2021 in comics


Notable events of 2021 in comics. It includes any relevant comics-related events, deaths of notable comics-related people, conventions and first issues by title.

Events

January

  • January 15: A rejected Tintin cover for the album The Blue Lotus is auctioned and sold for the record prize of 3.2 million euros.

February

  • February 18: The Tintin shop in Lisbon, Portugal, is forced to close its doors forever, because of the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown measures.

March

  • March 4: Japanese publisher Kodansha prints a 15-meter tall version of an Attack on Titan album. It breaks a record as the largest comic book of all time.
  • March 6: The Chandras debut in their own strip Har Har's Joke Shop! in The Beano No.2075.
  • March 8:
  • * Hergé's estate, Moulinsart, sues artist Xavier Marabout for copyright infringement, since he uses The Adventures of Tintin characters in his paintings. He later wins his case.
  • * 87-year-old comic artist José Delbo sells Wonder Woman artwork as a non-fungible token for $1.85 million during a crypto auction, in collaboration with the Italian Hackatao duo.
  • March 9: Gerben Valkema, best known for the comic strip Elsje, wins the Stripschapprijs.

April

  • April 6: A rare copy of Action Comics 1 is auctioned for a record sale of $3.25 million at ComicConnect.com.
  • April 29: After 40 years, Steve Bell's long-running political comic strip If... comes to an end.

May

  • Specific date unknown: The obese character Fatty in the British comic series The Bash Street Kids is renamed Freddy.

June

July

  • A revival of the weekly political-satirical gag comic spin-off of Jean Tabary's Iznogoud is launched as a webcomic series on the website La Vie Française. The new scriptwriter is Olivier Andrieu and the artist Elric.

August

  • August 7: A comic mural designed by Belgian comic artist Kim Duchateau is inaugurated in Antwerp, Belgium.
  • August 12: DC Comics announces that Robin will be outed as bisexual in an upcoming comic book story of Batman: Urban Legends, which features alternative storylines about Batman.

September

  • September 9:
  • * A copy of the first issue of Spider-Man is sold for the record-breaking prize of 3.6 million dollars.
  • * A scandal breaks out in Ontario, Canada, when it is revealed that in 2019 30 schools have burned or removed 5,000 children's books, novels, encyclopedias and comics, for depicting "prejudice against indigenous peoples."
  • September 17:
  • * In Anderlecht, Belgium, Hotel Yooma opens its doors: the first hotel dedicated to Franco-Belgian comics.
  • * In Charleroi, Belgium, a statue of Gaston Lagaffe is inaugurated at the Green Place.
  • September 26: Dutch comics publisher Julius Goede wins the Dutch comic award the Bulletje en Boonestaakschaal.
  • September 28: Belgian cartoonist Kamagurka wins the Dutch Inktspotprijs award for Best Political Cartoon.

October

  • October 11: DC Comics announces that Jon Kent, the 17-year-old son of Superman, will be outed as bisexual in an upcoming comic book story.

December

  • December 19: The freckled character Spotty in the British comic series The Bash Street Kids is renamed Scotty.

Specific date unknown

  • Gary Panter releases the graphic novel Crashpad.
  • The final gag of Toon van Driel's De Stamgasten is printed in Algemeen Dagblad. The series had been running since 1981.
  • Anton Gudim launches his webcomic series Yes...But'.

Deaths

January

  • January 1: Norbert Morandière, aka Norma, French comics artist, dies at age 74.
  • January 8: Steve Lightle, American comics artist, dies at age 61 from cardiac arrest, brought on by COVID-19.
  • January 15: Liz Berube, American comics artist and colorist, known for romance comics, dies at age 78.
  • January 21:
  • * Henryk Chmielewski, aka Papcio Chmiel, Polish comics artist, illustrator and journalist, dies at age 97.
  • * Jean Graton, French comics writer and artist and publisher, dies at age 97.
  • January 24: Marcel Uderzo, French comics artist, dies at age 87.
  • Specific date in January unknown: Antoni Bancells Pujadas, Spanish comics artist, dies at age 71 or 72.

February

March

  • March 2: Claude Lacroix, aka Tartemption, Alias, French comics artist and illustrator, dies at age 76.
  • March 7: Frank Thorne, American comics artist, dies at age 90.
  • March 18: Picanyol, Spanish comics artist, dies at age 73.
  • March 19: Gary Leib, American cartoonist, musician and animator dies at age 65–66.
  • March 22: Gérard Depralon, French comic artist, dies at age 70.
  • March 24: Willy Ophalvens, Belgian comic artist, dies at age 82.
  • March 27: Chris Yambar, American comics writer and artist, dies at age 59.
  • March 30: Gonzalo Mayo, Peruvian comics artist, dies at age 81.

April

  • April 5:
  • * Joye Hummel, American comics writer, dies at age 97.
  • * Frank Jacobs, American comics writer, dies at age 91.
  • April 7: Michel Koeniguer, French comics artist, dies at age 49.
  • April 18: Cor Blok, Dutch illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 87.

May

June

  • June 1: Bunny Matthews, American comic artist, dies at age 70.
  • June 5:
  • * André Beckers, Belgian comic artist, dies at age 93.
  • * James McQuade, American comics artist, dies at age 88.
  • June 13: Nikita Mandryka, French comics artist and publisher, dies at age 80.
  • June 14: Tuono Pettinato, Italian comics writer and illustrator, dies at age 44.
  • June 18: Asher Dikstein, Israeli comic artist, dies at age 77 or 78.
  • June 23: Walli, Belgian children's book illustrator and comic artist, dies at age 69.

July

  • July 5:
  • * Richard Donner, American film director and comics writer, dies at age 91.
  • * Danny Shanahan, American cartoonist, dies at age 64.
  • July 14: Kurt Westergaard, Danish cartoonist, dies at age 86.
  • July 24: Carlos Romeu Müller, Spanish comics artist, dies at age 73.
  • July 25: Henri Vernes, Belgian novelist and comics writer, dies at age 102.
  • July 31: Martin Perscheid, German comics artist, dies at age 55.

August

  • August 14:
  • * Enzo Facciolo, Italian animator and comics artist, dies at age 89.
  • * Geneviève Gautier, French comic artist, dies at age 99.
  • August 18: Jill Murphy, British children's writer and illustrator, dies at age 72.
  • August 19: Raoul Cauvin, Belgian comics writer, dies at age 82.
  • August 24: Charlie Watts, British rock drummer , dies at age 80.

September

  • September 3: Henriette Valium, Canadian painter and comics artist, dies at age 62.
  • September 8: Olmo, Spanish comic artist, dies at age 99.
  • September 21: Nico Visscher, Dutch cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 88.
  • September 24:
  • * Gomaa Frahat, Egyptian political cartoonist, dies at age 80.
  • * Ota, Brazilian comics writer, comics artist, cartoonist and publisher, dies at age 67.
  • * Takao Saito, Japanese comics/manga artist, dies from pancreatic cancer at age 84.
  • September 27: hugOKÉ, Belgian cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 82.

October

  • October 8: Santiago Martín Salvador, Spanish comic artist, dies at age 85.
  • October 17: Robin Wood, Paraguayan-Argentine comics writer, dies at age 77.

November

  • November 2: André Osi, Belgian comic artist, dies at age 62.
  • November 13: Leopoldo Ortiz Ortiz, Spanish comic artist, dies at age 73.
  • November 26: Vincenzo Jannuzzi, Italian comic artist, dies at age 75.

December

  • December 4: Nico van Welzenes, Dutch painter and comic artist, dies at age 85.
  • December 8: Mitsutoshi Furuya, Japanese comic artist, dies at age 85.
  • December 9: Don Asmussen, American comics artist, dies at age 59 from brain cancer.
  • December 11: Hiroshi Hirata, Japanese comic artist, dies at age 84.
  • December 18: Gérald Forton, Belgian-American comic artist, dies at age 90.

Specific date unknown

  • Sandro Costa, Italian comic artist, dies at an unknown age.

Exhibitions and shows

Conventions

August

  • August 21–22: Brooklyn Comic Con —held outdoors for health & safety reasons; second day canceled due to threatened hurricane

September

October