1988 in comics

Events and publications

February

* February 1:
** The first episode of Bud Grace's ''Piranha Club'' appears in print.
** The first episode of Rick Detorie's ''One Big Happy'' is published.
* February 19:
** The Dutch comics magazine '' Eppo Wordt Vervolgd'' changed its name to ''Sjors en Sjimmie Weekblad'', based on the popularity of their signature series ''Sjors en Sjimmie''. It continued until 1994, after which it was renamed as ''Sjosji''.
** In the first issue, Hanco Kolk and Peter de Wit's photo comic ''Mannetje en Mannetje'' makes its debut.

March

* March 14:
**'' Time'' features cover and interior art for Superman's 50th anniversary by John Byrne and Jerry Ordway.
** '' Batman: The Killing Joke'' by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland, is published by DC Comics.

April

* April 7: Morris receives a medal from the World Health Organization for making Lucky Luke a non-smoker after so many decades.
* April 10: ''FoxTrot'' by Bill Amend is launched by Universal Press Syndicate.
* April 17: The final episode of Kevin McCormick's ''Arnold'' is published.
* April 23:
** ''The Journal of Luke Kirby'' series begins in '' 2000 AD'' #571 (IPC Media).
** '' Action Comics'' #599 features the first Bonus Book, a free insert showcasing the work of new comics creators.
** '' Teen Titans Spotlight'' is canceled by DC Comics with issue #21.

May

* May 12: Two criminals try to kidnap '' Peanuts'' cartoonist Charles M. Schulz's wife, but are scared away in their attempt.
* May 24:
** '' Action Comics'', with issue #601, became a weekly anthology title. (This format lasted until issue #642, March 14, 1989.)
** '' Action Comics'' #600: Golden anniversary issue featuring Superman and Wonder Woman in "Different Worlds," by John Byrne and George Pérez.
** '' The Amazing Spider-Man'' #300: " Venom," by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane.
** ''Green Lantern Corps'' is canceled by DC with issue #224.

June

* The ''Evolutionary War'' crossover event takes place in Marvel Comics.

July

* July 1–3: The first annual Harvey Awards are organized and presented at the Chicago Comicon.
* ''Tales of the Teen Titans'' is canceled by DC with issue #91.

August

* August 14: In the Italian Disney comics magazine ''Topolino'' Little Gum makes his debut in the story ''Paperinik e l’incredibile Little Gum'' by Giulio Chierchini.
*August 26: Belgian comics character Jommeke receives his first statue. It is revealed in front of the library of Beveren, but is destroyed by vandals a few years later.

October

* October 3:
** The first episode of Ray Billingsley's '' Curtis'' is published.
** The first episode of Bill Holbrook's newspaper comic ''Safe Havens'' is published.
* October 5: The first episode of Raoul Cauvin and Malik's gag comic '' Cupidon'' are published in '' Spirou''.
* October 16:
** The final episode of Lee Holley's comic strip ''Ponytail'' is published.
** " Inferno", company-wide Marvel Comics crossover debuted, involving the mutant titles '' The Uncanny X-Men'', ''X-Factor'', ''The New Mutants'', and '' Excalibur'', as well as the ''X-Terminators'' limited series and various other Marvel titles.

November

* November 4-5-6: During the Stripdagen in The Hague Toon van Driel wins the Stripschapprijs. Wilbert Plijnaar, Jan van Die and Robert van der Kroft win the Jaarprijs voor Bijzondere Verdiensten (nowadays the P. Hans Frankfurtherprijs).
* Creator's Bill of Rights signed in Northampton, Massachusetts, by Steve Bissette, Craig Farley, Gerhard, Mark Martin, Larry Marder, Michael Zulli, Ken Mitchroney, Scott McCloud, Dave Sim, Rick Veitch, Peter Laird, Kevin Eastman, and the artists of Mirage Studios.
* '' Black Orchid'' #1 (of 3), the first American comic written by Neil Gaiman, published by DC Comics.
* ''Star Trek'' is canceled by DC Comics with issue #56.
* '' The Draft'', a New Universe one-shot, is published by Marvel Comics.
* '' Concrete'' vol. 1 is canceled by Dark Horse with issue #10.

December

* December 11: In the Italian Disney comics magazine ''Topolino'', Arizona Goof and his rival Kranz made their debut in ''The Lost Temple'', by Bruno Sarda and Maria Luisa Uggetti.
*December 27:
**The gag comic ''Schanulleke'', a spin-off of '' Suske en Wiske'', is launched in Okki by Willy Vandersteen, written by Patty Klein and drawn by Eric De Rop.
* ''Aristocratic Xtraterrestrial Time-Traveling Thieves'' is cancelled by Comics Interview with issue #12.
* '' Mazinger'' by Go Nagai is published by First Comics.
* ''New Teen Titans'' vol. 2 changes its name to ''The New Titans'' with issue #50.
* '' Silver Surfer'' #1 (of 2), an out-of-continuity mini-series by Stan Lee and Moebius, are published by Marvel.
* '' The Warlord'' is canceled by DC Comics with issue #133.
* ''"Semper Fi"'' #1 is published by Marvel Comics.

Specific date unknown

* ''Brought to Light'', a political anthology of two nonfiction stories, is published by Eclipse Comics. Both are based on material from lawsuits filed by the Christic Institute against the U.S. Government. The two stories are "Shadowplay: The Secret Team," by Alan Moore and Bill Sienkiewicz; and "Flashpoint: The LA Penca Bombing," documented by Martha Honey and Tony Avirgan and adapted by Joyce Brabner and Tom Yeates.
* ''Someplace Strange'' a graphic novel written by Ann Nocenti, with artwork by John Bolton, is published by the Marvel Comics imprint Epic Comics.
* '' Marvel Graphic Novel'' #34: '' Cloak and Dagger: Predator and Prey'', by Bill Mantlo and Larry Stroman is published by Marvel.

Births

Deaths

January

* January 4: Henfil, Brazilian comics artist (''Zeferino'', ''Bode Orellana'', ''Os Fradins'', ''Orelhão'', ''Urubu'', ''Pó de Arroz'', ''Bacalhau'', ''Ubaldo'', ''Paranóico'', ''Graúna''), dies at age 43 from AIDS.
* January 30: Homer Brightman, American animation screenwriter and comics writer (original scriptwriter of Al Taliaferro's ''Donald Duck'' comic strip ), dies at age 86.

February

* February 11: Lino Landolfi, Italian comics artist (''Procopio''), dies at age 62.
* February 25: Dori Seda, American underground comics artist (''Lonely Nights Comics: Stories To Read When the Couple Next Door Is Fucking Too Loud''), dies of respiratory failure at age 37."''Lonely Nights'' Artist Dori Seda Dead At 37," ''The Comics Journal'' #121 (April 1988).
* February 4: Frank Giacoia, American comics artist (worked on '' The Amazing Spider-Man'', ''Captain America''), dies at age 63.
* February 13: Ron Embleton, British comics artist (
Wulf the Briton
', '' Oh, Wicked Wanda'') dies of a heart attack at age 57.

March

* March 2:
** Enrodi István, Hungarian designer and comics artist, dies at age 67.
** Leslie Turner, American comics artist (continued '' Wash Tubbs'', which eventually became '' Captain Easy''), dies at age 88.
* March 6: Jack Binder, American comics artist (''Daredevil''), dies at age 86.
* March 8: Jan Kraan, Dutch illustrator, animator and comics artist, dies at age 87.
* March 26: Rit-Ola, Swedish comics artist (''Biffen och Bananen