1976 in comics

Year overall

American Splendor, Harvey Pekar's long-running autobiographical comic book title, publishes its debut issue.

Fantagraphics Books, Inc. founded by Gary Groth and Michael Catron.

Bloodstar, based on a short story by Robert E. Howard and illustrated by Richard Corben, published by Morning Star Press. It is possibly the first graphic novel to call itself a “graphic novel” in print.

Chandler: Red Tide, an illustrated novel by Jim Steranko, published by Pyramid Books.

Flying Buttress Publications (later to be known as NBM Publishing) is founded in Syracuse, N.Y. by Terry Nantier.

Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man, the first major intercompany crossover, is co-published by DC Comics and Marvel Comics.

January

Jenette Kahn replaces Carmine Infantino as DC Comics' publisher and editorial director.

DC revives All Star Comics with issue #58, continuing the numbering from the original 1940 series (ignoring the numbering from All-Star Western). Written by Gerry Conway, with art by Ric Estrada and Wally Wood.

With issue #244 — after an eight-year hiatus — DC revives Blackhawk, which began in 1944 under Quality Comics, was acquired by DC in 1957, and stopped publishing in 1968.

Marvel Super Action, a Curtis Magazines one-shot, edited by Archie Goodwin, is released.

February

Fletcher Hanks, Golden Age cartoonist, dies at age 88.

Willy Murphy, underground cartoonist, dies of pneumonia at around age 38.

March

DC Comics raises the prices of its standard comics from 25 cents to 30 cents, keeping the page-count at 36.

Gerry Conway succeeds Marv Wolfman as Marvel Comics editor-in-chief in March 1976, but holds the job only briefly, relinquishing the post before the month is out, succeeded in turn by Archie Goodwin.

The Warlord, with issue #2 (March /April cover date), goes on hiatus until October /November (DC Comics)

April

With issue #45, DC revives Metal Men, which itself was a 1973 revival of a 1963 series which had stopped publishing in 1969.

May

Vince Colletta named as DC Comics art director.

June

Superman #300: "Superman, 2001!" — an imaginary story featuring a Superman who came to Earth in 1976 — by Cary Bates, Elliot S! Maggin, Curt Swan, and Bob Oksner. (DC Comics)

Star Spangled War Stories #200, featuring the Unknown Soldier and Enemy Ace, edited by Joe Orlando. (DC Comics)

The Incredible Hulk #200: "An Intruder in the Mind!" by Len Wein, Sal Buscema, and Joe Staton. (Marvel Comics)

July

July 5: British comics artist Frank Bellamy dies at age 59.

August

Captain America #200: Special Bicentennial issue, by Jack Kirby and Frank Giacoia.

X-Men #100: "Greater Love Hath No X-Man..." by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum.

With issue #90, DC revives the title Green Lantern (calling it Green Lantern, co-Starring Green Arrow), which began in 1960 and stopped publishing in 1972.

Superman #302: The first issue with the restored credit that Superman was "created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster."

September

The Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art, founded by Joe & Muriel Kubert, begins teaching its first class of students, some of whom include Stephen R. Bissette, Thomas Yeates, and Rick Veitch.

With issue #9 (September /October ), DC suspends publication of Claw the Unconquered; it picks up again with issue #10 in 1978.

Following DC's lead, Marvel Comics raises the prices of its standard comic book from 25 cents to 30 cents, keeping the page-count at 36.

November

Marvel cancels 6 ongoing titles: Amazing Adventures (vol. 2), Chamber of Chills, Jungle Action, Marvel Feature, Skull the Slayer, and the Curtis Magazines title Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction.

With issue #44, DC revives Teen Titans vol. 1, which began in 1966 and stopped publishing in 1973.

December

Marvel Comics launches its third ongoing Spider-Man series, Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man.

Conventions

Pittcon '76 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)

January: Cincinnati Comic Convention (Netherland Hilton, Cincinnati, Ohio) — 2nd annual show; guests include Frank Brunner, Steve Gerber, Mary Skrenes, and Martin Pasko

February 27–29: Super DC Con '76 (Americana Hotel, New York City) — organized by Phil Seuling to celebrate Superman's birthday; guests include Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and Julius Schwartz

March 19–21: Comics 101 (Mount Royal Hotel, London, England) — organized by Denis Gifford to celebrate the 101st year of British comics; guests include John M. Burns, Ron Embleton, Don Lawrence, Frank Hampson, Alan Class, Mick Anglo, Stanley White, and Steve Dowling; presentation of the Ally Sloper Awards

April: Mid-America Comic Convention (Holiday Inn North, Cincinnati, Ohio) — 2nd annual show

April 23–25: Marvel-Con '76 (Hotel Commodore, New York) — 2nd annual show; guests include Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Roy Thomas, and John Buscema

April 30–May 2: Underground '76 (Pauley Ballroom, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California) — another iteration of Berkeleycon (first held in 1973), organized by Clay Geerdes/Comix World

June 11–14: D-Con (Sheraton Hotel, Dallas, Texas)

Summer: Atlanta Fantasy Fair (Marriott Downtown, Atlanta, Georgia) — official guests include Frank Brunner, Steve Gerber, Dick Giordano, and Kenneth Smith

July: Omnicon (Convention Center Ramada Inn, Louisville, Kentucky) — produced by Don Rosa and James Van Hise; guests include Frank Brunner, DeForest Kelley, and Michael Kaluta

July 2–6: Comic Art Convention (McAlpin Hotel, 34th Street and Broadway, New York City)

July 2–4: Konvention of Alternative Komix (Birmingham, England) — underground comix convention produced by the Birmingham Arts Lab; guests include Chris Welch, Steve Bell, Bryan Talbot, Mike Higgs, Suzy Varty, and Hunt Emerson

July 21–25: San Diego Comic-Con (El Cortez Hotel, San Diego, California) — 3,000+ attendees, special guests include Sergio Aragonés, Mel Blanc, Milton Caniff, Rick Griffin, Dale Messick, Joe Shuster, Noel Sickles, Don Thompson, Maggie Thompson

August 6–8: Chicago Comicon (Playboy Towers Hotel, Chicago, Illinois) — produced by Joe Sarno and Mike Gold. Special guests: Stan Lee, Jenette Kahn, Harvey Kurtzman, Mike Grell, and Tim Conrad

August 21–22: Comicon '76 (British Comic Art Convention) (Regent Centre Hotel, London, England) — organized by Rob Barrow; guests include Paul Neary and Tony Weare; convention booklet features artwork by Dave Gibbons, John Bolton, Kevin O'Neill, Paul Neary, Brian Bolland, Ron Embleton, John M. Burns, Brian Lewis, Martin Asbury, Frank Hampson, John Romita, Sr., Bryan Talbot, and Hunt Emerson

September 3–5: Spectrum Con 76 (Dunffey's Royal Coach Inn, Sugarland, Texas) — guests include Jim Steranko and Pat Boyette

September 12: Comic Rama Con (Bergenfield/Dumont Jewish Center, Bergenfield, New Jersey) — guests include Jerry Iger

September 18–19: OrlandoCon '76 (International Inn, Orlando, Florida) — guests include Jack Davis, Harvey Kurtzman, and Floyd Gottfredson

October: Detroit Triple Fan Fair (Detroit, Michigan) — 11th edition of the fair; guests include Joe Kubert, John G. Fuller, and Mike Nasser

October 1–3: Fourth Dimension Con (Kent State University, Kent, Ohio) — guests include Frederick Pohl, Will Eisner, Val Mayerik, Paul Gulacy, and Harlan Ellison

October 22–24: Newcon '76 (Howard Johnson's 57 Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts) — guests include Jim Steranko, Michael Kaluta, Dick Giordano, Harvey Kurtzman, Gil Kane, and Carl Barks

November 20–21: Sonjacon (Travel Lodge, Mt. Laurel, New Jersey) — two-day convention dedicated to Red Sonja, produced by Delaware Valley Comic's Art Convention; official guests include Frank Thorne, Dave Cockrum, and Gene Colan

November 26–28: Big Comicon Creation Convention (Statler Hilton Hotel, New York City) — 4,500 attendees; official guests include Ralph Bakshi, Jenette Kahn, Michael Kaluta, Jeff Jones, Gil Kane, Steve Gerber, Nicola Cuti, Bob Smith, Alex Niño, Martin Pasko, Marv Wolfman, Jim Steranko, Howard Chaykin, Joe Staton, Jerry Iger, and Len Wein

Eagle Awards

Two British comics fans, Mike Conroy and Richard Burton, create the Eagle Awards, named after the long-running Brish comic title Eagle. The first set of awards are presented in 1977 at Comicon '77 for comics published in 1976:

Favourite Comic Book (Dramatic): Uncanny X-Men

Favourite Comic Magazine (Dramatic): Savage Sword of Conan

Favourite Team: Uncanny X-Men

Favourite Comic Book (Humor): Howard the Duck, by Steve Gerber'

Favourite New Comic: Howard the Duck, by Steve Gerber'

Favourite Single Comic Book Story: "Four Feathers of Death! : or Enter the Duck," Howard the Duck #3, by Steve Gerber and John Buscema'

Favourite Continued Comic Story: Master of Kung Fu #48-51 by Doug Moench and Paul Gulacy

Favourite Comic Book Character: Conan the Barbarian'

Favourite Comicbook Writer: Roy Thomas

Favourite Comics Writer (UK): Chris Claremont'

Favourite UK Title: House of Hammer

Roll of Honor: Stan Lee

DC Comics

Blitzkrieg

Release: January/February. Writer: Robert Kanigher. Artist: Ric Estrada.

DC Super Stars: mostly reprint title.

Release: March. Editor: E. Nelson Bridwell.

Four Star Spectacular: reprint title.

Release: March/April. Editor: E. Nelson Bridwell.

Freedom Fighters

Release: March/April. Writers: Gerry Conway and Martin Pasko. Artists: Ric Estrada and Mike Royer.

Isis

Release: October /November Writer: Denny O'Neil. Artists: Ric Estrada and Wally Wood.

Karate Kid

Release: March/April. Writers: Paul Levitz. Artists: Ric Estrada and Joe Staton.

Kobra

Release: February/March. Writers: Jack Kirby, Steve Sherman, and Martin Pasko. Artists: Jack Kirby and Pablo Marcos.

Ragman

Release: August/September. Writers: Bob Kanigher. Artists: Joe Kubert and the Redondo Studio.

Secret Society of Super Villains

Release: May/June. Writers: Gerry Conway. Artists: Pablo Marcos and Bob Smith.

Starfire

Release: August. Writer: David Michelinie. Artist: Mike Vosburg.

Super Friends

Release: November. Writer: E. Nelson Bridwell. Artists: Ric Estrada, Joe Orlando, and Vince Colletta.

The Warlord

Release: January/February. Writer/Artist: Mike Grell.

Welcome Back, Kotter

Release: November. Writer: Elliot Maggin. Artists: Jack Sparling and Bob Oksner.

Marvel Comics

2001: A Space Odyssey

Release: December. Writer: Jack Kirby. Artists: Jack Kirby and Mike Royer.

Captain Britain Weekly

Release: October 13 by Marvel UK. Editor: Larry Lieber.

Eternals

Release: July. Writer: Jack Kirby. Artists: Jack Kirby and John Verpoorten.

Haunt of Horror

Release: May by Curtis Magazines. Editor: Roy Thomas.

Howard the Duck

Release: January. Writer: Steve Gerber. Artists: Frank Brunner and Steve Leialoha.

Marvel Classics Comics

Release: Jan. Editor: Vincent Fago.

Nova

Release: September. Writers: Marv Wolfman. Artists: John Buscema and Joe Sinnott.

Omega the Unknown

Release: March. Writers: Mary Skrenes and Steve Gerber. Artist: Jim Mooney.

Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man

Release: December. Writer: Gerry Conway. Artists: Sal Buscema, Mike Esposito, and Dave Hunt.

Other publishers

Action

Release: February 14 by IPC Magazines. Editor: Pat Mills.

American Splendor

Release: by Harvey Pekar. Writer: Harvey Pekar.

Bullet

Release: February by D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.

Cole Black Comix

Release by Rocky Hartberg Productions Writer and Artist: Rocky Hartberg

LaLa

Release: July by Hakusensha

Storm

Release: Big Balloon (Dutch). Artist: Don Lawrence.

Twisted Sisters

Release: June by Last Gasp. Writers/Artists: Aline Kominsky & Diane Noomin.

Charlton Comics

Doomsday + 1, with issue #6 (May) — revived in 1978 as a reprint title

Midnight Tales, with issue #18 (May)

DC Comics

1st Issue Special, with issue #13 (April )

Beowulf, Dragon Slayer, with issue #6 (March )

Blitzkrieg, with issue #5 (September /October )

The Joker, with issue #9 (September /October )

Kong the Untamed, with issue #5 (February/March)

Man-Bat, with issue #2 (February/March)

Phantom Stranger vol. 2, with issue #41 (February/March)

Plop!, with issue #24 (November /December )

Swamp Thing, with issue #24 (August /September )

Tarzan Family, with issue #66 (November /December )

Tor, with issue #6 (March/April)

Gold Key Comics

Golden Comics Digest, with issue #48 (January )

Walt Disney Comics Digest, with issue #57 (February )

Harvey Comics

Little Dot, with issue #164 (April )

Little Lotta, with issue #120 (May)

Playful Little Audrey, with issue #121 (April )

Marvel Comics

Amazing Adventures vol. 2, with issue #39, Marvel cancels the anthology title (November )

Astonishing Tales, with issue #36 (July)

Chamber of Chills, with issue #25 (November )

Jungle Action, with issue #24 (November )

Marvel Feature vol. 2, with issue #7 (November )

Skull the Slayer, with issue #8 (November )

Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction, with issue #6 (Curtis Magazines, November )

Other publishers

Arcade, with issue #7 (The Print Mint, Fall)

DC Comics

Atomic Skull (Albert Michael), in Superman #303 (September)

Black Spider, in Detective Comics #463 (September)

Blackrock, in Action Comics #458 (April)

Bumblebee (Karen Beecher), in Teen Titans #45 (December)

Calculator, in Detective Comics #463 (September)

Captain Stingaree, in Detective Comics #460 (June)

Codename: Assassin, in 1st Issue Special #11 (February)

Deborah Camille Darnell, in Secret Society of Super Villains #1 (May/June)

Duela Dent, in Batman Family #6 (July/August )

Grimbor the Chainsman, in Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #221 (November)

Isis, in Isis #1 (October /November )

Kirt Niedrigh (Absorbency Boy), in Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #218 (July)

Kobra, in Kobra #1 (February)

Machiste, in The Warlord #2 (March)

Outsiders, in 1st Issue Special #10 (January)

Power Girl, in All Star Comics #58 (January /February)

Ragman, in Ragman #1 (August /September )

SKULL, in Superman #301 (July)

Leslie Thompkins, in Detective Comics #457 (March)

Tyroc, in Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #216 (April)

Wendy and Marvin, in Super Friends #1 (November)

Tobias Whale, in Black Lightning #1 (April)

Marvel Comics

Amphibian, in Avengers #145 (March)

Aron, in Captain Marvel #39 (July)

Black Talon (Samuel Barone), in Avengers #152 (October)

Black Tom Cassidy, in Uncanny X-Men #101 (October)

Blizzard (Gregor Shapanka), in Iron Man #86 (May)

Jamie Braddock, in Captain Britain Weekly #9 (September)

Dmitri Bukharin, in Iron Man #109 (April)

Bullseye, in Daredevil #131 (March)

Captain Britain, in Captain Britain Weekly #1 (October 13)

Captain Ultra, in Fantastic Four #177 (December)

Celestials

Arishem the Judge, in The Eternals #2 (August)

Exitar the Exterminator, in Thor #387 (July)

Gammenon the Gatherer, in The Eternals #4 (October)

Condor, in Nova #2 (October)

Corruptor, in Nova #4 in (December)

Darkstar, in Champions #7 (August)

Jean DeWolff, in Marvel Team-Up #48 (August)

The Eternals, in The Eternals #1 (July)

Ajak, in The Eternals #2 (August)

Domo, in The Eternals #5 (November)

Ikaris, in The Eternals #1 (July)

Makkari, in The Eternals #1 (July)

Sersi, in The Eternals #3 (September)

Thena, in The Eternals #5 (November)

Zuras, in The Eternals #5 (November)

Guardsman (Michael O'Brien), in Iron Man #82 (January)

Hellcat, in The Avengers #144 (February )

Human Fly (Richard Deacon), in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #10

Hurricane (Albert Potter), in Captain Britain #3 (October 27)

Jigsaw, in The Amazing Spider-Man #162 (November)

Shen Kuei, in Master of Kung Fu #38 (March)

Mirage, in The Amazing Spider-Man #156 (May)

Lilandra Neramani, in X-Men #97 (February)

Nova, in Nova #1 (September)

Psylocke, in Captain Britain #8 (December)

Rampage, in Champions #5 (April)

Amanda Sefton, in Uncanny X-Men #98 (April)

Star-Lord, in Marvel Preview #4 (January)

Other publishers

Storm (Don Lawrence), in Storm