1999 in comics

1999

1998 in comics

2000 in comics

Notable events of 1999 in comics. See also List of years in comics.

Events and publications

• Rough Cut Comics founded
• WildStorm founded the America's Best Comics imprint
• Kitchen Sink Press collapses

January

• DC Comics completed the takeover of WildStorm Productions.

February

• February 3: Pioneering editor Vin Sullivan dies at age 87.^[1]
• February 26: John L. Goldwater, co-founder of Archie Comics, dies at age 82.^[2]

March

• The Incredible Hulk (1968 series) is canceled by Marvel with issue #474.

May

• Anarky, vol. 2 - DC Comics
• May 30: Prolific scripter Paul S. Newman, creator of Turok, dies at age 75.

July

• July 1: James Sanchez begins publishing the webcomic Bigtime Consulting.
• July 16: Words & Pictures Museum of Fine Sequential Art closes its doors to the public, becoming the Virtual Words & Pictures Museum.^[3]

August

• 100 Bullets, by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso, debuts under the Vertigo imprint (cover date).

November

• Strange Adventures vol. 2, #1 - Vertigo

Deaths

March

• March 8': Giovan Battista Carpi, comics artist for Disney comics, dies at age 71.
• March 14: John Broome, comic book writer for DC Comics, dies at age 85.

April

• April 12: Ricardo Barreiro, comic book writer, dies at age 49.

May

• May 12: Saul Steinberg, cartoonist, dies at age 84.

June

• June 15: John Glashan, creator of Genius, dies at age 71.

August

• August 8: Yolanda Vargas Dulché, creator of Memín Pinguín, died at age 73.
• August 13: John Geering, creator of Puss 'n' Boots, Smudge and Bananaman, dies at age 58.
• August 30: Raymond Poïvet, creator of Les Pionniers de l'Espérance, at age 89.

October

• October 29: Greg, creator of Achille Talon, dies at age 68.

December

• December 15: Rune Andréasson, creator of Bamse, dies at age 74.

Conventions

• February 27–28: Alternative Press Expo (San Jose, California)^[4]
• March 5–7: MegaCon (Orlando, Florida)
• April 2–4: Comics 99 (Watershed Media Center and Swallow Royal, Bristol, England, U.K.) — first iteration of Comic Festival; 2,500 attendees; presentation of the National Comics Awards; guests include Phil Winslade, Steve Pugh, Steve Dillon, Scott Dunbier, Peter Hogan, Grant Morrison, Charlie Adlard, Kev Sutherland, Glenn Fabry, Metaphrog, Al Davison, Dave Gibbons, Bryan Talbot, Shelly Roeberg, Kyle Baker, John McCrea, Rich Johnston, Gary Spencer Millidge, and Jamie Delano^[5]
• April 16–18: WonderCon (Oakland Convention Center, Oakland, California)
• April 23–25: Pittsburgh Comicon (Pittsburgh Expomart, Monroeville, Pennsylvania) — 7,500 attendees;^[6] guests include Martin Nodell, Alley Baggett, Lou Ferrigno, George Steele,^[7] and Steve Lieber^[8]
• May 7–9: New York Comic and Fantasy Creators Convention (Madison Square Garden Expo Center, New York City)—300 exhibitors, including Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Harris Comics, Crucial Comics, Visage Studios, and Wizard Entertainment; guests include Joe Simon and John Romita, Jr.^[9]
• May 14–16: Motor City Comic Con I (Novi Expo Center, Novi, Michigan)
• Summer: "Space CAPTION 99" (Oxford Union Society, Oxford, England) — guests include Bryan Talbot
• June 18–20: Heroes Convention (Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, North Carolina)
• July 1–4: Dragon Con (Hyatt Regency Atlanta/Atlanta Merchandise Mart/Atlanta Apparel Mart, Atlanta, Georgia)—19,000 attendees
• July 9–11: Wizard World Chicago (Rosemont, Illinois)
• August 13–16, Comic-Con International (San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California)—42,000 attendees; special guests include Tom Batiuk, Chuck Cuidera, Samuel R. Delany, Paul Dini, Arnold Drake, Neil Gaiman, Sam Glanzman, Larry Gonick, Irwin Hasen, Patrick McDonnell, Mike Mignola, Mark Mothersbaugh, Jerry Robinson, Art Spiegelman, Jim Steranko, Jill Thompson, Bruce Timm, and Barry Windsor-Smith
• August 27–29: Fan Expo Canada (Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada)—9,620 attendees; guests include Jeri Ryan, Kevin Smith, Kenny Baker, Warwick Davis, Lou Ferrigno, Joe Quesada, Michael Turner, Mark Waid, Leinil Francis Yu, Keu Cha, and C.B. Cebulski
• September 17–19: Small Press Expo (Holiday Inn Select, Bethesda, Maryland) — guests include Charles Burns, Eddie Campbell, Jeff Smith, Jason Lutes, and James Kochalka. Held in conjunction with SPX are the fifth annual International Comic Arts Festival (ICAF) and PACER, the Professional Association of Comics Entertainment Retailers^[10]
• October 23–24: Motor City Comic Con II (Detroit, Michigan) — guests include David W. Mack, Tim Vigil, David Quinn, Vincent Locke, Jill Thompson, Guy Davis, Mark Waid, Devin Grayson, and William Messner-Loebs
• November 12–14:^[11] National Comic Book, Comic Art, and Toy Show (New York City)
• November 27–28: Mid-Ohio Con (Adam's Mark Hotel, Columbus, Ohio)

First issues by title

100 Bullets

Release: August by Vertigo. Writer: Brian Azzarello Artist:Eduardo Risso

E.V.E. Protomecha

Release: by Top Cow. Writers: Chris Lichtner and Aron Lusen Artist: Ale Garza

Exit

Release: by Albin Michel. Writer & Artist: Bernard Werber

The Mythology Class

Release: by Tala Comics Publishing. Writer & Artist: Arnold Arre

Strange Adventures

Release: November by Vertigo.

Vampire Girl

Release: by Shodensha. Writer & Artist: Fujiwara Kaoru

References

1. "Vince Sullivan, Original DC Editor, Passes Away": DC Comics Press Release #177 (Feb. 10, 1999), postsed at Sequential Tart
2. "Paid Notices: Deaths Goldwater, John L.". The New York Times. February 28, 1999. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
3. Dean, Michael. "Words & Pictures Museum Comes to a Virtual End," The Comics Journal #212 (May 1999), pp. 16-17.
4. Brownstein, Charles. "San Jose Goes APE Feb. 27 and 28," Comics Buyer's Guide (July 9, 1999), pp. 24, 26.
5. Allass, Marcia. "Comics 99: Bristol 1999," Sequential Tart (May 1999).
6. Contino, Jennifer. "Conventioneers," Sequential Tart (June 2000).
7. Collier, Gene. "Comic Books Have Come a Long Way Since Archie," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (25 Apr 1999), p. A-1.
8. Weisberg, Deborah. "Pittsburgh in Comics," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (24 Apr 1999), p. C-16.
9. Andre, Mila. "Show & Sell," Daily News (May 2, 1999).
10. Press release. "SPX 99: THE EXPO -- CELEBRATING COMICS CULTURE," Collector Times Online (Sept. 1999).
11. Patton, Marc. "Big Apple Deems Nov. 12–14 Con a Success," Comics Buyer's Guide (Dec. 31, 1999), pp. 8–9.