco Kolk and Peter de Wit's riddle comic Inspecteur Netjes makes its debut. April 14: The final episode of Jim Davis' U.S. Acres is published. April 16: The first episode of Scott Adams' Dilbert is printed. April 30: Near Paris the theme park Parc Astérix opens its doors, based on the comic strip Astérix. Dragon's Claws is canceled by Marvel UK with issue #10. Wanderers is canceled by DC with issue #13. Africa, by Guido Nolitta and Luca Dell’Uomo (Bonelli) ; Mister No leaves the Amazon for a "transfer" to Africa, which will last until October 1991.
May Detective Comics #600 by Sam Hamm, Denys Cowan, Dick Giordano, and Frank McLaughlin. (DC Comics) The Janus Directive crossover storyline begins. (DC Comics) Justice League International changes its name to Justice League America with issue #26 (DC Comics). Dragon Ball Z May 10; First Tankoben Volume (Shōnen Jump)
June June 21: The final issue of the Flemish comics magazine 't Kapoentje is published. June 28: The first issue of the Flemish comics magazine De Jommekeskrant is published, a supplement of Het Volk. Atlantis Attacks crossover event in Marvel Comics, runs through Marvel's core title Annuals. Maze Agency ceases publication by Comico with issue #7.
July Action Comics, with issue #643, goes back to being a standard format monthly title. (DC Comics) The introduction of the Great Lakes Avengers in issue #46 of West Coast Avengers. (Marvel Comics)
August Batman: Year Three storyline, by Marv Wolfman and Pat Broderick, begins in Batman #436 (runs through Batman #439). (DC Comics) Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 2 is canceled by DC with issue #63. C.O.P.S.is cancelled by DC with issue #15. St. Swithin's Day, by Grant Morrison and Paul Grist, debuts in Trident #1. (Continues through issue #4; collected by Trident Comics as a trade paperback in 1990.)
September West Coast Avengers changes its name to Avengers West Coast with issue #48. Death's Head is cancelled by Marvel UK with issue #10. In Sandman #8 (DC comics), the cycles The doll’s house begins.
October October 3: Adam Thrasher launches his comic strip Space Moose. It will run until 1999."Space Moose's Home Page." (, Archive #2) Space Moose. January 22, 2002. Retrieved on February 5, 2011. October 6: The Belgian Comic Strip Center in Brussels opens its doors. October 27: Bill Watterson gives a lecture about The Cheapening of the Comics at Ohio State University, which explains his views on commercialism. The speech polarizes audiences. October 28: The Dead Man storyline, by John Wagner and John Ridgway, begins in 2000 AD prog 650 (running through prog 662, 20 January 1990). (Fleetway Publications) October 29: In The Hague Theo van den Boogaard receives the Stripschapprijs. Ron Abram, chief editor of Algemeen Dagblad, receives the Jaarprijs voor Bijzondere Verdienste (nowadays the P. Hans Frankfurtherprijs). Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth, by Grant Morrison and Dave McKean, published by DC Comics. Daniel Clowes launches his comic book series Eightball. In the first issue his comics series Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron and Pussey! are prepublished.
November In issue #3 of the magazine Hup, Robert Crumb draws a satirical comic, targeting Donald Trump.The same month, Martim Mystere meets the businessman in the album Condominium by Alfredo Castelli and Gianni Crivello (Bonelli). Conan The King is cancelled with issue #55.
December December 26: in Uncle Scrooge Adventures #20, On a silver platter by Don Rosa. Acts of Vengeance crossover event in Marvel Comics; runs through February 1990 issues. G.I. Joe Special Missions is canceled by Marvel with issue #28. Maze Agency is picked up by Innovation Comics with issue #8.
Specific date unknown The final issue of the Belgian satirical comics and cartoons magazine Pourquoi pas? is published. The first episode of Barbara Brandon-Croft's Where I'm Coming From is published and will run until 2005. Belgian comic artist Bob Mau is knighted in the Order of the Belgian Crown. Joris Vermassen starts his absurd humor comic series Bob De Kerpel, published under the pseudonym Fritz Van den Heuvel.
Deaths
January January 17: Malcolm Judge, British comics artist (Colonel Crackpot's Circus, The Numskulls, Billy Whizz), dies at age 70 or 71. January 23: Salvador Dalí, Spanish painter (his Les Mystères Surrealistes de New York was published as a comic strip), dies at age 84. January 31: Bob Dunn, American comics artist (continued They'll Do It Every Time and Little Iodine), dies at age 80.
February February 9: Osamu Tezuka, Japanese manga artist and animator (Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion, Black Jack, Phoenix, Princess Knight, Unico, Message to Adolf, The Amazing 3, Buddha), dies at age 60. February 19: Athos Cozzi, Italian comics artist, dies at age 69. February 25: Ken Champin, American comics artist (Disney comics), dies at age 77. February 27: Peter Age Veldheer, Dutch comics artist (made comics starring Tarzan), dies at age 58.
March March 19: Ethel Hays, American comics artist (Ethel, Marianne, Vic and Ethel, Flapper Fanny Says, Raggedy Ann), dies at age 97. March 27: Fabrizio Caprioli, Italian comics artist, dies at age 40. March 30: Mike Sekowsky, American comics artist, writer and animator (Justice League of America, Wonder Woman), dies at age 65.
April April 9: Carl Wessler, American animator, comics artist and writer (Snazzy Rabbit, Señorita Juanita McMouse, Filbert Fox, Happy Daze, Atlas Comics, E.C. Comics, Harvey Comics), dies at age 75 April 27: William Arthur Smith, American animation writer, comics artist and illustrator (Captain Cook of Scotland Yard, Race Keane, Yankee Eagle, Navy Section, The King, Red, White and Blue), dies at age 71.
May May 3: Edmundo Marculeta, aka Marcouleta, Marcouletta, Marcou, Boris Tunder, Spanish-French comics artist (Aventuras de Baron Thunder, Julio y Ricardo, Vengador del Mundo, Jim l'Eclair, Sandy le Petit Boucanier), dies at age 66. May 21: Buford Tune, American comics artist (Dotty Dripple), dies at age 82.
June June 4: Dik Browne, American comics artist and writer (Hägar the Horrible, Hi and Lois), dies at age 71. June 29: Mathieu Laville, French comic artist, dies at age 28 in a car accident.
July July 10: Jean-Michel Charlier, Belgian comics writer (Buck Danny, Barbe-Rouge, Blueberry, La Patrouille des Castors, L'oncle Paul), dies at age 64. July 12: Rodolphe Vincent, Canadian illustrator, novelist and comics artist (newspaper comic strip adaptations of swashbuckler novels), dies at age 84. July 27: Pietro Sartor, Italian comic artist (member of EsseGesse, co-creator of Captain Miki, Il Grande Blek, Comandante Mark, Kinowa and Alan Mistero), dies at age 62.
August August 3: Paolo Garretto, Italian caricaturist and comics artist, dies at age 86. August 4: Paul Murry, American animator, comics artist and writer (Buck O'Rue, Disney comics, created the Super Goof feature), dies at age 77. August 8: George Papp, American comics artist (co-creator of Green Arrow and Congo Bill, worked on Superman and Superboy), dies at age 73.
September September 26: Terence Wakefield, British comics artist (worked for Film Fun, continued their Laurel & Hardy comics), dies at age 78.
October October 12: Jay Ward, American animator and producer (Crusader Rabbit, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Dudley Do-Right, Peabody and Sherman, Hoppity Hooper, George of the Jungle, Tom Slick, Super Chicken), dies at age 69. October 14: Dale Connor, American comics artist (Mary Worth, assisted on Apple Mary), dies at age 85. October 18: Henk J. Rotgans, Dutch comics artist (Robbie en Ringo, Jop, Joep en... Jippie, Moppy Mal, De Razende Raket), dies at age 79.
November November 6: George Fett, American comics artist (Sniffy (later Norbert), dies at age 69. November 13: Zdravko Sulic, Serbian comics artist, dies at age 64. November 19: Sol Harrison, American comics executive (president of DC Comics), dies at 72. November 20: Sten Rinaldo, Swedish comics artist (Ba-Ba, Varför är Icander så glad?), dies at age 83. November 22: C.C. Beck, American comics artist (Captain Marvel), dies at age 79. November 22: José Guadalupe Cruz, Mexican comics writer and screenwriter (comics about El Santo), dies at age 72. November 24: Gordon Bess, American comics artist and writer (Redeye), dies at age 60. November 28: Ion Popescu-Gopo, Romanian comic artist and animator (Gopo's Little Man), dies at age 66.
December December 12: Suihō Tagawa, Japanese manga artist (Norakuro), dies at age 90. December 18: Henning Gantriis, Danish comics artist (Livets Gang i Lidenlund), dies at age 71. December 29: Hubert Levigne, Dutch illustrator and comic artist (Het Prentenboek van Jesus' Leven), dies at age 84.
Specific date unknown Nestor Gonzalez Fossat, Argentine comics artist (Jimmy y su Pupilo, Aventuras de Menucho, Firulete y Retacón, Goyito y Goyita), dies at age 80 or 81. Charles Kuhn, American comics artist (Grandma), dies at age 97. Karel van Milleghem, Belgian journalist and chief editor (Ons Volkske and the Dutch language version of Tintin, creator of the famous slogan Tintin, for people between 7 and 77, initiator of Belvision), dies at age 65 or 66. Marc Payot, Belgian actor and comics artist (Tom Potter, continued Het Manneken), dies at age 65 or 66 in a traffic accident.