Years in comics
Before the 1900s
1900s
1910s
1920s
1930s
1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940s
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950s
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960s
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970s
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980s
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990s
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000s
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010s
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020s
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
v t e

Notable events of1996 in comics.

• The first issue ofThe Sensational Spider-Man (Marvel).
• InToyFare winter's special, the debut of the stripTwisted Mego Theatre.
• L'homme qui aimait les poupées (The dolls lover) – by Jean-Charles Krahen (Glénat Editions); the first album of the noir seriesGill Saint-Andrè.^[1]

• February 10: The final episode ofSecret Agent X-9 is published.^[2]
• February 14:Ilah'sCordelia debuts in the Flemish newspaperDe Morgen.^[3]
• The New Titans is canceled by DC with issue #130.
• Star Trek vol. 2 is canceled by DC with issue #80.

• March 2: The Flemish newspapersHet Laatste Nieuws andDe Nieuwe Gazet launch a weekly children comics supplement titledDe Samson en Gert Krant, based on the popular TV showSamson en Gert. It will run until 1998, after which it is renamed.^[4]
• March 14:Evronians, by Alessandro Sisti, Ezio Sisto and Alberto Lavoradori, album "number zero" ofPKNA ; debut of the principal characters of the series (the A. I. One, the journalist Angus Fangus, the female robot Lyla Lai, the super-heroine Xadhoom).
• With issue #75,The Sandman ends its run. (DC/Vertigo)
• First issue of the magazineMondo Naif (Star Comics), meant as a showcase for the young Italian cartoonists.^[5]
• Prigioniero del futuro (Prisoner of the future) – written byAlfredo Castelli andAntonio Serra, drawn by Gino Vercelli andClaudio Castellini; first team-up betweenNathan Never andMartin Mystere (more exactly, an android into which the Martin's memory has been poured up).^[6]

• April 27: Dutch illustrator Peter Vos^[7] and comics artistsJan Kruis andPeter van Straaten are knighted.^[8][9]
• April 30: In the Disney comics magazineTopolino,Basettoni e la dieta da fame, by Giorgio Pezzin andRomano Scarpa is first published, which markes the debut of Petulia,Chief O’Hara's wife.
• Berlin, city of stones, byJason Lutes, first episode of the seriesBerlin (Black Eye productions).
• Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold, byAlisa Kwitney andDeath: The time of your life, byNeil Gaiman (Vertigo), spin-offs of the seriesThe Sandman.
• First issue of the seriesHitman, byGarth Ennis andJohn McCrea (DC Comics).
• DC vs. Marvel, crossover between the two main comics’ universes, published conjunctly by the two companies.
• Marvel discontinues itsMarvel Edge imprint

• Kingdom come, byMark Waid andAlex Ross (DC comics).
• InZona X,L’uomo venuto dal futuro (The man from future), by Luigi Mignacco and Fabrizio Russo, first episode of the series about the time traveller Robinson Hart (Bonelli).^[10]
• InL’isola che non c’è, first strip ofVenerdì 12, byLeo Ortolani.^[11]
• Un million sans impôts (A tax-free million), byAndré-Paul Duchâteau andTibet (Le Lombard)

• June 11: inTopolino,Silvia Ziche'sIl papero del mistero, papernovela in uno sproposito di puntate (The mystery duck, duck-novela in a blunder of episodes) begins. The story, lasting for even 24 episodes, is a parody of the never-ending Latin-Americantelenovelas.^[12]
• June 22: inTelerama, first episode ofThe Francis Blake affair, byJean Van Hamme andTed Benoit; it's the first album of the seriesBlake and Mortimer not realized byEdgar P. Jacobs.
• June 28:Charles M. Schulz receives a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame.^[13]
• First issue ofBatman Black and White (DC Comics).
• InX-Men #53, theOnslaught saga, by Mark Wald andAndy Kubert, begins.
• Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme is canceled by Marvel with issue #90.
• La valle del terrore (The valley of fear) byClaudio Nizzi andMagnus (Bonelli). The album, aTex Willer adventure inspired by the life ofJohn Sutter, is the swansong for Magnus, who works to it for seven years and dies just before its publishing.^[14]
• When Blow the Winds of Time?, by Alessandro Sisti and Claudio Sciarrone, album 0/2 ofPKNA is first published, which marks the debut of the principal antagonist of the series, the time traveller Red Raider.
• La fortesse de Makiling byJean Van Hamme andPhilippe Francq (Dupuis).

• Diamond Comic Distributors acquiresCapital City Distribution.^[15]
• The Avengers #400: "History Repeats Itself," byMark Waid,Mike Weiringo, andTom Palmer. (Marvel Comics).
• Xanadu, byAlfredo Castelli and Paolo Morales (Bonelli). Sergej Orloff, the villain of theMartin Mystere series, redeems and is reconciled with the hero, in addition to healing from his mutilations.^[16]

• August 8: InAnders And & Co,A matter of some gravity, byDon Rosa is serialized.
• August 9:The Adventures of Nero byMarc Sleen receives a comic mural inHasselt.^[17]
• Detective Comics #700: "Legacy," Part I, "Progeny of the Demon," byChuck Dixon,Graham Nolan, andScott Hanna.
• Heroes reborn byJim Lee andRob Liefeld, huge cross-over involving the wholeMarvel universe;Avengers andFantastic Four, officially dead, are transferred in apocket universe. Five Marvel titles are closed and relaunched.
• Captain America (1968 series) is canceled by Marvel with issue #454.
• Le Klondyke byMorris, Yann and Jean Leturgie (Lucky Editions).

• The British satirical cartoon magazinePunch, which went bankrupt in 1992, is revived. It will run until 2002.^[18]
• Fantastic Four (1961 series) is canceled by Marvel with issue #416.
• The Avengers (1963 series) is canceled by Marvel with issue #402.
• Iron Man (1968 series) is canceled by Marvel with issue #332.
• Newspaper stripA Couple of Guys begins publication
• Ô Alexandrie, byJacques Martin (Casterman).

• October 11: The 30thAsterix story is published,La Galère d'Obélix (translated in English asAsterix and Obelix All at Sea). In the storyObelix drinks the magic potion for the first time since he was a child, with dire consequences.^[19]
• October 12–13: During theStripdagen inBreda, the Netherlands,Hanco Kolk receives theStripschapprijs.^[20][21] HetNederlands Stripmuseum receives the first P. Hans Frankfurtherprijs (formerly the Jaarprijs voor Bijzondere Verdiensten), named afterP. Hans Frankfurther, who died in a drowning accident in August.^[22]
• First issue ofBatman: The long Halloween, byJeph Loeb andTim Sale (DC comics).
• Bloody Mary, byGarth Ennis andCarlos Ezquerra (Helix)
• First issue ofHouse of secrets, bySteven T. Seagle (Vertigo)
• InAnders And & Co,A little something special byDon Rosa.
• L’heure du kidnapping byAndré-Paul Duchâteau andTibet (Le Lombard)

• First issue ofSuperman Adventures (DC Comics)
• The Final Night, by Kari Kiesel andStuart Immonen (DC Comics) ; death ofHal Jordan.
• Fax from Sarajevo byJoe Kubert (Dark Horse)
• InWitchblade 10, debut ofThe darkness (Top Cow)
• First album ofEpileptic, byDavid Beauchard (L’association)
• Geants byJean Van Hamme andGrzegorz Rosiński (Le Lombard).
• Ombre su Darkwood (Shadows on Darkwood) byMauro Boselli andGallieno Ferri (Bonelli) ; team-up betweenZagor and “Elsewhere”, the secret service with an important role in theMartin Mystere series.^[23]

• December 5: Dutch cartoonist Len Munnik wins the Inktspotprijs forBest Political Cartoon.^[24]
• December 27:Marvel Entertainment files for Chapter 11bankruptcy protection.
• December 27 : inAnders And & CoThe Vigilante Of Pizen Bluff, byDon Rosa.
• Batman: The Long Halloween (1996 series) #1 -DC Comics
• Superman: The Wedding Album:Clark Kent marriesLois Lane (DC Comics).
• InSpider-Man 75,The night of the Goblin, byHoward Mackie andJohn Romita jr. Death ofBen Reilly;Peter Parker resumes his role as Spider-Man.
• Aliens: Lovesick by Richard Forgues (Dark Horse).
• First album of the Italian Sci-fi sagaI custodi del maser (Themaser's wardens) byMassimiliano Frezzato (Vittorio Pavesio productions).
• First issue of the Italian paranormal seriesSamuel Sand, spin-off ofLazarus Leed (Star comics).

• Will Eisner publishes the bookGraphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative.^[25]

• January 19:Bernard Baily, American comics artist, writer and publisher (co-creator ofThe Spectre andHourman), dies at age 79.^[26]
• January 22: Arthur Piroton, Belgian comics writer (Les Krostons) and artist (Michel et Thierry,Jess Long,Les Casseurs de Bois), dies at age 64.^[27]
• January 28:
  • Jerry Siegel, American comic book writer (DC Comics,Marvel Comics,Archie Comics), dies at age 81.^[28]
  • Burne Hogarth, American comics artist (Tarzan) dies at age 84.^[29]
• January 31: Claus Deleuran, Danish comics artist (Thorfinn,Rejsen til Saturn,Pirelli & Firestone,The People's Illustrated History of Denmark), dies at age 49.^[30]

• February 5:Roberto Raviola, aka Magnus, Italian comics artist (Alan Ford,Kriminal,Satanik,Lo Sconosciuto,Necron) dies from cancer at age 56.^[31]
• February 6:
  • Boody Rogers, American comics artist (Sparky Watts,Babe), dies at age 91.^[32]
  • Franco Tarantola, Italian comics artist, dies at age 53.^[33]
• February 13: Cara Sherman-Tereno, American comics artist (Life With The Vampire) dies of leukemia at the age of 44.^[34]
• February 26: Cork, Dutch cartoonist, (Mr. Cork/Ruitenheer), dies at age 64.^[35]

• March 6:Jack Abel, American comics artist and inker (Star Spangled War Stories,Our Fighting Forces,Legion of Super-Heroes), dies at age 68.^[36]
• March 7: Ramon Monzon, French comics artist (Cha'pa et Group-Group,Jehan des Bis,Finnekin Jones,Bouzouk, le Petit Prince,Testar le Robot), dies at age 65.^[37]
• March 14: Jack Berrill, American comics artist (Gil Thorp), dies of cancer at age 72.^[38]
• March 15: Homer Groening, Canadian-American film director, cartoonist and comics artist (Phoebe, Get Your Man), dies at age 76.^[39]
• March 25:Mike Roy, Canadian comics artist (The Saint,Nero Wolfe comics,Akwas), dies at age 75.^[40]

• April 12: Bob Zschiesche, American comics artist (Our Folks,Harley Hogg, assisted onGasoline Alley andSnuffy Smith), dies at age 67 from an aneurysm.^[41]
• April 14: Mary Oosterdijk, Dutch animator and comics artist (assisted onKappie), dies at age 82.^[42]
• April 20: Håven, Swedish cartoonist and comics artist (Gamle Uno), dies at age 74.^[43]

• May 6: Eric Larnoy, French illustrator and comic artist (Thanéros), dies at age 35 from liver cancer.^[44]
• May 7: Piet Worm, Dutch comics artist (De Vrolijke Vaderlandse Geschiedenis,Professor Zegellak), dies at age 95.^[45]
• May 9:Carl Fallberg, American comics writer and artist (Disney comics) dies at age 80.
• May 26: Francis Paid, Dutch comics artist (Joris Voetangel, Toonder Studios), dies at age 71.^[46]

• June 11: Gin, Spanish comics artist, animator, and illustrator (Nathalie,Denise,Disney comics), dies at age 65.^[47]
• June 15: Nonkel Fons, Belgian priest, publisher, and comics writer (founder of the comics magazineZonneland, writer ofRikske en Fikske) dies at age 84.^[48]
• June 19:Curt Swan, American comic book artist (Superman,Legion of Super-Heroes), dies at age 76.^[49]

• July 2:Mike Parobeck, American comics artist (Batman Adventures) dies from diabetes at age 30.^[50]
• July 7: Arno, French comic artist (Alef-Thau), dies at age 35.^[51]
• July 23:Jim Pabian, American animator, animated film director and comics artist (Disney comics,Walter Lantz comics), dies at age 87.^[52]

• August 12:Mark Gruenwald, American comics writer and editor (Marvel Comics) dies at age 43.^[53]
• August 28: P. Hans Frankfurther, Dutch film & TV producer, activist and organizer (founder ofHet Stripschap, namegiver to the annual P. Hans Frankfurther comics prize^[54]), drowns at age 64, trying to save his son (who also drowns).^[55][56]

• September 3: Petar Grigorov, Bulgarian painter and comics artist, dies at age 83.^[57]
• September 14: Fernando Bento, Portuguese illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 85.^[58]
• September 23:Hiroshi Fujimoto, Japanese manga artist (Doraemon,Perman,Mojacko,Jungle Kurobe,Kiteretsu Daihyakka,Pokonyan!,Esper Mami,Chimpui,Obake no Q-tarō), dies at age 62.^[59]
• September 26:Alex Kotzky, American comics artist and writer (Apartment 3-G, the backgrounds inThe Spirit), dies at age 73.^[60]

• October 14:Ferd Johnson, American comics artist (Texas Slim,Lovey-Dovey, continuedMoon Mullins), dies at age 90.^[61]

• December 2:Don Dohler, American film director, publisher and comics artist (Pro Junior), dies at age 60.^[62]
• December 7:
  • Paul Ollswang, American comics artist (Dreams of a Dog,Memories of Doofer), dies at age 50 or 51.^[63]
  • Giuseppe Perego, Italian comics artist (Buffalo Brill,Boby,Disney comics,Rolf Kauka comics), dies at age 81.^[64]
  • Desimir Zizovic Buin, Serbian comics artist (Mirko i Slavko), dies at age 76.^[65]
• December 22:Jack Hamm, American comics artist (Drawing the Head and Figure,Cartooning the Head and Figure), dies at age 80.^[66]

• Themos Andreopoulos, Greek comics artist (Mikros Serifis) and publisher (the magazine Tam-Tam), dies at age 78 or 79.^[67]
• Stan Clements, Australian comics artist (Tom Dunne, Scientific Detective,Dinny Dare,Jim & Jill,Rays of Destiny,Matt Marcus), dies at age 87.^[68]
• Jim Davis, American animator and cartoonist (The Fox and the Crow), dies at age 80 or 81.^[69]
• Zoltán Forrai, Hungarian-Dutch comics artist (Pipa,Miklós), dies at age 94 or 95.^[70]
• Rick Hoover, American animator and comics artist (Disney comics), dies at age 55 or 56.^[71]
• Malcolm Jones III, American comics artist (Sandman), commits suicide at circa age 37.^[72]
• Frank Langford, British comic artist (continuedJack and Jill, drew various comics based on TV series for Lady Penelope Magazine and TV Action, drew romance comics forDC Comics), dies at age 69 or 70.^[73]
• Wang Letian, Chinese comics artist and cartoonist, dies at age 78 or 79.^[74]
• Terry Patrick, British comics artist (worked forDC Thomson), dies at age 66 or 67.^[75]
• Maria Emília Roque Gameiro, aka Màmia, Portuguese comics artist, dies at age 94 or 95.^[76]
• Albert Tolf, American comics artist (assisted onGasoline Alley, cartoons ofSan Francisco), dies at age 84 or 85.^[77]
• Dorothy Urfer, American comic artist (Annibelle), dies at age 90 or 91.^[78]

• January 19 – February 18:"Twisted Sisters — Drawing the Line",White Columns, New York City — artwork byM. K. Brown,Julie Doucet,Aline Kominsky-Crumb, Caryn Leschen, Fiona Smythe, Darcy Stanger, Carol Swain, and others^[79]

• March 2:Halleluja Con (Church of St. Paul the Apostle, New York City) — produced on the spur of the moment after the sudden cancellation of the scheduledGreat Eastern Conventions New York show. First iteration of theBig Apple Convention.^[80]
• March 22–24:Motor City Comic Con I (Novi Expo Center, Novi, Michigan)
• March 23:Alternative Press Expo (San Jose, California)
• April 19–21:Pittsburgh Comicon (ExpoMart/Radisson, Monroeville, Pennsylvania) — guests includeStan Lee,Jim Shooter, andJulius Schwartz^[81]
• April 26–28:WonderCon (Oakland, California) — 10th annual convention
• May 18:Ramapo Comic Con X (Spring Valley, New York) — "EC Tribute" with guestsAl Williamson andMarie Severin; other guests includeJulius Schwartz,Murphy Anderson,Dick Ayers,Joe Sinnott,Joe Staton,Eric Shanower,Mark Schultz,Walt Simonson,Louise Simonson,Evan Dorkin,Sarah Dyer,David Mazzuchelli, andHoward Cruse
• Summer: "LazyCAPTION" (Oxford Union Society, Oxford, England)
• Summer:Canadian National Comic Book Exposition (Holiday Inn on King, Toronto, Ontario, Canada) — c. 2,900 attendees; guests includeDale Keown,Adam Hughes,Stuart Immonen,Pat Lee, Ken Lashley,Mike Zeck, andDave Ross
• June:Heroes Convention (Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, North Carolina) — guests includedAlex Ross,Mike Wieringo,Ron Garney,George Pérez,Nick Cardy,Dan Jurgens, and Tom Smith
• June 2:Houston Comix Fair & Toy Show XIV (Medallion Hotel, Houston, Texas)^[82] — final edition ofComix Fair; guests includeMart Nodell andShannon Wheeler
• June 21–23:Chicago Comicon (Chicago, Illinois) — 25,000 attendees; Guest of honor:Will Eisner; other guests:Harlan Ellison,Larry Marder,Heidi MacDonald,Mike Richardson,Kurt Busiek,Sergio Aragonés,Evan Dorkin,Paul Levitz,Julius Schwartz,Mercy Van Vlack, andGeorge Pérez^[83]
• June 21–23:Dragon Con (Atlanta Hilton & Towers/Westin Peachtree Plaza/Atlanta Civic Center, Atlanta, Georgia) — 13,400 attendees; guests includeNeil Gaiman,John Byrne,Peter David,Kevin Nowlan,Chris Claremont,Al Feldstein,Robert Williams,Mark Bodé,Al Williamson,William Stout,Mark Schultz,Jeff Smith,Reed Waller,Rich Buckler,John Kricfalusi, andBob Burden.^[84]
• July 4–7:San Diego Comic-Con (San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California) — 36,000 attendees. Special guests includeDonna Barr,David Brin,Paul Chadwick,Steve Dillon,Mort Drucker,Ben Edlund,Garth Ennis,Dave Gibbons,Joe Giella,Dave McKean,Jim Mooney,Kurt Schaffenberger, andFrançois Schuiten
• July 26–28:Dallas Collectors Con (Plano Convention Center, Plano, Texas) — substitute event for cancelledDallas Fantasy Fair; official includeBernie Wrightson,Howard Cruse,Rob Liefeld, andKurt Busiek.^[85]
• July 27–28:Dallas Fantasy Fair (Market Hall, Dallas, Texas) — cancelled at the last minute; theHarvey Awards were scheduled to be presented there and had to be rescheduled for later in the year^[86]
• September 20:Small Press Expo (Bethesda, Maryland) – guests includeJeff Smith,Charles Vess,Evan Dorkin,Jimmy Gownley,David Lapham, andShannon Wheeler
• September 26-29:International Comics and Animation Festival (ICAF) (Georgetown University^[87] andAlliance Française,Washington, D.C.) — guests includeClaire Bretécher (guest of honor) andPierre Christin^[88][89]
• October 12–13:Motor City Comic Con II (Dearborn Civic Center, Dearborn, Michigan)
• October 25–27:Dynamic Forces New York Comic Book Convention (Sheraton New York Hotel, New York City) — official guests includeBarry Windsor-Smith andDan Jurgens^[90]
• November 1–3:Atlanta StarCon & Comics (Marriott North Central Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia) — produced by the former organizer of theAtlanta Fantasy Fair; official guests includeGeorge Pérez,Michael O'Hare,Kane Hodder,Frank Marshall, andKathleen Kennedy.
• November 29 – December 1:Mid-Ohio Con (Columbus, Ohio) — guests includeRoger Stern,Darryl Banks,Dick DeBartolo,Tom and Mary Bierbaum,Tony Isabella,Paul Jenkins,Mark Waid, Leah Adezio,Dan Mishkin,Berni Wrightson,^[91]Mark Crilley,P. Craig Russell,Jim Shooter,Murphy Anderson,Dick Ayers,Tom Batiuk,John Byrne,Dick DeBartolo,Julius Schwartz, andJeff Smith^[92]

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• Mister Miracle

Release FebruaryWriter:Kevin Dooley.Artist: Steve Crespo

• Hitman

Release MarchWriter:Garth Ennis.Artist: John McCrea

• Batman: Black and White 4-issue mini-series

Release March

• Essential Vertigo:The Sandman. Black-and-white reprints of the 1988 series.

Release JuneWriter:Neil Gaiman.Artist:Sam KiethArtist:Mike Dringenberg

• Supergirl

Release JulyWriter:Peter David.Artist:Gary Frank

• Nightwing

Release AugustWriter:Chuck Dixon.Artist:Scott McDaniel

• Teen Titans

Release AugustWriter:Dan Jurgens.Artist:Dan JurgensArtist:George Perez

• Essential Vertigo:Swamp Thing. Black-and-white reprints of the 1982 series, beginning with #21.

Release SeptemberWriter:Alan Moore.Artist:Steve BissetteArtist:John Totleben

• JLA

Release NovemberWriter:Grant Morrison.Artist:Howard Porter

Allegra

Release: August byImage Comics.Writer:Steven T. Seagle.Artist: Scott Clarke

Cyberpunx

Release: March by Image Comics.Writer:Robert Loren FlemingArtist:Ching Lau

Keyhole

Release: June byMillennium Publications.Writers:Dean Haspiel,Josh Neufeld,R. Walker,Chris Cliadakis,Linda Perkins.Art by: Haspiel, Neufeld, and Perkins.

Tim Curry

Release February by Curry Comics.

• Onslaught: X-Men

Release August

• Onslaught: Marvel Universe

Release October

• The Avengers (1996 series) #1

Release November

• Captain America (1996 series) #1

Release November

• Fantastic Four (1996 series) #1

Release November

• Iron Man (1996 series) #1

Release November

• 1996 in comics

• CS1 Italian-language sources (it)
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• Articles needing additional references from November 2021
• All articles needing additional references