1987 in comics


Notable events of 1987 in comics.

Events and publications

Year overall

January

January 1: At the start of the year, Tintin launches the first of 52 illustrations made Bob De Groot and Turk, published on a weekly basis throughout the year. All 52 images together form a long streetview, 15 metres in length.January 2: The first episode of René Windig and Eddie de Jong's Heinz is published. It will run until 2000, then return for a brief period between 2004 and 2006.January 23: Comics artist Willy Vandersteen is a guest in the TV show In De Hoofdrol, presented by Mies Bouwman, where, among other surprises, he is given the first copy of a brand new Suske en Wiske story, De Parel in de Lotusbloem, which his successor Paul Geerts had made in secret for him.

February

March

April

April 1: in Pif Gadget, the 95th Lucly Luke adventure, Nitroglicerine, by Morris and Lo Hartog van Banda, is prepublished.

May

May 5: in Spirou, Spirou à New York, by Tome and Jamy, is prepublished.

June

June 27: British comic artist Leo Baxendale, who sued his former publisher DC Thomson to receive financial compensation for his work, reaches an out-of-court settlement with DC Thomson, which hands the rights of his characters back to him.

July

July 4 - September 6: In Ghent, Belgium, museum curator Jan Hoet organizes an exhibition about European comics titled Kunst en Grafische Vernieuwing in het Europees Beeldverhaal, exhibiting original artwork by various Belgian, French, Swiss, Italian, Polish and Dutch comics artists.Gumby's Summer Fun Special #1, by Bob Burden and Art Adams, published by Comico.

August

August 9: In Topolino, L'inferno di Paperino , by Giulio Chierchini is prepublished, a parody of the Dante's inferno; it's a follow-up to the legendary Mickey's inferno, by Guido Martina.August 30: in Topolino, Giorgio Cavazzano’s Casablanca, is prepublished; it's a parody of the cult movie interpreted by the characters of the Mouse universe,

September

October

October 14: in Il giornalino, the series La pattuglia ecologica by Mauro Cominelli and Mario Rossi, makes its debut; it has a group of five environment's defenders as heroes.October 24: The Judge Dredd storyline "Oz", written by John Wagner and Alan Grant, begins in Fleetway's 2000 AD.

November

December

December 5: Erika Raven is the first female comic artist to receive the Bronzen Adhemar award. Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes, with issue #354, is cancelled by DC.

Specific date unknown

Deaths

January

January 2: Jacques Laplaine, aka J. Lap, French comics artist, dies at age 65.January 13: Ed Kuekes, American cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 85.January 23: E. Nelson Bridwell, American comic book writer, dies from lung cancer at age 55.January 23: Dow O. Walling, American comics artist and TV presenter, dies at age 84.January 27: Rod Ruth, American illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 74.

February

February 2: Ken Reid, British comics artist, dies at age 67.February 12: Angela Giussani, Italian comics writer, dies at age 64.February 20: Wayne Boring, American comics artist, dies at age 81.February 20: Edgar P. Jacobs, Belgian comics artist dies at age 82.February 22: Andy Warhol, American painter, music producer and film director, dies at age 58.February 27: Bill Holman, American comics artist, dies at age 83.February 27: Darrell McClure, American comics artist, dies at age 84.February 28: Roland Moisan, French caricaturist, journalist and comics artist, dies at age 79.

March

March 22: Ib Steinaa, Danish animator and comics artist, dies at age 60.

April

April 13: Joe Colquhoun, British comics artist, dies of a heart attack at age 60.April 19: Milt Kahl, American animator, dies at age 78.

May

May 30: Al Shapiro, aka "A. Jay", American comics artist, dies at age 55 from AIDS.May 31: Hugh Laidman, American illustrator, painter and comics artist, dies at age 63.

June

June 12: Carlo Boscarato, Italian comics artist, dies at age 61.June 12: Eugen Semitjov, Swedish comics artist, journalist and writer, dies at age 64.June 25: Bram Ohm, Dutch illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 81.

July

July 5: Jayme Cortez, Portuguese-Brazilian comic artist, dies at age 60.

August

August 22: Henk Tol, Dutch painter, illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 56.

September

September 8: Hans van Gorkom, Dutch comic artist, dies at age 58.September 30: Alfred Bester, American novelist and comics writer, dies at age 73.

October

October 5: Ed Stevenson, American illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 91.Specific date unknown: Radu Duldurescu, Romanian comics artist, dies from pancreatic cancer at age 60.

November

November 10: Pop Momand, American comics artist, dies at age 101.November 11: John N. Carey, American animator and comics artist, dies at age 72.November 24: Anton Pieck, Dutch illustrator, painter and comics artist, dies at age 92.

December

December 13: George Wunder, American comics artist, dies at age 75.December 14: Copi, Argentinean-French comics artist, dies at age 48 from AIDS.December 26: Angelo Bioletto, Italian comics artist, dies at age 81.December 29: Raeburn Van Buren, American comics artist, dies at age 96.

Specific date unknown

  • Bernie Aalmeon, French-Egyptian comics artist, dies at age 68 or 69.
  • Pedro Alférez González, Spanish comics artist, dies at age 51 or 52.
  • Huang Yao, Chinese comics artist, dies at age 69 or 70.
  • Lenn Redman, American caricaturist, animator, novelist, poet, illustrator, comics artist, cartoonist and activist, dies at age 74 or 75.
  • Vicq, Belgian comics artist, dies in a hospital at age 50 or 51, after having become a reclusive person the past years. His death is only noticed several years later.

Exhibitions and shows

January 6 – February 28: "Robert Williams: Messages from a Drunken Broom" June–September: "Comic Iconoclasm" — curated by Sheena Wagstaff — American artist Jerry Kearns exhibits a work "simply spliced together panels by Bernie Wrightson and Brian Bolland... and made them big." Exhibition later travels to Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin; Cornerhouse Gallery, Manchester; and a European tour

Conventions

January 29–February 1: Angoulême International Comics Festival — 14th annual festivalFebruary 22: Great Eastern Conventions — c. 175 attendees; five dealers and about 25 exhibitor tablesMay 2–3: Wonderful World of Comics Convention — First annual staging of the convention, founded by San Jose native John Barrett, co-owner of the retail chain Comics and ComixJune: Heroes Convention June 27–28: Creation Convention '87 I July 3–5: Chicago Comicon July 31–August 2: Atlanta Fantasy Fair — official guests include Adam West, Caroline Munro, Robert Bloch, Boris Vallejo, Kelly Freas, Jennifer Roberson, and Tom SaviniAugust 6–9: San Diego Comic-Con — 5,000 attendees; official guests: Harlan Ellison, Miguel Ferrer, Ward Kimball, B. Kliban, Françoise Mouly, Bill Mumy, Mike Peters, Robert Silverberg, Art Spiegelman, and Bernie WrightsonSeptember 5–6: UKCAC87 — guests include Will Eisner, Gil Kane, John Byrne, John Totleben, Steve Bissette, Wendy Pini, Richard Pini, Ron Smith, John Totleben, Steve Bissette, Alan Grant, Dave Gibbons, Bill Sienkiewicz, Dave Sim, Paul Duncan, Martin Crocknell, and Carlos Ezquerra; presentation of the Eagle AwardsSeptember 5–6: Dragon*Con — first annual staging of the multigenre convention. 1,400 attendees; Official guests: Michael Moorcock, Robert Asprin, Lynn Abbey, Robert Adams, Richard "Lord British" Garriott, Gary Gygax, and Toastmaster Brad StricklandSeptember 25–27: OrlandoCon November: Mid-Ohio Con — guest of honor: Dave Sim; other guests: Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, John Ostrander, Denys Cowan, Mike Grell, Carol KalishNovember 27–29: Creation '87 II November 27–29: Dallas Fantasy Fair — guests include Harvey Kurtzman, Jaime Hernandez, Denis Kitchen, Gilbert Hernandez, Don Simpson, Steve Rude, Kenneth Smith, Brad W. Foster, and Doug Potter

Awards

Eagle Awards">Eagle Award (comics)">Eagle Awards

Presented in 1988 for comics published in 1987. Distributed on Saturday, September 24, 1988, at UKCAK88, The Institute of Education, London WC1.Roll of Honour: Pat Mills

American Section

British Section

[Kirby Awards]

Best Single Issue: Batman: [The Dark Knight Returns] #1, by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and Lynn Varley Best Continuing Series: Swamp Thing, by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, and John Totleben Best Black & White Series: Cerebus by Dave Sim Best Finite Series: Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons Best New Series: Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons Best Graphic Album: Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson Best Artist: Bill Sienkiewicz, for Elektra: Assassin Best Writer: Alan Moore, for Watchmen Best Writer/Artist: Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, for Watchmen Best Art Team: Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and Lynn Varley, for Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Hall of Fame:

[Eisner Awards]

Presented in 1988 for comics published in 1987:Best Single Issue/Single Story: Gumby's Summer Fun Special #1, by Bob Burden and Art Adams Best Black-and-White Series: Concrete, by Paul Chadwick Best Finite Series/Limited Series: Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons Best New Series: Concrete, by Paul Chadwick Best Graphic Album: Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons Best Writer: Alan Moore, Watchmen Best Writer/Artist: Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, Watchmen Best Artist/Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team: Steve Rude, Nexus Best Art Team: Steve Rude, Willie Blyberg and Ken Steacy, Space Ghost Special Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award: June ForayWill Eisner Award Hall of Fame: Milton Caniff

Harvey Awards

Presented in 1988 at the Chicago Comicon for comics published in 1987:Best Writer: Alan Moore, for Watchmen Best Artist or Penciller: Dave Gibbons, for Watchmen Best Cartoonist : Paul Chadwick, for Concrete Best Inker: Al Williamson, for Daredevil Best Letterer: Ken Bruzenak, for American Flagg Best Colorist: John Higgins, for Watchmen Special Award for Excellence in Production/Presentation: Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, Best New Series: Concrete, by Paul Chadwick Best Continuing or Limited Series: Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons Best Single Issue or Story: Watchmen #9: "The Darkness of Mere Being", by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons Best Graphic Album: Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons Best American Edition of Foreign Material: Moebius album series, by Jean "Moebius" Giraud Best Domestic Reprint Project: The Spirit, by Will Eisner

First issues by title

DC Comics

Captain Atom
Doom Patrol vol 2.
The Flash vol. 2
Justice League
The Question
The Shadow
Spectre
Suicide Squad
Superman vol. 2
Wasteland
Wonder Woman vol. 2
'Young All-Stars'''''

Limited series

Doc Savage
Doctor Fate
Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters
Outcasts
Phantom Stranger
Silverblade
Slash Maraud
Sonic Disruptors
'World of Krypton'''''

Marvel Comics

Action Force
SilverHawks
Silver Surfer
Solo Avengers
Strange Tales vol. 2
'Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light'''''

Limited series

Comet Man
Fallen Angels
Marshal Law
The Transformers: Headmasters
'The X-Men vs. The Avengers'''''

Other publishers

The American
The Original Astro Boy
Betty and Veronica
Concrete
Deadworld
Eddy Current
Fusion
Good Girls
Laugh
Marksman
Ninja High School
Savage Henry
Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The [Trouble with Girls (comics)|The Trouble with Girls]
Tutto West
Uri-On
Usagi Yojimbo
Xenozoic Tales
Zio Paperone
Release: December by Mondadori Editore|Arnoldo Mondadori editore]; Italian version of the The [Carl Barks Library|Carl Barks Library].:

Initial appearances by character name

DC Comics

Marvel Comics

Aries in West Coast Avengers #26 Bird-Brain in New Mutants #55 Blizzard (Donnie Gill) in Iron Man #223 Bushwacker in Daredevil #248 Combat Colin in Action Force #5 Comet Man in Comet Man #1 Fallen Angels in Fallen Angels #1 Ghost in Iron Man #219 Goblyn in Alpha Flight #48 Malice in Uncanny X-Men #214 Manikin in Alpha Flight #44 Mercy in The Incredible Hulk #338 Microchip in The Punisher #4 Philippus in Wonder Woman #1 Rictor in X-Factor #17 Mister Sinister in Uncanny X-Men #221 Trick Shot in Solo Avengers #1

Independent titles

LeatherheadSam & Max in Sam & Max: Freelance Police Special Edition