1990 in comics

1990

1989 in comics

1991 in comics

Notable events of 1990 in comics. See also List of years in comics.

Events

Year overall

• New Century Comics, Disney Comics, Millennium Publications, MU Press, Tundra Publishing, Valiant Comics, Drawn and Quarterly, and the French publisher L'Association, all enter the marketplace.
• The "Days of Future Present" storyline, the sequel to "Days of Future Past," appears in the annuals of Fantastic Four, New Mutants, X-Factor and X-Men.
• The merger of Time Inc. and Warner Communications, parent of DC Comics completed, the merger name was Time Warner.

January

• Dinosaurs for Hire is cancelled by Eternity Comics with issue #9.
• 1st known artwork by Dale Keown for Marvel Comics, published in Nth Man #9.

February

• The last issue of Damage Control v2 is published.
• With issue #6, Police Academy is cancelled.

March

• Elektra Lives Again is published by Epic Comics, written and drawn by Frank Miller.
• The last issue of Strikeforce: Morituri: Electric Undertow is published, thereby ending the series as a whole.

June

• With issue 9, The Destroyer v1 is cancelled.

July

• Fright Night is canceled by Now Comics with issue #22.
• The New Warriors v1 #1 is released.
• 2000AD spin-off Revolver hits newsagents, with the seminal storyline Rogan Gosh.
• Shade the Changing Man is revamped by DC imprint Vertigo.

August

• Animal Man #26: "Deus Ex Machina," writer Grant Morrison's final issue of Animal Man.
• Secret Origins is canceled by DC with issue #50.
• Spider-Man #1, the start of the "Torment" storyline, marked Todd McFarlane's first major outing on a series as a writer/artist.^[1][2] The issue would become the best selling comic book so far and be the first major step to the rise of the superstar creators and the formation of Image Comics.

September

• Nth Man: The Ultimate Ninja is canceled by Marvel with issue #16.
• Terminator is canceled by NOW Comics with issue #17.

October

• Swamp Thing #100: Double-sized issue, "Tales of Eden," by Doug Wheeler, Kelley Jones, and Pat Broderick.
• The Huntress v1 is canceled by DC with issue #19.

November

• Marvel's "X-Tinction Agenda" crossover begins in the pages of Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, and New Mutants.

December

• Fantastic Four #347 - A temporary lineup introduced, consisting of the Hulk, Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Ghost Rider.
• Wendy the Good Little Witch (1960 series), with issue #97, canceled by Harvey Comics.
• The Real Ghostbusters is canceled by Now Comics with issue #28.

Deaths

January

• January 8: Bernard Krigstein, creator of Master Race, dies at age 71.
• January 20: Claude Auclair, creator of Simon du Fleuve, dies at age 46.

April

• April 28: Edwina Dumm, creator of Cap Stubbs and Tippie, dies at age 97 (or thereabout).

July

• July 18: Yves Chaland, creator of Freddy Lombard, dies in a car accident at age 33.
• July 25: Sam Grainger, who worked for Marvel Comics, dies at age 60.

August

• August 28: Willy Vandersteen, creator of Suske en Wiske, De Rode Ridder and Bessy, dies at age 77.

September

• September 5: Jerry Iger, co-founder of Eisner & Iger, dies at age 87.

Exact date unknown

• Harry Haenigsen, creator of Penny, dies at age 89.

Conventions

• January 24–28: Angoulême International Comics Festival (Angoulême, France)
• February 17–18: Motor City Comic Con (Dearborn Civic Center, Dearborn, Michigan) — guests include Erik Larsen, Gary Kwapisz, Jeff Albrecht, John Ostrander, Kim Yale, Marshall Rogers, Matt Feazell, Mike Grell, Norm Breyfogle, Rob Liefeld, and Tim Dzon
• Summer: Dragon Con/Atlanta Comics Expo (Atlanta Hilton & Towers/Atlanta Radisson Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia) — 6,900 attendees; guest of honor: Tom Clancy
• Summer: FantaCon (Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York)
• June: Heroes Convention (Charlotte, North Carolina)
• July 6–8: Chicago Comicon (Ramada O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois) — 5,000+ attendees; featured guests: Van Williams, Gerard Christopher, Harvey Kurtzman, and Erik Larsen; other guests: Mark Gruenwald, Jim Starlin, Tom DeFalco, Len Strazewski, John Ostrander, Kim Yale, Chuck Fiala, P. Craig Russell, Charlie Athanas, Dick Locher, Max Allan Collins, Rick Obadiah, and Tony Caputo.
• July 13–15: Dallas Fantasy Fair (Dallas, Texas) — official guests include Harvey Kurtzman, Neil Gaiman, Todd Klein, Tom Orzechowski, Sergio Aragonés, Chester Brown, Bob Burden, Kurt Busiek, Will Eisner, Kerry Gammill, Gilbert Hernandez, Jaime Hernandez, Adam Hughes, Jim Lee, P. Craig Russell, Mark Schultz, Julius Schwartz, Bill Sienkiewicz, Jim Starlin, John Totleben, Bill Willingham, and Roger Zelazny
• August 2–5: San Diego Comic Con (Convention and Performing Arts Center and Holiday Inn, San Diego, California) — 13,000 attendees; official guests: Peter David, Will Eisner, Kelly Freas, Michael Kaluta, Mel Lazarus, Carl Macek, Grant Morrison, John Romita Jr., and Van Williams
• August 4–5: Comix Fair '90 (Holiday Inn Medical Center, Houston, Texas) — eighth annual show; guests include Bill Hinds, Jeff Millar, and Doug Hazlewood^[3]
• August 17-19: Atlanta Fantasy Fair XVI (Omni Hotel & Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Georgia) — official guests include Jack Kirby, John de Lancie, Sandahl Bergman, Catherine Hicks, Julius Schwartz, Sharon Green, Linda Thorson, Martin Caidin, Greg Theakston, Boris Vallejo, and Carl Macek
• September 23–24: United Kingdom Comic Art Convention (UKCAC) (Glasgow, Scotland) — presentation of the Eagle Awards
• October 20–21: Toronto Comic and Sequential Art Exposition (Arts, Crafts Hobbies Building, Exhibition Place, Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
• October 27–28: Killer Con (Ferndale Community Center, Ferndale, Michigan) — guests include Bill Reinhold, Mark Bagley, Sam Kieth, Keith Pollard, William Messner-Loebs, Doug Rice, Flint Henry, Chuck Dixon, Beau Smith, Gary Kwapisz, Matt Feazell, and Tim Dzon

Awards

Eisner Awards

Presented in 1991 for comics published in 1990.

• Best Story or Single Issue: Concrete Celebrates Earth Day, by Paul Chadwick, Charles Vess, and Jean "Moebius" Giraud (Dark Horse)
• Best Continuing Series: Sandman, by Neil Gaiman and various artists (DC)
• Best Black and White Series: Xenozoic Tales, by Mark Schultz (Kitchen Sink)
• Best Finite Series: Give Me Liberty, by Frank Miller and Dave Gibbons (Dark Horse)
• Best Graphic Album—New: Elektra Lives Again, by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley (Marvel)
• Best Graphic Album—Reprint: Sandman: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman and various artists (DC)
• Best Writer: Neil Gaiman, Sandman (DC)
• Best Writer/Artist or Writer/Artist Team: Frank Miller and Geof Darrow, Hard Boiled
• Best Artist: Steve Rude, Nexus
• Best Inker: Al Williamson
• Hall of Fame: R. Crumb, Alex Toth

First issues by title

DC Comics

Justice League Quarterly

Release: Winter.

Superboy v2

Release: February

Limited series

The Atlantis Chronicles

Release: March. Writer: Peter David. Artist: Esteban Maroto.

The Books of Magic v1

Release: Writer: Neil Gaiman. Artists: John Bolton, Scott Hampton, Charles Vess & Paul Johnson.

Breathtaker

Release: July Writer: Mark Wheatley. Artist: Marc Hempel.

Hawkworld (3 issues, later became an ongoing)

Release: June. Writers: John Ostrander and Timothy Truman. Artist: Graham Nolan.

Twilight

Release: December. Writers: Howard Chaykin. Artist: José Luis García-López.

World Without End

Release: January. Writers: Jamie Delano. Artist: John Higgins.

One-shots

Batman: Digital Justice

Release: 1990 Writer/Artist: Pepe Moreno.

Marvel Comics

Camp Candy

Release: May.

Ghost Rider v2

Release: May. Writer: Howard Mackie. Artists: Javier Saltares & Mark Texeira.

Guardians of the Galaxy v1

Release: June.

Knights of Pendragon

Release: July by Marvel UK. Writers: Dan Abnett and John Tomlinson. Artist: Gary Erskine.

Spider-Man

Release: August. Writer & Artist: Todd McFarlane

Issued with regular and silver ink covers, second printing with gold ink cover.

RoboCop

Release: March. Writer: Alan Grant. Artists: Lee Sullivan & Kim DeMulder.

Marvel Super-Heroes v2

Release: May.

Mighty Mouse

Release: October.

Namor the Sub-Mariner

Release: April

New Warriors

Release: July. Writer: Fabian Nicieza. Artists: Mark Bagley & Al Williamson.

Nomad

Release: November. Writer: Fabian Nicieza. Artists: James Fry & Mark McKenna.

Tomorrow Knights

Release: June by Epic Comics.

Zorro

Release: December.

Limited Series

Alien Legion: On The Edge

Release: November.

Atomic Age

Release: November by Epic Comics. Writer: Frank Lovece. Artists: Mike Okamoto & Al Williamson.

Black Knight

Release: June.

Brute Force

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs

Release: November by Epic Comics.

Darkman v1

Release: August.

Deathlok v1

Release: July.

Critical Mass

Release: January by Epic Comics. Writer: D. G. Chichester and Margaret Clark.

Elsewhere Prince

Release: May by Epic Comics. Writer/Artist: Moebius.

Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser

Release: October by Epic Comics. Writer: Howard Chaykin. Artist: Mike Mignola.

Foolkiller v1

Release: October.

Hero: Warrior of the Mystic Realms

Release: May.

Hollywood Superstars

Release: November by Epic Comics. Writer: Mark Evanier. Artist: Dan Spiegle.

Impossible Man Summer Vacation Spectacular

Release: August

The Last American

Release: December by Epic Comics. Writers: John Wagner & Alan Grant. Artist: Mike McMahon.

New Adventures of Cholly & Flytrap

Release: December by Epic Comics.

Punisher Armory

Release: July. Writer:

RoboCop 2

Release: August.

Saga of the Original Human Torch

Release: April. Writer: Roy Thomas.

X-Men Spotlight On... Starjammers

Release: May

Stalkers

Release: April

Steeltown Rockers

Release: April. Writer: Elaine Lee. Artist: Steve Leialoha.

The Thanos Quest

Release: September. Writer: Jim Starlin. Artist: Ron Lim.

One-shots

The Return of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu: Bleeding Black

Release: February.

Shogakukan

Basara

Release: September on Betsucomi. Author: Yumi Tamura.

Independent titles

Classics Illustrated v2

Criminal Macabre: A Cal McDonald Mystery

Release:

Hate

Release: April by Fantagraphics. Writer/Artist: Peter Bagge.

Judge Dredd Megazine

Release: October by Egmont UK.

Logan's Run

Release:

Limited series

Big Numbers (2 issues before cancellation)

Release: April by Mad Love. Writer: Alan Moore Artist: Bill Sienkiewicz.

Bratpack

Release: August by King Hell Press. Writer & artist: Rick Veitch.

Cages

Release: December by Tundra Publishing. Writer/Artist: Dave McKean.

Give Me Liberty

Release: June. Writer: Frank Miller. Artist: Dave Gibbons.

Hard Boiled

Release: September. Writer: Frank Miller. Artist: Geoff Darrow.

The Men In Black v1

Release: January. Writer: Lowell Cunningham. Artist: Sandy Carruthers

Terminator: The Burning Earth

Release: March. Writer: Ron Fortier. Artist: Alex Ross.

The Terminator: Tempest

Release: August by Dark Horse Comics.

Initial appearance by character name

DC Comics

• Atlan in The Atlantis Chronicles #5 (July )
• Atom IV in Suicide Squad #44 (August )
• Auberon in The Sandman #19 (September )
• The Beefeater in Justice League Europe #20 (November )
• Blaze in Action Comics #655 (July )
• Crimesmith II in Batman #443 (January )
• Danny the Street in Doom Patrol v2 #35 (August )
• Delirium in The Sandman #21 (December )
• Doctor Diehard in Justice League Europe #15 (June )
• Jack Drake in Batman #455 (October )
• Tim Drake as Robin III in Batman #442 (January )
• Dreamslayer in Justice League Europe #15 (June )
• Dybbuk in Suicide Squad #45 (September )
• Echo III in Justice League Quarterly #1 (Winter)
• Firestorm II in Firestorm the Nuclear Man v2 #100 (August )
• Laurel Gand in Legion of Super-Heroes v4 #5 (March )
• Gorgon in Justice League Europe #15 (June )
• Hank Henshaw in Adventures of Superman #465 (April )
• Timothy Hunter in The Books of Magic v1 #1
• Willoughby Kipling in Doom Patrol v2 #31 (April )
• Legion (DC Comics) in Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn #2 (January )
• Manfred Mota in The Flash 50th Anniversary Special
• Neon (comics) in Legion of Super-Heroes v4 #6 (April )
• NKVDemon in Batman #445 (March )
• 'The Orishas in Firestorm the Nuclear Man v2 #95 (March )
• Reflex in Legion of Super-Heroes v4 #6 (April )
• Kent Shakespeare in Legion of Super-Heroes v4 #12 (December )
• Titania in The Sandman #19 (September )
• Tracer in Justice League Europe #16 (July )
• Trinity in New Titans Annual #6
• Yuga Khan in New Gods v3 #17 (June )

Marvel Comics

• Abominatrix in Sensational She-Hulk #21 (November )
• Agamemnon in The Incredible Hulk (December )
• Ahab (comics) in Fantastic Four Annual #23
• Blackout II in Ghost Rider v2 #2 (June )
• Bliss in Uncanny X-Men #261 (May)
• Bloodlust I in Marvel Comics Presents #48 (April )
• Bloodwraith in Black Knight #2 (July )
• Cable in New Mutants #87 (March )
• Captain Atlas in Quasar #9 (April )
• Cardiac in The Amazing Spider-Man #342 (December )
• Deathlok III in Deathlok #1 (July )
• Deathwatch in Ghost Rider v2 #1 (May)
• Dittomaster in Damage Control v2 #4 (February )
• Stacey Dolan in Ghost Rider v2 #1 (May)
• Jack D'Uria in Ghost Rider v2 #4 (Aug)
• Kearson DeWitt in Iron Man Annual #13 (July )
• Foolkiller III in Foolkiller v1 #1 (October )
• Gambit in Uncanny X-Men Annual #14
• Ghost Rider II in Ghost Rider v2 #1 (May)
• The Lifeform in Punisher Annual #3
• Midnight's Fire in New Warriors #2 (August )
• Mindblast in The Amazing Spider-Man #340 (October )
• The Monster Pretenders in The Transformers #67 (June )
• Julius Rassitano in The Mighty Thor v1 #426 (November )
• The Mutant Liberation Front in The New Mutants #86 (February ) (all members appeared at the date mentioned, unless stated otherwise)
  • Dragoness in New Mutants #93 (September )
  • Forearm
  • Kamikaze in New Mutants #93 (September )
  • Reaper
  • Strobe
  • Stryfe
  • Tempo
  • Thumbelina
  • Wildside
  • Zero
• Psionex in New Warriors #4 (October )
  • Asylum I
  • Coronary
  • Dwight Hubbard
  • Heidi P. Franklin
  • Mathemanic
• Silhouette in New Warriors #2 (August )
• The Stark in The Guardians of the Galaxy v1 #1 (June )
• Whiplash II in Marvel Comics Presents #46 (May)

Independent titles

• Armoured Gideon in 2000AD (March 24)
• Garganta in Femforce #30
• Madman in Creatures of the Id (October )

Newspapers

• Peggy Jean in Peanuts (July 23)
• The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (December 10)

References

1. Cowsill, Alan; Gilbert, Laura, ed. (2012). "1990s". Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging. Dorling Kindersley. p. 184. ISBN 978-0756692360. Todd McFarlane was at the top of his game as an artist, and with Marvel's release of this new Spidey series he also got the chance to take on the writing duties. The sales of this series were nothing short of phenomenal, with over 2.5 million copies eventually printing, including special bagged editions and a number of variant covers.
2. Saffel, Steve (2007). "Mutant Menace". Spider-Man the Icon: The Life and Times of a Pop Culture Phenomenon. Titan Books. p. 173. ISBN 978-1-84576-324-4. Marvel knew a good thing when they saw it, and the adjectiveless Spider-Man received Marvel's most aggressive launch in company history...the initial press run was 2.35 million, and 500,000 additional copies were printed to meet demand.
3. "Funny business," Houston Chronicle (03 Aug 1990), p. 2.