1979 in comics

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

Notes