1976 in comics

Notable events of 1976 in comics.

Events

Year overall

American Splendor, Harvey Pekar's long-running autobiographical comic book title, publishes its debut issue.
Fantagraphics Books, Inc. founded by Gary Groth and Michael Catron.
Bloodstar, based on a short story by Robert E. Howard and illustrated by Richard Corben, published by Morning Star Press. It is possibly the first graphic novel to call itself a "graphic novel" in print.
Chandler: Red Tide, an illustrated novel by Jim Steranko, published by Pyramid Books.
Flying Buttress Publications is founded in Syracuse, New York by Terry Nantier.
Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man, the first major intercompany crossover, is co-published by DC Comics and Marvel Comics.
The final episode of Harry Hanan's comic series Louie is published.
Jean Graton launches his sports comic series Julie Wood.
Dwaine B. Tinsley launches Chester the Molester in Hustler.

January

Jenette Kahn replaces Carmine Infantino as DC Comics' publisher and editorial director.
DC revives All Star Comics with issue #58, continuing the numbering from the original 1940 series. Written by Gerry Conway, with art by Ric Estrada and Wally Wood.
With issue #244 — after an eight-year hiatus — DC revives Blackhawk, which began in 1944 under Quality Comics, was acquired by DC in 1957, and stopped publishing in 1968.
Marvel Super Action, a Curtis Magazines one-shot, edited by Archie Goodwin, is released.
The first episode of Lo scimmiotto, by Silverio Pisu and Milo Manara, an adaptation of the Chinese classic Journey to the West, appears in the Italian magazine .
In France, Adèle and the beast, the first album of The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec by Jacques Tardi, is released by Casterman.
After a two-year hiatus, DC comics come back on Italian newsstands, with the first issue of Superman and Batman, by Edizioni Cenisio.

March

March 1: The first episode of Moebius's The Airtight Garage is prepublished in Métal Hurlant.
March 14 : In Topolino the first episode of The Forgetful Hero by Giorgio Pezzin and Giorgio Cavazzano is serialized.
March 18: in Spirou, La frontiere de la vie by Roger Leluoup is prepublished.
March 25 : in Spirou, La fille du canyon by Jijè.
DC Comics raises the prices of its standard comics from 25 cents to 30 cents, keeping the page-count at 36.
Gerry Conway succeeds Marv Wolfman as Marvel Comics editor-in-chief in March 1976, but holds the job only briefly, relinquishing the post before the month is out, succeeded in turn by Archie Goodwin.
The Warlord, with issue #2, goes on hiatus until October /November
First issue of the western series Jesus, by Enrico Missaglia, published by Renzo Barbieri.

April

With issue #45, DC revives Metal Men, which itself was a 1973 revival of a 1963 series which had stopped publishing in 1969.
In France, The Demon of the Eiffel Tower by Jacques Tardi, the second album of The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec, is released by Casterman.
In Il mago, the parodic noir series Big Sleeping, by Daniele Panebianco makes its debut.
April 25: The first episode of the Astérix story Obelix and Co., by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo is serialized in the Nouvel Observateur.

May

Vince Colletta becomes the art director of DC Comics.
In Metal hurlant, ''The long tomorrow,'' by Dan O’ Bannon and Moebius.

June

June 19: The final episode of Jean-Pierre Girerd's On à Volé la Coupe Stanley is serialized in La Presse.
Diane Noomin and Aline Kominsky release the one-shot comic book, Twisted Sisters, published by Last Gasp.
Superman #300: "Superman, 2001!" — an imaginary story featuring a Superman who came to Earth in 1976 — by Cary Bates, Elliot S! Maggin, Curt Swan, and Bob Oksner.
Star Spangled War Stories #200, featuring the Unknown Soldier and Enemy Ace, edited by Joe Orlando.
The Incredible Hulk #200: "An Intruder in the Mind!" by Len Wein, Sal Buscema, and Joe Staton.
Kandrax il mago by Guido Nolitta and Gallieno Ferri; Kandrax, a druid by the extraordinary psychic powers, antagonist of Zagor makes his debut.
Specific date in June unknown: The first episode of Roger Fletcher's long-running comic series Torkan appears in print.

July

July 29: The first episode of Phil Collins' Leonardo is published.
July 31: Lank Leonard's Mickey Finn comes to a close after 40 years of syndication.

August

August 1: The final issue of the short-lived comic magazine Achille Talon magazine is published, based on the popularity of Michel Greg's Achille Talon.
Captain America #200: Special Bicentennial issue, by Jack Kirby and Frank Giacoia.
X-Men #100: "Greater Love Hath No X-Man..." by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum.
With issue #90, DC revives the title Green Lantern under the name Green Lantern, co-Starring Green Arrow. The Green Lantern series previously began in 1960 and stopped publishing in 1972.
Superman #302: The first issue with the restored credit that Superman was "created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster."
The first strips of Nilus, by the Origone brothers, appear on the Italian magazine Il mago.

September

September 25: The first issue of the British comics magazine Roy of the Rovers is published. It will run until 1993.
The Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art, founded by Joe Kubert and Muriel Kubert, begins teaching its first class of students, some of whom include Stephen R. Bissette, Thomas Yeates, and Rick Veitch.
With issue #9, DC suspends publication of Claw the Unconquered; it picks up again with issue #10 in 1978.
Following DC's lead, Marvel Comics raises the prices of its standard comic book from 25 cents to 30 cents, keeping the page-count at 36.
I promessi paperi, by Edoardo Segantini and Giulio Cherchini, a parody of Alessandro Manzoni's The Bethrothed, with Donald Duck and Daisy as Renzo and Lucia, appears in Topolino.

October

October 4: The first episode of Stuart Hample's celebrity comic Inside Woody Allen appears in papers.
October 10: on Il giornalino, ''Operazione tecno, by Nevio Zeccara; Kriss Boyd, agent of the Galactic Security Council gifted with paranormal powers, makes his debut.
October 11: in Pif Gadget, first episode of the historical series, Eric le rouge, by Eduardo Teixeira Coelho and Jean Ollivier, inspired by the life of Erik the red.
October 14: In Spain, first issue of the Disney comics magazine Don Miki
October 24: Stefi, by Grazia Nidasio, younger sister of Valentina Mela Verde, makes her debut on Il corriere dei piccoli.
October 31: on Il giornalino, first espisode of Tiki il ragazzo guerriero by Giancarlo Berardi and Ivo Milazzo; the series, also if published in a magazine for the young ones, deals an adult topic as the genocide of the Indigenous people in Brazil.
October: The first issue of the British comics magazine Captain Britain Weekly is published, featuring the debut of Chris Claremont and Herb Trimpe's Captain Britain.
October: The final issue of the British comics magazine Valiant is published.
Il Corriere dei ragazzi is renamed Corrier Boy and changes the editorial formula radically, with more articles and fewer comics. The new trend will lead to the qualitative decline and the closure of the magazine.
The first episode of On the false earths, by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mezieres, appears in Pilote''.

November

November 22: The first episode of Cathy Guisewite's Cathy makes its debut in papers.
November 29 : in Pif Gadget, début of the historical series Taranis, fis de la Gaule by Victor Mora and Raffaele Carlo, similar to Asterix but in dramatic key.
The final issue of the Belgian comics magazine Samedi-Jeunesse is published.
Marvel cancels 6 ongoing titles: Amazing Adventures, Chamber of Chills, Jungle Action, Marvel Feature, Skull the Slayer, and the Curtis Magazines title Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction.
With issue #44, DC revives Teen Titans vol. 1, which began in 1966 and stopped publishing in 1973.
Sergio Bonelli publishes the collection Un uomo un avventura, which introduces the self-contained graphic novel in Italy. The first issue is The man of Khartoum by Sergio Toppi, followed next month by The man of Zululand by Gino d’Antonio. In the subsequent years, all the most important Italian cartoonists give their contribution to the series.
Sandopaper e la perla di Labuan, by Michele Gazzari and Giovan Battista Carpi, parody of Emilio Salgari's The tigers of Mompracem, with Donald Duck as Sandokan, appears on Topolino.

December

December 2: The final episode of Gommaar Timmermans' long-running children's comic Fideel de Fluwelen Ridder is published.
Marvel Comics launches its third ongoing Spider-Man series, Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man.
The first episode of Colombo, tragedia di un bighellone, by Francesco Tullio Altan, appears on the Italian magazine Linus. The comic mocks Christopher Columbus as a greedy and vulgar adventurer and a pedophile.
Hans G. Kresse and Lo Hartog van Banda receive the Stripschapprijs.

Births

July

July 12: Tuono Pettinato, Italian comics writer and illustrator,.

Deaths

January

January 21: Jacques Acar, French comics writer dies at age 38.
January 22: Fletcher Hanks, American comics artist, dies at age 88, from hypothermia.
January 26: Fred Meagher, American comics artist, dies at age 73.
January 30: William Juhre, American illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 72.

February

February 27: Lieuwe Brolsma, Dutch novelist and comics writer, dies at age 63.

March

March 2: Willy Murphy, American comics artist, dies of pneumonia at around age 38.
March 8: Romer Zane Grey, American animator and comics writer, dies at age 66.
March 19: Emilio Freixas, Spanish comics artist and illustrator, dies at age 76.
March 24: E.H. Shepard, British illustrator and cartoonist, dies at age 96.

April

April 1: Max Ernst, German painter, sculptor, graphic artist, poet and comics artist, dies at age 84.
April 9: Emilio Boix, Spanish comics artist, dies at age 67.
April 11: Frank Roberge, American comics artist, dies at age 59.

May

May: Cecil Jensen, American cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 74.

June

June 5: Henk Backer, Dutch comics artist, dies at age 77.
June 19: Mike Arens, American animator and comics artist, dies at age 60.
June 21: Albert Dubout, French illustrator, caricaturist, sculptor, cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 71.
June 25: Mike Hubbard, Irish-British comics artist, dies at age 74.

July

July 5: Frank Bellamy, British comics artist, dies at age 59.

September

September 6: Hans Ducro, Dutch comics artist, dies at age 52.

October

October 8: Ed Verdier, American comics artist, dies at age 79.

November

November 6: Guus Hens, Dutch painter, illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 68.

December

December 5: Tack Knight, American animator and comics artist, dies at age 81.
December 6: Pierre Donga, aka Pierre Duffourc, French comics artist and illustrator, dies at age 68.
December 27: André Daix, French animator and comics artist, dies at age 75.

Specific date unknown

Gérard Dorville, French comics artist, dies at age 42 or 43.
Clyde Lewis, American comics artist, dies at age 65/75 or 66/76.
Jack Monk, British comics artist, dies at age 71 or 72.
Tom Schroeder, American comics artist, dies at age 90 or 91.
George Storm, American comics artist, dies at age 82 or 83.

Conventions

Lancaster Comic Art Convention — produced by Chuck Miller and Charlie Roberts
Pittcon '76
January: Cincinnati Comic Convention — 2nd annual show; guests include Frank Brunner, Steve Gerber, Mary Skrenes, and Martin Pasko
January 3: Creation Convention — a highlight of the convention was the availability for purchase of copies of the landmark $2 DC-Marvel collaboration Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man treasury-sized comic
February 27–29: Super DC Con '76 — organized by Phil Seuling to celebrate Superman's birthday; guests include Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and Julius Schwartz
March 19–21: Comics 101 — organized by Denis Gifford to celebrate the 101st year of British comics; guests include John M. Burns, Ron Embleton, Don Lawrence, Frank Hampson, Alan Class, Mick Anglo, Stanley White, and Steve Dowling; presentation of the Ally Sloper Awards
April: Mid-America Comic Convention — 2nd annual show
April 23–25: Marvel-Con '76 — 2nd annual show; guests include Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Roy Thomas, and John Buscema
April 30 – May 2: Underground '76 — another iteration of Berkeleycon, organized by Clay Geerdes/Comix World
Summer: Atlanta Fantasy Fair — official guests include Frank Brunner, Steve Gerber, Dick Giordano, and Kenneth Smith
June 11–14: D-Con
June 17–20: Houstoncon '76/Star Trek '76 — guests include George Takei, Grace Lee Whitney, and Johnny Weissmuller
July 16–18: Omnicon — produced by Don Rosa and James Van Hise; guests include Frank Brunner, DeForest Kelley, and Michael Kaluta.
July 2–6: Comic Art Convention
July 2–4: Konvention of Alternative Komix "KAK 76" — underground comix convention produced by the Birmingham Arts Lab ; guests include Chris Welch, Steve Bell, Bryan Talbot, Mike Higgs, and Suzy Varty
July 21–25: San Diego Comic-Con — 3,000+ attendees, special guests include Sergio Aragonés, Mel Blanc, Milton Caniff, Rick Griffin, Dale Messick, Joe Shuster, Noel Sickles, Don Thompson, Maggie Thompson
August 6–8: Chicago Comicon — produced by Joe Sarno and Mike Gold. Special guests: Stan Lee, Jenette Kahn, Harvey Kurtzman, Mike Grell, and Tim Conrad
August 21–22: Comicon '76 (British Comic Art Convention) — organized by Rob Barrow; guests include Paul Neary and Tony Weare; convention booklet features artwork by Dave Gibbons, John Bolton, Kevin O'Neill, Paul Neary, Brian Bolland, Ron Embleton, John M. Burns, Brian Lewis, Martin Asbury, Frank Hampson, John Romita, Sr., Bryan Talbot, and Hunt Emerson
September 3–5: Spectrum Con 76 — guests include Jim Steranko and Pat Boyette
September 12: Comic Rama Con — guests include Jerry Iger
September 18–19: OrlandoCon '76 — guests include Jack Davis, Harvey Kurtzman, and Floyd Gottfredson
October: Detroit Triple Fan Fair — 11th edition of the fair; guests include Joe Kubert, John G. Fuller, and Mike Nasser
October 1–3: Fourth Dimension Con — guests include Frederik Pohl, Will Eisner, Val Mayerik, Paul Gulacy, and Harlan Ellison
October 22–24: Newcon '76 — guests include Jim Steranko, Michael Kaluta, Dick Giordano, Harvey Kurtzman, Gil Kane, Carl Barks, and John Stanley
October 30–November 4: Salone Internazionale dei Comics a.k.a. "Lucca 12"
November 20–21: Sonja-Con — two-day convention dedicated to Red Sonja, produced by Delaware Valley Comic Art Convention; official guests include Frank Thorne, Dave Cockrum, Gene Colan, Joe Staton, Dick Giordano, and Bob Layton
November 26–28: Big Comicon Creation Convention — 4,500 attendees; official guests include Ralph Bakshi, Jenette Kahn, Michael Kaluta, Jeff Jones, Gil Kane, Steve Gerber, Nicola Cuti, Bob Smith, Alex Niño, Martin Pasko, Marv Wolfman, Jim Steranko, Howard Chaykin, Joe Staton, Jerry Iger, and Len Wein

Awards

Eagle Awards

Two British comics fans, Mike Conroy and Richard Burton, create the Eagle Awards, named after the long-running Brish comic title Eagle. The first set of awards is presented in 1977 at Comicon '77 for comics published in 1976:

Favourite Comic Book : Uncanny X-Men
Favourite Comic Magazine : Savage Sword of Conan
Favourite Team: Uncanny X-Men
Favourite Comic Book : Howard the Duck, by Steve Gerber'
Favourite New Comic: Howard the Duck, by Steve Gerber'
Favourite Single Comic Book Story: "Four Feathers of Death! : or Enter the Duck," Howard the Duck #3, by Steve Gerber and John Buscema'
Favourite Continued Comic Story: Master of Kung Fu #48–51 by Doug Moench and Paul Gulacy
Favourite Comic Book Character: Conan the Barbarian'
Favourite Comicbook Writer: Roy Thomas
Favourite Comics Writer : Chris Claremont'
Favourite UK Title: House of Hammer
Roll of Honor: Stan Lee

First issues by title

DC Comics

Blitzkrieg
DC Super Stars: mostly reprint title.
Four Star Spectacular: reprint title.
Freedom Fighters
Isis
Karate Kid
Kobra
Ragman
Secret Society of Super Villains
Starfire
Super Friends
The Warlord
'Welcome Back, Kotter'''''

Marvel Comics

2001: [A Space Odyssey (comics)|2001: A Space Odyssey]
Captain Britain Weekly
Eternals
Haunt of Horror
Howard the Duck
Marvel Classics Comics
Nova
Omega the Unknown
'Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man'''''

Other publishers

Action
Akim
Release: June. Editor: Edizioni Altamira
American Splendor
Bullet
;Cole Black Comix
LaLa
Nick Carter
Release: March.by Edizioni Cenisio.
Storm
Super Almanacco Paperino
Release: December by Mondadori Editore|Mondadori]. Reprint of classic Donald Duck's stories.
'Twisted Sisters'''''

Canceled titles

Charlton Comics

Doomsday + 1, with issue #6 — revived in 1978 as a reprint title
Midnight Tales, with issue #18

DC Comics

1st Issue Special, with issue #13
Beowulf, Dragon Slayer, with issue #6
Blitzkrieg, with issue #5
The Joker, with issue #9
Kong the Untamed, with issue #5
Man-Bat, with issue #2
Phantom Stranger vol. 2, with issue #41
Plop!, with issue #24
Swamp Thing, with issue #24
Tarzan Family, with issue #66
Tor, with issue #6

Gold Key Comics

Golden Comics Digest, with issue #48
Walt Disney Comics Digest, with issue #57

Harvey Comics

Little Dot, with issue #164
Little Lotta, with issue #120
Playful Little Audrey, with issue #121

Marvel Comics

Amazing Adventures vol. 2, with issue #39, Marvel cancels the anthology title
Astonishing Tales, with issue #36
Chamber of Chills, with issue #25
Jungle Action, with issue #24
Marvel Feature vol. 2, with issue #7
Skull the Slayer, with issue #8
Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction, with issue #6

Other publishers

Arcade, with issue #7

Initial appearance by character name