1963 in comics


Notable events of 1963 in comics.

Events

Year overall

  • In Italy, Diabolik, started softly the previous year, becomes a growing success and finds its definitive shape. In a series of classic stories Diabolik begins to use the Jaguar E-Type, the rubber masks and the shelters, leaves his cover identity as Walter Dorian, ends dramatically his affair with the nurse Elisabeth Gray and begins a long love-story with Eva Kant.

January

January 26: The first issue of the British comics magazine Boys' World is published. It will run until 1964.

February

February 16: The final issue of the British comics magazine Knockout is published, after which it merges with Valiant.

March

March 2: The final issue of the British comics magazine Swift is published. It merges with Eagle afterwards.March 3: In L'arresto di Diabolik, the third issue of Angela Giussani and Luciana Giussani's Diabolik, Eva Kant makes her debut. Because this story, the two sisters endure a proceedings for "incitement to corruption".

April

April 13: The first issue of the Flemish children's magazine Ohee is published, supplement of the newspaper Het Volk. It will run until 31 December 1977.Black Cat, with issue #65, canceled by Harvey Comics

May

May 13: The first episode of Peter O'Donnell and Jim Holdaway's Modesty Blaise is published.May 23: Mars Ravelo and Jim Fernandez's Captain Barbell makes his debut.May 25: The final episode of Oskar Lebeck and Alden McWilliams' newspaper comic Twin Earths is published.May 27: The first episode of El botones Sacarino by Francisco Ibáñez Talavera is published in the magazine El DDT. The series will run until 1982.

June

June 1: The final episode of Mort Walker and Jerry Dumas' Sam's Strip is published.June 8: The final episode of Ken Reid's Jonah is published in The Beano.June 11: The final episode of Andries Brandt's Holle Pinkel is published.June 13: The first issue of Il pioniere dell’Unità, is published; it takes the place of the magazine Il pioniere.

July

July 8: Alex Graham's Fred Basset makes its debut.July 21: in L’isola della Paura by Guido Nolitta and Gallieno Ferri two important recurring characters of Zagor universe, the mad doctor Hellinger and the nice cheater Trampy, make their debut.

August

August 8: The first episode of Jacques Devos' Génial Olivier is published in Spirou.

September

October

November

November 4: The comic strip Miss Caroline: The Little Girl in the Big White House by Gerald Gardner and Frank B. Johnson is launched. It depicts the life of Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of US President John F. Kennedy.November 7: Greg's Achille Talon makes its debut.November 16: The British comics magazine The Wizard merges with The Rover and becomes Rover and Wizard, under which title it will continue until August 1969.November 22: Miss Caroline: The Little Girl in the Big White House is cancelled after John F. Kennedy is assassinated.

December

Specific date unknown

Deaths

January

January 2: Joaquín Buigas, Spanish comics writer, dies at age 76.January 18: Francisco Valença, Portuguese comics artist and illustrator, dies at age 80.

February

February 18: Vadim Lazarkevich, Russian-Bulgarian illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 67.February 26: Charles Folkard, British illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 84.

March

March 23: Maurice Boyer, aka Moriss, French actor, comedian, illustrator, caricaturist and cartoonist, dies at age 88.Specific date in March unknown: Koos Schadée, Dutch comics artist and illustrator, dies at an unknown age.

May

May 3: Alejandro Del Prado, aka Calé, Argentine cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 37.

July

July 2: Alicia Patterson, American publisher and comics writer, dies at age 56 of complications following stomach surgery for an ulcer.July 7: François-Joseph Herman, Belgian comics artist, dies at age 31.

August

August 16: Ralph Fuller, American comics artist, dies at age 73.August 30: Jan Lunde, Norwegian comics artist, dies at age 74.August 31: Willem Gerrit van de Hulst Sr., Dutch novelist and comics writer, dies at age 83.

September

September 19: David Low, New Zealand-British cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 62.September 20: Jan Wiegman, Dutch comics artist and illustrator, dies at age 79.

October

October 9: Leonard Sansone, American comics artist, dies in a traffic accident at age 46.October 23: Clarence D. Russell, American comics artist, dies at age 68.October 25: Lewis Baumer, British caricaturist, cartoonist, illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 93.

December

December 1: Jimmy Hatlo, American comics artist, dies at age 65.December 12: Wynne W. Davies, Australian illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 71.December 18: Bruce Russell, aka Bruce Barr, American sports cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 60.

Specific date unknown

  • Shaka Bontaro, Japanese comic artist, dies at age 71 or 72.
  • Gilbert Lawford Dalton, British comics writer, dies at age 48 or 49.
  • Andrés Guevara, Paraguayan illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 58 or 59.
  • Katsuishi Kabashima, Japanese illustrator and comic artist, dies at age 74 or 75.
  • Harry Mace, American comics artist, dies at age 40.
  • Arthur Mansbridge, British illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 85.
  • Norman McMurray, Australian comic artist, dies at age 72 or 73.
  • Pierre Saint-Loup, French comic artist, dies at age 68 or 69.
  • Les Such, Australian comics artist, dies at age 62 or 63.
  • Arnold Warden, British comics artist, dies at age 70 or 71.

Awards

[National Cartoonists Society Division Awards]

Newspaper Comic Strips : Barney Google and Snuffy Smith, by Fred LasswellNewspaper Comic Strips : On Stage, by Leonard StarrNewspaper Panel Cartoons: Still Life, by Jerry RobinsonAnimation: Walt DisneyGag Cartoons: Jack TippitComic Books: Frank ThorneAdvertising and Illustration: Harry DevlinEditorial Cartoons: John FischettiSports Cartoons: Lou DarvasReuben Award: Barney Google, by Fred Lasswell

First issues by title

DC Comics

'Metal Men'''''

Marvel Comics

The Amazing Spider-Man
The Avengers
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos
'The X-Men'''''

Other publishers

'Das Kampf'''''

Initial appearance by character name

DC Comics

Catman, in Detective Comics #311 Chief, in My Greatest Adventure #80 Chlorophyll Kid, in Adventure Comics #306 Doctor Polaris, in Green Lantern #21 Eclipso, in House of Secrets #61 Elasti-Girl, in My Greatest Adventure #80 Element Lad, in Adventure Comics #307 Fire Lad, in Adventure Comics #306 General Immortus, in My Greatest Adventure #80 Heat Wave, in The Flash #140 Lightning Lass, in Adventure Comics #308 Mera, in Aquaman #11 Negative Man, in My Greatest Adventure #80 Night Girl, in Adventure Comics #306 Paul Gambi, in The Flash #141 Polar Boy, in Adventure Comics #306 Queen Bee, in Justice League of America #23 Rainbow Girl, in Adventure Comics #309 Reverse-Flash, in The Flash #139 Robotman (Cliff Steele), in My Greatest Adventure #80 Ron-Karr, in Adventure Comics #314 Shark, in Green Lantern #24 Simon Hurt, in Batman #156 Stone Boy, in Adventure Comics #306 Tattooed Man, in Green Lantern #23

Marvel Comics

Ancient One – Strange Tales #110Angel – Uncanny X-Men #1 Avengers – Avengers #1 Awesome Android – Fantastic Four #15 Baron Mordo – Strange Tales #111 Beast – Uncanny X-Men #1 Chameleon – The Amazing Spider-Man #1 Cobra – Journey into Mystery #98 Crimson Dynamo – Tales of Suspense #46 Cyclops – Uncanny X-Men #1 Doctor Octopus – The Amazing Spider-Man #3 Doctor Strange – Strange Tales #110 Eel in Strange Tales #112 Nick Fury – Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 Giant-Man – Tales to Astonish #49 Happy Hogan – Tales of Suspense #45 Hate-Monger – Fantastic Four #21 Iceman – Uncanny X-Men #1 Impossible Man – Fantastic Four #11 Iron Man – Tales of Suspense #39 Jack Frost – Tales of Suspense #45 John Jameson – Amazing Spider-Man #1 J. Jonah Jameson – Amazing Spider-Man #1 Kala – Tales of Suspense #43 Lava Men – Journey into Mystery #97 Lizard – The Amazing Spider-Man #6 Willie Lumpkin – Fantastic Four #11 Mad Thinker – Fantastic Four #15 Magneto – Uncanny X-Men #1 Marvel Girl – Uncanny X-Men #1 Melter – Tales of Suspense #47 Metal Master – The Incredible Hulk #6 Mister Doll – Tales of Suspense #48 Mister Hyde – Journey into Mystery #99 Molecule Man – Fantastic Four #20 Nightmare – Strange Tales #110Paste Pot Pete – Strange Tales #104Pepper Potts – Tales of Suspense #45 Plantman – Strange Tales #113 Porcupine – Tales to Astonish #48 Radioactive Man – Journey into Mystery #93 Rama-Tut – Fantastic Four #19 Red Ghost – Fantastic Four #13 Sandman – The Amazing Spider-Man #4 Space Phantom – Avengers #2 Super-Skrull in Fantastic Four #18 Surtur – Journey into Mystery #97 Tyrannus – The Incredible Hulk #5 Uatu – Fantastic Four #13 Vanisher – Uncanny X-Men #2 The Voice – Tales to Astonish #42 Vulture – Amazing Spider-Man #2 Wasp – Tales to Astonish #44 Wong-Chu – Tales of Suspense #39 Human Top – Tales to Astonish #50 Professor X – Uncanny X-Men #1 X-Men – Uncanny X-Men #1 Ho Yinsen – Tales of Suspense #39

Independent publishers

Dogmatix, by Goscinny and Uderzo, in Asterix and the banquet.Eva Kant, Diabolik’s lover and partner, by the Giussani sisters, in Diabolik arrested.