Notable events of 1979 in comics. See also List of years in comics.
Events
Year overall
- The "Demon in a Bottle" storyline, by David Michelinie, Bob Layton, and John Romita, Jr., runs through Iron Man (issues #120â€"128, Marchâ€"November).
- Alien: The Illustrated Story, a comics adaptation of Alien, by Archie Goodwin and Walt Simonson, published by Heavy Metal.
January
- January 24: The Mighty World of Marvel, with issue #330, changes its name to Marvel Comic. (Marvel UK)
March
- IPC Magazines launches Tornado, a short-lived weekly British comic published for 22 issues.
- The Human Fly, with issue #19, is cancelled by Marvel.
April
- Kid Colt Outlaw (1949 series), with issue #225, canceled by Marvel.
- The reprint title Marvel Triple Action, with issue #47, is cancelled by Marvel.
May
- Frank Miller takes over from Gene Colan as regular penciler on Daredevil with issue #158.
- Vince Colletta resigns as art director of DC Comics.
- Rawhide Kid, with issue #135, canceled by Marvel.
- Captain Marvel, with issue #62, cancelled by Marvel.
- Howard the Duck (vol. 1), with issue #31, canceled by Marvel.
- Black Panther, with issue #15, cancelled by Marvel.
Summer
- DC Special Series #17 â€" DC Special Series returns after it had gone on hiatus in Fall 1978.
July
- World of Krypton â€" #1 of 3, by DC Comics. The first official limited series, this three-issue "mini-series" was originally slated for Showcase #104-106 to coincide with the premiere of Superman: The Movie. The storyline was rescheduled for Showcase #110-112 when the film's release date was delayed; but ultimately, Showcase was cancelled after issue #104. Finally, the material is revised and released as a limited series by Paul Kupperberg and Howard Chaykin.
- With issue #24, Marvel cancels Godzilla, King of the Monsters.
- July 25: Marvel UK publishes the final weekly issue (#352) of Marvel Comic.
August
- With issue #70, Marvel publishes the final issue of The Tomb of Dracula, ending writer Marv Wolfman and artist Gene Colan's uninterrupted six-year run on the title.
September
- All Out War #1: a new war title in the Dollar Comics format is launched by DC Comics with a September/October cover date.
- The Best of DC #1: a reprint anthology title in the digest format is launched by DC Comics with a September/October cover date.
- "The Proteus Saga", by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, begins in Uncanny X-Men #125 (running through issue #128).
- Marvel Comic, with issue #353, becomes a monthly title and is renamed Marvel Superheroes. (Marvel UK)
- The Invaders, with issue #41, is cancelled by Marvel.
October
- Action Comics #500: 68-pages, "The Life Story of Superman," by Martin Pasko, Curt Swan, and Frank Chiaramonte.
- Star*Reach, with issue #18, publishes its final issue.
- Time Warp #1: a new science-fiction anthology in the Dollar Comics format is launched by DC Comics with an October/November cover date.
- With issue #28, Marvel cancels John Carter, Warlord of Mars.
Conventions
- April 6â€"8: MiamiCon II (Holiday Inn, Miami, Florida) â€" first iteration of the show since 1975; guests include Stan Lee
- June: Houstoncon (Houston, Texas) â€" guests include George Pérez and Walter Koenig
- June 7â€"10: D-Con '79 (Dallas, Texas) â€" Larry Lankford's revival of D-Con after a hiatus; antecedent to Lankford's later Dallas Fantasy Fair
- June 30â€"July 1: Comic Art Convention I (Statler Hilton Hotel, New York City)
- July 14â€"15: Comic Art Convention II (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
- July 20â€"22: Chicago Comicon (Pick-Congress Hotel, Chicago, Illinois) â€" special guests: Mike W. Barr and John Byrne; first year that Joe Sarno is not one of the show’s organizers, leaving the duties to Larry Charet and Bob Weinberg
- August: FantaCon '80 (The Egg convention center, Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York) â€" first annual Albany-area horror and comic book convention, hosted by FantaCo Enterprises publisher Thomas Skulan
- August 1â€"5: San Diego Comic-Con (Convention and Performing Arts Center and U.S. Grant Hotel, San Diego, California) â€" 6,000 attendees; official guests: Kelly Freas, Mike Jittlov, Harvey Kurtzman, Victor Moscoso, Nestor Redondo, Marshall Rogers, John Romita Sr., Mort Walker, Len Wein, and Marv Wolfman
- August 31â€"September 2: Comicon '79 (British Comic Art Convention 11) (Hotel Metropole, National Exhibition Centre; Birmingham, England) â€" eleventh annual "U.K. Comic Art & Fantasy Convention;" guest of honor: Jim Steranko; other guests include Dez Skinn and Dave Gibbons; presentation of the Eagle Awards
- September: OrlandoCon (Orlando, Florida) â€" guests include Will Eisner, C. C. Beck, Bob Cummings, Kirby Grant, and Jack Rosen
- November 24â€"26: Creation '79 (Statler Hilton Hotel, New York City) â€" guests include Tom Savini; admission: $6/day
Awards
Eagle Awards
Presented in 1980 for comics published in 1979:
- Roll of Honor: Jack Kirby
- Favourite Writer: Chris Claremont
- Favourite Comicbook Artist: John Byrne
- Favourite Inker: Terry Austin
- Favourite Comic Book (Drama): Uncanny X-Men
- Favourite Comic Book (Humor): Howard the Duck, by Steve Gerber and Gene Colan
- Favourite New Comic Title: Howard the Duck
- Favorite Single Comic Book Story: "Demon in a Bottle," Iron Man #s 120-128, by David Michelinie, John Romita, Jr., and Bob Layton
- Favourite Continued Comic Story: X-Men #125-128, by Chris Claremont and John Byrne
- Best Comicbook Cover: The Avengers #185, by George Pérez
- Favourite Team: X-Men
- Favourite Character: Wolverine
- Favourite Supporting Character: Wolverine
- Favourite Villain: Magneto
- Character Most Worthy of Own Title: Warlock
- Favourite Title (UK): Starburst, edited by Dez Skinn
First issues by title
DC Comics
The Best of DC â€" Digest size title
- Release: September /October
All Out War â€" Dollar Comics title
- Release: September /October Editor: Murray Boltinoff
Time Warp â€" Dollar Comics title
- Release: October /November Editor: Jack C. Harris
Marvel Comics
Amazing Adventures vol. 3
- Release: December. Reprinting the original X-Men title.
Doctor Who Magazine
- Release: October 11 by Marvel UK.
Hulk Comic
- Release: March 7 by Marvel UK. Editor: Dez Skinn.
Man-Thing vol. 2
- Release: November. Writer: Michael Fleisher. Artists: Jim Mooney and Bob Wiacek.
Marvel Spotlight vol. 2
- Release: July. Editor: Roger Stern.
Micronauts
- Release: January. Writer: Bill Mantlo. Artist: Michael Golden.
Rom: Spaceknight
- Release: December. Writer: Bill Mantlo. Artist: Sal Buscema.
Shogun Warriors
- Release: February. Writer: Doug Moench. Artist: Herb Trimpe.
Tales to Astonish vol. 2
- Release: December. Reprinting edited versions of the 1968 Sub-Mariner title.
Independent titles
- Battle of the Planets
- Release: June by Gold Key Comics. Writer: Gary Poole. Artist: Win Mortimer.
- Best Buy Comics
- Release February by Apex Novelties. Writers and Artists: Robert Crumb and Aline Kominsky
- Starblazer
- Release: April by D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd..
Initial appearances by character name
DC Comics
- Blok, in Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #253
- Carl Draper, in Superman #331
- Fire, in Super Friends #25
- Firebug, in Batman #318
- Lucius Fox, in Batman #307
- Maxie Zeus, in Detective Comics #483
Marvel Comics
- El Aguila, in Power Man and Iron Fist #58
- Alpha Flight, in Uncanny X-Men #120
- Aurora
- Northstar
- Sasquatch
- Shaman
- Snowbird
- Black Cat, in The Amazing Spider-Man #194
- Dire Wraith, in Rom #1
- Followers of the Light, in Shogun Warriors #1
- Justin Hammer, in Iron Man #120
- H.E.R.B.I.E., in Fantastic Four #209
- Kroton (Cyberman), in Doctor Who Weekly #5 (Marvel UK)
- Cassandra Lang (as "Cassie Lang"), in Marvel Premiere #47
- Scott Lang, in The Avengers #181; as Ant-Man II in Marvel Premiere #47
- Lady Lotus, in Invaders #37
- Night Raven, in Hulk Comic #1 (Marvel UK)
- Quasar, in Incredible Hulk #234
- Proteus, in Uncanny X-Men #125
- Rom, in Rom: Spaceknight #1
- Schizoid Man, in Spectacular Spider-Man #36
- Shadow King, in Uncanny X-Men #117 (January)
- Screaming Mimi, in Marvel Two-in-One #54
- Vampiro, in The Mighty Thor #290 (December)
- War Machine, in Iron Man #118
- Debra Whitman, in The Amazing Spider-Man #196
- Mariko Yashida, in Uncanny X-Men #118