1998 in comics

1998

1997 in comics

1999 in comics

Notable events of 1998 in comics. See also List of years in comics.

Events and publications

Year overall

• Jim Lee announced that DC Comics would take over WildStorm Productions.

January

• January 11: Win Mortimer dies at age 78.

February

• Superman Red/Superman Blue begins.
• Ghost Rider, vol. 3., 1990 series, cancelled by Marvel with issue #93
• February 28: Antonio Prohías, creator of Spy vs. Spy, dies at age 77

March

• Batman: Cataclysm begins.
• March 1: Archie Goodwin dies at age 60.

April

• April 7: Golden Age artist Alex Schomburg dies at age 92.^[1]

May

• Marvel Comics' Identity Crisis begins.
• Batman: Cataclysm concludes.

Spring

• Gay Comix (1980 series), with issue #25, publishes its final issue (Bob Ross)

June

• Emerald Knights begins.
• Identity Crisis concludes.
• Superman Red/Superman Blue concludes.

September

• September 3: Vincent Alascia dies at age 84.^[2]

October

• Toy Biz buys Marvel Comics
• The "Emerald Knights" storyline concludes
• The Gathering of Five, taking place over Spider-Man's four main ongoing series
• Daredevil vol. 1, 1964 series, is canceled by Marvel with issue #380
• Excalibur is canceled by Marvel with issue #125
• The Sensational Spider-Man is canceled by Marvel with issue #33

November

• DC One Million takes place.
• The Final Chapter begins and concludes, taking place over Spider-Man's three main ongoing series
• The imprint Marvel Knights debuts with three new titles:
  • Daredevil vol. 2 — the "Guardian Devil" storyline begins
  • Black Panther vol. 3
  • Inhumans vol. 2
• Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man is canceled by Marvel with issue #263.
• Silver Surfer vol. 2 is canceled by Marvel with issue #146.
• What If vol. 2 is canceled by Marvel with issue #114.
• November 3: Batman creator Bob Kane dies at age 83.^[3]
• November 17: Torchy creator Bill Ward dies at age 79.
• November 18: The first page of Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik's Penny Arcade is uploaded to the Internet.

December

• The Hunt for Xavier begins.
• The Amazing Spider-Man and Peter Parker: Spider-Man are both restarted with new #1 issues.
• December 23: Joe Orlando dies at age 71.

Conventions

• January 22–25: Angoulême International Comics Festival (Angoulême, France)^[4]
• February 21–22: Alternative Press Expo (San Jose, California)
• March 13–15: MegaCon (Orlando Expo Center, Orlando, Florida, USA) — guests include Stephen Furst and Robin Downs of Babylon 5
• March 21–22: United Kingdom Comic Art Convention (Manchester, England) — guests include Joe Sacco, Alex Ross, Eddie Campbell, Colleen Doran, Woodrow Phoenix, William Messner-Loebs, Alan Grant, and Dave Taylor ; presentation of the National Comics Awards; final iteration of the UKCAC
• April 17–19: WonderCon (Oakland, California)
• April 25–26: Pittsburgh Comicon (Pittsburgh ExpoMart, Monroeville, Pennsylvania) — guests include Kevin Smith and Jim Mahfood^[5]
• May 15–17: Motor City Comic Con I (Novi Expo Center, Novi, Michigan)^[6]
• May 16: Ramapo Comic Con XII (Ramapo High School, Spring Valley, New York) — guests include Barry Blair, Howard Cruse, Evan Dorkin, Sarah Dyer, Dave Cockrum, Joe Quesada, Jimmy Palmiotti, Fred Hembeck, and Amanda Conner^[7]
• Summer: "The Death of CAPTION" (Oxford Union Society, Oxford, England)
• June 3–5: Heroes Convention (Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, North Carolina) — guests include "Trilogy Tour" II members Jeff Smith, Charles Vess, Linda Medley, Mark Crilley, Jill Thompson, and Stan Sakai
• June 26–28: Fan Expo Canada (Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada) — 6,778 attendees; guests include Joe Quesada, Greg Capullo, Joseph Michael Linsner, Jimmy Palmiotti, Humberto Ramos, Christina Z, Amanda Conner, Chester Brown, Joe Matt, and Seth
• July 17–19: Wizard World Chicago (Rosemont Convention Center, Rosemont, Illinois) — 25,000 attendees; guest of honor: Todd McFarlane; special guests: David Prowse and Kenny Baker; other guests include "Trilogy Tour" II members Jeff Smith, Charles Vess, Linda Medley, Mark Crilley, Jill Thompson, and Stan Sakai
• July 17–18: Zinefest (Los Angeles and Orange, California)
• Aug. 11–12: Pro/Con (San Diego, California) — 6th Pro/Con moves from Oakland to San Diego; held right before Comic-Con International
• August 13–17: Comic-Con International (San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California) — 42,000 attendees. Special guests include John Broome, Eddie Campbell, Nick Cardy, Mark Crilley, Colleen Doran, Lorenzo Mattotti, Terry Moore, Paul S. Newman, James Robinson, Joe Simon, Paul Smith, Vin Sullivan, Naoko Takeuchi, Chris Ware, and Robert Williams
• September 3–6: Dragon Con (Hyatt Regency Atlanta/ AmericasMart, Atlanta, Georgia) — 18,000 attendees
• September 11–12: Big Apple Comic Con I (Church of St. Paul the Apostle, New York City)
• September 26–27: Small Press Expo (Holiday Inn Select, Bethesda, Maryland)^[8]
• October 9–10: Festival of Cartoon Art (Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio)^[9] — 6th edition
• October 10: Big Apple Comic Con II (Church of St. Paul the Apostle, New York City)
• October 10–11: Motor City Comic Con II (Dearborn Civic Center, Dearborn, Michigan)
• October 17–18: SuperCon III (Oakland Convention Center, Oakland, California)
• November 13–15: The Graphic Novel: a 20th Anniversary Conference on an Emerging Literary and Artistic Medium (the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts) — program book features a brief essay by Will Eisner, "Twentieth Anniversary Reflections on A Contract with God"
• November 13–14: Big Apple Comic Con III (Church of St. Paul the Apostle, New York City)
• November 28–29: Mid-Ohio Con (Adam's Mark Hotel, Columbus, Ohio) — guests include "Trilogy Tour" II members Jeff Smith, Charles Vess, Linda Medley, Mark Crilley, Jill Thompson, and Stan Sakai

First issues by title

• Elseworld's Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl

References

1. Saunders, David. "Alex Schomburg (1905–1998)," PulpArtists.com: Field Guide to Wild American Pulp Artists (2009). Accessed June 25, 2012.
2. Vincent Alascia at the Lambiek Comiclopedia. Retrieved October 18, 2011. Archived from the original October 18, 2011
3. Boxer, Sarah. "Bob Kane, 83, the Cartoonist Who Created 'Batman,' Is Dead", The New York Times November 7, 1998
4. Kannenberg, Jr., Gene. "Veni, Vidi, BD: A First-Time View of Angoulême, 1998," The Comics Journal #202 (Mar. 1998), pp. 24-26..
5. "Chasing Kevin: Besides Movie Fans, Director Smith Has to Cope With Comic Book Lovers," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (29 Apr 1998), p. F-5.
6. "Detroit Gears Up for Motor City Con," Comic Book Marketplace, vol. 2, #58 (Apr. 1998), pp. 74-75.
7. Rimmels, Beth Hannan. "Stripped: Cruising in Queens, Etc.," Long Island Voice (May 14-20, 1998).
8. "News for the week ending September 27, 1998," Sequential Tart (Sept. 1998).
9. Kannenberg, Gene. "One-of-a-kind: The Ohio State University Festival of Cartoon Art, October 9–10, 1998, A Personal View," Comics Journal (Dec. 1998), pp. 9–14.