1983 in comics

Years in comics
19th Century
1900s
	1900 · 1901 · 1902 · 1903 · 1904 ; 1905 · 1906 · 1907 · 1908 · 1909
1910s
	1910 · 1911 · 1912 · 1913 · 1914 ; 1915 · 1916 · 1917 · 1918 · 1919
1920s
	1920 · 1921 · 1922 · 1923 · 1924 ; 1925 · 1926 · 1927 · 1928 · 1929
1930s
	1930 · 1931 · 1932 · 1933 · 1934 ; 1935 · 1936 · 1937 · 1938 · 1939
1940s
	1940 · 1941 · 1942 · 1943 · 1944 ; 1945 · 1946 · 1947 · 1948 · 1949
1950s
	1950 · 1951 · 1952 · 1953 · 1954 ; 1955 · 1956 · 1957 · 1958 · 1959
1960s
	1960 · 1961 · 1962 · 1963 · 1964 ; 1965 · 1966 · 1967 · 1968 · 1969
1970s
	1970 · 1971 · 1972 · 1973 · 1974 ; 1975 · 1976 · 1977 · 1978 · 1979
1980s
	1980 · 1981 · 1982 · 1983 · 1984 ; 1985 · 1986 · 1987 · 1988 · 1989
1990s
	1990 · 1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1994 ; 1995 · 1996 · 1997 · 1998 · 1999
2000s
	2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 ; 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009
2010s
	2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 ; 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019

Notable events of 1983 in comics. See also List of years in comics.

Events and publications[edit | edit source]

Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird found Northampton, Massachusetts-based Mirage Studios.

Chicago-based First Comics makes a strong entree into the publishing field, putting out four ongoing titles, American Flagg!, E-Man, Jon Sable Freelance, and Warp!; featuring the talents of such established creators as Howard Chaykin, Mike Grell, Frank Brunner, and Joe Staton.

DC Comics acquires most of Charlton Comics' "Action Hero" superhero characters — including Blue Beetle, Captain Atom and The Question — from the failing publisher.

Long-time comics publisher Warren Publishing declares bankruptcy.

Publicly traded Archie Comics acquired by Richard Goldwater (son of original Archie co-founder John L. Goldwater) and Michael Silberkleit, returning the publisher to private ownership.^[1]

Noble Comics, original publisher of Justice Machine, ceases publication. Texas Comics picks up the title, publishing the Justice Machine Annual, featuring the first appearance of Bill Willingham's Elementals, as well as a crossover between the Justice Machine and the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents. After Texas folds later the same year, Comico Comics takes over both Justice Machine and Elementals.

January[edit | edit source]

Frank Chiaramonte, long-time freelance inker for DC and Marvel, dies at age 40.

February[edit | edit source]

Wonder Woman #300: Special anniversary issue written by Roy Thomas, Danette Thomas, and Dan Mishkin (consultant). (DC Comics)
Bizarre Adventures (Marvel Comics) publishes its final issue, #34.
The Buyer's Guide to Comics Fandom is acquired by Krause Publications and changes its name to Comics Buyer's Guide.

March[edit | edit source]

David Anthony Kraft publishes the first issue of his long-running magazine Comics Interview.
Archie Comics revives its Red Circle Comics superhero imprint with Mighty Crusaders #1.
Billy the Kid (1957 series), with issue #153, canceled by Charlton.
March 3: The Adventures of Tintin creator Hergé dies at age 75.

April[edit | edit source]

April 6: Golden Age inker Christopher Rule dies at age 87.
The Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 2 #298 features an insert previewing the upcoming Amethyst series by writers Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn and artist Ernie Colón.^[2]
Crazy Magazine, with issue #94, canceled by Marvel.

May[edit | edit source]

Jason Todd makes his debut as the second Robin in Detective Comics #526.

June[edit | edit source]

Action Comics #544: 68-page anniversary issue; origins of revamped Lex Luthor (by Cary Bates and Curt Swan) and Brainiac (by Marv Wolfman and Gil Kane).
Adventure Comics #500: 148-page giant, reprints of "Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes" from issues #305-313, mostly written by Edmond Hamilton (who had died in 1977).
Legion of Super-Heroes #300: 68-page anniversary issue; the cover features the Legionnaires drawn by over twenty separate artists.
With issue #124, DC publishes the final issue of its supernatural war comic Weird War Tales.
Master of Kung Fu, with issue #125, is cancelled by Marvel.
Marvel Two-in-One, with issue #100, is cancelled by Marvel (replaced the following month by the new title The Thing).

July[edit | edit source]

First issue of Frank Miller's Ronin limited series published by DC Comics.
With issue #200, DC publishes the final issue of The Brave and the Bold, which also features a preview insert for the new title Batman and the Outsiders.^[3]

August[edit | edit source]

Alan Moore's "The Bojeffries Saga" starts with "The Rentman Cometh," in Warrior #12, published by Quality Communications (continued through 1986).
Harris Publications acquired bankrupt publisher Warren Publishing's company assets at auction.

September[edit | edit source]

With issue #503, DC ceases publishing Adventure Comics, which had been running continuously since November 1938.

October[edit | edit source]

House of Mystery, with issue #321, canceled by DC.
The Comet — #1 of a planned six-issue limited series, published by Red Circle Comics.
The Black Hood, with issue #3, is cancelled by Red Circle.

November[edit | edit source]

Walt Simonson makes his debut as writer/artist on Thor with issue #337 and introduces the character Beta Ray Bill.
The Daredevils, with issue #11, is merged with The Mighty World of Marvel (Marvel UK).

December[edit | edit source]

First issue of Marvel's Magik (Storm and Illyana Limited Series), written by Chris Claremont.
Lancelot Strong: The Shield, with issue #3, is re-titled Shield—Steel Sterling. (Red Circle Comics)
The Comet, a planned six-issue limited series, is cancelled with issue #2 by Red Circle Comics.

Exhibitions and shows[edit | edit source]

August 12–26: The Comic Art Show (Whitney Museum of American Art, Downtown, New York City) — curated by John Carlin and Sheena Wagstaff; artists include Alfred Jarry, Stuart Davis, Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, Lyonel Feininger, and Art Spiegelman^[4]

Conventions[edit | edit source]

Summer: Comix Fair 83 (Houston, Texas) — guests include Terrence Dicks, Bill Mumy, Jim Shooter, Steve Englehart, Chris Claremont, Paul Smith, Kerry Gammill, Ernie Chan, Josef Rubinstein, Sam De La Rosa, Dick Giordano, Sal Amendola, Marv Wolfman, Len Wein, Mike W. Barr, P. Craig Russell, Rick Obadiah, Mike Grell, Mark Wheatley & Marc Hempel, Dave & Deni Sim, Cat Yronwode, Dean Mullaney, Max Allan Collins, Terry Beatty, John Carbonaro, Jaxon, Jeff Millar & Bill Hinds, and Jerry Bittle
June: Heroes Convention (Charlotte, North Carolina)
June 25–26: Colorado Comic Art Convention (Rocky Mountain School of Art, Denver, Colorado) — official guests include Phil Normand, Marshall Rogers, Larry Mahlstedt, Ron Wilson, Gil Kane, and Edward Bryant
July 2–4: Comic Art Convention (as International Science Fiction and Comic Art Convention) (Sheraton Hotel, New York City) — final iteration of this long-running show; guests include Philip José Farmer; presentation of the Saturn Awards
July 22–24: Chicago Comicon (American-Congress Hotel, Chicago, Illinois)
August 4–7: San Diego Comic-Con (Convention and Performing Arts Center and Hotel San Diego, California) — 5,000 attendees; official guests: Douglas Adams, Bob Clampett, Floyd Gottfredson, Harvey Kurtzman, Norman Maurer, Grim Natwick, George Pérez, Trina Robbins
September: OrlandoCon (Orlando, Florida) — guests include Harvey Kurtzman, Wayne Boring, Will Eisner, C. C. Beck, Joe Kubert, Don Wright, Ralph Kent, Morris Weiss, Dik Browne, and Dean Young
October 15: London Comic Mart (Central Hall, Westminster, England) — presentation of the Eagle Awards
November: Mid-Ohio Con (Ohio) — guests include David Prowse
November 25–27: Fantasy Festival (Sheraton Park Central, Dallas, Texas) — guests include Roger Zelazny, Alan Dean Foster, George R.R. Martin, and Howard Waldrop

Awards[edit | edit source]

* Ronald Michaud receives the Advertising and Illustration Award from the National Cartoonist Society.

Eagle Awards[edit | edit source]

Presented in 1984 for comics published in 1983:

Best Story: V for Vendetta, by Alan Moore and David Lloyd (Warrior, Quality Communications)
Best Graphic Novel: Nemesis the Warlock, by Bryan Talbot
Favourite Group Book: The New Teen Titans (DC Comics)
Favourite Group or Team: The X-Men
Favourite Character: Torquemada, from Nemesis the Warlock, by Brian Talbot
Favourite Comics Writer: Alan Moore, "V for Vendetta", Warrior (Quality Communications)
Favourite Artist: Bill Sienkiewicz^[5]
Favourite Inker: Terry Austin
Favourite Single or Continued Story (UK): "Marvelman", in Warrior #1-3 & 5-6, by Alan Moore and Garry Leach
Best UK Title: Warrior, edited by Dez Skinn (Quality Communications)
Best New Title (UK): The Daredevils, edited by Bernie Jaye (Marvel UK)
Favourite Artist (UK): Alan Davis^[6]
Roll of Honour: Will Eisner^[7]

First issues by title[edit | edit source]

Archie Comics[edit | edit source]

The Black Hood

Release: June by Red Circle Comics. Editor: Rich Buckler.

Blue Ribbon Comics

Release: November by Red Circle Comics. Editor: Robin Snyder.

The Fly

Release: May by Red Circle Comics. Editor: Rich Buckler.

Lancelot Strong: The Shield

Release: June by Red Circle Comics. Editor: Rich Buckler.

Mighty Crusaders vol. 2

Release: March by Red Circle Comics. Editor: Rich Buckler.

DC Comics[edit | edit source]

Batman and The Outsiders

Release: July. Writer: Mike W. Barr. Artist: Jim Aparo.

DC Graphic Novels: Star Raiders

Release: August. Writer: Elliot S! Maggin. Artist: José Luis García-López.

Omega Men

Release: April. Writer: Roger Slifer. Artist: Keith Giffen.

Thriller

Release: November. Writer: Robert Loren Fleming. Artist: Trevor Von Eeden.

First Comics[edit | edit source]

American Flagg!

Release: October. Writer/Artist: Howard Chaykin.

E-Man

Release: April. Writer: Martin Pasko. Artist: Joe Staton.

Jon Sable Freelance

Release: June. Writer/Artist: Mike Grell.

Warp!

Release: March. Editor: Mike Gold.

Marvel Comics[edit | edit source]

Alpha Flight

Release: August. Writer/Artist: John Byrne.

The Daredevils

Release: January by Marvel UK. Editor: Bernie Jaye.

Marvel Age

Release: April. Editors: Peter David and Carol Kalish.

New Mutants

Release: March. Writer: Chris Claremont. Artists: Bob McLeod and Mike Gustovich.

The Thing

Release: July. Writer: John Byrne. Artists: Ron Wilson and Joe Sinnott.

Independent titles[edit | edit source]

Albedo Anthropomorphics: Release: Thoughts & Images. Writers/Artists: Steve Gallacci, et al.

Badger: Release: July by Capital Comics. Writer: Mike Baron. Artist: Jeff Butler.

Biebel: Release: by Standaard Uitgeverij. Writer and artist: Marc Legendre.

A Distant Soil: Release: December by WaRP Graphics. Writers/Artists: Colleen Doran.

Eclipse Monthly: Release: August by Eclipse Comics. Editors: Cat Yronwode and Dean Mullaney.

Les Cités Obscures: Les murailles de Samaris; Release: Casterman. Writer: Benoît Peeters. Artist: François Schuiten.

Nexus: Release: May by Capital Comics. Writer: Mike Baron. Artist: Steve Rude.

Skateman: Release: November by Pacific Comics. Writer/Artist: Neal Adams.

Initial appearances by character name[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

↑ Blumenthal, Ralph. "John L. Goldwater, Creator of Archie and Pals, Dies at 83," New York Times (March 2, 1999).
↑ Manning, Matthew K.; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1980s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. [[wikipedia:Dorling Kindersley|]]. p. 201. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. The other-dimensional Gemworld found a new princess in the form of Amy Winston, an ordinary young girl from a distant reality, in the pages of a sixteen-page insert comic by writers Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn, and artist Ernie Colón." "Standing strong against the forces of the nefarious Dark Opal, Amethyst was gearing up for her own self-titled maxiseries in May.
↑ "Despite being the final issue of this particular series, the book wasn't closed on Batman's team-ups. Although Batman was through working with partners, it was time to think bigger, and in a special sixteen-page preview insert written by Barr and with art by Jim Aparo, the Outsiders debuted. A super-hero team of Batman's own creation, the Outsiders would soon star alongside Batman in the new monthly series Batman and the Outsiders." Manning p. 202
↑ Russell, John. "Art: A Show Of Comics At Downtown Whitney," New York Times (Aug. 12, 1983).
↑ wordsandpictures.org. "Bill Sienkiewicz-Awards, Exhibits".
↑ Davis profile, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999.
↑ Eisner profile, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999.

Category:1983 in comics Category:Incomplete literature lists

[1] Blumenthal, Ralph. "John L. Goldwater, Creator of Archie and Pals, Dies at 83," New York Times (March 2, 1999).

[2] Manning, Matthew K.; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1980s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. [[wikipedia:Dorling Kindersley|]]. p. 201. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. The other-dimensional Gemworld found a new princess in the form of Amy Winston, an ordinary young girl from a distant reality, in the pages of a sixteen-page insert comic by writers Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn, and artist Ernie Colón." "Standing strong against the forces of the nefarious Dark Opal, Amethyst was gearing up for her own self-titled maxiseries in May.

[3] "Despite being the final issue of this particular series, the book wasn't closed on Batman's team-ups. Although Batman was through working with partners, it was time to think bigger, and in a special sixteen-page preview insert written by Barr and with art by Jim Aparo, the Outsiders debuted. A super-hero team of Batman's own creation, the Outsiders would soon star alongside Batman in the new monthly series Batman and the Outsiders." Manning p. 202

[4] Russell, John. "Art: A Show Of Comics At Downtown Whitney," New York Times (Aug. 12, 1983).

[W.26P-BS-5] wordsandpictures.org. "Bill Sienkiewicz-Awards, Exhibits".

[6] Davis profile, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999.

[7] Eisner profile, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]