1969 in comics

Year overall

Paragon Publications 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.

January

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.

February

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.

March

Strange Adventures, with issue #217, becomes a reprint title. (DC Comics)

April

House of Mystery #179, "The Man Who Murdered Himself" was the first professional comic work by artist Bernie Wrightson.

May

May 10: George Klein, long-time Superman inker, dies from cirrhosis of the liver at age 53 or 54, six months after getting married.

June

DC Comics raises the price of its typical comic from 12 cents to 15 cents.

July

Long-time DC Comics logo designer and letterer Ira Schnapp dies at age 76.

August

Marvel Comics follows DC's lead and raises the price of its typical comic from 12 cents to 15 cents.

September

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).

Classics Illustrated cartoonist Alex Blum dies at age 80.

October

The Marvel Comics reprint title Marvel Collectors' Item Classics, with issue #23, becomes Marvel's Greatest Comics.

November

Warner Bros.-Seven Arts buys National Comics Publications (DC Comics).

December

Metal Men, with issue #41 (December 1969/January 1970 cover-date), suspends publishing. (The title is revived in 1973 as a reprint book, the goes on hiatus until 1976.) (DC Comics)

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

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/Houstoncon (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.

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

Advertising and Illustration Award — Ronald Michaud

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.

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

Čtyřlístek

Release: May 15. Creator: Jaroslav Němeček

Poem Strip

Creator: Dino Buzzati

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 )

DC Comics

Abel, in DC Special #4 (July–September )

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 (vol. 1) #70 (March )

Nightmaster, in Showcase #82 (May)

Superman (Earth-Two), in Justice League of America #73 (August )

Tala, in Phantom Stranger vol. 2, #4 (November –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, 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, by 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 vol. 1, #60 (September )

Savage Land Mutates

Amphibius, in Uncanny X-Men vol. 1, #62 (November )

Barbarus, in Uncanny X-Men vol. 1, #62 (November )

Brainchild, in Uncanny X-Men vol. 1, #62 (November )

Gaza, in Uncanny X-Men vol. 1, #62 (November )

Lorelei, in Uncanny X-Men vol. 1, #63 (December )

Lupo, in Uncanny X-Men vol. 1, #62 (November )

Piper, in Uncanny X-Men vol. 1, #62 (November )

Silvermane, in The Amazing Spider-Man #73 (June)

Doctor Spectrum, in The Avengers #69 (November )

Speed Demon, in The Avengers #70 (November )

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 vol. 1, #183 (November )

Viper, in Captain America #110 (February )

Whizzer II (James Sanders), in The Avengers #69 (October )