1997 in comics

Notable events of 1997 in comics. See also List of years in comics.

Events

This literature-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

• Publisher Blatant Comics founded by Chris Crosby and Bobby Crosby.
• WildStorm established the Cliffhanger imprint.

March

• March 22: The final episode of Steve Dowling's Garth is published.
• The final episode of Daniel Clowes' Ghost World is prepublished in Eightball. In the same issue Clowes publishes his essay Modern Cartoonist.

April

• April 1: Tony Barbieri and Bill Wray's Monroe makes its debut in the 356th issue of Mad. It will run until 2010, albeit with a different artist from 2006 on: Tom Fowler.[1]
• Comic strip Cigarman begins publication in Smoke Magazine
• Marvel cancels The Punisher (1995 series) with issue #18

May

• May 24: The British girls' magazine Mandy and Judy, who merged in 1991, now merge with Bunty. It will run in this form until 2001.[2]

July

• July 7: Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman's Zits makes its debut.
• July 31: The Belgian city Middelkerke starts an annual project where statues of famous Belgian comics characters are placed at the dijk during the summer. The first one to be honoured this way is Jommeke.[3]
• Marvel Comics' Flashback month: all issues were released with the number −1.

October

• October 11–12: During the Stripdagen in Haarlem, the Netherlands, Peter Pontiac receives the Stripschapprijs.[4] Sunnya van der Vegt en René van Royen receive the P. Hans Frankfurtherprijs for their book Asterix en de waarheid, about the historicity in Astérix.[5]

November

• Mayo Kaan takes out newspaper ads claiming to be the original model for Superman,[6] although his allegations were later proven false.[7]

December

• The final issue of the Belgian comics magazine À Suivre is published.
• Marvel returns the Avengers and Fantastic Four to their main continuity in Heroes Reborn: The Return #1–4

Specific date unknown

• The final album of the Belgian comics series Bessy, originally created by Willy Vandersteen, is published.
• The final episode of the Belgian comics series Tif et Tondu is published, ending it just a year before its 60th birthday.[8]

Deaths

January

• January 5: André Franquin, Belgian comics artist (Gaston Lagaffe, Marsupilami, Modeste et Pompon, Idées Noires. Also continued Spirou and Fantasio), dies at age 73.[9]
• January 5: Frans Piët, Dutch comics artist (Sjors en Sjimmie), dies at age 91.[10]
• January 25: Dan Barry, American cartoonist and comics artist (Marvel Comics), dies at age 73.[11]

February

• February 3: Geoffrey Foladori, Uruguayan comics artist (El Professor Pistacho, Pelopincho y Cachirula, Don Gumersindo, Don Tranquilo y Flia), dies at age 88.[12]
• February 7: Nina Albright, American comics artist (Comandette, continued Miss Victory), dies at age 89.[13]
• February 13: Hans Schlensker (Biff Baker, assisted on Buz Sawyer), dies at age 82.[14]
• February 15: Jack Sparling, Canadian-American comics artist (Claire Voyant, Hap Hopper, Washington Correspondent), dies at age 81.[15]
• February 23: Larry Antonette, aka Dean Carr, American comics artist (Dash Dixon, Bozo and the Baron, Calling the Duke), dies at age 87.[16]
• Specific date unknown: Arthur Horner, Australian-British cartoonist (Colonel Pewter, The Thoughts of Citizen Doe), dies at age 80.[17]

March

• March 10: Stan Drake, American comics artist (The Heart of Juliet Jones), dies at age 75.[18]

April

• April 4: Billy Graham, American comics artist (worked on Luke Cage, Black Panther), dies at age 61. [19]
• April 11: Helge Kühn-Nielsen, Danish comics artist, teacher, painter and illustrator, dies at age 76.[20]
• April 16: Roland Topor, French novelist, illustrator, cartoonist, comics artist, film script writer, TV script writer, animator and playwright (Hara-Kiri), dies at the age of 59.[21]
• April 27: Víctor Arriazu, Spanish comics artist (assisted on El Jabato), dies at age 61 or 62.[22]

May

• May 1: Sirius, Belgian comics artist (Timour), dies at the age of 86.[23]
• May 4: Lou Stathis, American comics editor of DC's Vertigo line, dies of complications related to a brain tumor at age 44.[24]
• May 31: Ruth Atkinson, Canadian-American comics artist (Patsy Walker, Millie the Model), dies at age 78.[25]

June

• June 6: Manny Stallman, American comics artist (various horror comics), dies at age 70.[26]
• June 12: Rémy Bourles, French comics artist (Bob Mallard), passes away at age 91.[27]
• June 15: Kim Casali, New Zealand cartoonist and comics artist (Love Is...), dies of bone and liver cancer at the age of 55.[28]

July

• July 8: Clay Geerdes, American writer and photojournalist who extensively covered the underground comix movement, dies of liver cancer at age 63.

August

• August 19: James Ringrose, Dutch comics artist (Tekko Taks, Blix Kater, Willie en Wop), dies at age 83.[29]

September

• September 4: Nasjah Djamin, Indonesian illustrator and comics artist (drew a comic book about Hang Tuah), dies at age 72.[30]
• September 15: Lode Pemmelaar, Dutch painter and comics artist (Romila the Velvet Girl), dies at age 54.[31]
• September 25: Josep Toutain, Spanish comics artist and publisher (founder of Selecciones Ilustradas and Toutain-Editor), dies from lung cancer at age 64–65.[32]

October

• October 8: Zhang Chongren, Chinese artist and sculptor (inspiration for the Tintin character Chang Chong-Chen), passes away at age 91.[33]
• October 16: Dick Cavalli, American comics artist and cartoonist (Winthrop, continued Norbert), dies at the age of 74.[34]
• October 18: Milt Neil, American animator and comics artist (the Howdy Doody comic strip), passes away at age 83.[35]
• October 22: Per Lygum, Danish animator and comics artist (Planckton), dies at age 64.[36]

November

• November 13: Samm Schwartz, American comics artist (Jughead) stories for Archie Comics, passes away at age 75.[37]
• November: Evelyn Flinders, British comics artist (The Silent Three), passes away at age 97.[38]

December

• December 3: Benito Jacovitti, Italian comics artist (Cocco Bill, Zorry Kid), dies at the age of 74.[39]
• December 8: Walter Molino, Italian illustrator and comics artist (Virus, Il Mago della Foresta Morta, Captain l'Audace, continued Kit Carson), dies at age 82.[40]
• December 11: Heinz Schubel, German illustrator and comics artist (Lurchi), dies at age 91.[41]
• December 13: Samm Schwartz, American comics artist (continued Archie Comics), dies at age 77.[42]

Specific date unknown

• Carol Carlson, American comics artist (The Adventures of Waddles), dies at age 84 or 85.[43]
• Dennis Ellefson, American comics artist, dies at age 59 or 60.[44]
• Kerstin Frykstrand, Swedish illustrator and comics artist (Muff och Tuff), dies at age 95 or 96.[45]
• Frank Little, American animator and comics artist (worked for Jerry Iger's studio), dies at age 90.[46]
• Armand Panis, aka Sinap, Belgian comics artist, caricaturist and cartoonist (Klopstok), dies at age 89 or 90.[47]
• Roex, aka Roger Exelmans, Belgian comics artist (continued Rikske en Fikske), dies at age 60.[48]
• Bernard Segal, aka "Seeg", American painter and comics artist (Honey and Hank, also known as Elsworth), dies at age 78 or 79.[49]
• George Smits, aka 'Toet', Belgian painter, experimental musician and comics artist (De avonturen van Jan, member of Ercola), dies at age 52 or 53.[50]
• Tony Velasquez, Filipino comics artist (Kenkoy), dies at age 86.[51]
• Roland Venet, aka Rol, French comics artist (Wa-Pi-Ti), dies at age 77 or 78.[52]

Conventions

• January 23–26: Angoulême International Comics Festival (Angoulême, France)[53]
• February 2: Alternative Press Expo (San Jose, California)
• March: Big Apple Comic Con (Church of St. Paul the Apostle, New York City)[54]
• March 15–16: UKCAC (Institute of Education, London, England) — guests include Joe Kubert and Dan Clowes;[55] presentation of the inaugural National Comics Awards by Paul Gambaccini and Jonathan Ross
• March 15–16: MegaCon (Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida): guests include J. Michael Straczynski and Peter David[56]
• March 21–23: Motor City Comic Con I (Novi Expo Center, Novi, Michigan)[57]
• April: Northampton Comic Convention (Northampton, Massachusetts)
• April 18–20: Pittsburgh Comicon (Monroeville ExpoMart, Monroeville, Pennsylvania)[58] — guests include David Prowse and Carmen Electra[59]
• April 25–27: WonderCon (Oakland, California)
• Summer: "EuroCAPTION" (Oxford Union Society, Oxford, England) — guests include France's David B, Spain's Max, and the Netherlands' Maaike Hartjes
• Summer: Canadian National Comic Book Exposition (Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada) — c. 3,800 attendees; guests include Marc Silvestri, Dwayne Turner, Carlos Pacheco, Dale Keown, David Wohl, and Rich Buckler
• June 12–15: Heroes Convention (Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, North Carolina)
• June 26–29: Dragon Con (Inforum Convention Center/Westin Peachtree Plaza/Atlanta Civic Center, Atlanta, Georgia) — 18,000 attendees
• July 4–6: Chicago Comicon (Rosemont Convention Center, Rosemont, Illinois) — c. 5,000 attendees; convention sold to Wizard Entertainment
• July 17–20: Comic-Con International (San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California) — 40,000 attendees; special guests include Brent Anderson, Dick Ayers, Steve Bissette, Terry Brooks, Kurt Busiek, Evan Dorkin, Sarah Dyer, Steven Hughes, Peter Kuper, David Lapham, Carol Lay, Joseph Michael Linsner, Ralph McQuarrie, Linda Medley, Michael Moorcock, George Pérez, Brian Pulido, Alex Ross, R.A. Salvatore, Kevin Smith, George Tuska, Jhonen Vasquez, Paul Verhoeven, Mark Waid, and Al Williamson
• September 19–21: Small Press Expo (Silver Spring, Maryland)* 1997: September 19–21 — Quality Hotel, Silver Spring, Maryland[60]
• October–November: FIBDA (Amadora, Portugal) — eighth annual edition; special guests include Jean-Claude Mézières Pierre Christin, François Schuiten, Benoît Peeters, Enki Bilal, André Juillard, Ted Benoît, Jean Van Hamme, Theo van den Boogaard, Kevin O'Neill, and Miguelanxo Prado
• October 11–12: Motor City Comic Con II (Dearborn Civic Center, Dearborn, Michigan)
• November 29–30: Mid-Ohio Con (Adam's Mark Hotel, Columbus, Ohio) — guests include John Byrne, Roger Stern, Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson, Sergio Aragonés, Mark Evanier, Mart Nodell, Tony Isabella, Joseph Michael Linsner, Sheldon Moldoff, Terry Moore, Steve Lieber, Jim Ottaviani, Paul Smith, Alvin Schwartz, Murphy Anderson, and Bernie Wrightson[61]

First issues by title

Clover

Release: by Kodansha (Amie). Authors: Clamp

Desert Punk

Release: August 5 by Enterbrain (Comic Beam). Author: Usune Masatoshi

Peach Girl

Release: by Kodansha (Bessatsu Friend). Author: Miwa Ueda

References

1. "Bill Wray". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
2. http://comicsuk.co.uk/forum/download/file.php?id=3908&mode=view
3. "Jommeke Digitaal". stripheld.hoembeka.be. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
4. "Peter Pontiac van Kralingen naar Lowlands". NRC. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
5. https://www.stripschap.nl/pages/stripschapprijzen/p.-hans-frankfurtherprijs/complete-lijst.php
6. Bisbee, Dana. "Obituary; Mayo J. Kaan, said to be inspiration for Superman", Boston Herald, Jul 11, 2002 p.057
7. "Mayo Kaan 1915 – 2002," Superman Super Site. Accessed Oct. 28, 2012.
8. "Fernand Dineur". lambiek.net. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
9. "André Franquin". lambiek.net.
10. "Frans Piët". lambiek.net.
11. "Daniel Barry". lambiek.net.
12. "Geoffrey Foladori". lambiek.net. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
13. "Nina Albright". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
14. "Hank Schlensker". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
15. "Jack Sparling". lambiek.net.
16. "Larry Antonette". lambiek.net. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
17. "Arthur Horner". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
18. "Stan Drake". lambiek.net.
19. "Billy Graham". lambiek.net. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
20. https://www.lambiek.net/artists/k/kuhn_nielsen_helge.htm
21. "Roland Topor". lambiek.net.
22. "Víctor Arriazu". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
23. "Sirius". lambiek.net.
24. Anderson, Paul M. (August 1997). "Vertigo Editor Stathis Succumbs to Cancer". Wizard (72). p. 22.
25. "Ruth Atkinson". lambiek.net.
26. https://www.lambiek.net/artists/s/stallman_manny.htm
27. "Rémy Bourlès". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
28. "Kim Casali". lambiek.net.
29. "James Ringrose". lambiek.net.
30. "Nasjah Djamin". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
31. https://www.lambiek.net/artists/p/pemmelaar_lode.htm
32. "Josep Toutain". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
33. "Obituary: Chang Chong-Ren". The Independent. Oct 17, 1998. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
34. "Dick Cavalli". lambiek.net.
35. "Milt Neil". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
36. "Per Lygum". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
37. "Samm Schwartz". lambiek.net.
38. "Evelyn Flinders". lambiek.net.
39. "Benito Jacovitti". lambiek.net.
40. "Walter Molino". lambiek.net. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
41. "Heinz Schubel". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
42. "Samm Schwartz". lambiek.net. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
43. "Ray & Carol Carlson". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
44. "Dennis Ellefson". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
45. "Kerstin Frykstrand". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
46. https://www.lambiek.net/artists/l/little_frank.htm
47. "Sinap". lambiek.net. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
48. "Roex". lambiek.net. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
49. "Bernard Segal". lambiek.net.
50. "George Smits". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
51. "Tony Velasquez". lambiek.net.
52. https://www.lambiek.net/artists/r/rol.htm
53. Dutrey, Jacques. "News Watch: Angoulême 1997," The Comics Journal #194 (Mar. 1997) , pp. 20-21.
54. "Chaos! And the Crow Go to Church, 1997 Big Apple Comic Con Report," Comics Buyer's Guide (Mar. 21, 1997), p. 10.
55. "Newswatch," The Comics Journal #193. (Feb. 1997). p. 27.
56. "Spotlight," Orlando Sentinel (14 Mar 1997), p. 43.
57. Ottaviani, Jim. "News Watch: Motor City Convention, March 21–23," The Comics Journal #195 (Apr. 1997), p. 25.
58. "Comic Book Fans to Convene," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (18 Apr 1997), p. A.23.
59. "Weekend Hot List," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (18 Apr 1997), p. 3.
60. Press release. "NEWS: Small Press Expo Signing Tour in September," (July 26, 1997). Archived at Google Groups.
61. Sangiacomo, Mike. "Superman Vet Had Write Stuff: Alviin Schwartz will make Rare Public Appearance and Discuss Years at DC," Cleveland Plain Dealer (Nov. 27, 1997).