Notable events of 1979 in comics. Events
January January 6: The first episode of Pat Mills and Joe Colquhoun's Charley's War is prepublished in Battle Picture Weekly and the series will run until October 1986. January 17: In Il Male, the demented space adventurer Joe Galaxy makes his debut in a two-strip story (Joe Galassia e le perfide Lucertole di Callisto IV) by Massimo Mattioli. January 24: In issue #330 The Mighty World of Marvel, changes its name to Marvel Comic. (Marvel UK) January 28: In Il giornalino, Una tequila señor by Giuliano Longhi and Renato Polese marks the debut of the West Angels, a trio of easy-going bounty-hunters. The final Asterix story written by René Goscinny, Asterix in Belgium, drawn by Albert Uderzo is published. It also ran in Le Monde as a serial.
February February 20: Kees Kousemaker and his wife Evelien publish Wordt Vervolgd. Stripleksikon der Lage Landen, the follow-up to their earlier comics encyclopaedia Strip voor Strip (1979). February 22: In Spirou, the first chapter of the Yoko Tsuno story La lumiere d’Ixo, by Roger Leloup, is published. February 26: In Pif Gadget, Les Robinsons de la Terre (The Planet Earth’s Robinson) by Roger Lécureux and Alfonso Font makes its debut. First issue of Cliff (Editoriale Corno), by Luciano Secchi; the series, a sort of Italian version of Hulk, lasts just 16 numbers.
March March 6: In Tintin, the first chapter of the Alix story L' Enfant Grec (The Greek children) by Jacques Martin, is published. March 7: In the TV show SuperGulp, Bonvi's Marzolino Tarantola makes his debut. March 23 : In Tintin the first chapter of the Ric Hochet story Le Fantome de l’alchimiste (The alchimist’s ghost) by André-Paul Duchâteau and Tibet is published. March 28: Corrier Boy (the former Corriere dei ragazzi) changes its headline in Corrier Boy serie music and furtherly reduces the comics’ space. IPC Magazines launches Tornado, a short-lived weekly British comic published for 22 issues. The Human Fly, with issue #19, is cancelled by Marvel. In Metal hurlant, Exterminator 17, by Jean-Pierre Dionnet and Enki Bilal is first published.
April April 9: The first episode of Vahan Shirvanian's No Comment is published. April 15: The final episode of The Captain and the Kids is published. Originally drawn by Rudolph Dirks, it was continued by his son John Dirks since 1962. Kid Colt Outlaw (1949 series), with issue #225, canceled by Marvel. The reprint title Marvel Triple Action, with issue #47, is cancelled by Marvel. La nuit des rapaces (The raptors’ night), first Jeremiah’s album by Herman Huppen (published by Fleurus). First issue of the magazine Maxmagnus (Corno).
May May 5: David Sutherland introduces Dennis' pet pig Rasher in Dennis the Menace and Gnasher. May 15: In Tintin, the first chapter of the Jonathan story Douniacha, il y a longtemps... (Douniacha, long time ago) by Cosey is published. May 19: A statue of Suske en Wiske, designed by René Rosseel, is revealed at the Antwerp Zoo. Frank Miller takes over from Gene Colan as regular penciler on Daredevil with issue #158. Vince Colletta resigns as art director of DC Comics. Rawhide Kid, with issue #135, canceled by Marvel. Captain Marvel, with issue #62, cancelled by Marvel. Howard the Duck (vol. 1), with issue #31, canceled by Marvel. Black Panther, with issue #15, cancelled by Marvel. In Il Mago, Piombo di mancia (Tip lead) by Vittorio Giardino; debut of the Bolognese private eye Sam Pezzo.
June
June 6: In Tintin, the first chapter of the Thorgal story Les Trois Vieillards du pays d'Aran (The three old men from Aran country), by Jean Van Hamme and Grzegorz Rosiński is published. June 17: The final episode of the weekly political-satirical gag comic spin-off of Jean Tabary's Iznogoud is printed in the Sunday newspaper Journal du Dimanche. June 21: In Spirou, the first chapter of the Spirou & Fantasio story Des haricots partout by Jean Claude Fournier is published. First issue of Il Paperino d’oro (The golden Donald Duck), published by Mondadori; reprints of the classic stories by Carl Barks. In Alterlinus, La lunga notte (The long night), by Sergio Toppi, first episode of the series Sharaz-de, inspired by One Thousand and One Nights. In Super Goofy, The Day a Knight Was Born, by Del Connel and Pete Alvarado; debut of the Mighty Knight, Middle-age version of Super Goofy. Cico story, by Guido Nolitta and Gallieno Ferri; first album fully dedicated to the Zagor’s Mexican partner. In Italy, first issue of Storie blu (Blue stories, Ediperiodici), anthological magazine of sci-fi and erotic comics.
Summer DC Special Series #17 — DC Special Series returns after it had gone on hiatus in Fall 1978.
July World of Krypton – #1 of 3, by DC Comics. The first official limited series, this three-issue "mini-series" was originally slated for Showcase #104-106 to coincide with the premiere of Superman: The Movie. The storyline was rescheduled for Showcase #110-112 when the film's release date was delayed; but ultimately, Showcase was cancelled after issue #104. Finally, the material is revised and released as a limited series by Paul Kupperberg and Howard Chaykin. With issue #24, Marvel cancels Godzilla, King of the Monsters. La resa dei conti (The showndown), by Magnus, last episode of La compagnia della forca. In Marvel Two-in-one 53, the story arc Project Pegasus begins. July 25: Marvel UK publishes the final weekly issue (#352) of Marvel Comic. July 26: In the German magazine Zack, the parody Western series Silas Finn by the Italian authors Tiziano Sclavi and Giorgio Cavazzano is published.
August With issue #70, Marvel publishes the final issue of The Tomb of Dracula, ending writer Marv Wolfman and artist Gene Colan's uninterrupted six-year run on the title. In the story Mister No va alla guerra (Mr. No goes to war), by Guido Nolitta and Gallieno Ferri, the true name of the character (Jerry Drake) is revealed. In Pif Gadget, debut of two adventure series: Ayak, by Jean Ollivier and Eduardo Teixeira Coelho, set in the Klondike Gold rush, with an arctic wolf as protagonist, and Marine fille de pirate (The pirate’s daughter) by Francois Corteggiani and Pierre Tranchand. August 19: in Topolino, Topolino e l’enigma di Mu, by Massimo De Vita; debut of Prof. Zachary Zapotec. August 25: IPC Magazines merged two comic books 2000 AD and Starlord and Tornado into "2000 AD and Tornado".
September September: The Indian comics magazine Target is launched. Inside the first issue, Ajit Ninan's detective comic Detective Moochhwala makes its debut. September 9: For Better or For Worse, by Lynn Johnston, debuts, distributed by Universal Press Syndicate. September 17: Jaap Vegter receives the Stripschapprijs. All-Out War #1: a new war title in the Dollar Comics format is launched by DC Comics with a September/October cover date. The Best of DC #1: a reprint anthology title in the digest format is launched by DC Comics with a September/October cover date. "The Proteus Saga", by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, begins in Uncanny X-Men #125 (running through issue #128). Marvel Comic, with issue #353, becomes a monthly title and is renamed Marvel Superheroes. (Marvel UK) The Invaders, with issue #41, is cancelled by Marvel. The first edition of the Helsinki Comics Festival is organized in Helsinki, Finland. Calibro 45, by Ennio and Vladimiro Missaglia (Daim Press); first album of the short-lived western series Judas, In the fall issue of Co-Evolution Quarterly, Robert Crumb's one-shot comic A Short History of America is printed.
October October 1: Hergé's Tintin and Snowy receive a statue in Uccle. January 6: The final episode of Kees Stip and Nico Visscher's newspaper gag-a-day comic In de Wolken is published. October 6: In The Louisville Times, the first episode of Don Rosa’s Captain Kentucky is published. October 21: In Il Giornalino, the first chapter of Gargantua e Pantagruel, Dino Battaglia’s comics adaptation of Gargantua and Pantagruel, is published. Action Comics #500: 68-pages, "The Life Story of Superman," by Martin Pasko, Curt Swan, and Frank Chiaramonte. Star*Reach, with issue #18, publishes its final issue. Time Warp #1: a new science-fiction anthology in the Dollar Comics format is launched by DC Comics with an October/November cover date. With issue #28, Marvel cancels John Carter, Warlord of Mars. In the Argentine magazine El pendulo the first episode of the series Las puertitas del senor Lopez, by Carlos Trillo and Horacio Altuna is published.
December December 21: In VSD, the first chapter of Le magot des Dalton (The Daltons’ swag) by Morris and Vicq is published. Vicq succeeds the late Goscinny as Lucky Luke’s writer. The final issue of the Dutch adult comics magazine Gummi/De Ballooen is published. In Linus, the first strip of Sergio Staino’s Bobo appears.
Specific date unknown Due to weak sales numbers from 1978,"Marvel Trims Line Again," The Comics Journal #45 (March 1979), p. 11. during the course of the year Marvel Comics cancels a number of ongoing titles: Black Panther; Captain Marvel; Godzilla, King of the Monsters; Howard the Duck; The Human Fly; The Invaders; John Carter, Warlord of Mars; Kid Colt Outlaw; Marvel Triple Action; and Rawhide Kid. The "Demon in a Bottle" storyline, by David Michelinie, Bob Layton, and John Romita, Jr., runs through Iron Man (issues #120–128, March–November). Alien: The Illustrated Story, a comics adaptation of Alien, by Archie Goodwin and Walt Simonson, published by Heavy Metal. In Turnhout, Belgium the first edition of the Stripgids Festival is organized by Jan Smet.Turnhout, Belgium.beStrip Turnhout 2005: Een nieuwe start, Gva.be Belgian comic artist Morris is knighted in the Order of Leopold II. Comic artist Gary Panter publishes the Rozz Tox Manifesto, in which he encourages counterculture artists to infiltrate the mainstream media.
Births March March 27: Mia Ikumi, Japanese manga artist (Tokyo Mew Mew, Super Doll Licca-chan), (d. 2022).Tokyo Mew Mew Artist Mia Ikumi Passes Away Due to Hemorrhage
November November 22: Jeremy Dale, American comics artist (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero), (d. 2014).Pitts, Lan (November 5, 2014). "Skyward Creator Jeremy Dale Dead at 34". Newsarama.
Deaths
January January 8: Victor Hubinon, Belgian comics writer (Buck Danny, Redbeard), dies from a heart attack at age 59.
February February 9: Daniël Jansens, Belgian comics writer (Bessy, Lombok, Bakelandt, Kramikske), dies from a heart attack at age 47. February 15: Roy d'Ami, Italian comics writer, artist and founder of the Studio Creazioni d'Ami, dies at age 55. February 22: John Coleman Burroughs, American illustrator and comics artist (John Carter of Mars, David Innes of Pellucidar), dies at age 65.
March March 24: Ole Lund Kirkegaard, Danish novelist and illustrator (Gummi Tarzan), freezes to death at age 38.
April April 29: Hardie Gramatky, American novelist, comics artist and animator (inked Mickey Mouse, ghosted Captain Kidd Jr. and Ella Cinders), dies at age 72.
May May 10: Louis Paul Boon, Belgian novelist, poet and comic writer (scripted Proleetje & Fantast, drawn by Maurice Roggeman ), dies at age 67.
June June 25: Dave Fleischer, American animator, film producer and director (Koko the Clown, Betty Boop, Popeye), dies of a stroke at age 84.
July July 4: Pagsilang Rey Isip, Filipino-American comics artist, painter, photographer and musician, dies at age 68 from a heart attack. July 19: Paul Bransom, American comics artist, illustrator and painter (The Latest News from Bugville), dies at age 94.
August August 10: Emmerich Huber, German comics artist (Das Neueste von Onkel Jup, Hans und Lottchen, Meine Lustige Fibel, Die Himmelswerkstatt, Bei Tüddelwitt im Zwergenwald, Bilderbogen von Emmerich Huber, Familie Kindermann), illustrator and advertising artist, dies at age 75.