Notable events of 2014 in comics. It includes any relevant comics-related events, deaths of notable comics-related people, by conventions and first issues by title.
Events
January January 16: Joann Sfar, Jean-Yves Ferri, Jean-Pierre Gibrat and comics festival curator Maurice Herve are elevated to Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
March March 7: Mafalda becomes the first fictional character (and comics character) to be awarded with the Légion d'Honneur. On 22 March, her creator Quino is also honoured with the same award. March 8–9: During the Stripdagen in Gorinchem, Fred de Heij is awarded the Stripschapprijs, while the Hans P. Frankfurtherprijs is awarded to Rob van Bavel, chief editor of Eppo and publisher.Officieel programmaboek De Stripdagen 2014 Stripdagen (in Dutch) The comics writer and translator Frits van der Heide wins the Bulletje en Boonestaakschaal. Bill Jemas founds Double Take Comics, a comic imprint for video game publisher and distributor Take-Two Interactive. March 12: The first episode of Georgia Dunn's Breaking Cat News is published.
April Specific date in April unknown: Mimi Pond's graphic novel Over Easy is published.
May May 15: The entire archive of Pieter J. Kuhn (Kapitein Rob) is donated to the archives of the city Groningen. May 27: A plate from a Tintin comic by Hergé is auctioned at the Artcurial in Paris and sold for €2.519 million ($3.434 million).
June A third attempt to launch a Lucky Luke magazine is made.
July July 5: Nero receives a comics mural in Antwerp.
August August 23: In Iran, cartoonist Atena Farghadani is jailed over a cartoon mocking the Iranian government. She is imprisoned until 6 November. August 30: Idaho Comics Group is founded.
September September 26: A financial settlement is reached between Marvel and the estate of Jack Kirby.
October October 2: Bas van der Schot wins the Inktspotprijs (edition 2003) for Best Political Cartoon. October 14: A Love Is... cartoon indicating that 'No' means 'maybe' and 'maybe' means 'yes' causes controversy for glorifying rape culture. The next day, The Chicago Sun issues an official apology. October 19: The final episode of Ed Stein's newspaper gag comic Freshly Squeezed appears in print.
November November 6: Atena Farghadani, imprisoned earlier this year for making a cartoon that mocked the Iranian government, is released from jail, but jailed again on 28 December after going public about her sentence and treatment in prison.
December December 17: A fire in Montréal, Canada, also ravages comics store Komico. They are forced to move to a new address afterwards.
Specific date unknown French comic writer Jean-David Morvan and South Korean artist Kim Jung Gi release the series SpyGames. Tom Fonder launches his webcomic Business Cat. Joris Vermassen releases his graphic novel Het Zotte Geweld (translated in English as Mad With Joy).
Deaths
January January 8: Massimo Liorni, A.K.A Simo, A.K.A. Franco Carini, A.K.A. Lima(s), A.K.A. Max Liorn, Italian comics artist, writer and editor (Piccolo Boy, Natalino, Papotto, worked for Fratelli Spada), dies at age 88. January 16: Gary Arlington, American comics artist, editor, comics store owner and publisher (founder of the San Francisco Comic Book Company and one of the instigators of the underground comix movement), dies at age 75 from complications of diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and [a previously] crushed leg. January 21: Bill Kresse, American animator and comics artist (Super Duper), dies at age 80. January 25: Morrie Turner, American comics artist (Wee Pals), dies at age 90. January 28: Philippe Delaby, Belgian comics artist (Murena), dies at age 53 from heart failure.
February February 4: Henri Samouilov, French painter and comics artist, dies at age 83. February 8: Gill Van Dessel, Mister Kit, Belgian comics artist (Mister Kit Présente, worked on L'oncle Paul), dies at an unknown age. February 9: André-François Barbe, French comic artist, dies at age 77. February 12: Sid Caesar, American comedian and comics writer (Mad ), dies at age 91. February 13: Gordon Bell, British comics artist (Pup Parade, Spoofer McGraw), dies at age 79 or 80. February 18: Ralston Jones, American comics artist (Mr. Abernathy), dies at age 87. February 19: Franco Origone, Italian comics artist (Nilus), dies at age 63. February 22: Leo Vroman, Dutch poet, scientist and comics artist (Stiemer en Stalma, Totie de Sphinx), dies at age 98. February 27: Jan Hoet, Belgian art curator (made comics together with photographer Rony Heirman), dies at age 77.
March March 16: Steve Moore, British comics writer (Axel Pressbutton, Future Shocks, Tom Strong's Terrific Tales), dies at age 64. March 24: David A. Trampier, American illustrator and comics artist (Wormy), dies at age 59.
April April 3: Fred Kida, American comics artist (assisted and continued Airboy, Steve Canyon, Captain America, The Amazing Spider-Man and Flash Gordon), dies at age 93. April 28: Barbara Fiske Calhoun, known professionally as "Barbara Hall," American comics artist (Black Cat, Girl Commandos, Pat Parker, worked for Harvey Comics), dies at age 94.Barbara Fiske Calhoun obituary," The Republic (Columbus, Indiana) (2014). April 29: Al Feldstein, American comics artist and editor (EC Comics, Mad), dies at age 88.
May May 2: Pom, Belgian comics artist (Piet Pienter en Bert Bibber), dies at age 94. May 4: Dick Ayers, American comics artist (inker of Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos), dies at age 90. May 12: H.R. Giger, Swiss illustrator, graphic designer, painter and illustrator (Alien (film)), dies at the age of 74. May 16: Guillem Cifré, Spanish comic artist, dies at age 61 or 62. May 18: Morris Weiss, American comics artist and writer (Margie, The Adventures of Pinkie Lee, continued Mickey Finn), dies at age 98.
June June 15: Sören Axén, Swedish comics writer and artist (comics based on Pettson and Findus, continued Bamse, Disney comics), dies at age 74. Daniel Keyes, American novelist and comics writer (Atlas, EC Comics), dies at age 86 from pneumonia. June 16: Charles Barsotti, American comics artist and cartoonist (The New Yorker, C. Barsotti's People, My Kind of People, P.J. McFey, Sally Bananas, Funny Form, Punchline USA, Broadsides, Emma June) dies at age 80 from brain cancer. June 24: Amadee Wohlschlaeger, American comics artist (continued Weatherbird), dies at age 102. June 25: Etta Hulme, American cartoonist, dies at age 90.
July July 1: Frank Cummings, Venezuelan-American comics artist (Brain Squirts, assisted on Blondie, published in Cracked), dies at age 54. July 29: Jo Teodorescu, Romanian illustrator and comics artist (Aventurile profesului Parbriz), dies at age 75.
August August 5: Pran Kumar Sharma, Indian comics artist (Daabu, Chacha Chaudhary, Shrimatiji, Raman and Bhagat Ji and Billoo, Pinki and Uncle Sulemani.), dies at age 75. August 13: Hal Campagna, American comics artist (continued Bringing Up Father), dies at age 101. August 25: Lars Mortimer, Swedish comics artist (Bobo, Hälge), dies at age 68. August 31: Stan Goldberg, American comics artist and colorist (Archie Comics, Marvel Comics ), dies at age 82.
September September 5: Paolo Del Vaglio, Italian comics artist (Pigy), dies at age 86. September 7: Frederic Mullally, British journalist, novelist and comics writer (Oh, Wicked Wanda!), dies at the age of 96. September 11: Antônio Cedraz, Brazilian comics artist (Xaxado, Lúbio, Turma do Joinha, Turma do Pipoca, Guris & Cia), dies at age 69. September 14: Tony Auth, American cartoonist and comics artist (Norb), dies at age 72 from brain cancer.
October October 1: Michel Demarets, Belgian comics artist (Studio Hergé, drew backgrounds, particularly cars, in The Adventures of Tintin), dies at age 79. October 15: Giorgio Rebuffi, Italian comics artist (Sceriffo Fox, Cucciolo, Pugacioff, Tiramolla, Trottolino), dies at age 95. October 18: Enrique Villagrán (Gómez Sierra), Argentine comics artist, dies at age 73 or 74. October 23: Roland Vagnier, a.k.a. Bindle, French comics artist and cartoonist (Poustiquet), dies at age 95. Marnix Rueb, Dutch comics artist (Haagse Harry), dies at age 59. October 26: Antonio Terenghi, Italian comics artist (Pedrito el Drito, Tarzanetto), dies at age 92.
November November 3: Jeremy Dale, American comics artist (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero), dies at age 34.Pitts, Lan (November 5, 2014). . Newsarama. November 8: Hannes Hegen, German comics artist (Digedags), dies at age 89. November 28: Brumsic Brandon Jr., American comics artist (Luther), dies at age 87.
December December 4: Peter Woolcock, British comics artist and political cartoonist (Freddie Frog, Mr. Toad, continued Tiger Tim), dies at age 88 after being hit by a car. December 7: Marie Marcks, German caricaturist, cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 92. December 16: Bruno De Dieuleveult, French comic artist (L'Affaire du Siècle), dies at age 72. December 18: Arno van Dijk, Dutch comics artist and illustrator, dies from cardiac arrest at the age of 69.
Specific date unknown José Geraldo Barreto, Brazilian comics artist (Rafles, Zé Candango), dies at age 89 or 90. Zoe Skiadaresi, Greek comics artist (Bampoudas), dies at age 82 or 83.
Exhibitions 2 May – 19 August: Comics Unmasked: Art and Anarchy in the UK (British Library, London, UK) — curated by John Harris Dunning and Paul Gravett (as part of Comica Comiket) with the British Library's Head of Printed Historical Sources, Adrian Edwards and Dave McKean as artistic director; with events including: Bryan and Mary Talbot; Neil Gaiman with Tori Amos; Woodrow Phoenix; Dave McKean, Grant Morrison and Warren Ellis on superheroes; Melinda Gebbie; Alejandro Jodorowsky; Pat Mills, Dave Gibbons and Frazer Irving on 2000 AD; Robert Crumb and Gilbert Shelton plus those involved in the ‘Oz Trial’; Posy Simmonds and Steve Bell; and Bryan Lee O’Malley. September 25 – November 9: "From Here to Here: Richard McGuire Makes a Book" (Morgan Library & Museum, New York City, US) — exhibition tracking the process behind Richard McGuire's "Here" and expanding the story to a full-length graphic novel; produced in collaboration with the New York Public Library
Conventions January 30 – February 2: Angoulême International Comics Festival (Angoulême, France) March 1: New York Comic Book Marketplace (Hotel New Yorker, New York City) March 1–2: STAPLE! (Marchesa Hall and Theater, Austin, Texas) March 21–23: MegaCon (Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida) — guests include Stan Lee, John Barrowman, Torchwood’s Eve Myles and Gareth David-Lloyd, Manu Bennett, Karl Urban, The Walking Dead's David Morrissey, Danai Gurira, Steven Yeun, Emily Kinney, and Sonequa Martin-Green, Buffy's Eliza Dushku and James Marsters, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, Battlestar Galacticas's Herbert Jefferson, Jr. and Anne Lockhart, Smallville's Allison Mack, John Glover and Laura Vandervoort, Wil Wheaton, Jon Heder, Jason David Frank, Ivy DoomKitty, Bryan Johnson, Comic Book Men's Ming Chen and Mike Zapcic, Matthew Senreich, Robot Chicken's Zeb Wells and Tom Root, Peter Mayhew, Vic Mignogna, Jennifer Hale, George Lowe, Phil Lamarr, Jim Cummings, Rob Paulsen, Quinton Flynn, Richard Horvitz, Tom Kane, and Arne Starr March 28–30: Emerald City Comicon (Washington State Convention Center, Seattle, Washington) April 4–6: St. Louis Comicon (America's Center, St Louis, Missouri) April 5–6: MoCCA Festival (69th Regiment Armory, New York City) April 12–13: Asbury Park Comic Con (Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel, Asbury Park, New Jersey) — guests included Jim Steranko, Chris Claremont, Ann Nocenti, J.H. Williams III, Cliff Chiang, Denis Kitchen, Mark Schultz, Box Brown, Andrew Aydin, Don McGregor, Jay Lynch, Jamal Igle, and Peter Bagge April 12–13: Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo (Ramada Plaza Hotel & Conference Center, Columbus, Ohio)