Notable events of 2012 in comics. It includes any relevant comics-related events, deaths of notable comics-related people, conventions and first issues by title.
Events
January January 2: The first episode of Norm Feuti's Gil is published. January 8: The long-running gag comic Ferd'nand publishes its final episode. January 17: Siegfried Woldhek wins the Inktspotprijs for Best Political Cartoon.
February The final episode of Liberty Meadows by Frank Cho is published.
March March 10–11: During the Stripdagen in Haarlem Eric Heuvel is awarded the Stripschapprijs, while Ron Poland, known for the distribution company Strips In Voorraad, wins the P. Hans Frankfurtherprijs.De Stripdagen 2012 programmaboek Stripschap (in Dutch) Patty Klein wins the Bulletje en Boonestaak Schaal.Bekendmaking van de P. Hans Frankfurtherprijs 2012 Stripdagen (in Dutch) March 26: Nicole Hollander discontinues Sylvia.Gardner, Alan. "Nicole Hollander Retires Sylvia After 33 Years" The Daily Cartoonist (March 28, 2012).
April April 11: The final episode of Brian Wood's Northlanders is published. April 17: Stan Lee launches his own YouTube channel, Stan Lee's World of Heroes. April 22: The first episode of Dana Simpson's Phoebe and Her Unicorn is published.
May May 5: The final episode of Claudio Nizzi's and Giancarlo Alessandrini's Rosco & Sonny is published. May 9: The comic strip Crock publishes its final episode, one year after the death of its original creator Bill Rechin. Mark Waid, Peter Krause and Diego Barreto's Irredeemable comes to an end. Another series by Waid, Incorruptible, ends the same month.
June June 16: Matt Groening's Life in Hell comes to an end after 35 years of continuous publication.
August August 30: A statue of the comics character Meneer Pheip is inaugurated in Moerbeke-Waas, Belgium. The final episode of Kei Sanbe's Mōryō no Yurikago is published.
September September 23: Richard Thompson's Cul de Sac comes to an end, as Thompson's battles with health issues. September 27: Yasaunobu Yamauchi's Daily Lives of High School Boys is discontinued.
October October 16: Phil Dunlap's Ink Pen is discontinued.
November November 29: The Bazooka Joe comics, which appeared on Bazooka chewing gum wrappers for more than five decades are discontinued. The final issue of Faust: Love of the Damned by David Quinn and Tim Vigil is published.
December December 3: The long-running British comics magazine The Dandy publishes its final issue in print. It continues as an online comic the same day, but within six months it ends there too.
Specific date unknown The long-running newspaper comic Bristow by Frank Dickens comes to an end. Julia Gfrörer publishes her graphic novel Black Is The Color.
Exhibitions February 24–March 18: "Cartoonists’ Wheel of Life" (Rubin Museum of Art, New York City) — featuring a group project on the Tibetan Wheel of Life, or Bhavacakra, by Molly Crabapple, Michael Kupperman, Josh Neufeld, Katie Skelly, Steven Guarnaccia, Sanya Glisic, Ben Granoff, and Rodney Alan Greenblat"KARMA-CON: COMIC ARTISTS SPIN THE WHEEL OF LIFE! FRIDAY, 2.24.12 – SUNDAY, 3.18.12," Rubin Museum of Art official website. Retrieved September 16, 2020. March–April 18: "Ka-Pow! Comics and Cartoons in Contemporary Culture" (Lipscomb University, Nashville, Tennessee) — exhibition of the work of modern artists like Roy Lichtenstein alongside their original comic book sources; curated by Rocky Horton April 13–August 19: "Crumb: De l'Underground à la Genèse", Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (Paris, France) — R. Crumb career retrospective April 14–August 12: "Modern Cartoonist: The Art of Daniel Clowes", Oakland Museum of California (Oakland, California) — curated by Susan Miller and René de Guzman September: The Batman Live stage show began its U.S. tour in Anaheim, California. September 14, 2012 – January 13, 2013: "Spain: Rock, Roll, Rumbles, Rebels & Revolution", Burchfield Penney Art Center (Buffalo State College, Buffalo, New York) October 13, 2012 – January 31, 2013: "Frank Stack at 75", State Historical Society of Missouri (University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri)
Conventions January 26–29: Angoulême International Comics Festival (Angoulême, France) — 220,000 attendees January 28–29: Wizard World New Orleans (Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, Louisiana) — guests: Carlos Pacheco, George Pérez, Jesus Merino, Félix Ruiz, Tyler Kirkham, Barry Kitson, Greg Horn, Bernie Wrightson, Norm Breyfogle, and Arthur Suydam February 10–12: What the Hell?! Con (Greensboro, North Carolina) February 17–19: MegaCon (Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida, US) — guests include Amanda Conner, Chuck Dixon, Paul Gulacy, Phil Hester, Rob Hunter, Dan Jurgens, Jimmy Palmiotti, George Pérez, Stephane Roux, Frank Tieri, Tim Townsend, William Tucci, Ethan Van Sciver, and Zeb Wells February 25–26: London Super Comic Convention (London, England, UK) March 3–4: STAPLE! (Marchesa Hall and Theater, Austin, Texas) — special guests: Kevin Eastman, Jason Neulander, Brian Hurtt, Cullen Bunn, Monica Gallagher, Liz Prince, Kagan McLeod, and MariNaomi March 10–11: Toronto ComiCON Fan Appreciation Event (Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada) March 16–18: WonderCon (Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California) — con moves from San Francisco because the Moscone Center under construction. Guests include Arthur Adams, Sergio Aragonés, Ernest Cline, Renae De Liz, Mark Evanier, Michael Golden, Joe Hill, Rebekah Isaaks, Richard Kadrey, Carol Lay, Jim Lee, Mike Mignola, Todd Nauck, Steve Niles, Eric Powell, Humberto Ramos, Bob Schreck, Scott Snyder, Ryan Sook, Fiona Staples, Richard Starkings, J. Michael Straczynski, Mark Waid, Wil Wheaton, and Marv Wolfman March 31–April 1: Hi-Ex (Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, Scotland) — guests include Michael Carroll, Al Ewing, John Higgins, Sally Hurst, and Chris Murray March 31: New York Comic Book Marketplace (Penn Plaza Pavilion, New York City, US) — final Big Apple Comic Con, with show having been sold to Wizard Entertainment. Guest of honor: Stan Lee; other guests include George Pérez, Joe Sinnott, Dick Ayers, Carmine Infantino, Jim Steranko, Irwin Hasen, Mike Royer, Arthur Suydam, Bob McLeod, Rich Buckler, and Johnny Brennan April 13–15: Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) (Chicago, Illinois, US) April 13–14: Wildcat Comic Con (Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, US) — guests include Walter Koenig, David Small, Dean Haspiel, and Josh Neufeld April 14–15: Wizard World Toronto (Metro Toronto Convention Centre, North Building, Toronto, Ontario, Canada) April 21: FLUKE Mini-Comics & Zine Festival (40 Watt, Athens, Georgia) April 20–22: Pittsburgh Comicon (Monroeville Convention Center, Monroeville, Pennsylvania, US) — guests include Bob Almond, Jim Balent, Darryl Banks, Eric Basaldua, Brett Breeding, Robert Brewer, J. Scott Campbell, Tommy Castillo, Daxiong, Ron Frenz, Holly G, Adela Garcia, Mike Grell, Scott Hedlund, Terry Huddleston, Barry Kitson, Robert Kraus, Stan Lee, Adam Mayfield, Peter Mayhew, Scott McDaniel, Paul Monsky, Chris Moreno, Rudy Nebres, Mike Okamoto, Pat Olliffe, George Pérez, Ian Petrella, Budd Root, Alex Saviuk, Stuart Sayger, Larry Thomas, Tim Vigil, Neil Vokes, Lee Weeks, and Ron Wilson April 21–22: Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo (S.P.A.C.E.) (Ramada Plaza Hotel & Conference Center, Columbus, Ohio) April 27–29: Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) April 28–29: MoCCA Festival (69th Regiment Armory, New York City, US) Stumptown Comics Fest (Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Oregon, US) May 2: Asbury Park Comic Con I (Asbury Lanes, Asbury, New Jersey) — official guests include Evan Dorkin, Sarah Dyer, Stephanie Buscema, Jamal Igle, Steve Mannion, and Mike Zapcic & Ming Chen of Comic Book Men May 5–6: Toronto Comic Arts Festival (Toronto Reference Library, Toronto, Canada) May 12–13: Comic Expo (Passenger Shed of Brunel Old Station, Bristol, UK) — guests include Paul Cornell, Ian Churchill, and Mark Buckingham; guest of honor Dennis O'Neil unable to attend. The show attracts only 300 attendees, with many exhibitors reporting losses; there is speculation the show might not survive.Johnston, Rich. "Tim Pilcher Says Too Many Cons, Not Enough Pros," Bleeding Cool (May 14, 2012). May 18–20: Motor City Comic Con (Suburban Collection Showplace, Novi, Michigan, US) — guests include Billy Tucci, Mike Grell, Ethan Van Sciver, Peter Bagge, Joseph Lee, Nichelle Nichols, Colin Ferguson, Dean Cain, Loni Anderson, Howard Hesseman, Billy Dee Williams, Christopher Knight, Butch Patrick, and Erin GrayHammerstein, B J. "Artists, wrestlers and stars of yore," Detroit Free Press (17 May 2012), p. Z.24.Henrickson, Eric. "'Uhuru' beaming in for Comic Con," Detroit News (May 17, 2012). May 18–19: East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) — guests include William H. Foster, III, Alex Simmons, and Eric Battle; presentation of the Glyph Comics AwardsPeters, Monica. "Celebrating blacks' work with comics: Two-day convention in Philly," Philadelphia Inquirer (18 May 2012), p. W.28. May 19–20: BigWow Comicfest (San Jose Convention Center, San Jose, California) — guests include Travis Charest, Juanjo Guarnido, Thomas Jane, Jim Lee, Toshio Maeda, Steve Niles, Kevin Nowlan, Bernie Wrightson, and Terrance Zdunich Dallas Comic Con (Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas, Irving, Texas, US) — c.20,000 attendees; guests include Stan Lee, Neal Adams, George Pérez, Len Wein, Arthur Suydam, Jimmy Palmiotti, Cully Hamner, Brian Stelfreeze, Norm Breyfogle, Greg Horn, Mitch Breitweiser, Elizabeth Breitweiser, Alex Saviuk, Sam DeLarosa, Guo Jingxiong, Steve Erwin, and Kristian Donaldson Kapow! Comic Convention (London Business Design Centre, London, UK) — 2nd iteration of this event May 24–27: Phoenix Comicon (Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix, Arizona, US) May 30–June 2: Wizard World Philadelphia (Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US) June 2–3: Stripdagen Haarlem (Grote Markt, Haarlem, the Netherlands) June 15–17: Denver Comic Con (Denver Convention Center exhibit hall, Denver, Colorado) June 16–17: Chicago Alternative Comics Expo (Columbia College Chicago's Ludington Building, Chicago, Illinois) — first iteration of CAKE; special guests included Jeffrey Brown, Lilli Carré, Anders Nilsen,Christoph, Ella."Let Them Eat C.A.K.E. Chicago Alternative Comics Expo puts the independents up front," New City Lit (JUNE 13, 2012). Closed Caption Comics, Paul Hornschemeier, Lucy Knisley, Anne Elizabeth Moore, Corinne Mucha, Laura Park, Pizza Island, John Porcellino, Nate Powell, and Trubble ClubBerlatsky, Noah. "Chicago Alternative Comics Expo (CAKE), June 16-17, 2012," The Hooded Utilitarian (May 18, 2012).