1959 in comics


Notable events of 1959 in comics.

Publications and events

January

January 7: In Tintin, the first chapter of the Michel Vaillant story Le Pilote Sans Visage by Jean Graton, is published.

March

April

April 16: in Spirou, first chapter of Z comme Zorglub, by Greg and Franquin.

May

May 20: The final episode of René Goscinny and Sempé's Le Petit Nicolas is serialized, still in comic strip format. In 1959 the series returns as illustrated short stories.May 24: After two and a half years Frank Giacoia's Johnny Reb and Billy Yank comes to an end.May 26: In Charles M. Schulz' Peanuts Sally Brown makes her debut.May 30: John Dixon's Air Hawk and the Flying Doctors makes its debut.Hopalong Cassidy, with issue #135, cancelled by DC.

June

June 6: Leo Baxendale's The Three Bears makes its debut in The Beano.June 21: The first issue of the Belgian children's magazine Zonnekind, a sister publication of Zonneland, is published. In the first issue Nonkel Fons and Gray Croucher's Rikske en Fikske makes its debut.

July

July 2: In Spirou the first chapter of Les Schtroumpfs noirs by Peyo is prepublished, which is the first long narrative starring the Smurfs after they debuted as side characters in Johan and Peewit a year earlier.July 30: In Spirou the first chapter of the Lucky Luke story En remontant le Mississippi, script by Goscinny, drawn by Morris is prepublished.

August

August 10: In the Italian magazine Topolino, the first episode of Paperino e l’isola del Tesoro by Luciano Bottaro, inaugurating the cycle of the "pirate ducks" narratives, and The man from Oola-Oola, by Romano Scarpa, are published.

September

September 14: The new The Adventures of Nero story De Zoon van Nero starts in Het Volk, which marks the birth of Nero's son Adhemar.September 24:The final issue of the Belgian Disney comics magazine Mickey Magazine is published.September: Harvey Kurtzman's graphic novel Harvey Kurtzman's Jungle Book is first published.

October

October 6: In Charles M. Schulz' Peanuts Linus van Pelt first expresses his love for Miss Othmar.October 10: After 27 years of publication Norman Pett's Jane comes to an end.October 17: After 23 years of continuous publication Bill Connor and Steve Dowling's Belinda comes to an end.October 17: The British comics magazine The Comet ceases to exist and merges into the new magazine Tiger.October 17: After 42 years of publication Sidney Smith's The Gumps comes to an end.October 19: Dennis Collins' The Perishers makes its debut.October 24: The British boys' story paper The Hotspur is transformed into a comics magazine: The New Hotspur. It will run until 24 January 1981.October 26: In Charles M. Schulz' Peanuts Linus van Pelt first talks about the Great Pumpkin.October 29: The first issue of the French comics magazine Pilote is published, which will become one of the best-selling magazines ever in only a few years. In its first issue Astérix by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, Tanguy et Laverdure by Jean-Michel Charlier and Albert Uderzo and Jean-Michel Charlier and Victor Hubinon's Redbeard make their debut.Specific date in October unknown: The first episode of André LeBlanc's Our Bible in Pictures is published. The series will run until 1964 and become a global bestseller.

November

November 5: Willy Vandersteen's De Rode Ridder, based on the novels by Leopold Vermeiren, makes its debut.
  • November 10: In the Italian magazine Topolino ''The Sacred Spring of Seasons'', by Romano Scarpa is prepublished.

December

December 10: In the 1130th issue of the Belgian magazine Spirou a small supplement Smurfs comic book is added named Le Voleur de Schtroumpfs, in which Gargamel and Azrael make their debut.December 16: Raymond Macherot's Clifton makes its debut.December 24: Jean Roba and Maurice Rosy's Boule et Bill makes its debut in Spirou.

Specific date unknown

Births

January

January 7: Karl Kesel, American comic book writer and artist.

March

March 14: Michelangelo La Neve, Italian comics writer,.

April

April 11: Oscar González Loyo, Mexican animator and comics artist,.

May

May 4: Henriette Valium, Canadian painter and comics artist,.

June

June 27: Dan Jurgens, American comic book artist and writer.

July

July 10: Marc Daniëls, Belgian comics writer and artist and co-founder of Studio Max!,.

September

September 17: Frank Cummings, Venezuelan-American comics artist,.

November

November 19: Steve Lightle, American comics artist,.

Deaths

January

January 30:, German caricaturist and comics artist, dies at age 60.

March

March 12: F. Verdugo, Spanish journalist and comics artist, dies at age 84.

April

April 14: Marcel Antoine, French caricaturist, radio presenter, comedian, singer and comic artist, dies at age 62. April 15: Harry B. Martin, American comics artist, dies from cerebral thrombosis at age 85.

May

May 1: Reginald Arkell, British novelist, playwright and comics writer, dies at age 76.

July

July 2: R. F. Schabelitz, American illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 72.July 6: George Grosz, German painter, caricaturist, and illustrator, dies at age 65.July 31: Nikolai Kogout, Russian painter, illustrator and poster designer, dies at age 67.

August

August 4: Eric Ericson, American comics artist and cartoonist, dies at age 45.August 5: Frank Godwin, American comics artist and illustrator, dies at age 69 from a heart attack.August 11: Matt Baker, American comics artist dies at age 37.August 11: Bert Wymer, British comics artist and archeologist, dies at age 68.

September

September 1: Joseph Wirt Tillotson, American illustrator and comic artist,, dies at age 54.September 10: René Kulbach, Canadian comic artist, dies at age 51. September 28: Gerard Hoffnung, German-British cartoonist and musician, dies at age 34 from a cerebral haemorrhage.September 29: Bruce Bairnsfather, British comics artist and cartoonist, dies at age 72 from bladder cancer.

October

October 10: Carl Ed, American comics artist, dies at age 69.

November

November 21: Hal Forrest, American comics artist, dies at age 64.

December

December 7: Peter Beekman, Dutch comics artist, dies at age 48.December 9: Gene Carr, American comics artist, dies at age 78.December 14: Ingrid Vang Nyman, Danish illustrator and comic artist, commits suicide at age 43.

Specific date unknown

  • Wasdale Brown, British illustrator comics artist, dies at age 56 or 57.
  • Will Donald, Australian comics artist, dies at age 85 or 86.
  • Norman Yendell Ward, British comic artist, dies at age 53.

First issues by title

Initial appearance by character name

DC Comics