1996 in comics

Events

January

• The first issue of The Sensational Spider-Man.
• In ToyFare winter's special, the debut of the strip Twisted Mego Theatre.
• L'homme qui aimait les poupées – by Jean-Charles Krahen ; the first album of the noir series Gill Saint-Andrè.

  February

• February 10: The final episode of Secret Agent X-9 is published.
• February 14: Ilah's Cordelia debuts in the Flemish newspaper De Morgen.
• The New Titans is canceled by DC with issue #130.
• Star Trek vol. 2 is canceled by DC with issue #80.

  March

• March 2: The Flemish newspapers Het Laatste Nieuws and De Nieuwe Gazet launch a weekly children comics supplement titled De Samson en Gert Krant, based on the popular TV show Samson en Gert. It will run until 1998, after which it is renamed.
• March 14: Evronians, by Alessandro Sisti, Ezio Sisto and Alberto Lavoradori, album "number zero" of PKNA; debut of the principal characters of the series.
• With issue #75, The Sandman ends its run.
• First issue of the magazine Mondo Naif, meant as a showcase for the young Italian cartoonists.
• Prigioniero del futuro – written by Alfredo Castelli and Antonio Serra, drawn by Gino Vercelli and Claudio Castellini; first team-up between Nathan Never and Martin Mystere.

  April

• April 27: Dutch illustrator Peter Vos and comics artists Jan Kruis and Peter van Straaten are knighted.
• April 30: In the Disney comics magazine Topolino, Basettoni e la dieta da fame, by Giorgio Pezzin and Romano Scarpa is first published, which marks the debut of Petulia, Chief O’Hara's wife.
• Berlin, city of stones, by Jason Lutes, first episode of the series Berlin.
• Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold, by Alisa Kwitney and Death: The time of your life, by Neil Gaiman, spin-offs of the series The Sandman.
• First issue of the series Hitman, by Garth Ennis and John McCrea.
• DC vs. Marvel, crossover between the two main comics’ universes, published conjunctly by the two companies.
• Marvel discontinues its Marvel Edge imprint

  May

• Kingdom come, by Mark Waid and Alex Ross.
• In Zona X, L’uomo venuto dal futuro, by Luigi Mignacco and Fabrizio Russo, first episode of the series about the time traveller Robinson Hart.
• In L’isola che non c’è, first strip of Venerdì 12, by Leo Ortolani.
• Un million sans impôts, by André-Paul Duchâteau and Tibet

  June

• June 11: in Topolino, Silvia Ziche's Il papero del mistero, papernovela in uno sproposito di puntate begins. The story, lasting for even 24 episodes, is a parody of the never-ending Latin-American telenovelas.
• June 22: in Telerama, first episode of The Francis Blake affair, by Jean Van Hamme and Ted Benoit; it's the first album of the series Blake and Mortimer not realized by Edgar P. Jacobs.
• June 28: Charles M. Schulz receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• First issue of Batman Black and White.
• In X-Men #53, the Onslaught saga, by Mark Wald and Andy Kubert, begins.
• Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme is canceled by Marvel with issue #90.
• La valle del terrore by Claudio Nizzi and Magnus. The album, a Tex Willer adventure inspired by the life of John Sutter, is the swansong for Magnus, who works to it for seven years and dies just before its publishing.
• When Blow the Winds of Time?, by Alessandro Sisti and Claudio Sciarrone, album 0/2 of PKNA is first published, which marks the debut of the principal antagonist of the series, the time traveller Red Raider.
• La fortesse de Makiling by Jean Van Hamme and Philippe Francq.

  July

• Diamond Comic Distributors acquires Capital City Distribution.
• The Avengers #400: "History Repeats Itself," by Mark Waid, Mike Weiringo, and Tom Palmer..
• Xanadu, by Alfredo Castelli and Paolo Morales. Sergej Orloff, the villain of the Martin Mystere series, redeems and is reconciled with the hero, in addition to healing from his mutilations.

  August

• August 8: In Anders And & Co, A matter of some gravity, by Don Rosa is serialized.
• August 9: The Adventures of Nero by Marc Sleen receives a comic mural in Hasselt.
• Detective Comics #700: "Legacy," Part I, "Progeny of the Demon," by Chuck Dixon, Graham Nolan, and Scott Hanna.
• Heroes reborn by Jim Lee and Rob Liefeld, huge cross-over involving the whole Marvel universe; Avengers and Fantastic Four, officially dead, are transferred in a pocket universe. Five Marvel titles are closed and relaunched.
• Captain America is canceled by Marvel with issue #454.
• Le Klondyke by Morris, Yann and Jean Leturgie.

  September

• The British satirical cartoon magazine Punch, which went bankrupt in 1992, is revived. It will run until 2002.
• Fantastic Four is canceled by Marvel with issue #416.
• The Avengers is canceled by Marvel with issue #402.
• Iron Man is canceled by Marvel with issue #332.
• Newspaper strip A Couple of Guys begins publication
• Ô Alexandrie, by Jacques Martin.

  October

• October 11: The 30th Asterix story is published, La Galère d'Obélix. In the story Obelix drinks the magic potion for the first time since he was a child, with dire consequences.
• October 12–13: During the Stripdagen in Breda, the Netherlands, Hanco Kolk receives the Stripschapprijs. Het Nederlands Stripmuseum receives the first P. Hans Frankfurtherprijs, named after P. Hans Frankfurther, who died in a drowning accident in August.
• First issue of Batman: The long Halloween, by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale.
• Bloody Mary, by Garth Ennis and Carlos Ezquerra
• First issue of House of secrets, by Steven T. Seagle
• In Anders And & Co, A little something special by Don Rosa.
• L’heure du kidnapping by André-Paul Duchâteau and Tibet

  November

• First issue of Superman Adventures
• The Final Night, by Kari Kiesel and Stuart Immonen ; death of Hal Jordan.
• Fax from Sarajevo by Joe Kubert
• In Witchblade 10, debut of The darkness
• First album of Epileptic, by David Beauchard
• Geants by Jean Van Hamme and Grzegorz Rosiński.
• Ombre su Darkwood by Mauro Boselli and Gallieno Ferri ; team-up between Zagor and “Elsewhere”, the secret service with an important role in the Martin Mystere series.

  December

• December 5: Dutch cartoonist Len Munnik wins the Inktspotprijs for Best Political Cartoon.
• December 27: Marvel Entertainment files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
• December 27 : in Anders And & Co ''The Vigilante Of Pizen Bluff, by Don Rosa.
• Batman: The Long Halloween #1 - DC Comics
• Superman: The Wedding Album: Clark Kent marries Lois Lane.
• In Spider-Man 75, The night of the Goblin, by Howard Mackie and John Romita jr. Death of Ben Reilly; Peter Parker resumes his role as Spider-Man.
• Aliens: Lovesick by Richard Forgues.
• First album of the Italian Sci-fi saga I custodi del maser by Massimiliano Frezzato.
• First issue of the Italian paranormal series Samuel Sand'', spin-off of Lazarus Leed.

  Specific date unknown

• Will Eisner publishes the book Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative.

  Births

Deaths

January

• January 19: Bernard Baily, American comics artist, writer and publisher, dies at age 79.
• January 22: Arthur Piroton, Belgian comics writer and artist, dies at age 64.
• January 28:
• * Jerry Siegel, American comic book writer, dies at age 81.
• * Burne Hogarth, American comics artist dies at age 84.
• January 31: Claus Deleuran, Danish comics artist, dies at age 49.

  February

• February 5: Roberto Raviola, aka Magnus, Italian comics artist dies from cancer at age 56.
• February 6:
• * Boody Rogers, American comics artist, dies at age 91.
• * Franco Tarantola, Italian comics artist, dies at age 53.
• February 13: Cara Sherman-Tereno, American comics artist dies of leukemia at the age of 44.
• February 26: Cork, Dutch cartoonist,, dies at age 64.

  March

• March 6: Jack Abel, American comics artist and inker, dies at age 68.
• March 7: Ramon Monzon, French comics artist, dies at age 65.
• March 14: Jack Berrill, American comics artist, dies of cancer at age 72.
• March 15: Homer Groening, Canadian-American film director, cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 76.
• March 25: Mike Roy, Canadian comics artist, dies at age 75.
• March 29: André Oulié, French comic artist, dies at age 98.

  April

• April 12: Bob Zschiesche, American comics artist, dies at age 67 from an aneurysm.
• April 14: Mary Oosterdijk, Dutch animator and comics artist, dies at age 82.
• April 20: Håven, Swedish cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 74.

  May

• May 6: Eric Larnoy, French illustrator and comic artist, dies at age 35 from liver cancer.
• May 7: Piet Worm, Dutch comics artist, dies at age 95.
• May 9: Carl Fallberg, American comics writer and artist dies at age 80.
• May 26: Francis Paid, Dutch comics artist, dies at age 71.

  June

• June 11: Gin, Spanish comics artist, animator, and illustrator, dies at age 65.
• June 15: Nonkel Fons, Belgian priest, publisher, and comics writer dies at age 84.
• June 19: Curt Swan, American comic book artist, dies at age 76.