1963 in comics

Notable events of 1963 in comics. See also List of years in comics.

Events

Year overall

DC Comics purchases two Prize Comics romance titles, Young Love and Young Romance, continuing their numbering. Shueisha publishes Margaret.

Publications

January

• Fantastic Four (1961 series) #10 - Marvel Comics
• Incredible Hulk (1962 series) #5 - Marvel Comics
• Journey into Mystery (1952 series) #88 - Marvel Comics
• Kid Colt Outlaw (1948 series) #108 - Marvel Comics
• Strange Tales (1951 series) #104 - Marvel Comics
• Tales of Suspense (1959 series) #37 - Marvel Comics
• Tales to Astonish (1959 series) #39 - Marvel Comics
• Two-Gun Kid (1948 series) #61 - Marvel Comics

February

• Fantastic Four (1961 series) #11 - Marvel Comics
• Journey into Mystery (1952 series) #89 - Marvel Comics
• Rawhide Kid (1955 series) #32 - Marvel Comics
• Strange Tales (1951 series) #105 - Marvel Comics
• Tales of Suspense (1959 series) #38 - Marvel Comics
• Tales to Astonish (1959 series) #40 - Marvel Comics

March

• The Amazing Spider-Man (1963 series) #1 - Marvel Comics
• Fantastic Four (1961 series) #12 - Marvel Comics (First The Thing Vs. The Hulk)
• Incredible Hulk (1962 series) #6 - Marvel Comics

First appearance of Metal Master

• Journey into Mystery (1952 series) #90 - Marvel Comics
• Kid Colt Outlaw (1948 series) #109 - Marvel Comics
• Strange Tales (1951 series) #106 - Marvel Comics
• Tales of Suspense (1959 series) #39 - Marvel Comics

First appearance of Iron Man

• Tales to Astonish (1959 series) #41 - Marvel Comics
• Two-Gun Kid (1948 series) #62 - Marvel Comics

April

• Black Cat (1946 series), with issue #65, canceled by Harvey Comics
• Fantastic Four (1961 series) #13 - Marvel Comics
• Fantastic Four Annual (1963 series) #1 - Marvel Comics

First modern appearance of Atlantis

• Journey into Mystery (1952 series) #91 - Marvel Comics
• Metal Men #1 (April/May cover-date) â€" DC Comics
• Rawhide Kid (1955 series) #33 - Marvel Comics
• Strange Tales (1951 series) #107 - Marvel Comics
• Tales of Suspense (1959 series) #40 - Marvel Comics
• Tales to Astonish (1959 series) #42 - Marvel Comics

May

• The Amazing Spider-Man (1963 series) #2 - Marvel Comics
• Fantastic Four (1961 series) #14 - Marvel Comics
• Journey into Mystery (1952 series) #92 - Marvel Comics
• Kid Colt Outlaw (1948 series) #110 - Marvel Comics
• Sgt. Fury (1963 series) #1 - Marvel Comics
• Strange Tales (1951 series) #108 - Marvel Comics
• Tales of Suspense (1959 series) #41 - Marvel Comics
• Tales to Astonish (1959 series) #43 - Marvel Comics
• Two-Gun Kid (1948 series) #63 - Marvel Comics

June

• Fantastic Four (1961 series) #15 - Marvel Comics

First appearance of Mad Thinker & his Awesome Android

• Journey into Mystery (1952 series) #93 - Marvel Comics

First appearance of Radioactive Man

• Rawhide Kid (1955 series) #34 - Marvel Comics
• Strange Tales (1951 series) #109 - Marvel Comics
• Strange Tales Annual (1962 series) #2 - Marvel Comics
• Tales of Suspense (1959 series) #42 - Marvel Comics
• Tales to Astonish (1959 series) #44 - Marvel Comics

First appearance of the Wasp

• Young Love #38 (June/July issue) â€" final issue published by Prize Comics; title sold to and continued by DC Comics
• Young Romance #124 (June/July issue) â€" final issue published by Prize Comics; title sold to and continued by DC Comics

July

• The Amazing Spider-Man (1963 series) #3 - Marvel Comics

First appearance of Doctor Octopus

• Fantastic Four (1961 series) #16 - Marvel Comics
• Gunsmoke Western (1955 series), with issue #77, canceled by Marvel Comics
• Journey into Mystery (1952 series) #94 - Marvel Comics
• Kid Colt Outlaw (1948 series) #111 - Marvel Comics
• Sgt. Fury (1963 series) #2 - Marvel Comics
• Strange Tales (1951 series) #110 - Marvel Comics

First appearance of Doctor Strange, Ancient One & Nightmare (Marvel Comics)

• Tales of Suspense (1959 series) #43 - Marvel Comics

First appearance of Kala

• Tales to Astonish (1959 series) #45 - Marvel Comics
• Two-Gun Kid (1948 series) #64 - Marvel Comics

August

• Fantastic Four (1961 series) #17 - Marvel Comics
• House of Secrets #61 - DC Comics

First appearance of Eclipso by writer Bob Haney and artist Lee Elias

• Journey into Mystery (1952 series) #95 - Marvel Comics
• Justice League of America #21 - the first team-up of the Justice League and the Justice Society of America as well as the first use of the term "Crisis" in reference to a crossover between Golden Age and Silver Age characters.
• Rawhide Kid (1955 series) #35 - Marvel Comics
• Strange Tales (1951 series) #111 - Marvel Comics

First appearance of Baron Mordo

• Tales of Suspense (1959 series) #44 - Marvel Comics
• Tales to Astonish (1959 series) #46 - Marvel Comics
• Young Romance #125 (August/September issue) â€" DC Comics, continuing numbering from Prize Comics series

September

• The Amazing Spider-Man (1963 series) #4 - Marvel Comics

First appearance of Sandman

• Avengers (1963 series) #1 - Marvel Comics

First appearance of Avengers

• Fantastic Four (1961 series) #18 - Marvel Comics

First appearance of Super-Skrull

• Green Lantern #23 - DC Comics

First appearance of Tattooed Man

• Journey into Mystery (1952 series) #96 - Marvel Comics
• Kid Colt Outlaw (1948 series) #112 - Marvel Comics
• Sgt. Fury (1963 series) #3 - Marvel Comics
• Strange Tales (1951 series) #112 - Marvel Comics

First appearance of Eel

• Tales of Suspense (1959 series) #45 - Marvel Comics

First appearance of Jack Frost, Happy Hogan & Pepper Potts

• Tales to Astonish (1959 series) #47 - Marvel Comics
• Two-Gun Kid (1948 series) #65 - Marvel Comics
• Uncanny X-Men (1963 series) #1 - Marvel Comics

First appearance of The X Men (Consisting of Professor X, Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Marvel Girl, and Iceman), Magneto, & Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters

• Young Love #39 (September/October issue) â€" DC Comics, continuing numbering from Prize Comics series

October

• The Amazing Spider-Man (1963 series) #5 - Marvel Comics
• Fantastic Four (1961 series) #19 - Marvel Comics
  • First appearance of Rama Tut
• Journey into Mystery (1952 series) #97 - Marvel Comics
  • First appearance of Lava Men & Surtur
• Rawhide Kid (1955 series) #36 - Marvel Comics
• Strange Tales (1951 series) #113 - Marvel Comics
  • First appearance of Plantman
• Tales of Suspense (1959 series) #46 - Marvel Comics
  • First appearance of Crimson Dynamo
• Tales to Astonish (1959 series) #48 - Marvel Comics
  • First appearance of Porcupine (comics)

November

• The Amazing Spider-Man (1963 series) #6 - Marvel Comics
  • First appearance of Lizard (comics)
• Avengers (1963 series) #2 - Marvel Comics
  • First appearance of Space Phantom
• Fantastic Four (1961 series) #20 - Marvel Comics
  • First appearance of Molecule Man
• Journey into Mystery (1952 series) #98 - Marvel Comics
  • First appearance of Cobra (comics)
• Kid Colt Outlaw (1948 series) #113 - Marvel Comics
• Sgt. Fury (1963 series) #4 - Marvel Comics
• Strange Tales (1951 series) #114 - Marvel Comics
  • Begins monthly Doctor Strange back-up story
• Tales of Suspense (1959 series) #47 - Marvel Comics
  • First appearance of Melter
• Tales to Astonish (1959 series) #49 - Marvel Comics
  • First appearance of Henry "Hank" Pym as Giant-Man
• Two-Gun Kid (1948 series) #66 - Marvel Comics
• Uncanny X-Men (1963 series) #2 - Marvel Comics
  • First appearance of Vanisher

December

• The Amazing Spider-Man (1963 series) #7 - Marvel Comics
• Fantastic Four (1961 series) #21 - Marvel Comics

First appearance of Hate-Monger, First Nick Fury in present day

• Journey into Mystery (1952 series) #99 - Marvel Comics

First appearance of Mister Hyde (comics)

• Rawhide Kid (1955 series) #37 - Marvel Comics
• Strange Tales (1951 series) #115 - Marvel Comics
• Tales of Suspense (1959 series) #48 - Marvel Comics

First appearance of Iron Man's red & gold armor; first appearance of Mister Doll

• Tales to Astonish (1959 series) #50 - Marvel Comics

Initial appearance by character name

Marvel Comics

• Chameleon - The Amazing Spider-Man #1 - Marvel Comics
• Human Top (later Whirlwind) - Tales to Astonish #50 - Marvel Comics
• Nick Fury - Sgt. Fury #1 - Marvel Comics
• Impossible Man - Fantastic Four #11 - Marvel Comics
• J. Jonah Jameson - Amazing Spider-Man #1 - Marvel Comics
• John Jameson - Amazing Spider-Man #1 - Marvel Comics
• Willie Lumpkin - Fantastic Four #11 - Marvel Comics
• Paste Pot Pete (later The Trapster) - Strange Tales #104 - Marvel Comics
• Red Ghost - Fantastic Four #13 - Marvel Comics
• Tyrannus - Incredible Hulk #5 - Marvel Comics
• Uatu (The Watcher) - Fantastic Four #13 - Marvel Comics
• The Voice - Tales to Astonish #42 - Marvel Comics
• The Vulture - Amazing Spider-Man #2 - Marvel Comics

References