1969 in comics

This is a list of comics-related events in 1969.

Events

Year overall
 Paragon Publications is established in Longwood, Florida, by Bill Black.
 Tower Comics goes out of business.
 Kinney National Company, parent of National Periodical Publications, takes over Warner Bros.-Seven Arts, changing its name to just Warner Bros..
 Chuck Rozanski starts selling comics at age 13, from his parents' basement, which is the foundation of Mile High Comics, a comics store in Boulder, Colorado. He would open Mile High as a professional  store at age 19.

January
 January 2: in Pilote, first episode of Jesse James, by Goscinny and Morris.
 Rip Off Press established in San Francisco by Gilbert Shelton, Jaxon, Dave Moriaty, and Fred Todd.
 Sub-Mariner #9: First appearance of the Serpent Crown.
 Marvel Super-Heroes #18: debut of the Guardians of the Galaxy (created by Arnold Drake and Gene Colan, from an idea by Roy Thomas and Stan Lee)

February
 February 1: The first issue of the underground comix magazine Gothic Blimp Works is published. It will last until 1 September.
 February 18: in Le Journal di Tintin, first chapters of  Cauchemar pour Ric Hochet by André-Paul Duchâteau and Tibet and of Commando Caiman by Greg and William Vance.
 February 24: The first issue of the French comics magazine Pif Gadget is published. It marks the debut of Rahan by Roger Lécureux and André Chéret.
 The Golden Age character Phantom Stranger makes his first Silver Age appearance in Showcase #80.
 Flash Gordon (1966 series), with issue #12, is picked up by Charlton Comics, taking over from the defunct King Comics.
 In France, first issue of Charlie Mensuel.

March
 March 15: The first episode of Tom Tully and  Francisco Solano López's Janus Stark is published.
 The final issue of the Italian comics magazine Killing is published.
 Strange Adventures, with issue #217, becomes a reprint title. (DC Comics)
 Renzo Barbieri and Giorgio Cavedon's Jacula makes its debut.
 In France, first issue of the sci-fi horror Wampus, by Marcel Navarro and Luciano Bernasconi (Editions Lug) ; the series, extremely violent,  it’s stopped by the censure after just six months.

April
 April 10: first issue of the erotic series Lucrezia by Renzo Barbieri (Ediperiodici), inspired by the life of Lucrezia Borgia.
 April 19: Nikola Lekić and Lazo Sredanović 's Dikan makes his debut.
 April 26: The final issue of the British comics magazine Eagle is published.
 April 26: The final episode of Ted Cowan and Reg Bunn's The Spider is published.
 April 28: Charles M. Schulz opens his own ice arena, Redwood Empire in Santa Rosa, California.
 House of Mystery #179, "The Man Who Murdered Himself" was the first professional comic work by artist Bernie Wrightson.

May
 May 10 : in Le journal de Tintin, Le Dieu sauvage by Jacques Martin. 
 May 15: The first episode of Jaroslav Němeček' Čtyřlístek is published. 
 May 15: in Pilote, La mine de l’allemand perdu (The mine of the lost German) by Jean-Michel Charlier and Jean Giraud, first chapter of the diptych Superstition mountains. 
 May 18: The command and lunar module for the Apollo 10 are named after Charlie Brown and Snoopy.
 May 22: in Pilote, first chapter of Asterix in Spain, by Goscinny and Uderzo.
 May 29 : in Spirou, Le faiseur d’or (The gold maker), first Spirou and Fantasio story realized by Jean-Claude Fournier after the Andrè Franquin retirement.
 The first issue of the Dutch underground magazine Aloha is published. It will run until April 1974.
 The first episode of Max Bunker and Roberto Raviola's Alan Ford is published.
 The final issue of the magazine Not Brand Echh is published.
 Il giuramento (The oath) by Gian Luigi Bonelli and Aurelio Galeppini; for the first time, the circumstances surrounding the death of Lilith (Tex Willer’s Indian wife) are revealed.

June
 June 8: In Topolino, Paperinik il diabolico vendicatore (The devilish avenger)  by Guido Martina and Giovan Battista Carpi ; Donald Duck's masked crusader alter ego Paperinik, ideated by Elisa Penna is introduced in the Italian Disney comics universe.
June 19: in a daily strip by Del Connel and Floyd Gottfredson, Gloria Bee, the Goofy’s girlfriend, makes her debut.
 June 28: The final episode of Charles Kuhn's Grandma is published.
 DC Comics raises the price of its typical comic from 12 cents to 15 cents.
 In the Argentina magazine D’artagnan, debut of Gilgamesh the immortal by Robin Wood and Lucho Olivera, sci-fi version of the Sumerian hero.

July 

 July 10: Zagor racconta (Zagor tells) by Guido Nolitta and Gallieno Ferri ; the origins of the hero are revealed.
 July 15: in Le journal de Tintin, first chapter of 5 filles dans la course ! by Jean Graton. 
 July 29 : in Le journal de Tintin, first chapter of Les Spectres de la nuit by André-Paul Duchâteau and Tibet.

August
 August 8: The first episode of Fujiko F. Fujio's Doraemon is published. 
 August 12: The final episode of Alain Saint-Ogan's Zig et Puce (in the rebooted version by Greg) is published.
 Marvel Comics follows DC's lead and raises the price of its typical comic from 12 cents to 15 cents.
 The first issue of the Italian comics magazine Re di Picche is published in which Luciano Bottaro's Re di Picche makes his debut.
 In the 4th issue of Zap Comix Robert Crumb's controversial comic strip Joe Blow causes scandal over its tale of incest within the all-American family. The magazine is banned from many stores afterwards.

September
 September 6: The final issue of the British comics magazine TV Century 21 is published. It merges with Joe 90 on 27 September and will continue in this format until 25 September 1971.
 The first issue of the comics magazine Vampirella is published, introducing Forrest J. Ackerman and Trina Robbins's character Vampirella. 
 The first issue of the horror comics magazine Tower of Shadows is published. 
 The final issue of Strange Suspense Stories is published.
 The Brave and the Bold #85, Artist Neal Adams updated Green Arrow's visual appearance by designing a new costume for the character in The Brave and the Bold #85 (August -September 1969).

October
 October 12: in Corriere dei Piccoli, debut of Valentina mela verde (The green apple) by Grazia Nidasio, series about a girl from the Milan middle-class passing form childhood to adolescence. 
 October 13: The first episode of the controversial British satirical and erotic comic strip Varoomshka by John Kent is published.
 October 18: The first issue of the British comics magazine Whizzer and Chips is published. In its first issue Mike Lacey's Sid's Snake debuts, which will run until 2000. Another comic strip to make its debut is Terry Bave's Odd Ball. 
 October 25: In the second issue of Whizzer and Chips Mike Lacey's Shiner debuts, which will run until 1976.
 October 25 : in Pilote, Empire of a thousand planets, by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières; first apparition of XB982, Valerian’s spaceship.  In the same issue, Western circus by Goscinny and Morris.
 The final issue of the first run of Space Family Robinson is published. It will be rebooted in October 1973.
 The Marvel Comics reprint title Marvel Collectors' Item Classics, with issue #23, becomes Marvel's Greatest Comics.
 The first issue of the Italian comics series Vartan by Sandro Angiolini is published.
 in Sgt. Kirk, Gli scorpioni del deserto (The desert’s scorpions), war series by Hugo Pratt.

November 
 Warner Bros.-Seven Arts buys National Comics Publications (DC Comics).
 Dino Buzzati's graphic novel  Poem Strip is published.
 First issue of the Italian horror magazine Terror (Ediperiodici).
 In Télé 7 jours, La langouste ne passera pas by Jean Yanne and Tito Topin, first episode of the parodic spy series Les Dossiers du BIDE.

December
 December 13: The final issue of the British girls' comics magazine Lady Penelope is published. 
 December 16: in Le journal de Tintin, Les Yeux sans visage by Greg and William Vance. 
 December 25: The first episode of Yvan Delporte, André Franquin,  Raymond Macherot and Will's Isabelle is published.
 Metal Men, with issue #41 (December  1969/January  1970 cover-date), suspends publishing. (The title is revived in 1973 as a reprint book, then goes on hiatus until 1976.) (DC Comics).
 First issue of the magazine Horror (Gino Sansoni editore), dedicated to the Italian author comics of fantastic genre.

Specific date unknown
 The first episode of Charles Grigg's Splodge is published.
 Fat Freddy's Cat makes his debut in Gilbert Shelton's Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers.
 Jo Addams and Luis Roca's Scarth A.D. 2195 debuts as Scarth.
 Edwina Dumm’s Alec the Great comes to an end.
 The final episode of the newspaper comic Little Lulu is published.

Births

November 

 November 29: Greg Rucka, American comic book writer (DC Comics, Marvel Comics).

Deaths

January
 January 7: Earl Duvall, American animator and comics artist (Bucky Bug, Silly Symphony comic strip), dies at age 70.

February
 February 2: Roger Melliès, French comics artist (Bill Bock et Kay, made comics about Biggles), dies at age 67.
 February 3: Al Taliaferro, American comics artist (Bucky Bug, Silly Symphony comic strip, Three Little Pigs comic strip, Donald Duck newspaper gag comic), dies at age 63.

March
 March 20: Henri van de Velde, Dutch painter, illustrator, graphic artist and comics artist (Het avontuur van Haverstok met den koffer van Verweegen en Kok), dies at age 73.

April
 April 16: Nils Larsson, Swedish illustrator and comics artist (Den Illa gör), dies at age 91.

May 
 May 10: George Klein, American comics artist (Superman), dies from cirrhosis at age 53 or 54.
 May 18: Alfredo Adduard, Chilean comics artist and illustrator (Don Bilz), dies at age 69 or 70.
 May 25: Boy ten Hove / Barend ten Hove, Dutch caricaturist, advertising artist and comics artist (Kees Kogel, Piet en Puk), dies at age 60.

June
 June 24: Frank King, American comics artist (Gasoline Alley), dies at age 86.

July
 July 5: Guillermo Divito, Argentine comics artist, illustrator, caricaturist and editor (Bombolo, Pochita Morfoni, El Doctor Merengue, Fulmine, Fallutelli, Divito Girls, founder of the magazine Rico Tipo), dies at age 54 in a car crash.
 July 17: Clayton Knight, American comics artist (Ace Drummond), dies at age 78.
 July 24: Ira Schnapp, Austrian-American graphic designer and comics letterer (designed logos for DC Comics), dies at age 74.

August
 August 2: Russell Stamm, American comics artist (Invisible Scarlet O'Neil), dies from a heart attack at age 53.
 August 20: Dudley D. Watkins, British comics artist (Oor Wullie, Desperate Dan, The Broons, Lord Snooty, Mickey the Monkey, Jack Flash, Biffo the Bear, Jimmy and his Magic Patch, Morgyn the Mighty), dies at age 62.
 August 25: Bjarne Restan, Norwegian illustrator and comics artist (Per og Peik i Sukkerlandet, Paal og Pelles Reise, Sjur Sjursen vil bli Kapitalist), dies at age 70.

September
 September 1: 
 Alex Blum, Hungarian-American comics artist (contributed to Classics Illustrated), dies at age 80.
 Auguste Liquois, French comic artist (Coco de la Lune, comic adaptations of literary works), dies at age 67.
 September 25: Frans van Lamsweerde, aka Faun, Dutch comics artist, illustrator and animator (Pekky, Marco's Avonturen), dies at age 49.

October
 October 19: Mario Morelli di Popolo, Italian-Egyptian comics artist (Zouzou), dies at age 67 or 68.

November
 November 27: Cecilia May Gibbs, Australian children's book illustrator and comics artist (Bib and Bub, Tiggy Touchwood), dies at age 92.

Specific date unknown
 Ernst Akerbladh, Swedish illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 78 or 79.
 Javier Puerto Bagüeña, Spanish comics artist, dies at an unknown age.
 Tom Cottrell, aka S. Seymour, aka Jolly, British editorial cartoonist and comics artist (Paper Cap), dies at age 78 or 79.
 Dan Gordon, American animator, storyboard artist and comics artist (Real Life Comics, Better Publications, Western Publishing), dies at an unknown age.
 Barye Phillips, American illustrator and comics artist (comic strip of Huckleberry Finn), dies at age 44 or 45.
 Harris Steinbrook, aka Harris Steinberg, American comics artist (drew funny animal comics), dies at age 56 or 57.

Exhibitions and shows 
 May 20-June 15: Corcoran Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.) — White Rain: The Phonus Balonus Show of Some Really Heavy Stuff, curated by Bhob Stewart for museum director Walter Hopps, includes work by R. Crumb, Gilbert Shelton, Vaughn Bodé, Kim Deitch, Jay Lynch and others
 October 28–November 22: Phoenix Gallery (Berkeley, California) — The New Comix, curated by gallery owner Si Lowinsky, featuring the Zap Comix collective (Robert Crumb, Gilbert Shelton, S. Clay Wilson, Victor Moscoso, and Rick Griffin); the gallery was brought up on obscenity charges because of the show

Conventions
 Summer: Comicon '69 (British Comic Art Convention 2) (Waverley Hotel, London, England) — organized by Bram Stokes, Frank Dobson, and Steve Moore; guests include Steve Parkhouse and Barry Smith
 June 7–8: Triple Fan Fair (Howard Johnson's Downtown Motor Lodge, Detroit, Michigan) — guests include Edmond Hamilton, Leigh Brackett, Stan Lee, and Al Williamson
 June 20–22: Southwesterncon IV/Houston Comic Book Convention (Ramada Inn, Houston, Texas)
 July 4–6: Comic Art Convention (Statler Hilton Hotel, New York City) — first official Comic Art Convention, produced by Phil Seuling; guest of honor: Hal Foster; other guests and attendees include Gil Kane, Roy Thomas, Gray Morrow, John Buscema, Al Williamson, Jeff Jones, Don McGregor, Richard Marschall; Al Milgrom, Alan Weiss, Angelo Torres, Archie Goodwin, Arvell Jones, Bill Devine, Bill Pearson, Bob Lewis, Carole Seuling, Dick Giordano, Gary Brown, Gary Groth, Gary Via, Greg Potter, Hal Foster, Irene Vartanoff, Jerry Bails, Joe Sinnott, John Fantucchio, John Verpoorten, Len Wein, Mark Hanerfeld, Martin Greim, Marv Wolfman, Mary Skrenes, Phil Seuling, Rich Buckler, Richard "Grass" Green, Sal Trapini, Tom Fagan, and Woody Gelman; attendees pay $3.50 for a three-day ticket, with daily passes at $1.50. Admittance free with a hotel room rental, which costs $15-and-up per day.
 December 27: Miamicon

Awards

Alley Awards
 Presented July 1969 at the Comic Art Convention
Best Comic Magazine Section
Best Adventure Title — Fantastic Four  (Marvel Comics)
Best Fantasy/SF/Supernatural Title - Doctor Strange  (Marvel Comics)
Best Western Title - Bat Lash  (DC Comics)
Best War Title - Star Spangled War Stories  (DC Comics)
Best Humor Title - Archie  (Archie Comics)
Best Romance Title - Young Love  (DC Comics)
Best Reprint Title - Marvel Super-Heroes  (Marvel Comics)

Professional Work
Best Editor - Dick Giordano (DC Comics)
Best Writer - Roy Thomas
Best Pencil Artist - Neal Adams
Best Inking Artist - Tom Palmer
Best Cover - Captain America #113, by Jim Steranko
Best Full-Length Story - "...And Who Shall Mourn for Him?," by Stan Lee, John Buscema & Sal Buscema, The Silver Surfer #5  (Marvel Comics)
Best Feature Story - "At the Stroke of Midnight," by Jim Steranko, Tower of Shadows #1 (Marvel Comics)
Hall of Fame - "Deadman", by Neal Adams (DC Comics)

Special Awards
Carmine Infantino, "who exemplifies the spirit of innovation and inventiveness in the field of comic art".
Joe Kubert, "for the cinematic storytelling techniques and the exciting and dramatic style he has brought to the field of comic art".
Neal Adams, "for the new perspective and dynamic vibrance he has brought to the field of comic art".

Popularity Poll
Best Adventure Hero Strip - The Amazing Spider-Man  (Marvel Comics)
Best Adventure Group Strip - Fantastic Four  (Marvel Comics)
Best Supporting Character - Rick Jones (The Incredible Hulk, The Avengers, and Captain America)  (Marvel Comics)
Best Villain - Doctor Doom (Fantastic Four)  (Marvel Comics)
Strip Most Needing Improvement - Superman  (DC Comics)

Newspaper Strip Section
Best Adventure or Human Interest Strip - Prince Valiant, by Hal Foster
Best Humor Strip or Panel - Peanuts, by Charles Schulz
Hall of Fame - Tarzan, by Burne Hogarth

Fan Activity Section
Best Limited Reproduction Fanzine - Newfangles by Don & Maggie Thompson
Best Unlimited Reproduction Fanzine - The Comic Reader
Best Fan Artist - John Fantucchio
Best Comic Strip Writer - Mark Hanerfeld
Best Fan Project - 1969 New York ComiCon

National Cartoonist Society Division Awards
 Newspaper Comic Strips Award (Humor) - Beetle Bailey, by Mort Walker
 Newspaper Comic Strips Award (Story) - The Heart of Juliet Jones, by Stan Drake
 Newspaper Panel Cartoons Award - They'll Do It Every Time, by Bob Dunn
 Gag Cartoons Award - George Wolfe
 Comic Books Award - Will Eisner
 Advertising and Illustration Award - Ronald Michaud
 Editorial Cartoons Award - Blaine
 Sports Cartoons Award - Bill Gallo
 Special Features Award - Brother Sebastian, by Chon Day
 Reuben Award - Smitty, by Walter Berndt

First issues by title

DC Comics
Date with Debbi
 Release: January /February  Editor: Dick Giordano.

From Beyond the Unknown
 Release: October  Editor: Julius Schwartz.

The Phantom Stranger
Release: May–June. Editor: Joe Orlando.

The Witching Hour
Release: February /March : Editor: Joe Orlando.

Marvel Comics
Chamber of Darkness
 Release: October. Editor: Stan Lee.

Tower of Shadows
 Release: September  Editor: Stan Lee.

Other publishers
Alan Ford
 Release: by Max Bunker Press. Writer: Max Bunker. Artist: Magnus.

Archie's TV Laugh-Out
 Release: December by Archie Comics.

Čtyřlístek
 Release: May 15. Creator: Jaroslav Němeček

Everything's Archie
 Release: May by Archie Comics.

Golden Comics Digest
 Release: May by Gold Key Comics.

Gothic Blimp Works
 Release: February 1 by the East Village Other. Editor: Vaughn Bodē

Poem Strip
 Creator: Dino Buzzati

Canceled titles

DC Comics
 Bat Lash, with issue #7 (October /November )
 Beware the Creeper, with issue #6 (March /April )
 Secret Six, with issue #7 (April /May)

Marvel Comics
 Not Brand Echh, with issue #13 (May)
 Doctor Strange, with issue #183 (November )

Other publishers
 T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, with issue #20 (November )

Initial appearance by character name

DC Comics
Abel, in DC Special #4 (July)
Jason Bard, in Detective Comics #392 (October)
Black Canary (Dinah Lance), in Justice League of America #75 (November) — ret-con
Mindgrabber Kid, in Justice League of America #70 (March)
Nightmaster, in Showcase #82 (May)
Superman (Earth-Two), in Justice League of America #73 (August)
Tala, in Phantom Stranger #4 (November)
Tim Trench, in Wonder Woman #179 (November)
Bork in Brave and the Bold #81 (December)

Marvel Comics
 Controller, in Iron Man vol. 1, #12 (April)
 Digger, in Tower of Shadows #1 (September)
 Falcon, in Captain America #117 (September)
 Father Set, in Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner #9 (January)
 Vanessa Fisk, in The Amazing Spider-Man #70 (March)
 Frankenstein's Monster, in Silver Surfer #7 (August)
 Galaxy Master, in The Incredible Hulk  vol. 2 #111 (January)
 Glob, in The Incredible Hulk vol. 2, #121 (November)
 Grandmaster, in The Avengers #69 (October)
 Guardians of the Galaxy, in Marvel Super-Heroes #18 (January)
 Havok, in Uncanny X-Men #54 (March)
 Hyperion, in The Avengers #69 (October)
 Larry Trask, in Uncanny X-Men #57 (June)
 Living Monolith, in Uncanny X-Men #54 (March)
 Machinesmith (Starr Saxon), in Daredevil #49 (February)
 Man Mountain Marko, in The Amazing Spider-Man #73 (June)
 Man-Ape, in The Avengers #62 (March)
 Midas, in Iron Man  #17 (September)
 Naga, in Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner  #9 (January)
 Nighthawk (Kyle Richmond), in The Avengers #69 (October)
 Prowler, in The Amazing Spider-Man #78 (November)
 Sauron, in Uncanny X-Men #60 (September)
 Savage Land Mutates
 Amphibius, in Uncanny X-Men #62 (November)
 Barbarus, in Uncanny X-Men #62 (November)
 Brainchild, in Uncanny X-Men #62 (November)
 Gaza, in Uncanny X-Men #62 (November)
 Lorelei, in Uncanny X-Men #63 (December)
 Lupo, in Uncanny X-Men #62 (November)
 Piper, in Uncanny X-Men #62 (November)
 Silvermane, in The Amazing Spider-Man #73 (June)
 Doctor Spectrum, in The Avengers #69 (October)
 Stingray, in Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner #19 (November)
 Super-Patriot, in Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #13 (July)
 Titanium Man, in Tales of Suspense #69 (September)
 Undying Ones, in Doctor Strange #183 (November)
 Viper, in Captain America #110 (February)
 Whizzer II (James Sanders), in The Avengers #69 (October)

References