1957 in comics

Publications and events

January

• * Mort Walker and Frank Roberge's Mrs. Fitz's Flats makes its debut. It will run until 1972.
• * Belgian cartoonist Pil publishes the first gag of his long-running comic series Meneerke Peeters, which will run until 1983.Four Color Comics #762 — cover-titled "The Sharkfighters." The 34-page story, by an unknown writer, was penciled and inked by John Buscema.
• First issue of the monthly magazine Almanacco di Topolino, edited by Mondadori.

February

• February 10: Leonard Starr's Mary Perkins, On Stage makes its debut.
• The final issue of the Dutch comics magazine Ketelbinkie Krant is published, which is named Kapitein Rob's Vrienden outside Rotterdam.

March

• March 1: La traccia nel deserto,by Aurelio Galeppini and Gian Luigi Bonelli; the Pinkerton agent Mac Parland, recurring character in the Tex Willer series, makes his debut.
• March 10: In the Italian Disney comics magazine Topolino the story The quest for Tarzan, by Romano Scarpa first appears in print, which marks the only appearance of the jungle man Gaffy, brother of Goofy.
• March 25: In Topolino the Donald Duck story Donald Duck and the Count of Monte Cristo by Guido Martina and Luciano Bottaro first appears in print. It's a parody of the eponymous Alexandre Dumas novel. The same year Martina also creates parodies of The Three Musketeers and Tartarin of Tarascon, always with Donald Duck as protagonist.
• March 28: The first issue of the Italian comics magazine Il Giorno dei Ragazzi is published. In the first issue Benito Jacovitti's Cocco Bill makes its debut.

April

• In the Argentine magazine Frontera the first episode of Ticonderoga, by Héctor G. Oesterheld and Hugo Pratt kicks off, a serial set in the French and Indian war.

May

• Héctor Germán Oesterheld and Hugo Pratt's Ernie Pike makes its debut on the first issue of the magazine ''Hora Cero''

June

• June 15: The first issue of Collana Audace rolls from the presses, featuring the adventures of the Indian hero Kociss.
• American News Company goes out of business, causing a huge shakeup in the publishing industry, forcing many comic book publishers and small magazine publishers out of business. Atlas Comics is forced to switch distribution to Independent News, owned by National Periodical Publications, owner of Atlas' rival, DC Comics. Because of this, Atlas is constrained as to its publishing output for the next decade.
• Land of the Pygmy Indians, by Carl Barks, on Uncle Scrooge.
• Frank Jacobs's first article is printed in Mad Magazine. He'll become their longest-running scriptwriter, publishing his final article in October 2014.

July

• The Donald Duck. story Forbidden Valley by Carl Barks first appears in print.
• In Italy the first issue of Soldino rolls from the press, starring the adventures of the baby king Soldino and his tutor Nonna Abelarda.

August

• * Reg Smythe's Andy Capp makes its debut.
• * The first episode of Jack Dunkley's The Larks is printed. The series will run until 1985.
• * Pat l’irlandese, by Aurelio Galeppini and Gian Luigi Bonelli is first published, which marks the debut of the Irish boxer Pat Mac Ryan, who becomes a helper of Tex Willer.
• The first issue of Harvey Kurtzman's humor magazine Humbug is published. It will run until 1958.Showcase #9, Lois Lane is featured in a tryout for her own series.Marvel Tales, with issue #159, canceled by Timely.Western Kid, with issue #17, canceled by Atlas.
• The Uncle Scrooge story Uncle Scrooge Goes to Disneyland with Carl Barks' The Fantastic River Race is launched.

September

• September 19: Donald the milkman by Carl Barks is refused by Western Printing, because judged too violent; the story will be published only in 1974 in a Dutch magazine.Wild Western, with issue #57, canceled by Atlas.Ringo Kid, with issue #21, canceled by Atlas.Outlaw Kid, with issue #19, canceled by Atlas.Rawhide Kid, with issue #17, canceled by Atlas.
• The Uncle Scrooge story The Mines of King Solomon first appears in print.

October

• October 10: In the Italian Disney magazine Topolino ''The Return of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by Romano Scarpa, with Jiminy Cricket as guest star s first published.
• October 16: Dino Attanasio's Signor Spaghetti makes its debut in Tintin.October 21: Marc Sleen's The Adventures of Nero story De Granaatslikker is first published in the newspapers. Halfway the story Abraham Tuizentfloot makes his debut.
• October 24: Benito Jacovitti's character, the journalist Tom Ficcanaso, makes his debut in Il giorno dei ragazzi.October 28: Charles M. Schulz' It's Only a Game makes its debut and will run until 11 January 1959.
• The first issue of Hot Stuff the Little Devil, created by Warren Kremer and first published in Hot Stuff is published.
• The first issue of the magazine Bunny'' is published in Italy, which introduces the Looney Tunes comics in the country.

November

• November 7: in Spirou, first chapter of Le juge, by Goscinny and Morris.
• November 10: In the Italian Disney comics magazine Topolino, The Flying Scott by Romano Scarpa is first published.
• November 19: The first issue of the Belgian comics magazine Samedi-Jeunesse is published, which will run until November 1976.
• November 27 : in Spirou, first chapter of Vacances sans histoire by Andrè Franquin.November 28: The first episode of Hergé's Adventures of Tintin airs on television by Ray Goossens and animation studio Belvision. This is the first hand-drawn animated TV adaptation of the comics series The Adventures of Tintin.Sagmore Springs Hotel, by Carl Barks appears in ''Walt Disney's Comics and Stories''

December

• In Italy the first issue of I classici di Walt Disney is published, a reprint of the best stories which appeared earlier in Topolino, and Tom & Jerry.

Specific date unknown

• Al Jaffee's Tall Tales makes its debut.
• Pál Pusztai's Jucika makes its debut and will run until his death in 1970.

Births

January

March

July

August

Deaths

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

September

October

December

Specific date unknown

• Ad Carter, American comics artist, dies at age 71 or 72.

First issues by title

Charlton Comics

• ''Billy the Kid''

Marvel Comics

• Adventures of Homer Ghost
• The Black Rider Rides Again
• Commando Adventures
• A Date with Patsy
• Hedy Wolfe
• The Kid from Dodge City
• The Kid from Texas
• Marvin Mouse
• Navy Tales
• Nellie the Nurse
• Showgirls
• Six-Gun Western
• Western Trails
• ''Willie the Wise Guy''

Renamed titles

Marvel Comics

• Dexter the Demon #7 — renamed from Melvin the Monster
• G.I. Tales #4 — renamed from Sgt. Barney Barker
• Marines at War #1-8 — renamed from Tales of the Marines
• Kid Slade, Gunfighter #5 — renamed from Matt Slade, Gunfighter
• Navy Action #15 — renamed from Sailor Sweeney
• Sherry the Showgirl #5 — renamed from ShowgirlsShowgirls #4 renamed from Sherry the Showgirl
• Tales of the Marines #4 — renamed Marines at War, renamed from ''Devil-Dog Dugan''

Initial appearance by character name

• Billy the Kid — Masked Raider #6
• Captain Cold in Showcase #8, created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino - DC Comics
• Challengers of the Unknown in Showcase #6, created by Jack Kirby - DC Comics
• Professor Milo in Detective Comics #247, created by Bill Finger and Sheldon Moldoff - DC ComicsProfessor Potter — Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #22
• Signalman in Batman #112, created by Bill Finger and Sheldon Moldoff - DC Comics
• Ralph Kendall, by Héctor G. Oesterheld and Arturo del Castillo.