1996 in comics

1996

1995 in comics

1997 in comics

Notable events of 1996 in comics. See also list of years in comics.

Events

Year overall

• The Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute creates Enviro-babies to help promote endangered species awareness

February

• The New Titans is canceled by DC with issue #130.
• Star Trek vol. 2 is canceled by DC with issue #80.

March

• With issue #75, The Sandman ends its run. (DC/Vertigo)

April

• Marvel discontinues its Marvel Edge imprint

June

• Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme is canceled by Marvel with issue #90.

July

• Diamond Comic Distributors acquires Capital City Distribution.^[1]
• The Avengers #400: "History Repeats Itself," by Mark Waid, Mike Weiringo, and Tom Palmer. (Marvel Comics)

August

• Detective Comics #700: "Legacy," Part I, "Progeny of the Demon," by Chuck Dixon, Graham Nolan, and Scott Hanna.
• Captain America (1968 series) is canceled by Marvel with issue #454.

September

• Fantastic Four (1961 series) is canceled by Marvel with issue #416.
• The Avengers (1963 series) is canceled by Marvel with issue #402.
• Iron Man (1968 series) is canceled by Marvel with issue #332.
• Newspaper strip A Couple of Guys begins publication

December

• Superman: The Wedding Album: Clark Kent marries Lois Lane (DC Comics).
• December 27: Marvel Entertainment files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Deaths

Year overall

• Malcolm Jones III commits suicide at circa age 37.
• Boody Rogers, creator of Sparky Watts, dies at c. age 92

January

• January 19: Bernard Baily, co-creator of The Spectre and Hourman, dies at age 79.
• January 28:
  • Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel dies at age 81.
  • Tarzan artist Burne Hogarth dies at age 84.

May

• May 9: Disney Comics writer/artist Carl Fallberg dies at age 80.

June

• June 19: Long-time Superman artist Curt Swan dies at age 76.

July

• July 2: Mike Parobeck, Batman Adventures artist, dies from diabetes at age 30.

August

• August 12: Beloved Marvel Comics writer/editor Mark Gruenwald dies at age 43.

Conventions

• March 2: Halleluja Con (Church of St. Paul the Apostle, New York City) — produced on the spur of the moment after the sudden cancellation of the scheduled Great Eastern Conventions New York show. First iteration of the Big Apple Convention.^[2]
• March 22–24: Motor City Comic Con I (Novi Expo Center, Novi, Michigan)
• March 23: Alternative Press Expo (San Jose, California)
• April 19–21: Pittsburgh Comicon (ExpoMart/Radisson, Monroeville, Pennsylvania) — guests include Stan Lee, Jim Shooter, and Julius Schwartz^[3]
• April 26–28: WonderCon (Oakland, California) — 10th annual convention
• May 18: Ramapo Comic Con X (Spring Valley, New York) — "EC Tribute" with guests Al Williamson and Marie Severin; other guests include Julius Schwartz, Murphy Anderson, Dick Ayers, Joe Sinnott, Joe Staton, Eric Shanower, Mark Schultz, Walt Simonson, Louise Simonson, Evan Dorkin, Sarah Dyer, David Mazzuchelli, and Howard Cruse
• Summer: "Lazy CAPTION" (Oxford Union Society, Oxford, England)
• Summer: Canadian National Comic Book Exposition (Holiday Inn on King, Toronto, Ontario, Canada) — c. 2,900 attendees; guests include Dale Keown, Adam Hughes, Stuart Immonen, Pat Lee, Ken Lashley, Mike Zeck, and Dave Ross
• June: Heroes Convention (Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, North Carolina) — guests included Alex Ross, Mike Wieringo, Ron Garney, George Pérez, Nick Cardy, Dan Jurgens, and Tom Smith
• June 2: Houston Comix Fair & Toy Show XIV (Medallion Hotel, Houston, Texas)^[4] — final edition of Comix Fair; guests include Mart Nodell and Shannon Wheeler
• June 21–23: Chicago Comicon (Chicago, Illinois) — 25,000 attendees; Guest of honor: Will Eisner; other guests: Harlan Ellison, Larry Marder, Heidi MacDonald, Mike Richardson, Kurt Busiek, Sergio Aragonés, Evan Dorkin, Paul Levitz, Julius Schwartz, Mercy Van Vlack, and George Pérez^[5]
• June 21–23: Dragon Con (Atlanta Hilton & Towers/Westin Peachtree Plaza/Atlanta Civic Center, Atlanta, Georgia) — 13,400 attendees; guests include Neil Gaiman, John Byrne, Peter David, Kevin Nowlan, Chris Claremont, Al Feldstein, Robert Williams, Mark Bodé, Al Williamson, William Stout, Mark Schultz, Jeff Smith, Reed Waller, Rich Buckler, John Kricfalusi, and Bob Burden.^[6]
• July 4–7: San Diego Comic-Con (San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California) — 36,000 attendees. Special guests include Donna Barr, David Brin, Paul Chadwick, Steve Dillon, Mort Drucker, Ben Edlund, Garth Ennis, Dave Gibbons, Joe Giella, Dave McKean, Jim Mooney, Kurt Schaffenberger, and François Schuiten
• July 26–28: Dallas Collectors Con (Plano Convention Center, Plano, Texas) — substitute event for cancelled Dallas Fantasy Fair; official include Bernie Wrightson, Howard Cruse, Rob Liefeld, and Kurt Busiek.^[7]
• July 27–28: Dallas Fantasy Fair (Market Hall, Dallas, Texas) — cancelled at the last minute; the Harvey Awards were scheduled to be presented there and had to be rescheduled for later in the year^[8]
• September 20: Small Press Expo (Bethesda, Maryland) – guests include Jeff Smith, Charles Vess, Evan Dorkin, Jim Gownley, David Lapham, and Shannon Wheeler
• October 12–13: Motor City Comic Con II (Dearborn Civic Center, Dearborn, Michigan)
• October 25–27: Dynamic Forces New York Comic Book Convention (Sheraton New York Hotel, New York City) — official guests include Barry Windsor-Smith and Dan Jurgens^[9]
• November 1–3: Atlanta StarCon & Comics (Marriott North Central Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia) — produced by the former organizer of the Atlanta Fantasy Fair; official guests include George Pérez, Michael O'Hare, Kane Hodder, Frank Marshall, and Kathleen Kennedy.
• November 29–December 1: Mid-Ohio Con (Columbus, Ohio) — guests include Roger Stern, Darryl Banks, Dick DeBartolo, Tom and Mary Bierbaum, Tony Isabella, Paul Jenkins, Mark Waid, Leah Adezio, Dan Mishkin, Berni Wrightson,^[10] Mark Crilley, P. Craig Russell, Jim Shooter, Murphy Anderson, Dick Ayers, Tom Batiuk, John Byrne, Dick DeBartolo, Julius Schwartz, and Jeff Smith^[11]

First issues by title

Independent titles

Allegra

Release: August by Image Comics. Writer: Steven T. Seagle. Artist: Scott Clarke

Cyberpunx

Release: March by Image Comics. Writer: Robert Loren Fleming Artist: Ching Lau

Keyhole

Release: June by Millennium Publications. Writers: Dean Haspiel, Josh Neufeld, R. Walker, Chris Cliadakis, Linda Perkins. Art by: Haspiel, Neufeld, and Perkins.

Tim Curry

Release February by Curry Comics.

Marvel Comics

• Onslaught: X-Men

Release August

• Onslaught: Marvel Universe

Release October

• The Avengers (1996 series) #1

Release November

• Captain America (1996 series) #1

Release November

• Fantastic Four (1996 series) #1

Release November

• Iron Man (1996 series) #1

Release November

References

1. "Diamond Comic Distributors acquires Capital City Distribution; Comic distribution industry stabilized by purchase," bNet: Business Wire (July 26, 1996).
2. "Newswatch: NYC Comics Convention Cancelled, Fans Irate," The Comics Journal #185 (Mar. 1996), pp. 18-19.
3. "Comic Marvels," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (19 Apr 1996), p. 2.
4. "Book events," Houston Chronicle (02 June 1996), p. 20.
5. Cwiklik, Gregory. "The 21st Annual Chicago Comicon: A Personal View," The Comics Journal #189 (Aug. 1996), pp. 23–27.
6. Wardle, Paul: "Freaks, Outcasts, and Peter David: Dragon Con '96," The Comics Journal #189 (Aug. 1996), pp. 27–30.
7. Raphael, Jordan. "Dallas Fantasy Fair Cancelled: New Con Takes Its Place," The Comics Journal #189 (Aug. 1996), p. 23.
8. "People Watch," Fort Worth Star-Telegram (July 26, 1996), p. 7.
9. "Choices: What's Happening This Weekend," Newsday (25 Oct 1996), p. B.02.
10. Van Domelen, Dave. "Dave's Mid-Ohio Con Page," Dave's Online Nest (Dec. 16, 1999).
11. "Top Comic-Book Talents Convene for Aficionados," Columbus Dispatch (Nov. 28, 1996).