1980 in comics

Events and publications

Year overall

• Big Rapids Distribution, a major Midwestern comics distributor, goes under, and two former employees, form Capital City Distribution, headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin.
• Notable alternative titles RAW, World War 3 Illustrated, and Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman, all make their debuts.
• "The Dark Phoenix Saga" runs in X-Men #129–138, by Chris Claremont, John Byrne, and Terry Austin.
• "Wanted: Santa Claus – Dead or Alive!" the first Batman story drawn by Frank Miller is published in DC Special Series #21
• "Metamorphosis Odyssey", a long-running storyline by Jim Starlin, runs in Epic Illustrated.
• Marvel Comics phases out Curtis Magazines, its black-and-white magazine imprint.
• FantaCo Enterprises, which began as a retailer in 1978, begins publishing comics, starting with Fred Hembeck's The Hembeck Series.
• In the Netherlands the first edition of the comics festival Stripdagen is organized by the Dutch comics appreciation society Het Stripschap.
• In Worcester, Massachusetts, Paul Howley opens the comics store That's Entertainment.

January

February

• "Fiends of the Eastern Front," a 2000 AD storyline runs in issues #152–161, February–April, by Gerry Finley-Day and Carlos Ezquerra
• First issue of the Italian magazine Totem, specialized in French fantasy and sci-fi comics but hosting also Milo Manara's Giuseppe Bergman.

March

• With issue #26, DC cancels Men of War.Superboy Spectacular #1, DC's first direct sales-only title.
• First issue of the Italian edition of 1984.

April

May–September

June

• First issue of the Italian magazine I grandi classici Disney, reprinting Disney comics; the first number contains the 1974 saga Il mistero del totem decapitato Asterix and the great divide, by Uderzo.L’uomo del grande Nord – by Hugo Pratt; debut of Jesuit Joe.

July

• John Byrne's first issue as writer/artist of Fantastic Four is #220. While this is his first issue with those credits, his long, five-year run begins with issue 232.Raw #1, debut of comix and graphics magazine edited by Art Spiegelman and Françoise Mouly.
• First issue of Big Robot, Italian comic miming the mecha anime.La Foire aux immortels by Enki Bilal, first chapter of The Nikopol trilogy.
• In 2000 AD, debut of Nemesis the Warlock, by Pat Mills and Kevin O’Neill

August

• In the French magazine A suivre, first chapter of La casa dorata di Samarcanda by Hugo Pratt.

September

• The Brave and the Bold #166, featuring the first appearance of Nemesis (Tom Tresser)
• With issue #20, Marvel cancels Shogun Warriors.

October

• David Boswell self-publishes Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman, a title later published by Eclipse Comics and Deep Sea Comics.Thor #300: Double-sized anniversary issue, by Mark Gruenwald, Ralph Macchio, Keith Pollard, and Gene Day. The Avengers #200: "The Child is Father to...?" by Jim Shooter, George Pérez, Bob Layton, David Michelinie, George Pérez, and Dan Green. DC Comics Presents #26: features an insert previewing the upcoming New Teen Titans series by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez.
• At Lucca comics & games, the number 0 of the author comics’ magazine L’eternauta is presented.L'Inconnu des 1000 pistes by Jean Graton.La longue marche by Jean-Michel Charlier and Jean Giraud, second album of the “fugitive Blueberry” trilogy.Le ponton, by François Bourgeon, second album of the sea adventure series Le passagers du vent.
• In Alter alter, first chapter of the sci-fi saga Zasaffir, by Guido Buzzelli, and debut of the antihero Marcel Labrune, by Attillio Micheluzzi.

November

• The 2000th issue of The Beano dated 15 November 1980.
• First issue of the magazine Frigidaire, reckoning the best talents of the Italian underground comix, from Andrea Pazienza to Tanino Liberatore. The first number contains Joe Galaxy and the perfidious Callisto 4.’s lizards, demented sci-fi parody by Massimo Mattioli, and the first chapter of The Blue dahlia, from a Raymond Chandler's script, by Filippo Scozzari

December

• The first episode of Moebius and Alejandro Jodorowsky's L'Incal is published in Métal Hurlant.Marvel Team-Up #100: Double-size anniversary issue, "And Introducing — Karma! She Possesses People!," by Chris Claremont, Frank Miller, and Bob Wiacek. The issue also contains a backup story featuring the Black Panther and Storm, from the X-Men, by Claremont and John Byrne, with inks by McLeod.
• The first chapter of Art Spiegelman's Maus appears in Raw #2.
• Necdet Sen begins publishing his cartoon, Hizli Gazeteci in the Turkish magazine "Hey".
• Last issue of the Italian magazine Il mago.La fine della pista, final chapter of the epic saga Storia del West, by Gino D’Antonio and Renato Polese.

Specific date unknown

• Jan Kruis wins the Stripschapprijs.
• Yvan Delporte founds the Upchic Union Professionelle des Créateurs d’Histoires en Images et de Cartoons), the first special interest group for Belgian comics artists. It will exist until 1997.
• In the Spanish edition of 1984, Zora y los Hibernautas, by Fernando Fernandez.
• In Corriere dei Piccoli, Il nonno selvaggio by Bianca Pitzorno and Cinzia Ghigliano.

Deaths

January

February

March

• March 1: Leon A. Beroth, American painter and comics artist, dies at age 85.
• March 1: Richard Allen "Dick" Dillin, American comics artist, dies at age 50.March 9: Konstantin Kuznjecov, Russian illustrator, caricaturist and comics artist, dies at age 84.March 14: Arie Pleysier, Dutch journalist and comics writer, dies at age 89.March 28: Helena Bochořáková-Dittrichová, Czech illustrator, painter and comics artist, dies at age 85.

April

May

June

July

• July 20: Comic illustrator and creator Rafael Gruber dies at age 69.

August

September

November

December

• * John Lennon, British rock musician, dies at age 40.
• * Mel Cummin, American illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 85.December 13: R. D. Low, British comics writer, dies at age 85.Specific date unknown: Dick Briefer, American comics artist, dies at age 65.

Specific date unknown

• Adriana Cristina, Italian comics artist, dies at an unknown age.
• Alan Hanley, American comics artist, dies at age 40 or 41 in a car accident.
• William Francis Marshall, British illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 78 or 79.
• Al Vermeer, American comics artist, dies at age 68 or 69.
• Harry Winslade, AKA Redvers Blake, British comic artist, dies at age 68 or 69.

Conventions

• Charlotte Mini-Con — one-day event held at local mall by Shelton Drum, owner of the comics retailer Heroes Aren't Hard To Find
• FantaCon 2 — official guests include Berni Wrightson, Raoul Vezina, John Caldwell, Jeff Jones, Richard & Wendy Pini, Joe Staton, and Fred HembeckMarch 15–16: Long Island Comic Book Convention April 12 or April 19: "Convention to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Eagle" — produced by A.C.E./Denis GiffordJune 14–16: Comicon (Australia) II — 2nd iteration of this showJune 20–22: Houstoncon — official guests include George PérezJuly 4–6: Comic Art Convention — special guests Boris Vallejo and Michael Kaluta; other guests: Bob Kane, Fred Hembeck, Wendy and Richard Pini, John Caldwell Norman Mingo, Harlan Ellison, Bob Boze Bell, and Dave SimonsJuly 18–20: Chicago Comicon — guest of honor: Roy Thomas; other guests: Frank Brunner, Dave Manak, Frank Miller, Josef Rubinstein, Roger Stern, Laurie S. Sutton, Chris Claremont, Jack C. Harris, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Al Milgrom, Steve Mitchell, Joe Staton, Len Wein, and Marv WolfmanJuly 25–27: Atlanta Fantasy Fair VI — official guests include Robert BlochJuly 30 – August 3: San Diego Comic-Con — 5,000 attendees; official guests: John Byrne, Chris Claremont, Mike Grell, Paul Gulacy, Larry Niven, Joe Orlando, Richard Pini, Wendy Pini, Jerry Pournelle, Osamu Tezuka, Adam West, Wally WoodAugust: Atlanta Fantasy Fair VI — official guests include Robert Bloch; Gil Kane is a scheduled guest, but doesn't make itAugust 23: Denver Minicon September: OrlandoCon — guests include Gil Kane, Jock Mahoney and Autumn RussellOctober 18–19: Marvel Comics Film & Fantasy Convention — sponsored by Starburst magazine ; presentation of the Starburst Awards; Guest of Honor: Ray Harryhausen; other guests include Archie Goodwin, Syd Jordan, Bill Sienkiewicz, Barry Morse, Paul Darrow, Jacqueline Pearce, Ingrid Pitt, Caroline Munro, Dana Gillespie, David Prowse, Peter Mayhew, Milton Subotsky, Roy Ashton, Martin Bower, Harley Cokeliss, Mat Irvine, Brian Johnson, Terrance Dicks, David Maloney, Dick Mills, and Richard O'Brien; presentation of the Eagle AwardsOctober 26–November 2: Salone Internazionale dei Comics a.k.a. "Lucca 14" November: Mid-Ohio Con — first staging of this annual event, produced by Roger A. PriceDecember: Katy-Kon — first convention dedicated to Katy Keene

Awards

[Eagle Awards]

First issues by title

DC Comics

Marvel Comics

Independent titles

Shueisha

Initial appearances by character name

DC Comics

• Cheetah (Deborah Domaine) in Wonder Woman #274
• Creature Commandos in Weird War Tales #93
• Cyborg in DC Comics Presents #26
• Deathstroke in The New Teen Titans #2
• Doctor Alchemy in The Flash #287
• Insect Queen in Superman Family #203
• Mister E in Secrets of Haunted House #31
• Mongul in DC Comics Presents #27
• Nemesis in The Brave and the Bold #166
• Rainbow Raider in The Flash #286
• Ravager in The New Teen Titans #1
• Raven in DC Comics Presents #26
• Silas Stone in DC Comics Presents #26
• Starfire in DC Comics Presents #26
• Starman (Prince Gavyn) in Adventure Comics #467
• Squid in Detective Comics #497
• Wintergreen in New Teen Titans #2

Marvel Comics

• * Emma Frost in Uncanny X-Men #129
• * Harry Leland in Uncanny X-Men #132
• * Donald Pierce in Uncanny X-Men #132
• * Sage in Uncanny X-Men #132
• * Sebastian Shaw in Uncanny X-Men #129 Imperial Guard members in Uncanny X-Men #137
• * Earthquake
• * Hussar
• * Manta
• * WarstarKarma in Marvel Team-Up #100 Robert Kelly in Uncanny X-Men #135 Dansen Macabre in Marvel Team-Up #93 Mauler in Daredevil #167 Mister Fear in Marvel Team-Up #92 Kitty Pryde in Uncanny X-Men #129Bernie Rosenthal in Captain America #248 She-Hulk in Savage She-Hulk #1Margali Szardos in Uncanny X-Men Annual #4Taskmaster in Avengers #195 U-Foes in The Incredible Hulk #254 Vindicator in Uncanny X-Men #139

Independent titles