Notable events of 2009 in comics. Events January January 1: The direct-to-DVD film Hulk Vs is released. January 6: The third and final volume of Hollow Fields has been released. January 15: Dutch cartoonist Tom Janssen wins his second Inktspotprijs for Best Political Cartoon. January 28: The Dutch comics magazine Eppo returns to the market, after being discontinued for a decade. It manages to remain in print, as of today.
February February 4: British TV host Jonathan Ross donates a rare Spider-Man comic book (Amazing Fantasy nr. 15) to the charity event Comic Relief. The Ultimate Marvel titles Ultimate X-Men and Ultimate Fantastic Four are both cancelled at milestones: Ultimate X-Men's series finale ends issue #100, while Ultimate Fantastic Four's ends at issue #60. To celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama, Amazing Spider-Man #583 presented an all-new story teaming up President Obama and Spider-Man in "Spidey Meets the President!" The title featured five variant covers.
April April 13: Homestuck, the largest and most popular of Andrew Hussie's webcomics, was released April 19: In Boechout, Belgium, a memorial plaque is attached to the former house of comic author George Van Raemdonck. A local park and street are renamed after him, with a sculpture of him and his characters Bulletje en Boonestaak inaugurated in the park. April 26: Suske en Wiske receive a comics mural near the station of Kalmthout, Belgium. In honor of Wolverine's 35th anniversary, Marvel Comics announced that numerous Marvel titles would feature Wolverine Art Appreciation Variant covers in April 2009. Styles will be reminiscent of Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Andy Warhol. The first issues to feature a Wolverine Art Appreciation variant cover were Captain Britain and MI13 #12, Amazing Spider-man #590, Hulk #11, Uncanny X-Men #508, and Secret Warriors #3. "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?" was a 2009 story featuring the DC Comics character of Batman. The story was published in two parts, in the "final" issues of the series Batman (#686) and Detective Comics (#853), released February and April respectively. Written by Neil Gaiman, pencilled by Andy Kubert, and inked by Scott Williams, the story was purported to be the "last" Batman story in the wake of severe psychological trauma that Batman endures within the Batman R.I.P. story, and his ultimate fate in Final Crisis. The 40th and final Sammy album is published. Author Jean-Pol announces his retirement and the end of the series.
May May 1: X-Men Origins: Wolverine was released in theaters. May 19: The final issue of the relaunched version of the German comics magazine Fix und Foxi is published.
June June 2: In Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, the Hergé Museum opens its doors. June 18: In the Zandstraat/Rue de Sable in Brussels, Belgium, the Marc Sleen Museum opens its doors, the first museum dedicated to a Belgian comics artist while the artist in question, Marc Sleen, is still alive. King Albert II of Belgium officially opens the building.
August August 30: A statue of Mafalda is placed on the Plaza Mafalda (named in 2005) in Buenos Aires. August 31: The Walt Disney Company buys Marvel Comics. Textbook publisher Flat World Knowledge publishes a business-themed graphic novel, Atlas Black: Managing to Succeed.
September September: The first episode of Hajime Isayama's Attack on Titan is serialized in Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine. September 9: It was announced that Paul Levitz would step down as president and Publisher of DC Comics to serve as the Contributing Editor and Overall Consultant for the newly formed DC Entertainment and Diane Nelson would serve as President of the new division. September 11: The lifeless body of Japanese manga artist Yoshito Usui (best known for the series Crayon Shin-chan) is found at the bottom of a cliff. He was only 51. September 26–27: During the Stripdagen Barbara Stok is the first female comics artist to win the Stripschapprijs. Hanco Kolk, Jean-Marc van Tol and Dutch Minister of Education Ronald Plasterk win the P. Hans Frankfurtherprijs. Ed van Schuijlenburg wins the Bulletje en Boonestaakschaal.
October October 7: Haunt, an ongoing series created by Todd McFarlane and Robert Kirkman, was launched by Image Comics. The book is written by Kirkman with layouts done by Greg Capullo, pencils by Ryan Ottley, and inks by McFarlane. October 15: Albert Uderzo is named doctor honoris causa by the University of Paris.
Specific date unknown Iván and Andrés Ramírez Ortiz establish the alternative Costa Rican comics magazine Revista Fotocopia, which will run under the name Ultracomics from August 2010 on and eventually bring out its final issue in 2014.
Deaths
January January 12: Susanne Wenger, Austrian illustrator and comics artist (worked for Unsere Zeitung), dies at age 93. January 21: Claude Moliterni, French comics writer (Scarlett Dream), critic and historian and co-founder of the Angoulême International Comics Festival, dies at age 76.
February February 13: Corky Trinidad, Filipino-American comics artist (Nguyen Charlie), dies from pancreatic cancer at age 69. February 20: Joan Marti Aragonés, Petronius, Spanish painter and comics artist (made various romance comics for Selecciones Ilustradas, Roxy, Valentine and Marilyn), dies at age 72.
March March 4: Jacques Lemaire, A.K.A. Jacques Lem, French sports cartoonist and comics artist (A Poings Nus, Arbalète, Reporter, Patty Rédacteur Sportif), dies at age 83. March 8: Mike Van Audenhove, American-Swiss comics artist (Koch Comix, Zürich by Mike), dies at age 51. March 31: Juan Bernet Toledano, Spanish comics artist (Altamiro de la Cueva) dies at age 84.
May May 1: Ric Estrada, Cuban-American comics artist (worked for DC Comics), dies at age 81 from prostate cancer. May 9: Peter Scherpenisse, Dutch comic artist (Job Jubel), dies at age 82. May 21: Giorgio Bellavitis, Italian comics artist and illustrator, dies at age 72 or 73. May 26: Ding Cong, Xiao Ding, Chinese illustrator, cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 93.
April April 2: Frank Springer, American comic artist (The Adventures of Phoebe Zeit-Geist, worked for Marvel Comics), dies at age 79 from prostate cancer. April 3: Harry Schlegel, German comics artist (Kapitäns Jonathan Pappendick, Pedro und Coco, Pats Reiseabenteuer Max und Maxi), dies at age 78 or 79. April 4: Fritzi Harmsen van Beek, Dutch comics artist (continued Flipje van Tiel), dies at age 81. April 23: Jaap van der Pol, a.k.a. Larry Oblomov, Dutch photographer, painter, illustrator, collage artist, teacher and comics artist (Het Schoolarchief), dies at age 70. April 24: José Miguel Heredia, Argentine comics artist (Perro Mundo, El Doctor Vudú, El Cuaderno Rojo, Ferranio), dies at age 75.
May May 2: Eugenio Benni, A.K.A. Anthony Benny, Italian comics artist (Gallix, Angelica, Teodora, Alcina La Maga, continued Capitaine Miki, Il Grande Blek, drew Italian versions of The Phantom), dies at age 70.
June June 9: Dave Simons, American comics artist and animator (worked for Marvel and DC Comics), dies at age 54. June 19: Piet Tibos, Belgian comics artist and cartoonist (De Avonturen van Sebedeus en zijn Ploeg), dies at age 78.
July July 3: Martin Vaughn-James, British painter, illustrator and comics artist (Elephant, The Projector, The Park, The Cage), dies at age 65. July 6: Alfons Figueras, Spanish animator and comics artist (Aspirino y Colodión or Topolino, el último héroe, worked on Rabatino y Cebollita), dies at age 86. Robert L. Short, American religious leader and writer (The Gospel According to Peanuts), dies at age 86 or 87. July 21: Heinz Edelmann, German graphic designer, illustrator, animator, cartoonist and comics artist (Yellow Submarine), dies from heart disease at age 75. July 22: John Ryan, British comics artist and animator (Harris Tweed, Extra Special Agent, Captain Pugwash), dies at age 88. July 25: Francisco Hidalgo, a.k.a. Yves Roy, Spanish comics artist (Doctor Nieblba, Dick Tober, Angel Audaz, Blason d'Argent, Bob Mallard, Teddy Ted) and photographer, dies at age 80.
August August 9: Frank Borth, American comics artist and writer (Ken Stuart, wrote There Oughta Be a Law!, worked for Cracked) dies at age 91. August 13: Josette Baujot, Belgian comics artist and colorist (Adventures of Tintin) and wife of Jo-El Azara, dies at age 88. August 15: Matej Nemecek, Czech comics artist, dies at age 28.
September September 11: Yoshito Usui, Japanese manga artist (Crayon Shin-chan), dies at age 51. September 14: Roy Raymonde, British editorial cartoonist and comic artist (Lil, Patsy & John, Them, Boffins at Bay, Raymonde's Rancid Rhymes, Raymonde's Blooming Wonders, Mr. Meddle, Doc Brief), dies at age 79. September 24: Frits Godhelp, Dutch comic artist (Bas en Van der Pluim, worked for the Marten Toonder Studios, Disney comics), dies at age 82. September 25: Jean Vermeire, a.k.a. Jiv, Belgian comics artist and illustrator (Les Aventures de M. Ding, Les Aventures de Bob), dies at age 88. September 26: Carlos Roume, Argentine comics artist, dies at age 85 or 86. September 29: Rusty Haller, American comics artist (Hanna-Barbera comics, Looney Tunes comics), dies at age 55.
October October 4: Ricardo Garijo, Argentinian comics artist, writer and publisher (founder of the magazine Gurbos, wrote for Commando Comics) dies at age 55. October 12: Joe Rosen, American comics letterer (worked for Marvel Comics and DC Comics), dies at age 88. October 15: George Tuska, American comics artist (worked on Scorchy Smith, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Captain Marvel and Iron Man. Created The World's Greatest Superheroes), dies at age 93. October 20: Attila Dargay, Hungarian animator and comics artist (Kajla), dies at age 82. Jef Nys, Belgian comics artist (Jommeke, Met Langteen en Schommelbuik Voorwaarts), dies at age 82. October 21: Robert Dalmasso, a.k.a. Robert Devil, French comics artist (made comics for Éditions Presses Mondiales), dies at age 78 or 79. Vernon Henkel, American comics writer and artist (worked for DC Comics, Harvey Comics and Marvel Comics), dies at age 91. October 23: Michel Motti, French comics artist (Le Petit Roi Ibello, Nicolas et Nicolette, Disney comics, continued Pif le chien and Placid et Muzo), dies at age 74. October 26: Fred McCarthy, creator of Brother Juniper, the only religious-themed comic ever syndicated in daily newspapers internationally, dies at age 91.
November November 3: Shel Dorf, American comics letterer (Steve Canyon) and founder of San Diego Comic-Con, dies at age 76."Founder of San Diego Comic-Con dies at 76", Associated Press, 4 November 2009. Accessed 4 November 2009. 4 November 2009.Spurgeon, Tom. "Shel Dorf, 1933-2009", The Comics Reporter (self-published), 4 November 2009. Accessed 4 November 2009. Archived 4 November 2009.Evanier, Mark, "", POV Online (self published), November 3, 2009. Accessed 4 November 2009. Archived 4 November 2009. November 9: Bill Jaaska, American comics artist (continued New Titans and The Incredible Hulk), dies at age 48. November 13: François Bel, French comics artist (Phil et Jori, Miss Justine, Sidonie Fleurdepois, Zophyta), dies at age 82. November 23: Sonny Trinidad, Filipino comics artist (El Gato, Inday sa Balitaw) dies. November 27: Irving Tripp, American comics artist (continued Little Lulu and Nancy, Disney comics, Looney Tunes comics), dies at age 88 from cancer.
December December 9: Govind Brhamania, Indian comics artist (Bahadur), dies at age 71. Xavier Musquera, a.k.a. Chris, Spanish comics artist (Melly Brown, Peggy Press, Monsieu Wens, Angie, Miss Blondie), dies at age 66. December 10: Jean-Marie Brouyère, Belgian comics writer (Archie Cash, L'Épervier Bleu), dies at age 66. December 14: Minami Keizi, Brazilian novelist and comics artist (Tupãzinho), dies at age 54.