1974 in comics

Events and publications

January

• January 20: In the Disney comics magazine Topolino, the first episode of the Donald Duck story Paperino e la visita distruttiva is published, the first story realized by the team of Giorgio Pezzin and Giorgio Cavazzano.January 24: In Pilote, René Pétillon's comic series Jack Palmer makes its debut. It will run in various magazines until 2013.January 25–27: Francis Groux, Jean Mardikian, Claude Moliterni organize the first edition of the Angoulême International Comics Festival in Angoulême, France.The Demon, with issue #16, is cancelled by DC.Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze, with issue #8, is cancelled by Marvel.
• In Italy, the first issue of Alter linus, a supplement to Linus, dedicated to the adventure comics is published; debut also of the erotic series Maghella and of the series Pinocchio.
• In the Italian magazine Linus, the first chapter of the Corto Maltese story Corto Maltese in Siberia by Hugo Pratt is published. This long narrative will reach its conclusion in July 1977.
• Chinook, by Derib, first album of Buddy LongwayThe Adventures of Alix story Le prince du Nil by Jacques Martin is published.

February

• * The Flemish comics magazine Pats, a weekly children's supplement of the newspapers Het Nieuwsblad, De Standaard, ', ' and De Landwacht, changes its name to the Patskrant. It will run until 23 August 1977, after which its becomes the Stipkrant.
• * Inside the new Pats, Gommaar Timmermans' children's comic Jonas en de Wonderwinkel is published, which will run until 3 September 1974.Adventure Comics #431: Spectre feature begins by writer Michael Fleisher and artist Jim Aparo. It runs through issue #440.Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #200: "The Legionnaire Bride of Starfinger" by Cary Bates and Dave Cockrum.
• With issue #18, DC Comics' Mister Miracle goes on hiatus.Hero for Hire, with issue #17, changes its name to Power Man.Special Marvel Edition, with issue #16, is cancelled by Marvel; its numbering continues with Master of Kung Fu.
• The Punisher makes his first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129.

March

• The first issue of the Lucky Luke monthly magazine is published, which will run until February 1975.Forbidden Tales of Dark Mansion, with issue #15, cancelled by DC.Prez, with issue #4, cancelled by DC.
• The first episodes of Trino by Altan, an irreverent and even profane retelling of the Genesis creation narrative, appear in Linus.

April

• The last issue of the Dutch underground magazine Aloha is published.
• With issue #164, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen changes its name and format to The Superman Family.Master of Kung Fu debuts with issue #17, continuing the numbering of Special Marvel Edition.
• With issue #6, Chilling Adventures in Sorcery changes its name to Red Circle Sorcery.

May

• May 9: In Spirou, the first chapter of the Yoko Tsuno story Message pour l'éternité is published by Roger Leloup.
• May 19: The Donald Duck album Paperino ai mondiali, realized by Mondadori for the 1974 FIFA World cup is published. It contains two stories: Paperino ai mondiali di calcio, by Romano Scarpa and Paperino calciatore, by Gian Giacomo Dalmasso and Marco Rota.
• May 21 : In Le Journal de Tintin, the first chapter of the Ric Hochet story L'Homme qui Portait Malheur by André-Paul Duchâteau and Tibet is published.
• Marvel Comics raises the price of its typical comic book from 20 cents to 25 cents, keeping the page-count at 36.

June

• The final episode of Marcel Gotlib's Hamster Jovial is published in the magazine Rock et Folk.
• Seaboard Periodicals formed by former Marvel Comics publisher Martin Goodman to publish comics under the Atlas Comics banner.
• In Italy the first issue of Corriere della paura by Editoriale Corno is published. An anthology magazine of the Marvel horror comics.

July

• July 11: In Le Monde, the first chapter of Asterix and Caesar’s gift by Goscinny and Uderzo is published.
• July 25: In Spirou, the first chapter of the Spirou et Fantasio story Le Gri-gri du Niokolo-Koba by Jean-Claude Fournier is serialized.
• Issue #120 of Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos, means the end of the series, cancelled by Marvel.The Amazing World of DC Comics #1, DC's in-house fanzine
• In Italy, the first issue of the erotic series Coxeman is published, which will only last two issues.

August

• Roy Thomas steps down as Marvel Comics' editor-in-chief, succeeded by Len Wein and Marv Wolfman.Giant-Size Super-Stars, with issue #2, changes its name to Giant-Size Fantastic Four.Worlds Unknown, with issue #8, is cancelled by Marvel.

September

• Daim Press begins to publish I Protagonisti, a collection of graphic novels, written and drawn by Rino Albertarelli, about the true lives of the American Frontier's heroes; the first is George Armstrong Custer. The series, very appreciated also for its historical accuracy, is interrupted after less than a year by the author's death.

October

• * October 1: The first issue of the short-lived comic magazine Achille Talon Magazine is published, based on the popularity of Michel Greg's Achille Talon. Inside, Bob De Groot and Turk's gag comic Léonard makes its debut.October 21: A weekly political-satirical gag comic spin-off of Jean Tabary's Iznogoud starts running in the French Sunday newspaper Journal du Dimanche. It will continue until 17 June 1979.Weird Worlds, with issue #10, is cancelled by DC.Giant-Size Creatures, with issue #2, changes its name to Giant-Size Werewolf.Monsters on the Prowl, with issue #30, is cancelled by Marvel.Wolverine makes his first appearance in The Incredible Hulk #180.
• In Batman #258 the psychiatric hospital Arkham Asylum makes its first appearance.
• In the magazine Lucky Luke, first chapter of the Lucky Luke story Le Cavalier blanc by Goscinny and Morris is published.

November

December

Specific date unknown

• The Dutch comics appreciation society Het Stripschap establishes their annual Stripschapprijs, the most important Dutch comics award. The first winner is publishing company Skarabee.
• The final issue of the Flemish comics magazine/fanzine CISO-Magazine is published by Danny De Laet. It changes its name into Stripgids and receive a new chief editor, Jan Smet. Under its new name it will continue until 1985.
• Tim Wallace draws an underground comic strip named Ka-Blam, which features a man whose head explodes after smoking a joint.
• The Costa Rican artist Fernando Zeledón Guzmán creates the satirical comic strip La Semana en Serio in the communist magazine Adelante. It will run until 1991.
• Denis Gifford publishes The British Comics Catalogue, 1874-1974.Piet Fluwijn en Bolleke, created by Marc Sleen but continued by Jean-Pol, appears for the last time in print in 't Kapoentje.
• Mad Magazine makes a TV special where several of their comics series appear in animated form. The director is Chris Ishii. Unfortunately the special never airs, because network executives deem the comedy "too family unfriendly".
• From May to September, Marvel debuts their Giant-Size series, mostly double- or triple-length comics featuring their most popular characters. Many of the Giant-Size books are one-shots; none of the ongoing titles last more than six issues.
• Marvel Fireside Books debuts with Origins of Marvel Comics.
• Tut le Blanc's comic strip An Altar Boy Named Speck concludes.

Deaths

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

• * Antonio Sciotti, Italian comics artist, dies at age 49.
• * Dave Wood, American comics writer, dies at age 47.July 9: Leo Dorfman, American comics writer, dies at age 60.July 12: Kurt Caesar, Italian comic artist, dies at age 67 or 68.July 26: Gene Byrnes, American comics artist, dies of a heart ailment at age 84.

August

September

October

November

December

Specific date unknown

• Bertie Brown, British comics artist, dies at age 86 or 87.
• Germán Butze, Mexican comics artist dies at age 61 or 62.
• Mal Eaton, American comics artist, dies at age 71 or 72.
• Vernon Miller, Canadian comics artist, dies at age 62.
• Herbert Ruschke, German illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 59 or 60.

Conventions

Europe

North America

• Creation Con '74 March 2: Oak Con II — produced by Steve SundahlApril 17–20: Berkeleycon 74, — second iteration, organized by local retailer Comics & Comix; guests include Mike Friedrich, Steve Englehart, Frank Brunner, Orvy Jundis, Vaughn Bodē, Jaxon, Rick Griffin, Greg Irons, and Victor MoscosoSummer: Nostalgia '74, 3rd Annual Chicago Comic and Nostalgia Convention — produced by Nancy WarnerJune 20–23: Houstoncon '74 — merged with Star Trek '74 and produced by Earl Blair Jr. and G. B. Love ; guests include Walter Koenig, Al Williamson, Dan Adkins, Don Newton, Kenneth Smith, Fred Fredericks, Jock Mahoney, Kirk Alyn, Tom Steele, William Benedict, and stuntman Dave SharpeJuly 4–8: Comic Art Convention — guests include Bob Kane and Marie SeverinJuly 31–August 5: San Diego Comic-Con — official guests: Majel Barrett, Milton Caniff, Frank Capra, Chuck Jones, Walter Koenig, Russ Manning, Russell Myers, Charles M. Schulz, Larry "Seymour" VincentSeptember: OrlandoCon — first edition of the show started by regional chairman of the National Cartoonists Society Jim Ivey; guests include C. C. Beck, Roy Crane, Hal Foster, Ron Goulart,, Les Turner, Ralph Dunagin, Bill Crooks, Harold McCauley, Ralph Dunagin, "Scorchy Smith" artist Edmond Good, and Disney artist Ralph KentOctober 10–13: Detroit Triple Fan Fair — 10th edition of the fair; official guests include Carmine Infantino, Stan Lee, James Warren, Jim Steranko, Michael Kaluta, and Barry Windsor-Smith; other guests include Alan Ormsby, Rich Buckler, Keith Pollard, and Arvell Jones; program cover by Will EisnerNovember: Famous Monsters Convention — first annual show, co-produced by Phil Seuling; guests include Forrest J Ackerman, Verne Langdon, Catherine Lorre, Cal Floyd, and publisher/distributor Sam Sherman

Awards

Comic Fan Art Awards

Shazam Awards

• Best Continuing Feature: Conan the Barbarian
• Best Individual Story: "Götterdämmerung", in Detective Comics #443
• Best Individual Short Story : "Cathedral Perilous" by Archie Goodwin and Walt Simonson, Detective Comics #441
• Best Writer : Archie Goodwin
• Best Penciller : John Buscema
• Best Inker : Dick Giordano
• Best Humor Story: "Kaspar the Dead Baby" Crazy #8
• Best Writer : Steve Skeates
• Best Penciller : Marie Severin
• Best Inker : Ralph Reese
• Best Letterer: John Costanza
• Best Colorist: Tatjana Wood
• Outstanding New Talent: Craig Russell
• Superior Achievement by an Individual: Roy Thomas
• Hall of Fame: Jack Kirby

First issues by title

DC Comics

Marvel Comics

Independent titles and manga

Initial appearance by character name

DC Comics

• Anthony Lupus, in Batman #255
• Harvey Bullock, in Detective Comics #441
• Global Peace Agency, in OMAC #1
• Inspector William Henderson, in Action Comics #440
• Libra, in Justice League of America #111
• OMAC, in OMAC #1
• Quentin Turnbull, in Weird Western Tales #22
• Rima, in Rima the Jungle Girl #1
• Sandman, in Sandman #1
• Vartox, in Superman #281

Marvel Comics

• Allatou, in Marvel Spotlight #18
• Alpha the Ultimate Mutant, in Defenders #15
• Aries (Grover Raymond), in The Avengers #120
• Baron Macabre, in Jungle Action #9
• Abe Brown, in Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #1
• Deathlok (Luther Manning), in Astonishing Tales #25
• Bob Diamond, in Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #1
• Doctor Sun, in Tomb of Dracula #16
• Dragon Lord (Nu-An), in Marvel Premiere #15
• Equinox, in Marvel Team-Up #23
• Foolkiller, in Man-Thing #3
• Gabriel the Devil Hunter, in Haunt of Horror #2
• Grizzly (Maxwell Markham), in The Amazing Spider-Man #139
• Hammer and Anvil, in The Incredible Hulk #182
• Iron Fist, in Marvel Premiere #15
• Hannibal King, in The Tomb of Dracula #25
• Lilith, in Giant-Size Chillers featuring Curse of Dracula #1
• Malice, in Jungle Action vol. 2, #8
• Nefarius, in Captain America #169
• Nitro, in Captain Marvel #34
• Punisher, in The Amazing Spider-Man #129
• Roxxon Energy Corporation, in Captain America #180
• Silver Samurai, in Daredevil #111
• Lin Sun, in Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #1
• Colleen Wing, in Marvel Premiere #19
• Wolverine, in The Incredible Hulk #180
• Wrecking Crew, in Defenders #17
• * Bulldozer
• * Piledriver
• * Thunderball
• Y'Garon, in Giant-Size Dracula #2

Independent titles

• Tara Fremont, in Tara on the Dark Continent
• Yor the hunter, by Juan Zanotto and Ray Collins, on Skorpio.
• Jonathan Cartland, trapper similar to Jeremiah Johnson, by Michel Blanc-Dumont, on Lucky Luke.
• Yves Sanclair, jet pilot, by Claude Moliterni and Patrice Serres, on Phenix.
• Johnny Focus, press photographer and adventurer, by Attillio Micheluzzi, on Corriere dei Ragazzi
• Mickey the Kid and Six-Shoot Goofy, two bounty-hunters in the Far West, ancestors of Mickey and Goofy, by Guido Martina, on Topolino.