2011 in comics

Events

• DC Comics and Archie Comics both drop the Comics Code Authority seal, DC Comics however used a rating system, and Archie Comics did not ever use a rating system.

  January

• January 4: Axel Alonso is named editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics, replacing Joe Quesada.
• January 13: Tunisian cartoonist Nadia Khiari creates Willis the Cat, who will rise to become a symbol of opposition during the Arab Spring in Tunisia.

  February

• February 24: Scripps Company strikes a distribution deal with Universal Uclick for syndication of United Media's 150 comic strip and news features, which becomes effective on June 1.
• In Melbourne, Australia, Mitch Davies and Troy Varker found the comics store All Star Comics Melbourne.

  March

• March 12-13: During the Stripdagen in Gorinchem Minck Oosterveer receives the Stripschapprijs and the magazine Stripschrift the P. Hans Frankfurtherprijs. Eiso Toonder, son of Marten Toonder, receives the Bulletje en Boonestaak Schaal.
• Catawiki, an online compendium of collector's catalogues, becomes available in English.

  April

• Mark Millar, Leinil Francis Yu, Frank Quitely, Dave Gibbons, John Romita Jr., Paul Cornell, Andy Diggle, Jock, Duncan Fegredo, Sean Phillips and over fifty other comic book creators collaborate at the inaugural Kapow Comic Convention and enter the Guinness World Records twice for creating the fastest comic book ever produced and the biggest number of creators working on a single comic, namely Superior. The Superior World Record Special was written, penciled, inked and lettered in less than 12 hours and sold as a limited 10,000 copy book with all proceeds from its sales going to Yorkhill Sick Children's Hospital in Scotland.

  July

• July 19: Stage show Batman Live premiers in Manchester Evening News Arena

  August

• August 27: Signe Wilkinson's Family Tree ends after three and a half years.
• As part of their The New 52 publishing scheme, DC Comics cancels all their ongoing titles.

  September

• During the month, DC Comics releases 52 brand-new titles as part of their The New 52 publishing scheme.

  Deaths

January

• January 6: Jacques van der Smissen, Dutch painter, graphic artist and comics artist, dies at age 68.
• January 18: Marcel Marlier, Belgian illustrator, dies at age 80.
• January 28: Gaspare de Fiore, Italian comics artist, dies at age 84.
• January 29: Orhan Halil Tolon, Turkish comics artist, illustrator and caricaturist, dies at age 88 or 89.

  February

• February 6: Ahmed Bouanani, Moroccan film director and comics artist, dies at age 72.
• February 21: Dwayne McDuffie, American comics and TV writer and co-founder of Milestone Media, dies at age 49 of complications from emergency heart surgery.
• February 24: Anant Pai, Indian comics writer and artist, dies at age 73.

  March

• March 4: Eduardo Ferro, Argentine comics artist, dies at age 93.

  April

• April 6: Gerard van Straaten, Dutch illustrator and comics artist, passes away at age 86.

  May

• May 8: Carlos Trillo, Argentine comics writer, dies at age 68.
• May 13: Alain Voss, Brazilian-French comics artist, passes away from a stroke at age 65.
• May 19: Jeffrey Catherine Jones, American comics artist and painter, dies at age 67.
• May 21:
• * Paul Gillon, French comics artist
• Bill Rechin, American comics artist, dies at age 80.

  June

• June 6: Mohamed Al-Zawawi, Libyan cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 74 or 75.
• June 18: Lew Schwartz, American comics artist, dies at age 84.
• June 23: Gene Colan, American comics artist, died at age 84.
• June 27: Thierry Martens, Belgian novelist, journalist and publisher, passes away at age 69.

  July

• July 9: Gideon Brugman, Dutch comics artist, dies at age 68.
• July 12: Leo Leonhard, German comics artist, dies at age 72.
• July 19: Henri Taymans, aka Timme, Belgian comis artist, dies at age 76.

  August

• August 12: Francisco Solano Lopéz, Argentine comics artist, dies at age 82.
• August 15: Pap Dean, American cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 95.
• August 18: Jean Tabary, French comics artist, died at age 81.
• August 22: Vicco von Bülow, aka Loriot or Pirol, German comedian, comics artist, cartoonist, film director, writer and actor, dies at age 87.

  September

• September 4: Dave Hoover, American comics artist and animator, dies at age 56.
• September 6: George Kuchar, American underground film director and comics artist made a comics biography about H.P. Lovecraft), dies at age 69.
• September 9: Daniel Hulet, Belgian comics artist, dies at age 66.
• September 14: Gilles Chaillet, French comics artist, passes away at age 65.
• September 16: Tom Wilson, American comics artist, dies at age 80.
• September 17: Minck Oosterveer, Dutch comics artist, dies in a motor accident at age 50.
• September 18: Jack Adler, American cover artist and colourist, dies at age 94.
• September 21: Júlio Resende, Portuguese painter and comics artist, dies at age 93.
• September 25: Dick Briel, Dutch comics artist, passes away at age 60.
• September 26: Sergio Bonelli, Italian comics writer, passes away at age 78.
• September 29: Albert Weinberg, Belgian comics artist, passes away at age 91.

  October

• October 31: Mick Anglo, British comics artist, dies at age 95.

  November

• November 8: Bil Keane, American comics artist, dies at age 89.
• November 9: Terry Willers, British-Irish comics artist, dies at age 76.

  December

• December 2: Bruno Bianchi, French animator and comics artist, dies at age 45 or 46 from cancer.
• December 7: Jerry Robinson, American comics artist, dies at age 89.
• December 13:
• * Maria Pascual Alberich, Spanish illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 78.
• * Carlo Peroni, Italian comics artist, dies at age 82.
• December 14: Joe Simon, American comics artist, dies at age 98 after a brief illness.
• December 15: Eduardo Barreto, Uruguayan comics artist, dies at age 57, apparently from meningitis
• December 21: Eric Resetar, New Zealand comics artist, dies at age 83.
• December 26: Ola Ericson, Swedish comics artist, dies at age 91.
• December 30: Ronald Searle, British illustrator, cartoonist and comics artist, dies at age 91.

  Exhibitions and shows

• May 12–June 25: Andrew Edlin Gallery — "Zap: Masters of Psychedelic Art, 1965-74" — featuring the work of Robert Crumb, Robert Williams, Rick Griffin, Victor Moscoso, S. Clay Wilson, Gilbert Shelton, and Spain Rodriguez
• June 30–October 16: Whitney Museum of American Art — "Lyonel Feininger: At the Edge of the World"

  Conventions

• March 4–6: Emerald City ComiCon — 32,000 attendees; guests: Frank Quitely, Jonathan Hickman, Max Brooks, Geof Darrow, Steve Epting, Jacen Burrows, Guy Davis, Terry & Rachel Dodson, Mike McKone, Sergio Aragonés, Dan Jurgens, Marv Wolfman, Cameron Stewart, John Arcudi, Yanick Paquette, Bruce Timm, Brian Michael Bendis, Frank Cho, J. G. Jones, Mike Mignola, Tony Harris, Jim Cheung, Matt Fraction, Cully Hamner, Ron Marz, Erik Larsen, Mark Brooks, Todd Nauck, Adam Hughes, Skottie Young, Dustin Nguyen, Greg Rucka, Ed Brubaker, Jeff Parker, C. B. Cebulski, Michael Avon Oeming, Doug TenNapel, John Layman, Tim Sale, Ryan Ottley, Ben Templesmith, David Mack, Jason Pearson, Karl Kesel, Jim Mahfood, Nick Spencer, Cliff Chiang, Darick Robertson, Pete Woods, Kurt Busiek, Scott Allie, Farel Dalrymple, Todd Dezago, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Chrissie Zullo, Tony Shasteen, Chris Roberson, Mark Morales, Paul Azaceta, Ray Fawkes, Jeremy Haun, Humberto Ramos, Francisco Herrera, Pia Guerra, Brian Hurtt, Ryan Benjamin, Andy Kuhn, Joe Quinones, Raina Telgemeier, Sean Gordon Murphy, Ivan Brandon, Kris Straub, Dave Kellett, Scott Kurtz, Brad Guigar, Danielle Corsetto, Jeph Jacques, Ian Boothby, Jim Zubkavich, Dave Stewart, Dustin Weaver, Sean Galloway, and Brandon Graham
• March 5–6: STAPLE! — event expands to two days for the first time; guests include Jill Thompson, Alex Robinson, Brian Clevinger, Scott Wegener, and James O'Barr
• March 18–20: Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo — guests include Chris Hemsworth
• March 18–20: Wizard World Toronto
• March 19–20: Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo
• March 25–27: MegaCon — guests include Stan Lee, William Shatner, and Jimmy Palmiotti
• April 1–3: WonderCon
• April 9–10: MoCCA Festival
• April 9–10: Toronto ComiCON Fan Appreciation Event
• April 15–17: Pittsburgh Comicon — guests include George Pérez, Terry Moore, Mike Grell, Tom Mandrake, Ernie Chan, Herb Trimpe, Scott McDaniel, Joshua Ortega, Joe Jusko, Gary Friedrich, Talent Caldwell, Stuart Sayger, Bob Almond, Wayne Faucher, Chad Hardin, Bob Hall, Kirk Lindo, Arvell Jones, Dan Parent, Billy Tucci, Dave Hoover, Mike Grell, Sam Witwer, and Sarah Allen
• April 16–17: Stumptown Comics Fest
• May 7–8: Toronto Comic Arts Festival
• May 13–15: Motor City Comic Con — guests include David Petersen, Tim Sale, George Takei, Brent Spiner, Kate Mulgrew, Tricia Helfer, Sam Huntington, and Ernie Hudson
• May 14–15: Comic Expo — guests include Martin Asbury, Paul Grist, Dave Gibbons, Rick Veitch, and Richard Starkings
• May 20–21: East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention — guests include Jerry Craft, Alex Simmons, and Eric Battle; presentation of the Glyph Comics Awards
• May 21–22: Dallas Comic Con — guests include Stan Lee, John Romita, Jr., Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti, Cal Slayton, Bernie Wrightson, Steve Niles, Tim Bradstreet, Rick Leonardi, Kerry Gammill, Todd Nauck, James O'Barr, and Michael Lark
• May 21–22: Wizard World Big Apple Comic Con
• May 26–29: Phoenix Comicon — 23,001 attendees; official guests: Stan Lee, Wil Wheaton, Leonard Nimoy, George Takei, Sandeep Parikh, Jeff Lewis, Cassandra Peterson, Billy Dee Williams, Paul McGillion, Todd McFarlane, Max Brooks, Bruce Boxleitner, Jaime Paglia, Aaron Douglas, Alex Albrecht, Kristin Bauer van Straten, Vic Mignogna, Brina Palencia, and Ernie Hudson
• June 3–5: Heroes Convention — guests include Josh Adams, Neal Adams, Bob Almond, Jim Amash, John Arcudi, Robert Atkins, Jeremy Bastian, Paul Benjamin, Eddie Berganza, Pat Broderick, Mark Brooks, Stephanie Buscema, Talent Caldwell, Richard Case, Nick Cardy, Cliff Chiang, Frank Cho, Becky Cloonan, Paty Cockrum, Darwyn Cooke, Jeremy Dale, Farel Dalrymple, Geof Darrow, Shane Davis, Todd Dezago, Kristian Donaldson, Michael Dooney, Evan Dorkin, Sarah Dyer, Nathan Edmondson, Tommy Lee Edwards, Steve Epting, Tom Feister, Ian Flynn, Tom Fowler, Matt Fraction, Francesco Francavilla, Gary Friedrich, Chris Giarrusso, Michael Golden, Keron Grant, Jackson Guice, Cully Hamner, Scott Hampton, Scott Hanna, Dustin Harbin, Tony Harris, Jeremy Haun, Clayton Henry, Jonathan Hickman, Adam Hughes, Jeff Johnson, Nat Jones, Joe Jusko, Karl Kesel, Matt Kindt, Scott Kolins, Peter Krause, Roger Langridge, Jason Latour, Rick Leonardi, Mike Lilly, Heidi MacDonald, David W. Mack, Kevin Maguire, Clay Mann, Laura Martin, Nathan Massengill, Paul Maybury, Ed McGuinness, Bob McLeod, Carla Speed McNeil, Terry Moore, Tony Moore, Chris Moreno, Sean Murphy, Steve Niles, Mike Norton, Phil Noto, Kevin Nowlan, Jeff Parker, Jason Pearson, Brandon Peterson, Ed Piskor, Chris Pitzer, Joe Pruett, Gary Reed, Chris Roberson, Andrew Robinson, Budd Root, Don Rosa, Craig Rousseau, Stéphane Roux, Jim Rugg, Andy Runton, Tim Sale, Alex Saviuk, Jim Scancarelli, Tom Scioli, Declan Shalvey, Ryan Sook, Charles Soule, Jim Starlin, Joe Staton, Brian Stelfreeze, Karl Story, Mark Texeira, Art Thibert, Roy Thomas, Rich Tommaso, William Tucci, Tim Townsend, Dean Trippe, Koi Turnbull, Jen Van Meter, Ethan Van Sciver, Tim Vigil, Dexter Vines, Chris Walker, Loston Wallace, Michael W. Watkins, Renée Witterstaetter, Bernie Wrightson, Skottie Young, Jim Zubkavich, and Chrissie Zullo
• June 12: Scranton Comic Book Convention — guests include Scott Beatty, Dawn Best, Ed Coutts, Ken Haeser, C.J. Henderson, Dave Hoover, Paul Kupperberg, Alitha Martinez, Rudy Nebres, and Dan Parent
• June 17–19: Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo
• June 17–19: Expo Comic MX
• June 17–19: Philadelphia Comic Con — guests include Aaron Kuder, Al Wiesner, Arthur Suydam, Bill Sienkiewicz, Bob Wiacek, Brad Guigar, C. Martin Croker, C. J. Henderson, Carlos Pacheco, Christopher Baldwin, Damion Scott, Dave Ryan, David Rankin, David Wong, Daxiong, Dennis Calero, Doug Braithwaite, Edgar Delgado, Ethan Van Sciver, Farel Dalrymple, Francisco Herrera, Franco Aureliani, Greg Horn, Humberto Ramos, J. David Spurlock, J. G. Jones, J.K. Woodward, Jim Calafiore, Jim Cheung, Jimmy Gownley, Johnny Zito, Jonathan Maberry, Josh Howard, Keith R. A. DeCandido, Kevin Maguire, Kim DeMulder, Koi Turnbull, Lou Ferrigno, Matt Howarth, Michael J. Sullivan, Mike Grell, Mike Lilly, Minck Oosterveer, Nathan Edmondson, Phil Jimenez, Ray Billingsley, Shane Davis, Terry LaBan, Tim Truman, Todd Klein, Tom Hodges, Tom Raney, Tony Bedard, Tony DiGerolamo, and Tony Trov
• June 24–26: Albuquerque Comic Expo
• June 24–26: Texas Comicon
• June 26: Paris Comic Expo
• July 2–3: Armageddon
• July 8–10: London Film and Comic Con
• July 21–24: Comic-Con International — 126,000+ attendees; official guests" Gerry Alanguilan, Sergio Aragonés, Jean Bails, Ed Benes, Anina Bennett, Jordi Bernet, Yves Bigerel, Joyce Brabner, Patricia Briggs, Chester Brown, Ernie Chan, Jo Chen, Seymour Chwast, Alan Davis, Dick DeBartolo, Tony DeZuniga, Eric Drooker, Garth Ennis, Mark Evanier, Joyce Farmer, David Finch, Dave Gibbons, Tsuneo Goda, Paul Guinan, Kim Harrison, Jonathan Hickman, John Higgins, Charlie Huston, Jamal Igle, Joëlle Jones, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Peter Kuper, Richard Kyle, Mell Lazarus, Jim Lee, Paul Levitz, David Lloyd, Patricia Lupoff, Richard A. Lupoff, Patrick McDonnell, Rebecca Moesta, Christopher Moore, Grant Morrison, Alex Niño, Ethan Nicolle, Malachai Nicolle, Anders Nilsen, Jerry Robinson, Bill Schelly, Scott Shaw, Louise Simonson, Walter Simonson, Jeff Smith, Frank Stack, Jim Steranko, Cameron Stewart, Dave Stewart, J. Michael Straczynski, Mark Tatulli, Roy Thomas, Maggie Thompson, Peter J. Tomasi, Scott Westerfeld, and Ashley Wood
• July 29–31: Steel City Con
• August 6–7: CAPTION: "Austerity"
• August 11–14: Wizard World Chicago — official guests: Jim Cheung, Brian Azzarello, Eduardo Risso, Gregg Hurwitz, Ariel Olivetti, Electra Avellan, Elise Avellan, Morena Baccarin, Betsy Baker, Julia Benson, Amy Bruni, David Della Rocco, Hal Delrich, Ted DiBiase, Brandon DiCamillo, Kelly Donovan, Lou Ferrigno, Dan Fogler, Gil Gerard, Noah Hathaway, Alaina Huffman, Maria Kanellis, Patricia Kara, Ken Anderson, Clare Kramer, Mercedes McNab, Barbara Nedeljáková, Gena Lee Nolin, Miguel Nunez, Kai Owen, Chandler Riggs, Ellen Sandweiss, Daniel Stewart, Theresa Tilly, Lisa Marie Varon, Val Venis, Virgil, Torrie Wilson, Eric Adams, Dave Atkins, Brian Azzarello, Franco Aureliani, Art Baltazar, Jolly Blackburn, Ian Boothby, Tom Brazelton, Brimstone, Jeffrey Brown, Ivan Brunetti, Steve Bryant, Jim Calafiore, Matt Campbell, David Campiti, Lilli Carré, C. Martin Croker, Geof Darrow, Daxiong, Mike Deodato, Jeff Easley, Larry Elmore, Alan Evans, Ben Fisher, Nathan Fox, Kevin Freeman, Gary Friedrich, Paul Friedrich, Patrick Gleason, Michael Golden, Mike Grell, Pia Guerra, Michael Harvey, Tom Hodges, Greg Horn, Paul Jenkins, Nat Jones, Don Kramer, Mike Lynch, David W. Mack, Nina Matsumoto, Glenn McCoy, Mike McKone, John Jackson Miller, Jeff Miracola, B. Clay Moore, Stuart Moore, Paul Mounts, Mark A. Nelson, Rafael Nieves, Angus Oblong, Ariel Olivetti, Eric Olsen, Phil Ortiz, Dan Parent, Jim Pavelec, Justin Pierce, Andrew Pepoy, John Porcellino, Nate Powell, Humberto Ramos, Bill Reinhold, Eduardo Risso, Tim Seeley, Bill Sienkiewicz, Mike Stoklasa, William Stout, Arthur Suydam, Ben Templesmith, Mark Texeira, Koi Turnbull, Ethan Van Sciver, Matt Wagner, Chris Walker, Steve Wallace, Freddie Williams II, David Willis, Renée Witterstaetter, and David Wong
• August 20–21: Baltimore Comic-Con
• August 27: ComiCONN
• August 25–28: Fan Expo Canada — 80,000 attendees; guests include William Shatner, Hayden Panettiere, Tom Felton, Eliza Dushku, Katee Sackhoff, John Astin, Anthony Daniels, Robert Englund, Lexa Doig, Vic Mignogna, Jeff Smith, Junko Mizuno, Lee Majors, Gary Kurtz, Kevin Sorbo, Michael Shanks, Barbara Eden, Larry Hagman, Michael Biehn, Nichelle Nichols, Marina Sirtis, Ethan Phillips, Malcolm McDowell, John Waters, Elvira, Doug Bradley, Danielle Harris, Tom Savini, Heather Brewer, Robert J. Sawyer, Martin Landau, Colleen Clinkenbeard, Caitlin Glass, Veronica Taylor, Lance Henriksen, Christopher Sabat, Mike McFarland, Brad Swaile, Joe Kubert, Anna Silk, Tony Moore, Tony Daniel, Andy Kubert, Adam Kubert, Stuart Immonen, Steve McNiven, Ethan Van Sciver, Chris Claremont, Dan DiDio, C.B. Cebulski, Steve Epting, Matt Fraction, David Finch, Jason Aaron, James Robinson, Fred Van Lente, Jill Thompson, Dan Slott, Alex Maleev, Yanick Paquette, Dale Eaglesham, Jonathan Hickman, Dale Keown, Jimmy Cheung, Jason Deline, Victor Lucas, Scott Jones, Tommy Tallarico, Jarett Cale, Ed Greenwood, Robin D. Laws, Casts of Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, Lost Girl, Dark Rising,, Pure Pwnage, Electric Playground, and Reviews on the Run and surprise guest Guillermo del Toro
• September 2–5: Dragon Con — 46,000 attendees; guests included Glenn Barr, Julie Bell, Joe Benitez, J. Scott Campbell, Amanda Conner, Darwyn Cooke, Peter David, Mike Grell, Karl Kesel, Stan Lee, Todd Lockwood, Don Maitz, Mike McKone, Jimmy Palmiotti, George Pérez, Don Rosa, Jim Starlin, Peter Steigerwald, Jim Steranko, William Stout, Koi Turnbull, Boris Vallejo, Michael Whelan, Bernie Wrightson, and Derek Yaniger
• September 10–11: El Paso Comic Con
• September 10–11: Small Press Expo
• September 17–18: Montreal Comiccon — 20,000+ attendees; guests include Stan Lee, Adam West, Burt Ward, James Marsters, Doug Bradley, Sid Haig, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, David Prowse, Clare Kramer, Mercedes McNab, Jeremy Bulloch, Maria de Aragon, Gil Gerard, Erin Gray, Noelle Hannibal, Neal Adams, Josh Adams, Sergio Aragonés, Jim Starlin, Stan Sakai, Gail Simone, Joe Benitez, Pia Guerra, Ian Boothby, Herb Trimpe, Dale Eaglesham, Vic Mignogna, Dany, Sgt Slaughter, Rick Martel, and Todd van der Heyden
• September 17–18: New England Comic-Con
• September 24–25: Wizard World Los Angeles — event postponed on August 15, 2011
• October–November: Amadora BD — 22nd edition; dedicated to humor; special guests included Jean Schulz and Shannon Wheeler as was Shannon Wheeler.
• October 1–2: Alternative Press Expo
• October 11–14: New York Comic Con
• October 22–23: Mid-Ohio Con — headline guests: Adam West, Burt Ward, Rob Liefeld; other guests: David W. Mack, Bill Sienkiewicz, Jeff Smith, Arthur Suydam, Pasqual Ferry, Mike Grell, Greg Horn, Phil Jimenez, Michael Golden, Mark Texeira, Charles Skaggs, Chris Sprouse, Eric Wight, Eliza Frye, Steve Hamaker, Ed Piskor, Thomas Scioli, Marc Sumerak, Carol Tyler, and Ryan Ottley
• October 28–30: Central Canada Comic Con — guests include William Shatner, Jonathan Frakes, Kevin Sorbo, Kate Vernon, Ethan Phillips, Nana Visitor, Chase Masterson, Adrienne Wilkinson, Maria de Aragon, and Bret "The Hitman" Hart
• October 28–31: Armageddon Auckland Expo
• November 5–6: Comikaze Expo — 35,000 attendees; guests include Stan Lee, Elvira, Mark Hamill, Tony Todd, Ernest Borgnine, Tippi Hedren, Morgan Fairchild, Jhonen Vasquez, Lisa Foiles, Kel Mitchell, Josh Server, Robert Venditti, Marina Sirtis, Garrett Wang, Robert Beltran, Lori Beth Denberg, Cast of Nickelodeon's All That, Cast of Sushi Girl, Cast of Bad Kids Go to Hell, Cast of Police Academy, Select Cast of Star Trek Voyager and Deep Space 9, Top Shelf Comics, Top Cow Comics, Pow! Entertainment
• November 5: WildPig Comic Convention — official guests include Neil Vokes, Fernando Ruiz, and Rudy Nebres
• November 8–13: Komikazen — guests include Amir & Khalil, Seth Tobocman, and Ganzeer
• November 11–13: Austin Comic Con — run by Wizard Entertainment
• November 24: Genghis Con — guests included John Porcellino

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