2019 in comics

Events

January

• January 7: First installment of the comic strip Alley Oop written by Joey Alison Sayers and illustrated by Jonathan Lemon.
• January 25: Canadian-Dutch artist Maia Matches is inaugurated as the annual Stadstekenaar van Amsterdam.
• January: The final issue of the French comics magazine Psikopat is published.

  February

• February 15: The oldest Danish comics store in the world, Fantask, in Copenhagen, announces it will close down in June after 47 years. Within two days a crowdfunding campaign saves the store from this fate and it continues its existence.
• February 20: Dutch comics writer Patty Klein is knighted in the Order of the Dutch Lion. She passes away less than a month later.

  March

• March 2: In Groningen, the Netherlands, the Dutch Comics Museum is closed down.
• March 23–24: During the Stripdagen in Utrecht Typex wins the Stripschapprijs. Ger Apeldoorn wins the P. Hans Frankfurtherprijs., while Henk Alleman receives the Bulletje en Boonestaakschaal.
• March 31: Jerry Van Amerongen's comic Ballard Street ends.

  April

• April 2: Belgian cartoonist GAL receives an honorary doctorate from the Free University in Brussels.
• April 29: The New York Times gets caught up in controversy over two cartoons accused of antisemitism. Both target Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. One is made by António Moreira Antunes, the other by Roar Hagen. As a result, the magazine announces that they will no longer publish syndicated editorial cartoons. Two months later they push this policy even further and decide to no longer publish any daily political cartoons.

  May

• May 22:
• * In Orvelte, The Netherlands, a museum is opened dedicated to the work of Jan Kruis.
• * In front of the Hergé Museum in Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium, a statue of Hergé, sculpted by Tom Frantzen, is erected.
• May 29:
• * In Hergé's birthplace Etterbeek a bust of his head is revealed.
• * French comics artist and illustrator Pascal Somon is sentenced for plagiarism and illegal copies of Tintin to the hefty sum of 32.000 euros in damages.

  June

• June 10: The New York Times announces that it will no longer publish daily political cartoons in its international edition from 1 July on, as a result over a controversial cartoon by António depicting Donald Trump as a lapdog of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu two months earlier.
• Egyptian artist Ganzeer publishes his first graphic novel The Solar Grid.
• June 30: Canadian cartoonist Michael de Adder is fired from Brunswick News Inc. over a cartoon criticizing president Trump.

  July

• July 3: It is announced that Mad Magazine will no longer publish original material from August on and disappear from the newsstands. It will only be available via subscription and direct markets, specializing on reprints, but with brand new covers. It will still publish occasional specials.

  August

• August 16: The Guardian makes a controversy public regarding Marvel Comics who refused to publish an essay by Art Spiegelman, because of criticism in the text regarding U.S. President Donald Trump. Marvel claims they wanted to stay apolitical.

  September

• September 5: Belgian comics writer Raoul Cauvin announces his retirement from scripting Les Tuniques Bleues.

  October

• October 7: In Haarlem, the Netherlands, the first comics mural of the city is revealed, designed by Thé Tjong-Khing.
• October 23: Belgian comics publishers Standaard Uitgeverij and Ballon Media merge.

  December

• December 23: The Antwerp mini-theme park and exhibition Comics Station is sold to Studio 100.

  Deaths

January

• January 1: Dagfinn Bakke, Finnish painter and comics artist, dies at age 85.
• January 8: Arturo Rojas de la Cámara, aka Rojas, Spanish comics artist, dies at age 88.
• January 10: Ron Smith, British comics artist, dies at age 94.
• January 12: Batton Lash, American comics writer and artist, dies at age 65 from brain cancer.
• January 15: Isaac del Rivero Sr., Spanish comics writer and artist, passes away at age 87 or 88.
• January 16:
• * Pauli Heikkilä, Finnish novelist and comics artist, dies at age 60.
• * Hanza Sanchō, Japanese comics artist, passes away at age 90.
• * Denis Sire, French comics artist and illustrator, dies at age 65.
• January 18: Angel Del Arbol, Spanish comics artist, dies at age 82.
• January 19: Bort, Italian comics artist, dies at age 92.
• January 28: Frans Buissink, Dutch painter, journalist and comics writer, dies at age 75.
• January 29: Alex Barbier, French comics artist and painter (worked for Charlie Mensuel, Les Paysages de la Nuit, Comme un Poulet Sans Tête, dies at age 68.

  February

• February 1: Ted Stearn, American animator and comics artist, dies at age 57 from AIDS.
• February 2: Kakashi Oniyazu, Japanese comics artist, dies at an unknown age.
• February 8: Sérgio Tibúrcio Graciano, Brazilian comics artist, dies at age 83.
• February 9: Tomi Ungerer, French novelist, illustrator, cartoonist and poster designer, passes away at age 87.
• February 15: Werner Hierl, German comics artist, and animator, dies at age 88 or 89.
• February 17: Claude Renard, Belgian comics artist and teacher, dies at age 72.
• February 18: Jacques Sandron, French comics artist, dies at age 76.
• February 19: Dee, Malaysian comics artist, dies at age 52.
• February 20: Har Brok, Dutch journalist and writer, dies at age 76.
• February 21: Àngel Badia i Camps, Spanish painter, illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 89–90.
• February 25: Tadeusz Raczkiewicz, Polish cartoonist, comics writer and artist, dies at age 69.

  March

• March 2: Sergio Tuis, Italian comics artist, dies at age 83.
• March 6: Shigehisa Sunagawa, Japanese comics artist, dies at age 77.
• March 12: Tom K. Ryan, American comics artist, dies at age 92.
• March 14: Augusto Cid, Spanish caricaturist, illustrator, sculptor and comics artist, dies at age 77.
• March 15:
• * Patty Klein, Dutch poet and comics writer, dies at age 73.
• * Toby Vos, Dutch comics artist and illustrator, passes away at age 100.
• March 17: Ken Bald, American comics artist and illustrator, dies at age 98.
• March 21: Pedro Alfonso Abelenda Escudero, or Abelenda, Spanish painter and comics artist, dies at age 87.
• March 23: Benno Vranken, Dutch comics artist, dies at age 57.
• March 24: Olivier Cinna, French comics artist, dies at age 46.
• March 27: Leslie Sternbergh, American comics artist, passes away at age 58.
• March 29: Mark Alessi, American comics publisher, dies at 65.

  April

• April 2:, Norwegian comics writer, dies at age 60 from cancer.
• April 9: James D. Hudnall, American comics writer, dies at age 61.
• April 11: Monkey Punch, Japanese comics artist, passes away at age 81.
• April 15: Malky McCormick, Scottish comics artist, caricaturist and postcard designer, dies at age 76.
• April 17: Kazuo Koike, Japanese comics writer, dies at age 82.
• April 22: Greg Theakston, American illustrator, comics artist and restorator of classic comics, dies at age 65.
• April 23: Akihiko Takadera, Japanese comics artist, dies at age 68.
• April 28: Teva Harrison, Canadian-American comics writer and artist, dies from breast cancer at age 42.
• April 29: Makoto Ogino, Japanse comics artist, dies at age 59.

  May

• May 10:
• * Jorge Longarón, Spanish illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 86.
• * Miguel Anguel Repetto, Spanish comics artist, passes away at age 90.
• May 18: Justin Ponsor, American comics colorist, dies at age 42 from cancer.
• May 20: Jürgen Kieser, German caricaturist, advertising illustrator, comics artist, dies at age 97.
• May 23: Alberico Motta, Italian comics artist, passes away at age 81.
• May 26:
• * Alexis Dragonetti, Belgian publisher, dies at age 50 in a car accident.
• * Everett Raymond Kinstler, American comics artist, passes away at age 92.
• May 29: Josep María Blanco Ibarz, Spanish comics artist, dies at age 92.

  June

• June 4: Rinaldo Traini, Italian comics promoter and comics writer, dies at age 88.
• June 5: Helmut Nickel, German comics artist, dies at age 95.
• June 6: Kees Sparreboom, Dutch painter, illustrator and comics artist, passes away from cancer at age 79.
• June 7: Reto Gloor, Swiss comics artist, passes away at age 66.
• June 9: Fabien Lacaf, French screenwriter and comics artist, passes away at age 65.
• June 28: Kaj Pindal, Danish-Canadian comics artist and animator, passes away at age 91.
• June 30:
• * Armando Salas Martinez, Spanish comics artist, dies at age 73.
• * Guillermo Mordillo, Argentine cartoonist and animator, dies at age 86.

  July

• July 11: Pepita Pardell, Spanish animator, cartoonist, illustrator and painter, dies at age 91.
• July 12: Klaas Knol, Dutch store employee, passes away at age 64.
• July 13: Ger Rijff, Dutch comics artist, dies at age 67.

  August

• August 2: Ai Morinaga, Japanese comics artist, dies at age 40.
• August 8: Ernie Colón, American comic book artist, cancer, dies at age 88.
• August 14: AkaB, Italian comics artist, passes away at age 43.
• August 18: Giulio Chierchini, Italian comics writer and artist, dies at age 91.
• August 20: Larry Siegel, American theatrical, TV, comedy record and comics writer, dies at age 91.
• August 22: Dwi Koendoro, Indonesian comics artist and animator, dies at age 78.
• August 23: Massimo Mattioli, Italian comics artist, dies at age 75.
• August 27: Pedro Bell, American illustrator, animator and comics artist, dies at age 69.
• August 31: Donald Rooum, British comics artist and journalist, dies at age 91.

  September

• September 1: George Abe, Japanese comics writer, dies at age 82.
• September 5:
• * Charles Jarry, Belgian comics artist, dies at age 66.
• * Jaroslav Weigel, Czech playwright, writer, painter, actor and comics writer, passes away at age 88.
• September 9: Kim Seong-hwan, South Korean comics artist, dies at age 86.
• September 11: Daniel Johnston, American outsider musician and cartoonist, dies at age 58 from a heart attack.
• September 12: Bill Schelly, American publisher and writer, dies at age 67.
• September 27: Patrick Tandiang, French comics artist, dies at age 58.

  October

• October 1: Jouko Innanen, Finnish cartoonist and comics artist, passes away at age 66.
• October 5:
• * Rik Pareit, Belgian journalist and writer, dies at age 66 from prostate cancer.
• * Philippe Vandevelde, aka Philippe Tome, Belgian comics writer and artist, dies at age 62 from a heart attack.
• October 13: Hideo Azuma, Japanese comics artist, passes away at age 69.

  November

• November 13: Tom Spurgeon, American comics writer, journalist, writer, critic and blogger, dies at age 50.
• November 19:
• * Purita Campos, Spanish comics artist, dies at age 82.
• * Tom Lyle, American comics artist, dies at age 66.
• November 21: Gahan Wilson, American illustrator, cartoonist, comics artist, dies at age 89.
• November 22: Gaston Durnez, Belgian journalist, poet, writer and comics writer, dies at age 91.
• November 26:
• * Howard Cruse, American comics artist, dies at age 75.
• * Sudhir Dar, Indian cartoonist and illustrator, dies at age 87.
• November 29: Serge Lindier, French comics artist, passes away at age 67.

  December

• December 7: Dani Dacquin, Belgian comics artist, passes away at age 84.
• December 8: Caroll Spinney, American puppeteer, voice actor, comics artist and animator, dies at age 85.
• December 9: Patrice Ordas, French novelist and comics writer, dies at age 68.
• December 19:
• * Jules Deelder, Dutch poet, orator and comics writer and inspired his own celebrity comic, passes away at age 75.
• * Freek Neirynck, Belgian theatre director, journalist, actor, writer and comics writer, dies at age 70.
• December 20: Gerry Alanguilan, Filipino comic book artist and writer, dies at age 51.

  Conventions

• April 6–7: MoCCA Festival
• April 27–28: Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo
• March 30: FLUKE Mini-Comics & Zine Festival
• May 18: ECBACC
• June 1–2: Chicago Alternative Comics Expo
• September 14–15: Small Press Expo
• September 26–29: Cartoon Crossroads Columbus — special guests Natasha Alterici, Ho Che Anderson, Ezra Clayton Daniels, Terri Libenson, Tom Tomorrow, Frank Santoro, Dav Pilkey, Mike Mignola, Ann Telnaes, Liana Finck, Georgia Webber, M. K. Czerwiec, Rachel Lindsay, and Hilary Price
• October 12–13: STAPLE!
• November 2: Comic Arts Brooklyn — special guests Nina Bunjevac, Charles Burns, Alfonso de Anda, Kim Deitch, Trinidad Escobar, Aline Kominsky-Crumb, Lawrence Lindell, Françoise Mouly, Anders Nilsen, Breena Nuñez, Dirt Palace, Gary Panter, Tommi Parrish, Minnie Phan, Frank Santoro, Daniel Shepard, Art Spiegelman, Tetsunori Tawaraya, Gibrán Turón, Chris Ware, Lauren Weinstein
• December 7–8: Comic Arts Los Angeles — featured guest: Raúl the Third

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