1995 in comics

Year overall

Publishers Broadway Comics, Tekno Comix, Class Comics, Fantasy Flight Publications, Moonstone Books, A is A, and Ace Comics all debut; WildStorm introduces its Homage Comics imprint; Defiant Comics ceases publishing

Marvel reintroduces the Amazing Fantasy comic book with #16 with a December 1995 date. It was cancelled with a March 1996 date. Both three issues feature Spider-Man.

January

After Xavier: The Age of Apocalypse is launched. All X-titles change to different names for the next four months.

Thor marks his 400th appearance in Marvel Comics with issue #482.

Silver Surfer vol. 2 #100: by Ron Marz, Joe Phillips, and Tom Grindberg.

February

Doom Patrol vol. 2 is canceled by DC Comics with issue #87.

March

Jerry Ordway launches The Power of Shazam for DC Comics. The title has a March 1995 cover date.

Marvel Comics Presents vol. 1 is canceled by Marvel with issue #175.

March 9: Marvel Comics (through its Fleer subsidiary) buys trading card manufacturer SkyBox International for $150 million.

April

The Amazing Spider-Man #400: "A Death In the Family." Die-cut embossed cover. (Marvel Comics)

April 30: DC Comics announces its products will be distributed exclusively by Diamond Comics Distribution, Inc.

May

Fantastic Four #400: "Even the Watchers Can Die!" by Tom DeFalco, Paul Ryan, and Dan Bulanadi.

X-Men: Omega is released and the X-titles revert to their normal continuity.

Loki makes an appearance in issue #21 of the Malibu Ultraverse title Hard Case.

Superman (vol. 2) #100: "The Death of Clark Kent," by Dan Jurgens.

July

July 24: Image Comics and Dark Horse Comics announce they will be exclusively distributed by Diamond Comic Distributors.

Savage Sword of Conan, with issue #235, is cancelled by Marvel.

Marvel cancels all three Punisher titles due to poor sales:

The Punisher vol. 2 (1987 series) is canceled with issue #104 (with The Punisher taking on Bullseye)

Punisher War Journal is canceled with issue #80

The Punisher War Zone is canceled with issue #41

August

Deadline is canceled by Deadline Publications Ltd with issue #70 (Aug./Sept.).

Johnny the Homicidal Maniac debuts.

September

Malibu Comics relaunches its Ultraverse titles with the Infinity promotion. The most popular characters, such as Prime, Mantra, Exiles, and Rune, come back with all-black covers and an infinity symbol on the cover.

Marvel's Marvel Edge imprint debuts, featuring the titles Daredevil, Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme, Ghost Rider, and Incredible Hulk

October

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures is canceled by Archie Comics with issue #72.

November

Marvel launches The Punisher #1 under the Marvel Edge imprint

Animal Man is canceled by DC Comics with issue #89.

December

December 31: Publication of final Calvin and Hobbes comic strip

January

January 12: George Price, American cartoonist (The New Yorker), dies at the age of 93.

February

February 19: Paul Jamin, aka Jam, Alfred Gérard and/or Alidor, Belgian comics artist and cartoonist (Le Vol du Bourdon), dies at age 83.

February 23: Don Heck, American comics artist (Iron Man, Avengers), dies at age 66.

March

March 29: Mort Meskin, American comics artist (DC Comics) dies at age 78.

May

May 5: Ye Qianyu, Chinese comics artist (Mr. Wang), passes away at the age of 88.

May 26: Friz Freleng, American animator and cartoonist (Looney Tunes, Tweety and Sylvester, Yosemite Sam, The Pink Panther), dies at age 88.

July

July 16: Harry Buckinx, Dutch comics artist (Titul, Titula, De Familie Aepebroeck), passes away from cancer at the age of 51.

July 20: George Caragonne, American comics writer and editor (Marvel Comics, Penthouse Comix), commits suicide at c. age 30.

August

August 20: Hugo Pratt, Italian comics artist (Corto Maltese, El Sargento Kirk, Ernie Pike, Jesuit Joe, Asso di Picche), dies at age 68.

September

September 7: Russell Johnson, American comics artist (Mister Oswald), passes away at age 97.

September 30: Nestor Redondo, Filipino comics artist (DC Comics, Marvel Comics), dies at age 67.

October

October 21: Jesús Blasco, Spanish comics artist and writer (Cuto, Capitán Trueno), dies at age 75.

November

November 2: Ollie Harrington, American comics artist (Dark Laughter), dies at age 83 in Berlin, Germany.

December

December 5: L. B. Cole, American comics artist (Contact Comics, Captain Flight Comics), dies at age 77.

Exhibitions

August 1–October 27: "See You in the Funny Papers: American Life as Reflected in the Newspaper Comic Strip," curated by Lucy Shelton Caswell in conjunction with the Festival of Cartoon Art (Ohio State University Cartoon, Graphic, and Photographic Arts Research Library, Columbus, Ohio)

December 7, 1995 – February 11, 1996: "Classic Comics — A Selection of Stories from EC Comics," featuring the work of, among others, John Severin (Words & Pictures Museum, Northampton, Massachusetts)

Conventions

January 15: Albuquerque Comic Con (Albuquerque Marriott, Albuquerque, New Mexico) — guests include Sheldon Moldoff and Tom Grindberg

January 22: Great Eastern Conventions Boston (57 Park Plaza, Boston, Massachusetts) — c. 750 attendees

January 26–29: Angoulême International Comics Festival (Angoulême, France) — 22nd annual festival

February 19: Spirits of Independence (Austin, Texas) — featuring organizers Dave Sim and Gerhard, and Martin Wagner

February 24–26: The New York Comic Book Spectacular (Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York City)

Spring: MegaCon (Orlando, Florida) — guests include Gil Kane, Dick Giordano, and Howard Chaykin

March: Motor City Comic Con I

March 25: Spirits of Independence (Hyatt Downtown, Columbus, OH) — guests include Dave Sim and Gerhard, Paul Pope, Steve Bissette, and M'Oak

April: Pittsburgh Comicon (Monroeville, Pennsylvania)

April 15–16: Dallas Fantasy Fair I (Harvey Hotel, Irving, Texas) — guests include Adam Hughes, Susie Owens, and Mark Goddard

April 15: Spirits of Independence (Seattle, Washington) — featuring organizers Dave Sim and Gerhard, and Drew Hayes

April 21–23: WonderCon (Oakland, California) — held in conjunction with Pro/Con

May 19: Alternative Press Expo (San Jose, California)

Summer: CAPTION (Oxford Union Society, Oxford, England)

June 23–25: Atlanta Fantasy Fair (Castlegate Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia) — final iteration of this show; official guests include Claudia Christian, Dirk Benedict, Dwight Schultz, Jeff Pittarelli, Don Hillsman II, Wayne Vansant, Joe Phillips

June 23: Small Press Expo (Bethesda, Maryland) — second annual show

June 30–July 2: Chicago Comicon (Rosemont Convention Center, Rosemont, Illinois) — 20,000 attendees; guest of honor: Peter David; special guests: Sal Buscema, Roy Thomas, John Romita Sr., Chris Claremont, Jim Shooter, and Julius Schwartz

July: Heroes Convention (Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, North Carolina) — special guest: Todd McFarlane

July 1: Spirits of Independence (Manchester, Vermont) — featuring organizers Dave Sim and Gerhard, and Stephen R. Bissette

July 13–16: Dragon Con/International Starfleet Conference (Atlanta Hilton & Towers, Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel & Atlanta Civic Center, Atlanta, Georgia) — 14,312 attendees; guests of honor: George Alec Effinger, Harlan Ellison, Timothy Zahn, Michael Whelan, and Bjo Trimble

July 27–30: Comic-Con International (San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California) — 34,000 attendees; special guests include Mike Baron, Simon Bisley, Charles Burns, Alan Davis, Ramona Fradon, Neil Gaiman, James Gurney, Greg Hildebrandt, Tim Hildebrandt, Ryoichi Ikegami, Gil Kane, Stan Lee, Irv Novick, Harvey Pekar, Stan Sakai, Joe Sinnott, Tom Sito, Jeff Smith, and Andrew Vachss. Comic-Con officially changes its name to Comic-Con International, and introduces its new "eye" logo designed by Richard Bruning

August 12: Spirits—Chicago Independent Comics Expo (I.C.E.) (Radisson Suites Hotel O'Hare, Rosemont, IL) — guests include Jessica Abel, Stephen R. Bissette, Joe Chiapetta, Evan Dorkin, Sarah Dyer, Matt Feazell, Troy Hickman, David Lapham, Larry Marder, Mark Oakley, Paul Pope, Alex Robinson, Andrew Robinson, Dave Sim & Gerhard, Jim Valentino, and Joe Zabel

August 11–13: Dallas Fantasy Fair II (Dallas Market Hall Convention Center, Dallas, Texas) — presentation of the Harvey Awards; keynote speaker and master-of-ceremonies: Jim Starlin; official guests include Sergio Aragonés, Kurt Busiek, Rob Liefeld, Terry Moore, David W. Mack, Martin Nodell, Julius Schwartz, Mark Schultz, Jeff Smith, William Stout, Chris Ware, Al Williamson, and Jim Woodring

August 12–13: Canadian National Comic Book Exposition, (Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto, Ontario, Canada) — c. 1400 attendees; guests include J. Scott Campbell, Kelley Jones, Joe Jusko, Bill Sienkiewicz, Bernie Wrightson, Brian Hotton, Stephen Platt, Ken Lashley, and Ty Templeton

August 25–26: Festival of Cartoon Art (Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio) — 5th edition; official guests include Garry Trudeau, Jeff MacNelly, Lynn Johnston, Bill Amend, Robb Armstrong, Stephen Bentley, Bruce Beattie, and Bill Griffith

September 9–10: Great Eastern Conventions New York II (Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York City)

September 1: Spirits of Independence (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) — featuring organizers Dave Sim and Gerhard, and Don Simpson

October 7–8: Motor City Comic Con II (Dearborn Civic Center)

October 7: Spirits of Independence (Phoenix, Arizona) — featuring organizers Dave Sim and Gerhard, and James A. Owen

November 4: Spirits of Independence (Kitchener, Ontario) — featuring organizers Dave Sim and Gerhard

November 25–26: Dallas Fantasy Fair III (Harvey Hotel, Irving, Texas) — guests include Julie Newmar

November 25–26: Mid-Ohio Con (Columbus Ohio) — Special guest: Barry Windsor-Smith; other guests: Mark Evanier, Roger Stern, William Messner-Loebs, John Byrne, Sergio Aragonés, Brian Michael Bendis, Martin Egeland, Dick Giordano, David Mack, Joe Pruett, Beau Smith, Jim Shooter, Jeff Smith, and Bernie Wrightson

DC Comics

Power of Shazam

Sovereign Seven

Delcourt

De cape et de crocs

Malibu Ultraverse

Godwheel

Marvel Comics

Amazing X-Men

Astonishing X-Men

Avengers: The Crossing

Gambit and the X-Ternals

Generation Next

Prime

Skrull Kill Crew

Weapon X

X-Calibre

X-Men: Omega

Vertigo Comics

Preacher

Independent

Astro City (as Kurt Busiek's Astro City)

Dark Town by Mad Monkey Press Writer:Kaja Blackley Artist: Vanessa Chong

Stray Bullets (by Él Capitan)