Notable events of 1968 in comics.
Publications and events
January January 6: The first issue of the Dutch children's magazine Bobo is published, which introduces the title comic Bobo the Rabbit, drawn by Sergio Cavina. January 11: The first episode of Marcel Gotlib's Rubrique-à-Brac is printed in Pilote. January 20: Lo Hartog van Banda and Dick Matena' De Argonautjes debuts in Pep. It will run until 1973. Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #80, Lois Lane's fashions were updated to a then-more contemporary look
February February 10: The British comics magazines Fantastic and Terrific merge into Smash!. February 10: In Tintin, the first chapter of the Ric Hochet story Alias Ric Hochet, by André-Paul Duchâteau and Tibet is printed. February 15: In Pilote, the first chapter of Asterix at the Olympic Games by Goscinny and Uderzo is serialized. Tales of the Unexpected, with issue #105, changes its name to The Unexpected (February /March issue) (DC Comics) Zap Comix #1 by R. Crumb: published by Charles Plymell and Don Donahue/Apex Novelties; begins the underground comix movement. In the first issue Crumb's iconic Keep on Truckin' makes its debut.
March March 11: The first episode of Mort Walker's Boner's Ark is published. It will run until 2000. March 12: In Tintin, the first chapter of the Bruno Brazil story Le Requin qui mourut deux fois by Greg and William Vance is published. March 21: In Quino's Mafalda her brother Guille is born. March 23: In Corriere dei Piccoli, Zorry Kid by Benito Jacovitti makes its debut. Showcase #73, Writer-artist Steve Ditko arrives at DC and creates the Creeper with scripter Don SegallMcAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 129 "Writer/artist Steve Ditko and co-scripter Don Segall gave [character Jack Ryder] more than the last laugh as the garishly garbed Creeper, one of DC's quirkiest protagonists." Max Bunker and Magnus' Maxmagnus makes its debut.
April April 4: In Pilote, the first chapter of the Lucky Luke story Dalton City, by Goscinny and Morris appears in print. April 14: John Miles starts publishing his comic strip Perkins, which will run until 1980. April 16: Dupa's Cubitus makes his debut in Tintin. The Miracle Machine introduced in Adventure Comics #367 (April) Tales of Suspense, with issue #100, changes its name to Captain America. (Marvel Comics) Tales to Astonish, with issue #102, changes its name to The Incredible Hulk. (Marvel Comics) Dick Giordano hired as an editor at DC Comics (from Charlton Comics); Giordano brings with him some of the creators he had nurtured at Charlton,Contributors: Dick Giordano," The New Teen Titans Archives, Volume 1 (DC Comics, 1999). including writer Dennis O'Neil.
May May 14: In Le journal de Tintin, the first chapter of the Michel Vaillant story Le Fantôme des 24 heures by Jean Graton appears in print. May 17: A theme park built around the comic strip Li'l Abner opens, Dogpatch USA. It's located in Arkansas between the cities of Harrison and Jasper and will last until 1993. Gilbert Shelton's Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers makes its debut in the underground newspaper Rag. The first issue of the underground comics magazine Yellow Dog is published. It will run until 1973.Fox, M. Steven. "Zap Comix," ComixJoint. Accessed Sept. 30, 2016. The storyline "Mordru the Merciless", by Jim Shooter, Curt Swan, and Jack Abel, begins in Adventure Comics #369 (concluding next issue). (DC Comics) House of Mystery, with issue #174 (May/June cover date), returns to its overt horror comics roots. New editor Joe Orlando challenges the Comics Code Authority with a reprint issue of old horror/suspense stories. World's Finest Comics #175, "The Superman-Batman Revenge Squads" marks Neal Adams's first work on a Batman story.McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 129. The first run of Strange Tales ends. It will be revived in September 1973. Jean Van Hamme and Paul Cuvelier release their erotic graphic novel Epoxy.
June June 18: The last issue of Byron Aptosoglou's Mikrós Íros (The Little Hero) is published. Wally Wood's Sally Forth makes her debut in Military News. Strange Tales, with issue #169, changes its name to Doctor Strange. (Marvel Comics). Steve Ditko and Steve Skeates' Hawk and Dove make their debut. The American comics magazine Four Color is terminated. His Name Is... Savage by Gil Kane and Robert Franklin (Archie Goodwin) (Adventure House press), one of the first American graphic novels.
July July 11 : In the magazine Pilote, the first chapter of the Blueberry story General Tête jaune by Jean-Michel Charlier and Jean Giraud is printed. It ends the narrative saga about the "iron horse". July 25 : In Pilote, the first chapter of the Valérian and Laureline story The City of Shifting Waters, by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mezieres is published. July 31: Franklin makes his debut in Charles M. Schulz' Peanuts. Spain Rodriguez's Trashman makes its debut. Canadian comics store owner George Henderson of Memory Lane in Toronto organizes the first Canadian comic book convention the Triple Fan Fair, which also celebrates science fiction and classic cinema.
Summer In the summer, the first issue of the influential underground comix magazine Bijou Funnies is published, which marks the debut of Jay Lynch's Nard 'n' Pat and Skip Williamson's Snappy Sammy Smoot.
August August 13 : In Le journal de Tintin, the first chapter of the Ric Hochet storyLes Cinq Revenants, by André-Paul Duchâteau and Tibet is printed. August 29: Raoul Cauvin and Louis Salvérius's comic strip Les Tuniques Bleues makes its debut in Spirou. August 31: In David Law's Dennis the Menace and Gnasher Dennis' dog Gnasher makes his debut. The Legion Academy introduced in Adventure Comics #371 (August) Robert Crumb's Angelfood McSpade and S. Clay Wilson's The Checkered Demon makes their debut in Zap Comix #2. Debut of Dave Wood and Jack Sparling's The Mad Mod Witch in The Unexpected. Joe Orlando, Carmine Infantino, Sheldon Mayer and Sergio Aragonés's Bat Lash makes its debut.
Fall Gary Arlington's San Francisco Comic Book Company debuts as a retailer and a publisher, putting out Rory Hayes' Bogeyman Comics #1
September September 7: The final issue of the British comics magazine Pow! is published and merges with Smash!. September 9: Bunny Hoest and John Reiner's The Lockhorns makes its debut. September 26: The first episode of Paul Deliège and Arthur Piroton's series Les Krostons debuts in Spirou. September 30: B.D. makes his debut in Garry Trudeau's Bull Tales and later become part of Doonesbury. Doom Patrol, with issue #121 (September /October cover date) suspends publication. (DC Comics) Lo spettro del passato, by Guido Nolitta and Franco Donatelli; the whaler Captain Fishleg, recurring character in the Zagor series, makes his debut.
October October 1: In Pilote, namely their pocket edition Super Pocket Pilote, the first episode of the Blueberry series Le Secret de Blueberry, by Jean Michel Charlier and Jean Giraud, inaugurates the saga The Blueberry’s youth (or The traitor of the South). October 6: The final episode of Boots and Her Buddies is published. October 11: The Dutch comics appreciation society Het Stripschap is founded. October 31 : In the French comic magazine Pilote, the first chapter of the Asterix story Asterix and the Cauldron, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, is published. Blackhawk (1944 series), with issue #243 (Oct./Nov. cover date) suspends publication. (DC Comics). The series is put on hiatus until 1976. Captain Action #1: 17-year-old Jim Shooter writes the first issue of DC's first toy tie-in. Wonder Woman #178: Dennis O'Neil and Mike Sekowsky become the new creative team on the title.McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 131 "Carmine Infantino wanted to rejuvenate what had been perceived as a tired Wonder Woman, so he assigned writer Denny O'Neil and artist Mike Sekowsky to convert the Amazon Princess into a secret agent. Wonder Woman was made over into an Emma Peel type and what followed was arguably the most controversial period in the hero's history." Mysterious Suspense #1 by Charlton Comics presents the first appearance of Steve Ditko's The Question in his own title. The first volume of the long-running manga series Golgo 13 is published by creator Takao Saito.
November November 7: The Beatles member John Lennon draws a comic for the macrobiotic magazine Harmony, later printed in its pages. November 8: In Amsterdam, the Netherlands, the oldest comics store in Europe, Lambiek, is opened by Kees Kousemaker. November 12: Peter van Straaten's Vader & Zoon makes its debut and will run until 1987. November 12: In the Belgian comic magazine Le journal de Tintin the first episode of the Michel Vaillant story De l’huille sur la piste! by Jean Graton is published. November 23: Bonvi's Sturmtruppen makes its debut. Blue Beetle: the third run of this series is cancelled. The series will not be revived until June 1986. Brother Power the Geek, with issue #2, cancelled by DC. Marvel's Space-Born Superhero: Captain Marvel, with issue #7, changes its title to Captain Marvel. (Marvel Comics) Summer Love, with issue #48, cancelled by Charlton.
December December 6: The Spanish comics magazine En Patufet, which was disestablished 30 years ago, is revived and will run until 29 June 1973. December 18: Andries Brandt's Horre, Harm en Hella makes its debut. It will run until 11 March 1971. With issue #9, Captain Savage and His Leatherneck Raiders is retitled Captain Savage and His Battlefield Raiders. In the story Tycoonraker! or From Zantaf with Lumps!, by Luciano Bottaro and Carlo Chendi, Dr. Zantaf makes his debut.
Specific date unknown With Kinney National Company's acquisition of Warner Bros., DC Comics becomes part of what eventually will be known as Warner Communications. DC Comics art director (and soon-to-be editorial director) Carmine Infantino is given the mandate to revitalize DC in the wake of rival Marvel Comics' pop-culture success. Eased out are long-time DC artists Wayne Boring, Jim Mooney, George Klein, and George Papp; and writers Otto Binder, Edmond Hamilton, and Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel. In exchange, Infantino hires new talent and promotes artists like Joe Orlando, Joe Kubert, and Mike Sekowsky to editorial positions. Orlando is put in charge of DC's horror and suspense titles. The final episode of Peter O'Donnell and Alfred Sindall's Tug Transom ends in 1968. Tom Wilson's Ziggy makes its debut. Brumsic Brandon Jr.'s Luther makes its debut. The first issue of Lance Spearman is published. Robert Maynar Hutchins and John Hubley's Zuckerkandl! is first published. The final episode of William St. John Glenn's Ballyscunnion is published. Salsa musician Izzy Sanabria illustrates the cover of the album The Alegere All-Stars in Lost & Found, Volume III in comic strip style. The first episode of Angus McGill and Dominic Poelsma's Clive is published.
Deaths
January January 1: Käthe Olshausen-Schönberger, Austrian illustrator and comics artist (Aus Thier und Menschenleben), dies at age 86. January 8: Don Flowers, American comics artist (Oh Diana, Modest Maidens (later retitled Glamor Girls)), dies at age 59. January 16: Vladmir Delac, Yugoslavian comics artist and animator (Svemirko, Viki and Niki, Marina, Tramvajko), dies at age 60 from cancer. January 18: Emmérico Nunes, Portuguese comics artist, dies at age 80. January 22: Chaval, French cartoonist, commits suicide at age 52, after his wife's death. Specific date unknown: Steve Muffati, American animator and comics artist (Harvey Comics), dies at age 57.
February February 22: Peter Arno, American cartoonist (The New Yorker), dies at age 64 from emphysema.
March March 4: Rocke Mastroserio, Italian-American comics artist (Charlton Comics, co-creator of Mercury Man), dies at age 40 of a heart attack.Thompson, Maggie. "Rocco Mastroserio Dead," Newfangles #8 (Mar. 1968).