1991 in comics

Events

Year overall

• Publishers Cartoon Books, Comic Zone Productions, Personality Comics, and Boneyard Press all enter the arena; First Comics stops publishing.
• Egmont UK bought Fleetway Publications and forced to merge with London Editions to form Fleetway Editions.

  January

• Checkmate is canceled by DC Comics with issue #33.
• El Diablo vol. 2 is canceled by DC with issue #16.
• Count Duckula is canceled by the Marvel Comics imprint Star Comics with issue #15.
• Alien Legion: On The Edge is canceled with issue #3.
• Avengers Spotlight is cancelled with #40.

  February

• The Amazing Spider-Man #344 - First appearance of Cletus Kasady, who later becomes the super-villain Carnage.
• Frank by Jim Woodring debuts in the second issue of Buzz.
• New Mutants #98 - Introduction of Deadpool, Domino, and Gideon.
• Power Pack is canceled by Marvel with issue #62.
• Heathcliff is cancelled with issue #56.

  March

• Weapon X begins in Marvel Comics Presents.
• With #12, Stalkers is cancelled by Epic Comics.
• With #4, The Last American is cancelled by Epic Comics.

  April

• New Mutants #100, the title's final issue, featuring the debut of X-Force.
• With #6 Cadillacs & Dinosaurs is cancelled.
• With #5, Hollywood Superstars is cancelled.
• First issue of Seth's Palookaville
• Nightcat a one-shot comic book published by Marvel featuring real-life singer Jacqueline Tavarez. Written by Barry Dutter and drawn by Denys Cowan and Jimmy Palmiotti. The cover art by Joe Jusko was also used on the compact disc and cassette tape release of Tavarez's music album.

  May

• May 11: The British girls' comics magazine Mandy merges with Judy.
• W. B. Park receives the National Cartoonist Society Advertising and Illustration Award.

  June

• The final issue of Françoise Mouly and Art Spiegelman's Raw is published.
• Armageddon 2001 crossover event.

  July

• July 13: René Windig and Eddie de Jong receive the Stripschapprijs. The Jaarprijs voor Bijzondere Verdiensten goes to publishing company Big Balloon.
• In Brussels, Belgium, the first mural depicting a famous Belgian comics series, is inaugurated. This launches the Brussels' Comic Book Route project.
• #1 - debut issue of fourth ongoing Superman title. Written by Louise Simonson and drawn by Jon Bogdanove, Tom Grummett, Bob McLeod, Dan Jurgens, Dennis Janke, Jerry Ordway, and Brett Breeding.
• Wizard publishes its premiere issue.
• Muir Island Saga begins.
• With #10, Mighty Mouse is cancelled.
• With #80, The Transformers is cancelled by Marvel Comics.
• With #25, Yummy Fur moves to Drawn and Quarterly

  August

• New Gods vol. 3 is canceled by DC with issue #28.
• With #19, Cloak & Dagger is cancelled.

  September

• Alpha Flight #100: "The Final Option, Part Four: Decisions of Trust," written by Fabian Nicieza.
• With #2, Impossible Man Summer Vacation Spectacular is cancelled.
• With #4, Car Warriors is cancelled.
• With #3, Samurai Cat is cancelled.
• With #4, Damage Control v3 is cancelled.
• Everything's Archie is canceled by Archie Comics with issue #157.

  October

• Crisis is canceled by Fleetway with issue #63.
• With #2, Legion of Night is cancelled.
• With #3, is cancelled.
• With #4, Alpha Flight Special is cancelled.
• With #6, Sweet XVI is cancelled.
• With #10, Foolkiller v1 is cancelled.

  November

• November 21 - the Marathi comic strip Chintoo is first published.
• Alpha Flight #102: Introduction of Wild Child as Weapon Omega.
• Maze Agency is canceled by Innovation Comics with issue #23.
• With #12, Marvel Comics' Zorro is cancelled.
• Daniel Clowes' Art School Confidential is prepublished in Eightball.

  December

• December 31: The final episode of Marten Toonder's Panda is published. Running for 45 years it was his longest-running series in syndication.
• The Incredible Hulk #388: Jim Wilson revealed to be HIV-positive.

  Specific date unknown

• The final episode of Costa Rican artist Fernando Zeledón Guzmán's satirical comic strip La Semana en Serio in the communist magazine Adelante is published.

  Deaths

January

• January 16: Maurieta Wellman, American illustrator, painter and comics artist, dies at age 88.
• January 24: J.H. Koeleman, jr., Dutch illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 64.

  February

• February 11: Michel Mahy, Belgian comics artist, dies at age 42.
• February 19: Gradie Knipscheer, Dutch comics artist and musician, dies at age 76.

  March

• March 29: Sytze Henstra, Dutch illustrator, cartoonist and painter, dies at age 96.

  April

• April 4: Graham Ingels, American comics artist, dies at age 75 from stomach cancer.
• April 19: Frederik Bramming, Danish animator and comics artist, dies at age 79.

  May

• May 1: Adolfo Samper, Colombian comics artist, dies at age 91.
• May 6: Guido Martina, Italian comics writer, dies at age 85.
• May 8: Kathleen O'Brien, Australian comics artist, passes away at age 76.
• May 14: Joy Batchelor, British animator and film director, dies at age 77.
• May 20: Milko Bambič, Slovene illustrator, painter, novelist and comics artist, passes away at age 86.
• May 27: Ed Dodd, American comics artist, dies at age 88.

  June

• June 3: Vince Colletta, Italian-American comics artist and inker, dies at age 67.
• June 6: Gianni De Luca, Italian comics artist, passes away at age 64.
• June 10: Jean Bruller, aka Vercors, French novelist, illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 89.
• June 10: Milorad Dobrić, Yugoslavian comics artist, dies at age 66.

  July

• July 4: Fernand Cheneval, Belgian comics artist and publisher, passes away at age 73.
• July 4: Art Sansom, American comics artist, dies at age 70.
• July 6: Nicholas P. Dallis, American comics writer, passes away at age 89.
• July 9: Petr Sadecký, Czech comics artist, passes away.
• July 31: Jess Benton, American comics artist, passes away at age 90.

  August

• August 18: Rick Griffin, American underground comix artist dies at age 47 in a motorcycle accident.
• August 24: Reynold Brown, American poster designer and comics artist, dies at age 73.

  September

• September 4: Bing Coughlin, Canadian advertising illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 86.
• September 5: Carol Kalish, American comics publisher and vice President of New Product Development at Marvel Comics, dies at age 36 from a brain aneurysm.
• September 13: Edmond Good, Canadian illustrator and comics artist, passes away at age 81.
• September 18: Vinicio Berti, Italian painter and comics artist, passes away at age 70.
• September 24:
• * Dom Orejudos, American illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 58 from AIDS.
• * Dr. Seuss, American children's novelist, illustrator, animator and comics artist, dies at age 87.

  October

• October 16: Henricus Kannegieter, Dutch illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 93.
• October 23: Antonio Canale, Italian comics artist, passes away at age 76.

  November

• November 7: Tom of Finland, Finnish comics artist and illustrator, passes away at age 71.
• November 11: Franziska Bilek, German comics artist and illustrator, passes away at age 85.
• November 18: Reg Parlett, British comics artist, passes away at age 87.
• Specific date unknown: Neville Colvin, British comics artist, dies at age 72.

  December

• December 3: Alex Graham, Scottish comics artist, dies at age 78.
• December 21: Sheldon Mayer, American comics artist, dies at age 74.
• December 29: Tony Strobl, American animator and comics artist, dies at age 76.

  Specific date unknown

• Albert Edgard Beard, British comics artist and illustrator, dies at age 88 or 89.
• Gordon Boshell, British novelist, journalist and comics writer, dies at age 81 or 82.
• Jaap Lamberton, Dutch illustrator and comics artist, passes away at age 45.
• Charles Popineau, French illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 65 or 66.
• Alberto Romero, Argentine comics artist, dies at age 75 or 76.
• Eugen Taru, Romanian illustrator, caricaturist and comics artist, dies at age 78.

  Conventions

• April 27–28: WonderCon — guests include Kevin Eastman, Mark Bodé, Miguel Ferrer, Bill Mumy, Steve Leialoha, and Max Allan Collins
• June: Heroes Convention
• June 21–23: Comix Fair — ninth annual convention; guests include Russ Heath, Nestor Redondo, Jeff Millar, Bill Hinds, and Richard Klaw
• June 21–23: Chicago Comicon — guests include Jim Steranko, Kevin Eastman, and Chris Claremont
• July: Tri-State Con — guests include Michael Avon Oeming, Evan Dorkin, Nat Gertler, Romeo Tanghal, Paul Ryan, Bob Wiacek, and Mike Manley
• July 4–7: San Diego Comic-Con : 15,000+ attendees; official guests: Clive Barker, Dan DeCarlo, Harlan Ellison, Neil Gaiman, Keith Giffen, Joe Haldeman, Lynn Johnston, Joe Kubert, Jim Lee, Don Maitz, Sheldon Moldoff, Rick Sternbach, and Janny Wurts
• July 12–14: Dragon Con/Atlanta Comics Expo — 5,200 attendees; guests include Philip José Farmer and Frank Miller
• July 19–21: Dallas Fantasy Fair — presentation of the Harvey Awards
• July 26–28: Atlanta Fantasy Fair — official guests include Marina Sirtis, Dean Stockwell, Marc Singer, Matt Wagner, Julius Schwartz, Greg Bear
• September 21–22: Miamicon — guests include Chris Warner, Evan Dorkin, Bob Schreck, and Matt Wagner
• November: Mid-Ohio Con

  Awards

First issues by title

DC Comics

• Deathstroke the Terminator

• Limited series

• Black Canary

  Dark Horse Comics

• Star Wars: Dark Empire

  Marvel Comics

• Barbie
• Barbie Fashion
• Bill & Ted's Excellent Comic Book
• Captain Planet and the Planeteers
• Darkhawk
• Deathlok v2
• The Destroyer v3
• Double Dragon
• Original Ghost Rider Rides Again
• NFL SuperPro
• Sleepwalker
• Sweet XVI
• The Toxic Avenger
• Wonder Man
• X-Force v1

• Limited series

• Adventures of Captain America
• Alpha Flight Special
• Captain Confederacy
• Car Warriors
• Damage Control v3
• Deadly Foes of Spider-Man
• Deathlok Special
• The Infinity Gauntlet
• Legion of Night
• The Pirates of Dark Water
• Samurai Cat
• Spider-Man Saga
• The Transmutation of Ike Garuda
• Weaveworld

  Independent

• Bone
• Dirty Plotte
• Palookaville
• Rubber Blanket

  Initial appearance by character name

DC Comics

• Abattoir in Detective Comics #625
• Alexandre LeRoi in '
• Atomic Skull II in Adventures of Superman #483
• Bloody Mary in Hawk and Dove vol. 2 #21
• Donna Cavanaugh in The Sandman #32
• Chantinelle in Hellblazer #43
• Destruction of the Endless in The Sandman Special #1
• Electrocutioner II in Detective Comics #626
• General Glory I in Justice League America # 46
• King Snake in Robin #2
• Linear Men in Adventures of Superman #476
• Lynx II in Robin v1 #1
• Mirage II in The New Titans #79
• Monarch I in Armageddon 2001 #2
• Nightrider in New Titans Annual #7
• Pantha in New Titans #73
• Speed Queen in Hawk and Dove vol. 2 #21
• Terra II in New Titans #79
• Ron Troupe in Adventures of Superman #480
• Malice Vundabar in Hawk and Dove vol. 2 #21
• Waverider in Armageddon 2001 #1
• Paul Westfield' in Superman'' Vol. 2, #58

  Marvel Comics

• 8-Ball in Sleepwalker #1
• Helmut in The Incredible Hulk #379
• Lucas Bishop in Uncanny X-Men #282
• G.W. Bridge in X-Force v1 #1
• Copycat in New Mutants #98
• Abraham Cornelius in Marvel Comics Presents #73
• Fabian Cortez in X-Men vol. 2, #1
• Cyber in Marvel Comics Presents #85
• Darkhawk in Darkhawk #1
• Deadpool in The New Mutants #98
• Devos the Devastator in Fantastic Four #359
• Marco Delgado in X-Men v. 2, #1
• Wyndell Dichinson in Web of Spider-Man #81
• Feral in New Mutants vol. 1, #99
• Firebrand II in Web of Spider-Man vol. 1, #77
• Trevor Fitzroy in Uncanny X-Men #281
• Muriel Frost in Doctor Who Magazine #169
• Gauntlet I in X-Factor v. 1, #65
• Gideon in New Mutants #98
• Impala in Captain America #388
• Krugarr in Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1
• Lodestone in Darkhawk #7
• Fabian Marechal-Julbin in New Warriors #9
• Nox in Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #31
• Paibok in Fantastic Four Vol. 1, #358
• Phobos I in Dr. Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #32
• Phoenix in Guardians of the Galaxy #11
• Protégé in Guardians of the Galaxy #15
• Psynapse in X-Factor #65
• Rancor in Guardians of the Galaxy #8
• Replica in Guardians of the Galaxy #9
• Shatterstar in New Mutants vol. 1, #99
• Shinobi Shaw in X-Factor #67
• Sleepwalker in Sleepwalker #1
• Speedfreek in The Incredible Hulk #388
• Squirrel Girl in Marvel Super-Heroes Special vol. 2, #8
• Jeremy Stevens in Uncanny X-Men #283
• Carl Stricklan in Daredevil Annual #9
• Talon in Guardians of the Galaxy #18
• Tusk in X-Factor #65
• Nathan Taylor in The Incredible Hulk #379
• Weapon X II in X-Force v. 1, #2
• Buford Wilson in New Warriors vol. 1, #9
• John Wraith in Wolverine #48
• Zodiak in Ghost Rider Vol. 3, #10

  Other publishers

• Detective-Judge Armitage in Judge Dredd Megazine v.1, #9
• Lady Death in Evil Ernie #1
• Erica Pierce in Solar, Man of the Atom v. 2, #1