1995 in comics

1995

1994 in comics

1996 in comics

Notable events of 1995 in comics. See also List of years in comics.

Events and publication

Year overall

• Publishers Broadway Comics, Tekno Comix, Class Comics, Fantasy Flight Publications, Moonstone Books, A is A, and Ace Comics all debut; WildStorm introduces its Homage Comics imprint; Defiant Comics ceases publishing
• Marvel reintroduces the Amazing Fantasy comic book with #16 with a December 1995 date. It was cancelled with a March 1996 date. Both three issues feature Spider-Man.

January

• After Xavier: The Age of Apocalypse is launched. All X-titles change to different names for the next four months.
• Thor marks his 400th appearance in Marvel Comics with issue #482.
• Silver Surfer vol. 2 #100: by Ron Marz, Joe Phillips, and Tom Grindberg.

February

• Doom Patrol vol. 2 is canceled by DC Comics with issue #87.

March

• Jerry Ordway launches The Power of Shazam for DC Comics. The title has a March 1995 cover date.
• Marvel Comics Presents vol. 1 is canceled by Marvel with issue #175.
• March 9: Marvel Comics (through its Fleer subsidiary) buys trading card manufacturer SkyBox International for $150 million.

April

• The Amazing Spider-Man #400: "A Death In the Family." Die-cut embossed cover. (Marvel Comics)
• April 30: DC Comics announces its products will be distributed exclusively by Diamond Comics Distribution, Inc.

May

• Fantastic Four #400: "Even the Watchers Can Die!" by Tom DeFalco, Paul Ryan, and Dan Bulanadi.
• X-Men: Omega is released and the X-titles revert to their normal continuity.
• Loki makes an appearance in issue #21 of the Malibu Ultraverse title Hard Case.
• Superman (vol. 2) #100: "The Death of Clark Kent," by Dan Jurgens.

July

• Savage Sword of Conan, with issue #235, is cancelled by Marvel.
• Marvel cancels all three Punisher titles due to poor sales:
  • The Punisher vol. 2 (1987 series) is canceled with issue #104 (with The Punisher taking on Bullseye)
  • Punisher War Journal is canceled with issue #80
  • The Punisher War Zone is canceled with issue #41

August

• Deadline is canceled by Deadline Publications Ltd with issue #70 (Aug./Sept.).
• Johnny the Homicidal Maniac debuts.

September

• Malibu Comics relaunches its Ultraverse titles with the Infinity promotion. The most popular characters, such as Prime, Mantra, Exiles, and Rune, come back with all-black covers and an infinity symbol on the cover.
• Marvel's Marvel Edge imprint debuts, featuring the titles Daredevil, Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme, Ghost Rider, and Incredible Hulk

October

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures is canceled by Archie Comics with issue #72.

November

• Marvel launches The Punisher #1 under the Marvel Edge imprint
• Animal Man is canceled by DC Comics with issue #89.

December

• December 31: Publication of final Calvin and Hobbes comic strip

Deaths

February

• February 23: Don Heck, co-creator of Iron Man and long-time Avengers artist, dies at age 66.

March

• March 29: Golden Age artist Mort Meskin dies at age 78.

July

• July 20: George Caragonne, Marvel Comics writer and Penthouse Comix editor, commits suicide at c. age 30.
• July 24: Image Comics and Dark Horse Comics announce they will be exclusively distributed by Diamond Comic Distributors.

August

• August 20: Italian cartoonist Hugo Pratt, creator of Corto Maltese, dies at age 68.

September

• September 30: Nestor Redondo dies at age 67.

November

• November 2: Ollie Harrington, pioneering African-American cartoonist and creator of Dark Laughter, dies at age 83 in Berlin, Germany.

December

• December 5: L. B. Cole dies at age 77

Exhibitions

• August 1–October 27: "See You in the Funny Papers: American Life as Reflected in the Newspaper Comic Strip," curated by Lucy Shelton Caswell in conjunction with the Festival of Cartoon Art (Ohio State University Cartoon, Graphic, and Photographic Arts Research Library, Columbus, Ohio)
• December 7, 1995 – February 11, 1996: "Classic Comics — A Selection of Stories from EC Comics," featuring the work of, among others, John Severin (Words & Pictures Museum, Northampton, Massachusetts)

Conventions

• January 15: Albuquerque Comic Con (Albuquerque Marriott, Albuquerque, New Mexico) — guests include Sheldon Moldoff and Tom Grindberg^[1]
• January 22: Great Eastern Conventions Boston (57 Park Plaza, Boston, Massachusetts) — c. 750 attendees^[2]
• January 26–29: Angoulême International Comics Festival (Angoulême, France) — 22nd annual festival^[3]
• February 19: Spirits of Independence (Austin, Texas) — featuring organizers Dave Sim and Gerhard, and Martin Wagner
• February 24–26: The New York Comic Book Spectacular (Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York City)^[4]
• Spring: MegaCon (Orlando, Florida) — guests include Gil Kane, Dick Giordano, and Howard Chaykin
• March: Motor City Comic Con I
• March 25: Spirits of Independence (Hyatt Downtown, Columbus, OH) — guests include Dave Sim and Gerhard, Paul Pope, Steve Bissette, and M'Oak
• April: Pittsburgh Comicon (Monroeville, Pennsylvania)
• April 15–16: Dallas Fantasy Fair I (Harvey Hotel, Irving, Texas) — guests include Adam Hughes, Susie Owens, and Mark Goddard^[5]
• April 15: Spirits of Independence (Seattle, Washington) — featuring organizers Dave Sim and Gerhard, and Drew Hayes
• April 21–23: WonderCon (Oakland, California) — held in conjunction with Pro/Con
• May 19: Alternative Press Expo (San Jose, California)
• Summer: CAPTION (Oxford Union Society, Oxford, England)
• June 23–25: Atlanta Fantasy Fair (Castlegate Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia) — final iteration of this show; official guests include Claudia Christian, Dirk Benedict, Dwight Schultz, Jeff Pittarelli, Don Hillsman II, Wayne Vansant, Joe Phillips
• June 23: Small Press Expo (Bethesda, Maryland) — second annual show^[6]
• June 30–July 2:^[7] Chicago Comicon (Rosemont Convention Center, Rosemont, Illinois) — 20,000 attendees; guest of honor: Peter David; special guests: Sal Buscema, Roy Thomas, John Romita Sr., Chris Claremont, Jim Shooter, and Julius Schwartz
• July: Heroes Convention (Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, North Carolina) — special guest: Todd McFarlane
• July 1: Spirits of Independence (Manchester, Vermont) — featuring organizers Dave Sim and Gerhard, and Stephen R. Bissette
• July 13–16: Dragon Con/International Starfleet Conference (Atlanta Hilton & Towers, Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel & Atlanta Civic Center, Atlanta, Georgia) — 14,312 attendees; guests of honor: George Alec Effinger, Harlan Ellison, Timothy Zahn, Michael Whelan, and Bjo Trimble
• July 27–30: Comic-Con International (San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California) — 34,000 attendees; special guests include Mike Baron, Simon Bisley, Charles Burns, Alan Davis, Ramona Fradon, Neil Gaiman, James Gurney, Greg Hildebrandt, Tim Hildebrandt, Ryoichi Ikegami, Gil Kane, Stan Lee, Irv Novick, Harvey Pekar, Stan Sakai, Joe Sinnott, Tom Sito, Jeff Smith, and Andrew Vachss. Comic-Con officially changes its name to Comic-Con International, and introduces its new "eye" logo designed by Richard Bruning
• August 12: Spirits—Chicago Independent Comics Expo (I.C.E.) (Radisson Suites Hotel O'Hare, Rosemont, IL) — guests include Jessica Abel, Stephen R. Bissette, Joe Chiapetta, Evan Dorkin, Sarah Dyer, Matt Feazell, Troy Hickman, David Lapham, Larry Marder, Mark Oakley, Paul Pope, Alex Robinson, Andrew Robinson, Dave Sim & Gerhard, Jim Valentino, and Joe Zabel
• August 11–13: Dallas Fantasy Fair II (Dallas Market Hall Convention Center, Dallas, Texas)^[8] — presentation of the Harvey Awards; keynote speaker and master-of-ceremonies: Jim Starlin;^[9] official guests include Sergio Aragonés, Kurt Busiek, Rob Liefeld, Terry Moore, David W. Mack, Martin Nodell, Julius Schwartz, Mark Schultz, Jeff Smith, William Stout, Chris Ware, Al Williamson, and Jim Woodring
• August 12–13: Canadian National Comic Book Exposition, (Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto, Ontario, Canada) — c. 1400 attendees; guests include J. Scott Campbell, Kelley Jones, Joe Jusko, Bill Sienkiewicz, Bernie Wrightson, Brian Hotton, Stephen Platt, Ken Lashley, and Ty Templeton
• August 25–26: Festival of Cartoon Art (Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio) — 5th edition; official guests include Garry Trudeau, Jeff MacNelly, Lynn Johnston, Bill Amend, Robb Armstrong, Stephen Bentley, Bruce Beattie, and Bill Griffith^[10]
• September 9–10: Great Eastern Conventions New York II (Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York City) — final comic convention held in the Javits Center until the New York Comic Con in 2006
• September 1: Spirits of Independence (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) — featuring organizers Dave Sim and Gerhard, and Don Simpson
• October 7–8: Motor City Comic Con II (Dearborn Civic Center)
• October 7: Spirits of Independence (Phoenix, Arizona) — featuring organizers Dave Sim and Gerhard, and James A. Owen
• November 4: Spirits of Independence (Kitchener, Ontario) — featuring organizers Dave Sim and Gerhard
• November 25–26: Dallas Fantasy Fair III (Harvey Hotel, Irving, Texas) — guests include Julie Newmar^[11]
• November 25–26: Mid-Ohio Con (Columbus Ohio) — Special guest: Barry Windsor-Smith; other guests: Mark Evanier, Roger Stern, William Messner-Loebs, John Byrne, Sergio Aragonés, Brian Michael Bendis, Martin Egeland, Dick Giordano, David Mack, Joe Pruett, Beau Smith, Jim Shooter, Jeff Smith, and Bernie Wrightson^[12]

First issues by title

DC Comics

• Power of Shazam
• Sovereign Seven

Delcourt

• De cape et de crocs

Malibu Ultraverse

• Godwheel

Marvel Comics

• Amazing X-Men
• Astonishing X-Men
• Avengers: The Crossing
• Gambit and the X-Ternals
• Generation Next
• Prime
• Skrull Kill Crew
• Weapon X
• X-Calibre
• X-Men: Omega

Vertigo Comics

• Preacher

Independent

• Astro City (as Kurt Busiek's Astro City)
• Dark Town by Mad Monkey Press Writer:Kaja Blackley Artist: Vanessa Chong
• Stray Bullets (by Él Capitan)

References

1. Schoellkopf, Andrea. "Convention Indulges Comic Book Addicts," Albuquerque Journal (16 Jan 1995), p. A1.
2. Doten, Patti. "Comics convention a real draw," Boston Globe (21 Jan 1995), p. 23.
3. Thompson, Mark and Jacques Dutrey. "Newswatch: International News: Angouleme and All That: French Comics Overview," The Comics Journal #176 (Apr. 1995), pp. 36-37.
4. Szadkowski, Joseph. "A `Wow!' and a ho-hum from Fleer," Washington Times (18 Feb 1995), p. E.2.
5. Maurstad, Tom. "Dreamland - Think it's all in your mind? - Maybe not at the Fantasy Fair," Dallas Morning News (Apr. 17, 1995).
6. Evry, Ron. "Small Press Brings In Small Donation for CBLDF : Small Press Expo Highlights Independent Creators," The Comics Journal #179 (Aug. 1995), pp. 20-21.
7. Reuter, Lisa. "Three Events Perfect for Holiday Getaway," Columbus Dispatch (June 25, 1995), p. 03.G.
8. Fowler, Jimmy. "Events for the week," Dallas Observer (Aug. 10, 1995).
9. Dean, Michael. "Newswatch: 2002 Harvey Awards: Motivations and Mathematics," The Comics Journal #244 (June 2002), pp. 16–21.
10. "Festival Draws Cartoon Creators," Columbus Dispatch (Aug. 20, 1995).
11. "Inside Plano," The Dallas Morning News (Nov. 25, 1995).
12. "Comics VIPs due in Columbus," Cleveland Plain Dealer (Nov. 19, 1995).