2003 in comics
The following events happened in the world of comics in the year 2003.
Events
January
- First issue of Firebreather by Phil Hester and Andy Kuhn and Invincible by Robert Kirkman
February
- In the Batman universe, debut of the series Gotham Central by Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker and of the miniseries Batgirl: Year One by Scott Beatty and Marcos Martin
- ''Aida al confine – graphic novel by Vanna Vinci; a ghost story inspired by the true life of the author's grandfather.
March
- March 16: The final Sunday comic episode of Flash Gordon is published, which also marks the end of the series overall, which had been in continuous production since 1934.
- Fantastic Four: Unstable Molecules by James Sturm
- In Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the arc "Slayer Interrupted" begins.
April
- Action Comics #800: Double-sized anniversary issue, "A Hero's Journey," by Joe Kelly, Pascual Ferry, and Duncan Rouleau.
- Generazioni – special album for the Martin Mystere’s 20th anniversary, by Carlo Recagno and various cartoonists; it sees a team-up among the hero, his ancestors Docteur Mystere and Cygale and his robotic version of the future.
- April 19: Webcomic Bigtime Consulting comes to a conclusion
May
- Il faut tuer Lincoln – by Francois Corteggiani and Michel Blanc-Dumont, 13th album of the series Blueberry''
's youth - Le nombre maudit, by André-Paul Duchâteau and Tibet, 67. album of the Ric Hochet series
- Pyongyang'' by Guy Delisle
June
- June 30: in Le temps, the first episode of The Sarcophagi of the Sixth Continent, Volume 1: The Universal Threat, by Yves Sente and Andrè Juliard, is prepublished.
- Wolverine vol. 2 is canceled by Marvel with issue #189.
- Born by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson.
- Superman: Red Son by Mark Millar
- June 10 - Manhwa Dragon Hunter begins publication
- La balle perdue – by Derib, 18th album of the Buddy Longway series.
- The first episode of Fabio Ciccone's webcomic Magias & Barbaridades is published.
July
- July 18: The first issue of the Croatian comics magazine Q strip is published. It will last until 2013.
- July 22: Blankets by Craig Thompson
- Chaos bleeds, by Christopher Golden, Tom Sniegoski and Cliff Richards, one shot Buffy comics attached to the homonymous videogame.
- First issue of Runaways, by da Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona.
August
- August 5: The wolves in the walls by Neil Gaiman and David McKean
- First issue of The losers by Andy Diggie and Jock
- Death: At Death's Door by Jill Thompson
- Red by Warren Ellis and Cully Hammer
- Thor Vikings by Garth Ennis and Glenn Fabry
- First issue of Troubles, by Mark Millar and Frank Cho
- JLA-Avengers by Kurt Busiek and George Perez
- OK corrral by Jean Giraud
- Tecnodoridi, written by Stefano Vietti; Aristotele Skotos, the main villain of the Nathan Never series, is killed in a duel by the hero.
September
- September 20: Le fleuve de jade, by Jacques Martin, Rafael Morales and Marc Henniquiau ; 23th album of the Alix series.
- September 24: Albert Uderzo is honoured as Commandeur des Arts et Lettres.
October
- October 16: Asterix and the class act by Goscinny and Uderzo
- October 18–19: During the Stripdagen in Alphen aan den Rijn John Reid, Bastiaan Geleijnse and Jean-Marc van Tol receive the Stripschapprijs. Gerard Roord, publisher of Illustrated Classics wins the Hans P. Frankfurtherprijs. Henk Sprenger, Wim Meuldijk and Gerrit Stapel are the first people to receive a new award, the Bulletje en Boonestaakschaal.
- October 29: Dick Matena's graphic novel adaptation of Gerard Reve's novel De Avonden starts its serialisation in Het Parool. The comic book adaptation will bring Matena tremendous acclaim and pave the way for more graphic novel adaptations of literary classics.
- Smax by Alan Moore and Gene Ha
- Pianet X by Grant Morrison and Phil Jimenez
- Marvel 1602, by Neil Gaiman and Andy Kubert.
- Supreme power by J. Michael Straczynski and Gary Frank
- First issue of The walking dead by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore
- Fagin the Jew by Will Eisner
- Fisrst issue of Monster allergy, by Francesco Artibani and Alessandro Barbucci
- The Italian cartoonist Gipi publishes his first graphic novel, Esterno notte, a collection of six stories about violence and decay, set in Roman suburbs-
November
- First issue of Teen titans go!
- The sandman: endless night by Neil Gaiman
- Ultimate six by Brian Michael Bendis and Trevor Hirsine
- Play with fire, paperback collecting various Buffy comics by limited diffusion
December
- December 11: Paolo Aldighieri publishes in his personal blog erladan, one of the first Italian webcomcs.
- December 16: In Topolino the first episode of The Lost Explorers' Trail, by Casty and Giorgio Cavazzano is published. It marks the debut of Eurasia Toft, a Disney version of Lara Croft.
- December 24: The final issue of the Flemish comics magazine Suske en Wiske Weekblad is published.
- Wanted by Mark Millar and J. G. Jones
Specific date unknown
- The AOL name was finally dropped from Time Warner, which reverted to the Time Warner name.
- Peter van Straaten wins his third Inktspotprijs for Best Political Cartoon.
- Danish animator comic artist Børge Ring is knighted in the Order of the Dutch Lion.
- In Il vernacoliere, debut of Don Zaucker, by Emiliano Pagani and Daniele Caluri.
Deaths
January
- January 1: Warren Whipple, American comics artist, dies at age 92.
- January 2: Jack Keller, American comics artist dies at age 80.
- January 8: Franz Drappier, aka Franz, Belgian comics artist, dies at age 54.
- January 10: Ramón Sabatés, Spanish comics artist, dies at age 87.
- January 14: Rémy Bordelet, French comics artist, dies at age 71.
- January 20: Mose, French comics artist, dies at age 85.
- January 28: Leoncio Rojas Cruzat, aka Leo, Chilean comics artist, dies at age 83.
- January 30:
- * Les Zakarin, American comic inker, dies at age 73.
- * Guido Zamperoni, aka Guy Zam, Italian comics artist, dies at age 90.
February
- February 22: George A. Ward, American comic artist, dies at age 82.
- February 26:
- * Carlos Freixas, Spanish comics artist, dies at age 79.
- * Ram Waeerkar, Indian comic artist, dies at age 66 or 67.
- February 28: Pete Millar, American comics artist, dies at age 73.
March
- March 2: Bill Woggon, American comics artist, dies at age 92.
- March 3: Dave Pascal, American cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 84.
- March 11: Frans Verstreken, Belgian publisher, writer and curator, dies at age 80.
- March 12:
- * Branco Karabajic, Croatian comics artist and animator, dies at age 77.
- * Thomas Warkentin, American animator, comics writer and comic artist, dies at age 67.
- March 16: Auguste, French comic artist, dies at age 62.
- March 22: Fernando Carpucino, Italian painter, illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 80.
- Specific date in March unknown: Angus Scott, British comics artist, dies at age 94.
April
- April 3: Karel Boumans, aka Kabou, Belgian comics artist, dies at age 71.
- April 4: Rudy Florese, Filipino comic artist, dies at age 56.
- April 9: Jerry Bittle, American comics artist, dies at age 53.
- April 14: Ric Hugo, American comics artist, dies at age 75 or 76.
- April 14: John Kent, New Zealand cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 65.
May
- May 2: Peter Jackson, British comics artist, dies at age 81.
- May 8: Leo Bachle, Canadian comics artist, dies at age 79.
- May 14: Dante Quinterno, Argentine cartoonist and comics artist,, dies at age 93.
- May 23: Pierce Rice, American comics artist, dies at age 86 or 87.
- May 27: Al Hartley, American comics artist, dies at age 81.
June
- June 4: Serafín Rojo Caamaño, Spanish comic artist, dies at age 77.
- June 9: Georges Pichard, French comics artist and writer .
- June 18: Guy Bara, French cartoonist and comic artist, dies at age 79.
July
- July 17: Cosper, Danish comics artist, dies at age 92.
- July 20: William Woolfolk, American novelist, TV writer and comics writer, dies at age 86.
- July 24:
- * Irving Dressler, American animator and comics artist, dies at age 90.
- * Warren Kremer, American comics artist, dies at age 82.
- July 31: Guido Crepax, Italian comics artist, dies at age 70.
August
- August 9: Bert Wunderink, Dutch comics artist, dies at age 80.
- August 31: Dave Gerard, American comics artist, dies at age 94.
September
- September 25: Herb Gardner, American playwright, screenwriter and comics artist, dies at age 68 from lung disease.
- Specific date in September unknown: Sergio Boffano, Italian-Uruguayan comic artist, dies at age 86.
October
- October 1: Costas Grammatopoulos, Greek painter, engraver, illustrator, poster designer and comics artist, dies at age 87.
- October 5: Alain Bignon, French comic artist, dies at age 56.
- October 12: Pete Morisi, American comics artist, dies at age 75.
- October 14: Ned Riddle, American cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 90 and 91.