1970 in comics

January

Detective Comics #395: "The Secret of the Waiting Graves", the first collaboration between Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams. (DC Comics)

Our Fighting Forces #123 (January/February cover date) (DC Comics)

First appearance of the Losers

Avengers #72 (Marvel Comics)

First appearance of Zodiac, as well as team members Aquarius, Aries, Cancer, Capricorn, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Pisces, Sagittarius, Taurus, and Virgo

The Amazing Spider-Man #80: "On the trail of... the Chameleon!" (Marvel Comics)

Charlton Comics, with issue #18, publishes its final issue of Flash Gordon (1966 series).

March

Teen Titans #26 (March/April cover date) (DC Comics)

First appearance of Mal Duncan, DC Comics' first black superhero.

Lloyd Jacquet, founder of Funnies, Inc., dies at age 71.

April

Green Lantern #76, Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams became the creative team and rechristen the title as Green Lantern/Green Arrow. This begins a long story arc in which the characters undertook a social-commentary journey across America.

Ron Turner founds Last Gasp in San Francisco

June

Detective Comics #400: "Challenge of the Man-Bat", by Frank Robbins, Neal Adams, and Dick Giordano. (DC Comics)

First appearance of the Man-Bat.

Summer

John Bagley founds Company & Sons in San Francisco.

July

Fantastic Four #100: "The Long Journey Home", by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Joe Sinnott. (Marvel Comics)

August

August 2: Lank Leonard, creator of Mickey Finn, dies at age 74.

September

Denis Kitchen founds Krupp Comic Works (more commonly known as Kitchen Sink Press) in Princeton, Wisconsin.

The Flash #200: "Count 200 — and Die", by Robert Kanigher, Irv Novick, and Murphy Anderson. (DC Comics)

Showcase (1956 series), with issue #93, is cancelled by DC Comics.

Fantastic Four #102: After 102 consecutive issues written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack Kirby, Kirby's final issue as Fantastic Four artist (and his temporary departure from Marvel Comics).

Silver Surfer, with issue #18, cancelled by Marvel.

October

Jack Kirby, with issue #133, debuts as writer/artist on Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, introducing the concepts and characters of his Fourth World epic. In his first issue alone, Kirby creates the characters Morgan Edge and Intergang, as well as Project Cadmus, a fictional government genetic engineering project.

November

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 (DC Comics)

First appearance of Darkseid

Robert M. Overstreet publishes the first edition of his Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, soon to become the primary authority on the subject of American comic book grading and pricing.

December

Adventure Comics #400: 35th anniversary issue, "Return of the Black Flame!", by Mike Sekowsky.

Challengers of the Unknown (1958 series), with issue #77 (December 1970/January 1971 cover date), is canceled by DC Comics.

Metal Men (1963 series), with issue #41 (December 1970/January 1971 cover date), is canceled by DC.

Fantastic Four #105: "Monster in the Streets", drawn by John Romita, Sr.

Conventions

Comicon '70 (British Comic Art Convention) (Rutland Hotel, Sheffield, England) — organized by Sam Plumb

Disneyland Hotel Comicon (Anaheim, California) — one and only event of its kind

Phoenixcon (Phoenix, Arizona) — produced by Bruce Hamilton

March 21: Golden State Comic-Minicon (U.S. Grant Hotel, San Diego, California) — Shel Dorf organizes a one-day convention "as a kind of 'dry run' for the larger convention he hope[s] to stage." Official guests: Forrest J. Ackerman, Mike Royer

June 18–20: Multicon 70 (Skirvan Hotel, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) — first iteration of this show; guest speaker: Reed Crandall

July 3–5: Metro Comic Art Convention (Statler Hilton Hotel, New York City)

August 1–3: Golden State Comic-Con (U.S. Grant Hotel, San Diego) — Dorf's first three-day San Diego comics convention, it draws 300 people. Official guests: Forrest J. Ackerman, Ray Bradbury, Jack Kirby, Bob Stevens, A. E. van Vogt

August 23–24: Toronto Triple Fan Fair a.k.a. "Fan Fair 2" (King Edward Hotel, Toronto, ON, Canada) — Guests of Honour: Isaac Asimov and Anne McCaffrey; 450 attendees

September 5–7: Detroit Triple Fan Fair (Howard Johnson New Center Motor Lodge, Detroit, Michigan) — Program dedicated to Jack Kirby. Western-themed cover by Jim Steranko and interior art pages by Neal Adams and Bernie Wrightson.

Goethe Awards

Published in a 1971 issue of Maggie Thompson's fanzine Newfangles for comics published in 1970.

Favorite Pro Artist: Neal Adams

Favorite Pro Writer: tie

Denny O'Neil

Roy Thomas

Favorite Pro Editor: Dick Giordano

Favorite Pro Comic Book: Green Lantern/Green Arrow

Favorite Underground Comic: Captain George Presents

Favorite Comic-Book Story: "“No Evil Shall Escape My Sight"” by Denny O'Neil/Neal Adams in Green Lantern/Green Arrow #76 (DC)

Favorite Comic-Book Character: Deadman (DC)

Favorite Fanzine: Newfangles

Favorite Fan Writer: Jan Strnad

Favorite Fan Artist: Robert Kline

Shazam Awards

Presented in 1971 for comics published in 1970: (Award presentation: May 12, 1971, at the Statler Hilton Hotel's Terrace Ballroom.)

Best Story: "No Evil Shall Escape My Sight", by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams, Green Lantern/Green Arrow #76 (DC Comics)

Best Continuing Feature: Green Lantern/Green Arrow (DC Comics)

Best Drama Writer: Dennis O'Neil

Best Drama Penciller: Neal Adams

Best Drama Inker: Dick Giordano

Best Letterer: Sam Rosen

Best Colorist: Jack Adler

Best Humor Penciller: Bob Oksner

Best Humor Inker: Henry Scarpelli

Best Humor Writer: Carl Barks, The Junior Woodchucks (Gold Key Comics)

Best New Talent: Barry Smith

Outstanding Achievement by an Individual: Jim Steranko, for The Steranko History of Comics

Best Foreign Title: Legionarios del Espacio (writer-artist Esteban Maroto, Spain)

Special Recognition Outside the Field: Nostalgia Press (for comic strip reprints)

Hall of Fame: Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster

Special Plaque: Stan Lee ("for forming ACBA")

DC Comics

All-Star Western vol. 2

Release: September. Editor: Dick Giordano.

Marvel Comics

Amazing Adventures vol. 2

Release: August. Editor: Stan Lee.

Astonishing Tales

Release: August. Editor: Stan Lee.

Conan the Barbarian

Release: October. Writer: Roy Thomas. Artist: Barry Smith and Dan Adkins.

Fear

Release: November. Editor: Stan Lee.

Ka-Zar

Release: January. Editor: Stan Lee.

Outlaw Kid (second series)

Release: August. Editor: Stan Lee.

Where Monsters Dwell

Release: August. Editor: Stan Lee.

Western Gunfighters (second series)

Release: August. Editor: Stan Lee.

Independent titles

Hulk: The Manga

Release: by Weekly Bokura Magazine. Writer: Kazuo Koike. Artists: Yoshihiro Moritou and Kosei Saigou.

It Ain't Me, Babe

Release: July by Last Gasp. Editors: Trina Robbins and Barbara "Willy" Mendes.

Oriental Heroes

Release: by Jade Dynasty. Writer/Artist: Wong Yuk Long.

San Francisco Comic Book

Release: January by San Francisco Comic Book Company. Publisher: Gary Arlington

Slow Death Funnies

Release: April by Last Gasp. Editor/Publisher: Ron Turner

Spider-Man: The Manga

Release: by Monthly Shōnen Magazine. Writer/Artist: Ryoichi Ikegami.

Young Lust

Release: October by Company & Sons. Editors: Bill Griffith and Jay Kinney

DC Comics

Appa Ali Apsa, in Green Lantern vol. 2 #76 (April)

Darkseid, in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 (November)

El Diablo, in All-Star Western #2 (October)

Mal Duncan, in Teen Titans #26 (March/April)

Morgan Edge, in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133 (October)

Intergang, in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133 (October)

Lilith, in Teen Titans #25 (January/February)

Losers, in Our Fighting Forces #123 (January/February)

Man-Bat, in Detective Comics #400 (June)

Rose and the Thorn in Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #105

Ten-Eyed Man, in Batman #226 (November)

Marvel Comics

Arkon, in Avengers #76 (April)

Firebrand, in Iron Man #27 (July)

Richard Fisk, in The Amazing Spider-Man #83 (April)

Freak (Eddie March), in Iron Man #21 (January)

Garokk, in Astonishing Tales #2 (November)

Guardsman, in Iron Man #31 (November)

Kangaroo, in The Amazing Spider-Man #81 (February)

Llyra, in Sub-Mariner #32 (December)

Starr the Slayer, in Chamber of Darkness #4 (April)

Sunfire, in X-Men #64 (January)

Valkyrie (Brunnhilde), in The Avengers #83 (December)

Jim Wilson, in The Incredible Hulk #131 (September)

Zodiac, in Avengers #72 (January)

Aquarius

Aries

Cancer

Capricorn

Gemini

Leo

Libra

Pisces

Sagittarius

Taurus

Virgo

Independent titles

Cattivik, in Tiramolla (19 July)