1983 in comics

Notable events of 1983 in comics. See also List of years in comics.

Events and publications

• Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird found Northampton, Massachusetts-based Mirage Studios.

• Chicago-based First Comics makes a strong entree into the publishing field, putting out four ongoing titles, American Flagg!, E-Man, Jon Sable Freelance, and Warp!; featuring the talents of such established creators as Howard Chaykin, Mike Grell, Frank Brunner, and Joe Staton.

• DC Comics acquires most of Charlton Comics' "Action Hero" superhero characters â€" including Blue Beetle, Captain Atom and The Question â€" from the failing publisher.

• Long-time comics publisher Warren Publishing declares bankruptcy.

• Publicly traded Archie Comics acquired by Richard Goldwater (son of original Archie co-founder John L. Goldwater) and Michael Silberkleit, returning the publisher to private ownership.

• Noble Comics, original publisher of Justice Machine, ceases publication. Texas Comics picks up the title, publishing the Justice Machine Annual, featuring the first appearance of Bill Willingham's Elementals, as well as a crossover between the Justice Machine and the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents. After Texas folds later the same year, Comico takes over both Justice Machine and Elementals.

January

• Frank Chiaramonte, long-time freelance inker for DC and Marvel, dies at age 40.

February

• Wonder Woman #300: Special anniversary issue written by Roy Thomas, Danette Thomas, and Dan Mishkin (consultant). (DC Comics)
• Bizarre Adventures (Marvel Comics) publishes its final issue, #34.
• The Buyer's Guide to Comics Fandom is acquired by Krause Publications and changes its name to Comics Buyer's Guide.

March

• David Anthony Kraft publishes the first issue of his long-running magazine Comics Interview.
• Archie Comics revives its Red Circle Comics superhero imprint with Mighty Crusaders #1.
• Billy the Kid (1957 series), with issue #153, canceled by Charlton.
• March 3: The Adventures of Tintin creator Hergé dies at age 75.

April

• April 6: Golden Age inker Christopher Rule dies at age 87.
• The Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 2 #298 features an insert previewing the upcoming Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld series by writers Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn and artist Ernie Colón.
• Crazy Magazine, with issue #94, canceled by Marvel.

May

• Jason Todd makes his debut as the second Robin in Detective Comics #526.

June

• Action Comics #544: 68-page anniversary issue; origins of revamped Lex Luthor (by Cary Bates and Curt Swan) and Brainiac (by Marv Wolfman and Gil Kane).
• Adventure Comics #500: 148-page giant, reprints of "Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes" from issues #305-313, mostly written by Edmond Hamilton (who had died in 1977).
• Legion of Super-Heroes #300: 68-page anniversary issue; the cover features the Legionnaires drawn by over twenty separate artists.
• With issue #124, DC publishes the final issue of its supernatural war comic Weird War Tales.
• Master of Kung Fu, with issue #125, is cancelled by Marvel.
• Marvel Two-in-One, with issue #100, is cancelled by Marvel (replaced the following month by the new title The Thing).

July

• First issue of Frank Miller's Ronin limited series published by DC Comics.
• With issue #200, DC publishes the final issue of The Brave and the Bold, which also features a preview insert for the new title Batman and the Outsiders.

August

• Alan Moore's "The Bojeffries Saga" starts with "The Rentman Cometh," in Warrior #12, published by Quality Communications (continued through 1986).
• Harris Publications acquired bankrupt publisher Warren Publishing's company assets at auction.

September

• With issue #503, DC ceases publishing Adventure Comics, which had been running continuously since November 1938.

October

• House of Mystery, with issue #321, canceled by DC.
• The Comet â€" #1 of a planned six-issue limited series, published by Red Circle Comics.
• The Black Hood, with issue #3, is cancelled by Red Circle.

November

• Walt Simonson makes his debut as writer/artist on Thor with issue #337 and introduces the character Beta Ray Bill.
• The Daredevils, with issue #11, is merged with The Mighty World of Marvel (Marvel UK).

December

• First issue of Marvel's Magik (Storm and Illyana Limited Series), written by Chris Claremont.
• Lancelot Strong: The Shield, with issue #3, is re-titled Shieldâ€"Steel Sterling. (Red Circle Comics)
• The Comet, a planned six-issue limited series, is cancelled with issue #2 by Red Circle Comics.

Exhibitions and shows

• August 12â€"26: The Comic Art Show (Whitney Museum of American Art, Downtown, New York City) â€" curated by John Carlin and Sheena Wagstaff; artists include Alfred Jarry, Stuart Davis, Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, Lyonel Feininger, and Art Spiegelman

Conventions

• Summer: Comix Fair 83 (Houston, Texas) â€" guests include Terrence Dicks, Bill Mumy, Jim Shooter, Steve Englehart, Chris Claremont, Paul Smith, Kerry Gammill, Ernie Chan, Josef Rubinstein, Sam De La Rosa, Dick Giordano, Sal Amendola, Marv Wolfman, Len Wein, Mike W. Barr, P. Craig Russell, Rick Obadiah, Mike Grell, Mark Wheatley & Marc Hempel, Dave & Deni Sim, Cat Yronwode, Dean Mullaney, Max Allan Collins, Terry Beatty, John Carbonaro, Jaxon, Jeff Millar & Bill Hinds, and Jerry Bittle
• Summer: FantaCon (Albany, New York) â€" show returns after a one-year hiatus; guests include James Doohan
• June: Heroes Convention (Charlotte, North Carolina)
• June 25â€"26: Colorado Comic Art Convention (Rocky Mountain School of Art, Denver, Colorado) â€" official guests include Phil Normand, Marshall Rogers, Larry Mahlstedt, Ron Wilson, Gil Kane, and Edward Bryant
• July 2â€"4: Comic Art Convention (as International Science Fiction and Comic Art Convention) (Sheraton Hotel, New York City) â€" final iteration of this long-running show; guests include Philip José Farmer; presentation of the Saturn Awards
• July 22â€"24: Chicago Comicon (American-Congress Hotel, Chicago, Illinois)
• August 4â€"7: San Diego Comic-Con (Convention and Performing Arts Center and Hotel San Diego, California) â€" 5,000 attendees; official guests: Douglas Adams, Bob Clampett, Floyd Gottfredson, Harvey Kurtzman, Norman Maurer, Grim Natwick, George Pérez, Trina Robbins
• September: OrlandoCon (Orlando, Florida) â€" guests include Harvey Kurtzman, Wayne Boring, Will Eisner, C. C. Beck, Joe Kubert, Don Wright, Ralph Kent, Morris Weiss, Dik Browne, and Dean Young
• October 15: London Comic Mart (Central Hall, Westminster, England) â€" presentation of the Eagle Awards
• November: Mid-Ohio Con (Ohio) â€" guests include David Prowse
• November 25â€"27: Fantasy Festival (Sheraton Park Central, Dallas, Texas) â€" guests include Roger Zelazny, Alan Dean Foster, George R.R. Martin, and Howard Waldrop

Awards

• * Ronald Michaud receives the Advertising and Illustration Award from the National Cartoonist Society.

Eagle Awards

Presented in 1984 for comics published in 1983:

• Best Story: V for Vendetta, by Alan Moore and David Lloyd (Warrior, Quality Communications)
• Best Graphic Novel: Nemesis the Warlock, by Bryan Talbot
• Favourite Group Book: The New Teen Titans (DC Comics)
• Favourite Group or Team: The X-Men
• Favourite Character: Torquemada, from Nemesis the Warlock, by Brian Talbot
• Favourite Comics Writer: Alan Moore, "V for Vendetta", Warrior (Quality Communications)
• Favourite Artist: Bill Sienkiewicz
• Favourite Inker: Terry Austin
• Favourite Single or Continued Story (UK): "Marvelman", in Warrior #1-3 & 5-6, by Alan Moore and Garry Leach
• Best UK Title: Warrior, edited by Dez Skinn (Quality Communications)
• Best New Title (UK): The Daredevils, edited by Bernie Jaye (Marvel UK)
• Favourite Artist (UK): Alan Davis
• Roll of Honour: Will Eisner

First issues by title

Archie Comics

The Black Hood

Release: June by Red Circle Comics. Editor: Rich Buckler.

Blue Ribbon Comics

Release: November by Red Circle Comics. Editor: Robin Snyder.

The Fly

Release: May by Red Circle Comics. Editor: Rich Buckler.

Lancelot Strong: The Shield

Release: June by Red Circle Comics. Editor: Rich Buckler.

Mighty Crusaders vol. 2

Release: March by Red Circle Comics. Editor: Rich Buckler.

DC Comics

Batman and The Outsiders

Release: July. Writer: Mike W. Barr. Artist: Jim Aparo.

DC Graphic Novels: Star Raiders

Release: August. Writer: Elliot S! Maggin. Artist: José Luis García-López.

Omega Men

Release: April. Writer: Roger Slifer. Artist: Keith Giffen.

Thriller

Release: November. Writer: Robert Loren Fleming. Artist: Trevor Von Eeden.

First Comics

American Flagg!

Release: October. Writer/Artist: Howard Chaykin.

E-Man

Release: April. Writer: Martin Pasko. Artist: Joe Staton.

Jon Sable Freelance

Release: June. Writer/Artist: Mike Grell.

Warp!

Release: March. Editor: Mike Gold.

Marvel Comics

Alpha Flight

Release: August. Writer/Artist: John Byrne.

The Daredevils

Release: January by Marvel UK. Editor: Bernie Jaye.

Marvel Age

Release: April. Editors: Peter David and Carol Kalish.

New Mutants

Release: March. Writer: Chris Claremont. Artists: Bob McLeod and Mike Gustovich.

The Thing

Release: July. Writer: John Byrne. Artists: Ron Wilson and Joe Sinnott.

Independent titles

Albedo Anthropomorphics

Release: Thoughts & Images. Writers/Artists: Steve Gallacci, et al.

Badger

Release: July by Capital Comics. Writer: Mike Baron. Artist: Jeff Butler.

Biebel

Release: by Standaard Uitgeverij. Writer and artist: Marc Legendre.

A Distant Soil

Release: December by WaRP Graphics. Writers/Artists: Colleen Doran.

Eclipse Monthly

Release: August by Eclipse Comics. Editors: Cat Yronwode and Dean Mullaney.

Les Cités Obscures

Les murailles de Samaris

Release: Casterman. Writer: Benoît Peeters. Artist: François Schuiten.

Nexus

Release: May by Capital Comics. Writer: Mike Baron. Artist: Steve Rude.

Skateman

Release: November by Pacific Comics. Writer/Artist: Neal Adams.

Initial appearances by character name

DC Comics

• Amazing-Man, in All-Star Squadron #23
• Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld, in Legion of Super-Heroes #298
• Cheshire, in New Teen Titans Annual #2
• Doc I in Omega Men #3 (June)
• Felicity in Omega Men #4 (July)
• Fury, in Justice League #300
• Green Man, in Green Lantern #164
• Infinity, Inc., in All-Star Squadron #25
  • Atom Smasher
  • Hector Hall
  • Jade
  • Obsidian
• Killer Croc, in Detective Comics #523
• Lobo, in Omega Men #3
• The Outsiders, in The Brave and the Bold #200
  • Geo-Force
  • Halo
  • Katana
• Nightslayer (Thief of Night), in Detective Comics #529
• Nocturna, in Detective Comics #529
• Shlagen in Omega Men #3 (June)
• Thunder and Lightning, in New Teen Titans #32
• Jason Todd, in Batman #357
• Vigilante (Adrian Chase), in New Teen Titans Annual #2

Marvel Comics

• Beta Ray Bill, in Thor #337
• Box, in Alpha Flight #1
• Cypher, in New Mutants #13
• Diamond Lil, in Alpha Flight #1
• Hobgoblin, in The Amazing Spider-Man #238
• Lord Dark Wind, in Daredevil #196
• Magma, in New Mutants #8
• Meggan, in The Mighty World of Marvel #7, published by Marvel UK
• Morlocks, in Uncanny X-Men #169
  • Callisto
  • Masque
  • Plague
  • Sunder
• Yuriko Oyama, in Daredevil #197
• Madelyne Pryor, in Uncanny X-Men #168
• Puck, in Alpha Flight #1
• Selene, in New Mutants #9
• Marrina Smallwood, in Alpha Flight #1
• Talisman, in Alpha Flight #5
• Kate Waynesboro, in The Incredible Hulk #287
• White Rabbit, in Marvel Team-Up #131
• Wild Child, in Alpha Flight #1

Independent titles

• Big Ben, in Warrior #9 (January, by Quality Communications)
• Dragonfly, in Americomics #4 (October , by AC Comics)
• Grimjack, in Starslayer #10 (November, by Pacific Comics)
• Stardust, in Bill Black's Fun Comics #4 (March, by AC Comics)
• Miyamoto Usagi, in Albedo Anthropomorphics #2 (Thoughts and Images)

References