Notable events of 2018 in comics. It includes any relevant comics-related events, deaths of notable comics-related people, conventions and first issues by title.

Events

February

* February 3: The final episode of Bud Grace's ''

Piranha Club ''Piranha Club'' was a comic strip written and illustrated by Bud Grace. It was originally called ''Ernie'', but the title was changed in 1998. The club is meant as a parody on Lions Club International, and the strip made its debut in February ...

'' is published. * February 13: A legal declaration on behalf of

Stan Lee Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book author, writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Comics which later bec ...

's attorney Tom Lallas accuses Lee's daughter, Joan Celia Lee, and attorneys Jerry Olivarez, Keya Morgan and Kirk Schenck of "continuing attempts to control Lee's life and exercise undue influence over his property, assets and business affairs." In April, Lee is, however, filmed denying the accusations, yet confirming that he signed the statement, despite not being able to properly read it due to

macular degeneration Macular degeneration, also known as age-related macular degeneration (AMD or ARMD), is a medical condition which may result in blurred vision, blurred or vision loss, no vision in the center of the visual field. Early on there are often no sym ...

. * February 16: Stan Lee's tour manager, Max Anderson, is removed by the police for aggressive behaviour towards Lee. The report is filed by Keya Morgan and denied by Anderson. * February 18: Guy Gilchrist quits drawing '' Nancy'' after continuing the series for 22 years. * Anne Guillard's comic book ''On A Chopé la Puberté'' (''We Caught Puberty'') in her ''Les Pipelettes'' series causes controversy on the accusation that it is

sexist Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one's sex or gender. Sexism can affect anyone, but primarily affects women and girls. It has been linked to gender roles and stereotypes, and may include the belief that one sex or gender is int ...

and confirms stereotypes about underage teen girls being lust objects, as well as being hebophilic. A petition is signed to remove it from shops. The publishing company agrees to not reprint it. Guillard writes an

open letter An open letter is a Letter (message), letter that is intended to be read by a wide audience, or a letter intended for an individual, but that is nonetheless widely distributed intentionally. Open letters usually take the form of a letter (mess ...

the next month, effectively terminating her series there and then.

March

* March 18: During an episode of ''

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver ''Last Week Tonight with John Oliver'' (often abridged as ''Last Week Tonight'') is an American news satire late-night talk show hosted by comedian John Oliver. The half-hour-long show premiered in the end of April 2014 on HBO and currently has ...

John Oliver John William Oliver (born 23 April 1977) is a British and American comedian who hosts ''Last Week Tonight with John Oliver'' on HBO. He started his career as a stand-up comedian in the United Kingdom and came to wider attention for his work ...

presents the book '' A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo'' by Jill Twiss, illustrated by

Gerald Kelley Gerald Kelley is an American children's book illustrator. He works in an elaborate style with water color and precise detail. Kelley is known for his work on James Bowen (author), James Bowen's ''Bob the Cat'' series and ''A Day in the Life of Ma ...

under the pseudonym E.G. Keller, a parody of Charlotte Pence's '' Marlon Bundo's: A Day in the Life of the Vice President'', illustrated by

Karen Pence Karen Sue Pence ( Batten, formerly Whitaker; born January 1, 1957) is an American schoolteacher who was the second lady of the United States from 2017 to 2021. She is married to the 48th vice president of the United States, Mike Pence. Pence w ...

. Both books are about

U.S. Vice President The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest ranking office in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. Th ...

Mike Pence Michael Richard Pence (born June 7, 1959) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 48th vice president of the United States from 2017 to 2021 under President Donald Trump. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Repub ...

's pet rabbit

Marlon Bundo Marlon Bundo (2012/2013 – January 15, 2022), also known as Bunny of the United States (BOTUS), was a rabbit belonging to the family of Mike Pence, the 48th Vice President of the United States, vice president of the United States from 2017 to ...

, but the one presented during Oliver's show has an

LGBT LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The gro ...

themed story and is a satire on Mike Pence's controversial homophobic policies. * March 31- April 1: During the Stripdagen in

Utrecht Utrecht ( ; ; ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city of the Netherlands, as well as the capital and the most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Utrecht (province), Utrecht. The ...

Peter van Dongen Peter van Dongen (born 21 October 1966 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch cartoonist A cartoonist is a visual artist who specializes in both drawing and writing cartoons (individual images) or comics (sequential images). Cartoonists differ from com ...

wins the

Stripschapprijs The Stripschapprijs is a Dutch prize awarded to List of comic creators, comic creators for their entire body of work. It is awarded annually by the ''Stripschap'', the Dutch Society of comics fans, since 1974. The prize is non-pecuniary, but is con ...

. Comics journalists Rob van Eijck, Willem van Helden and Joost Pollmann win the P. Hans Frankfurtherprijs. Peter Middeldorp receives the Bulletje en Boonestaakschaal.

April

* April 4:

IDW Publishing IDW Publishing is an American publisher of comic books, graphic novels, art books, and comic strip collections. It was founded in 1999 as the publishing division of Idea and Design Works, LLC (IDW) and is recognized as the fifth-largest comic ...

releases the 1st issue of ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' reboot comic series. Following a legal disput, the reboot will have no connection with the previous continuity. * April 9: Olivia Jaimes continues '' Nancy''. * April 13:

files a lawsuit against his former manager Jerardo Olivarez, alleging fraud, financial abuse of an elder and misappropriation of his name and likeness. * April 18: ''Action Comics'' #1000 released. * April 26: Dutch comic artist Eric Heuvel is knighted in the

Order of the Netherlands Lion The Order of the Netherlands Lion, also known as the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands (, ) is a Dutch honours system, Dutch order of chivalry founded by William I of the Netherlands on 29 September 1815. The Order of the Netherlands Lion wa ...

May

* May 15:

sues

POW! Entertainment POW! Entertainment Inc. is an American media production company formed in 2001 by Gill Champion, Arthur Lieberman and former Marvel Comics editor and publisher Stan Lee. POW! is made up of two companies: POW! Entertainment, Inc. (POW! Inc.), a ...

for "manufacturing a fraudulent intellectual property agreement, which granted POW! the exclusive right to use Lee's name, identity, image and likeness on a worldwide basis in perpetuity". * May 24: Dutch comics salesman, publisher and collector Hans Matla is knighted as

Ridder in de Orde van Oranje-Nassau The Order of Orange-Nassau () is a civil and military Dutch order of chivalry founded on 4 April 1892 by the queen regent, Emma of the Netherlands. The order is a chivalric order open to "everyone who has performed acts of special merits for ...

June

* June 13:

's former business manager Keya Morgan is arrested for filing a false report of an emergency and two counts of filing a false report of a crime, along with a probation violation. Two days later a

restraining order A restraining order or protective order is an order used by a court to protect a person in a situation often involving alleged domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, assault, harassment, stalking, or sexual assault. Restraining and perso ...

is filed against him too. He denies the accusations. * June 19: In the Central Station of Brussels a ceiling fresco depicting

The Smurfs ''The Smurfs'' (; ) is a Belgian comic franchise centered on a fictional colony of small, blue, humanoid creatures who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. ''The Smurfs'' was created and introduced as a series of comic characters by ...

is inaugurated. * June 25: The heirs of Belgian comic artist Pom win their case against publisher 't Mannekesblad over breach of contract, regarding the reprints of his signature series '' Piet Pienter en Bert Bibber''.

Standaard Uitgeverij Standaard Uitgeverij is a Belgian publisher, and the leading publisher in the Dutch language market of Flanders. History In 1919, the Standaard group was created, mainly consisting of a chain of bookshops (Standaard Boekhandel), a newspaper (''De ...

will now reprint the series instead. * June 26: Bill Morrison becomes executive editor of '' Mad''.

August

* August 6: In

Ghent, Belgium Ghent ( ; ; historically known as ''Gaunt'' in English) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the Provinces of Belgium, province ...

, cartoonist Mauro Padovani and his husband Thomas become victim of

gay bashing Gay bashing is an attack, abuse, or assault committed against a person who is perceived by the aggressor to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ+). It includes both violence against LGBTQ people and LGBTQ bullying. The te ...

. They have to be brought to a hospital. The culprits are later arrested. * August 10: In an interview

confirms that he made some bad decisions regarding his financial matters, but denies any bad relations with his daughter. * August 29: In the British comic magazine

The Beano ''The Beano'' (formerly ''The Beano Comic'') is a British anthology comic magazine created by Scottish publishing company DC Thomson. Its first issue was published on 30 July 1938, and it published its 4000th issue in August 2019. Popular and ...

the character Gnasher is announced to have disappeared, but in the next issue, printed on 5 September, it turns out to have been a publicity stunt for the animal welfare society Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. * August 30: Mercy-Man debuts as

Tajikistan Tajikistan, officially the Republic of Tajikistan, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Dushanbe is the capital city, capital and most populous city. Tajikistan borders Afghanistan to the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border, south, Uzbekistan to ...

's first superhero.

September

* September 24: Comic characters

Suske en Wiske ''Spike and Suzy'' (British title), ''Willy and Wanda'' (American title) or ''Luke and Lucy'' (in a 2009 film and video game) (, ) is a Belgian comics series created by the comic book creator, comics author Willy Vandersteen. It was first publis ...

receive a statue in

Middelkerke Middelkerke () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders, on the North Sea, west of Ostend. The municipality comprises the villages of Leffinge, Lombardsijde, Mannekensvere, Middelkerke proper, Schore, Sint-Pieters-K ...

, Belgium. * September 25: Dutch cartoonist Tjeerd Royaards wins the ''Inktspotprijs'' for ''Best Political Cartoon''. * September 28: French comics artist

Bastien Vivès Bastien Vivès (born 11 February 1984) is a French comic book artist. Life and career Born in Paris, Vivès spent his childhood drawing with his younger brother. He took live model classes from the age of 10 years. Vivès studied Applied arts at ...

causes controversy with the graphic novel ''Petit Paul'', about a ten-year-old boy who is stalked for his huge penis by adult women. A petition is signed to ban the book, which some stores effectively do.

October

* October 19: The final episode of Paige Braddock's ''

Jane's World ''Jane's World'' was a comic strip by cartoonist Paige Braddock that ran from March 1998 to October 2018. Featuring lesbian and bisexual women characters, the strip stars Jane Wyatt, a young lesbian living in a trailer in Northern California w ...

'' is published.

Deaths

January

* January 8: Ron Tandberg, Australian cartoonist and comics artist (''Fred and Others''), dies at age 74. * January 18: Mark Campos, American alternative comics artist (''Places That Are Gone''), commits suicide at age 55. * January 18: Chandi Lahiri, Indian cartoonist, dies at age 86. * January 20: Bob Wakelin, British album cover & video game cover designer and comic artist (worked for

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...

), dies at age 65 or 66. * January 24: ** Marc Ratal, Belgian comics artist (''Puck Reporter''), dies at age 75. **

Jan Steeman Jan Steeman (23 May 1933 – 24 January 2018) was a Dutch comics artist, best known for his association football comic '' Roel Dijkstra'' and '' Noortje'', a comic strip about a bumbling teenage girl published in ''Tina''. The latter runs for more ...

, Dutch comics artist (''

Roel Dijkstra ''Roel Dijkstra'' is a Dutch comic book series about a fictional football player. The series was created in 1975 by Jan Steeman (1933-2018; winner of the 2005 Dutch Stripschapprijs) and Andries Brandt. The first 21 volumes, drawn by Steeman and ...

'', ''

Noortje Noortje (full name ''Noortje Visser'') is a Dutch gag-a-day humor comic strip created in 1975 for the Dutch girls' magazine ''Tina''. The script is by Patty Klein and the drawings are by Jan Steeman. It is currently one of the longest-running Du ...

''), dies at age 74. * January 25: Torvald Sundbaum, Swedish comics artist (continued ''Buster Perk'', worked for the Swedish edition of ''

Mad Magazine ''Mad'' (stylized in all caps) is an American humor magazine which was launched in 1952 and currently published by DC Comics, a unit of the DC Entertainment subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. ''Mad'' was founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman an ...

'', made a comics version of the radio series ''Osynliga Klubben''), dies at age 89. * January 27:

Mort Walker Addison Morton Walker (September 3, 1923 – January 27, 2018) was an American comic strip writer, best known for creating the newspaper comic strips ''Beetle Bailey'' in 1950 and ''Hi and Lois'' in 1954. He signed Addison to some of his strips. ...

, American comics writer/creator (''

Hi and Lois ''Hi and Lois'' is an American comic strip about a suburban family. Created by Mort Walker and illustrated by Dik Browne, both of whose children currently work on the strip, it debuted on October 18, 1954, distributed by King Features Syndicate ...

'', ''

Beetle Bailey ''Beetle Bailey'' is an American comic strip created by cartoonist Mort Walker, published since September 4, 1950. It is set on a fictional United States Army post. In the years just before Walker's death in 2018 (at age 94), it was among the old ...

'', ''

Sam's Strip ''Sam's Strip'' was a humorous comic strip created and produced by Mort Walker and Jerry Dumas. It was distributed by King Features Syndicate from October 2, 1961 to June 1, 1963. The series depended heavily on metahumor and appearances by famo ...

'', ''Mrs. Fits' Flats'', ''The Evermores'', ''Gamin and Patches'') and artist (''

'', ''

Boner's Ark ''Boner's Ark'' is an American comic strip created by Mort Walker, also the creator of ''Beetle Bailey''. Walker debuted the strip under the pseudonym "Addison" on March 11, 1968. The title is a reference to Noah's Ark of Abrahamic religions. D ...

''), dies at age 94. * January 28: Cav Bøgelund, Danish animator and comics artist (''Sorte''), drowns at age 39 in mysterious circumstances.

February

* February 1: Pat Tourret, British comic artist ('' Tiffany Jones''), dies at age 88 or 89. * February 2: Servais Tiago, Portuguese comics artist and animator, dies at age 92. * February 22: Forges, Spanish film director, television director and cartoonist (''Blasillo'', ''La Foca Concha'' and ''Romerales''), dies at age 76 from pancreatic cancer. * February 25: Howard Sparber, American painter, sculptor and comics artist (''Timmmy'', ''Crax and Jax'', ''The Byrd House'', ''Trix of the Trade''), dies at age 97. * February 27: ** William Gezzio, Uruguayan comics artist (''Charoná'', ''Campito'', ''Humornautas''), dies at age 73. **

Bill Lignante William Gaetano Lignante (March 20, 1925 – February 27, 2018) was an American artist notable for his varied career as a comic book illustrator, comic strip artist, animator and courtroom sketch artist. Early life and career Born in Brooklyn, N ...

, American comics artist, courtroom sketch artist and animator (continued ''

The Phantom ''The Phantom'' is an American adventure comic strip, first published by Lee Falk in February 1936. The main character, the Phantom, is a fictional costumed crime-fighter who operates from the fictional African country of Bangalla. The char ...

''), dies at age 91.

March

* March 1: Hans Räde, German graphic artist, painter and comics artist (''Colli's wundersame Reise''), dies at age 96. * March 15:

Robert Grossman Robert Grossman may refer to: * Robert Grossman (artist) (1940-2018), American painter, sculptor, filmmaker, comics artist, illustrator and author * Robert I. Grossman (fl. 1975-present), American physician and researcher * Robert L. Grossman (fl. ...

, American painter, caricaturist, sculptor, filmmaker, poster designer, comics artist, cartoonist and animator (''Zoonooz'', ''Twump & Pooty'', political-satirical comics for

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...

), dies at age 78. * March 19: Murray Karn, Canadian comics artist (''Thunderfist'', ''Jeff Waring''), dies at age 92 or 93. * March 25: Fred Boatman, American cartoonist and graphic artist (made cartoons for

CARtoons A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently Animation, animated, in an realism (arts), unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or s ...

), dies at age 83. * March 26: Lee Holley, American comics artist (''Ponytail'', assisted on '' Dennis the Menace'' and ''

Looney Tunes ''Looney Tunes'' is an American media franchise produced and distributed by Warner Bros. The franchise began as a series of animated short films that originally ran from 1930 to 1969, alongside its spin-off series ''Merrie Melodies'', during t ...

'' comics), dies at age 84 in an airplane crash. * March 27: Carlos Cruz González, Spanish comics artist (''Colt Miller'', ''Indio Suarez'', ''Santos Palma'', ''Mighty McGinty'', ''Moonie's Magic Mate'', ''The Pillater Peril'', ''Juanjo'', ''Kelly'', continued ''

Sergeant Kirk Sergeant Kirk or Sgt. Kirk () is the main character of the Western comics series of the same title by Italian comic book creator Hugo Pratt and Argentine author Héctor Germán Oesterheld.

'', ''

Dan Dare Dan Dare is a British science fiction comic hero, created by illustrator Frank Hampson who also wrote the first stories. Dare appeared in the ''Eagle'' comic series ''Dan Dare, Pilot of the Future'' from 1950 to 1967 (and subsequently in ...

'' and ''El Hombre Enmascarado''), dies at age 87. * Specific date unknown: Gérald Gorridge, French comics artist (''Histoire Sans Titre'', ''Olycka, La Dame de Lettonie'', ''Les Tristes Conséquences d'un Échec du Sire de Bougainville''), dies at age 60.

April

* April 8: Gunnar Persson, Swedish comics artist (''Gus'', continued '' Kronblom'', created the spin-off ''Ur Klackamo Dagbok''), dies at age 85 after injuries from a fall. * April 9: Phil Collins, Canadian comics artist (''Leonardo''), dies at age 86. * April 10:

F'murr Richard Peyzaret (March 31, 1946 – April 10, 2018), better known by his pen name F'Murrr or F'Murr, was a French cartoonist and comic book writer. He was most famous for the long-running series '' Le Génie des alpages'' (''The Genius of the Moun ...

, French comics artist (''

Le Génie des alpages ''Le Génie des alpages'' is a French humoristic comic book series by F'Murr. The series first appeared in ''Pilote'' magazine on January 11, 1973. In 1976 Dargaud, Les Éditions Dargaud started publication of hardcover albums. Synopsis The shor ...

''), dies at age 72. * April 18: Pino Rinaldi, Italian comics artist (continued ''

Martin Mystère ''Martin Mystère'' is an Italian comic book whose protagonist is Martin Mystère. Created by writer Alfredo Castelli and artist Giancarlo Alessandrini, it was first published in Italy by Sergio Bonelli Editore in 1982. Dark Horse Comics has ...

'' and worked for ''

''), dies from pancreatic cancer at age 60.

May

* May 7:

Miki Muster Nikolaj Muster (22 November 1925 – 7 May 2018), known as Miki Muster, was a Slovenian academic sculptor, illustrator, cartoonist, and animator. He is viewed as a pioneer in the field of comics and animation in Slovenia, known for the series of ...

, Slovenian sculptor, illustrator, comics artist and animator (''Zvitorepec'', ''Trdonja'', ''Lakotnik''), dies at age 92. * May 14:

William Vance William van Cutsem (8 September 1935 – 14 May 2018), better known by his pen name William Vance, was a Belgian comics artist known for his distinctive realistic style and work in Franco-Belgian comics. Biography William van Cutsem was born ...

, Belgian comics artist ('' Bruno Brazil'', ''

Bob Morane ''Bob Morane'' () is a series of adventure books in French, featuring an eponymous protagonist, created by French-speaking Belgian novelist Henri Vernes, the pseudonym of Charles-Henri Dewisme. More than 200 novels have been written since his ...

'', '' XIII''), dies at age 82 from Parkinson's disease. * May 18: ** Antonio Lupatelli aka ''Tony Wolf'', ''Oda Taro'', ''L'Alpino'' and ''Antony Moore'', Italian illustrator, writer and comics artist (''Ciccio Sprai'', ''Robi e Robo'', continued ''Hayawatha'', ''Freddie Frog'', ''Fun in Toyland'', ''Little Sooty'', ''Moony Moon'', illustrated '' The Woodland Folk'' book series and the ''

Pingu ''Pingu'' is a stop motion animated children's television series originally produced in Switzerland. It was co-created by Otmar Gutmann and Erika Brueggemann. It centres on the titular anthropomorphic emperor penguin and his family, who live i ...

'', ''Pandi'' and ''Teddy the Bear'' book adaptations), dies at age 88. ** Fred Peters, American animator and comics artist (

EC Comics E.C. Publications, Inc., (doing business as EC Comics) is an American comic book publisher. It specialized in horror fiction, crime fiction, satire, military fiction, dark fantasy, and science fiction from the 1940s through the mid-1950s, nota ...

), dies at age 95. * May 27: Julio Ribera, aka Jules McSide, aka Bop, Spanish comics artist ('' Le Vagabond des Limbes (The Vagabond of Limbo)'', ''Le Grand Manque'', ''Le Grand Scandale'', ''Dracurella'', ''Montserrat''), dies at age 91.

June

* June 2:

Nick Meglin Nick Meglin (July 30, 1935 – June 2, 2018) was an American writer, humorist, and artist. He was known for his work as a contributor, comics writer, illustrator and editor for the satirical magazine '' Mad''. He also scripted ''Superfan'', a 1 ...

, American comics writer, theatre lyricist, screenwriter and editor-in-chief (''

'', ''Superfan''), dies from a heart attack at age 82. * June 11: Rumen Petkov, Bulgarian animator and comics artist (''Choko & Boko''), dies at age 70. * June 28:

Harlan Ellison Harlan Jay Ellison (May 27, 1934 – June 28, 2018) was an American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in New Wave science fiction, New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality. His published wo ...

, American novelist; screenwriter and comics writer (''

''), dies at age 82. * June 29:

Steve Ditko Stephen John Ditko. Page contains two reproductions from school yearbooks. A 1943 Garfield Junior High School yearbook excerpt lists "Stephen Ditko". A 1945 Johnstown High School yearbook excerpt lists "Stephen J. Ditko" under extracurricular ac ...

, American comic book artist and writer (

DC Comics DC Comics (originally DC Comics, Inc., and also known simply as DC) is an American comic book publisher owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC is an initialism for "Detective Comics", an American comic book seri ...

), dies at age 90.

July

* July 3: Takahiro Satō, Japanese manga artist (''Satō's Samejima, Saigo no Jūgonichi''), dies at age 41. * July 5: Pepe Ferré, Spanish comics artist (''Comicon S.L.'',

Disney comics Disney comics are comic books and comic strips featuring characters created by the Walt Disney Company, including Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Scrooge McDuck. The first Disney comics were newspaper strips appearing from 1930 on, starting with t ...

, Rolf Kauka comics, Egmont-Ehapa), dies at age 69. * July 13:

Frank Giroud Frank Giroud (3 May 1956 – 13 July 2018) was a French comics writer. Early life Giroud was born on May 3, 1956, in Toulouse, France. He graduated from the École Nationale des Chartes, and he passed the agrégation in History. Career Giroud ta ...

, French comics writer (''Louis la Guigne'', ''Louis Ferchot'', ''Mandrill'', the ''Décalogue'' trilogy.), dies at age 62. * July 19: Claude Viseur, A.K.A. Clovis, Belgian animator and comics artist (worked on ''

Michel Vaillant ''Michel Vaillant'' is a French car racing comics series created in 1957 by French cartoonist Jean Graton and published originally by Le Lombard. Later, Graton published the albums by himself when he founded Graton éditeur in 1982. Michel Vai ...

''), dies at age 72. * July 20: ** Jeff Hook, Australian cartoonist (''Jeff's View''), dies at age 89. ** Carlos Vogt, Argentine animator and comic artist (''Pepe Sánchez'', ''Mojado''), dies at age 85. * July 26: Luigi Corteggi, aka Cortez, Italian art director, painter, illustrator and comics artist (created covers for Sergio Bonelli comics, continued '' Ken Parker'', ''

Mister No ''Mister No'' is an Italian comic book, first published in Italy in Spring 1975 by Sergio Bonelli Editore. The character Mister No was created by writer Sergio Bonelli artist Gallieno Ferri. Bonelli published under the pseudonym Guido Nolitta. ...

'', ''

'', '' Alan Ford'' and ''

Dylan Dog ''Dylan Dog'' is an Italian horror comics series created by Tiziano Sclavi and published by Sergio Bonelli Editore since 1986. The series features the eponymous character, a paranormal investigator who takes on cases involving supernatural el ...

''), dies at age 85.

August

* August 5: John Blair Moore, American cartoonist and comics artist (''Invaders From Home'', ''

'', ''Live Bait - The Chronicles of Drumf''), dies at age 69 or 70. * August 21: Vincino, Italian cartoonist and journalist, dies at age 73. * August 23:

Russ Heath Russell Heath Jr. (September 29, 1926 – August 23, 2018) was an American artist best known for his comic book work, particularly his DC Comics war stories and his 1960s art for ''Playboy'' magazine's " Little Annie Fanny" feature. He also prod ...

, American comic book artist and animator (''

Men of War ''Men of War'' is a real-time tactics video game franchise, based mainly in World War II. Main series ''Soldiers: Heroes of World War II'' ''Soldiers: Heroes of World War II'' is the original game of the ''Men of War'' series, and uses an ea ...

'', ''

G.I. Combat ''G.I. Combat'' is an American comics anthology featuring war comics, war stories. It was published from 1952 until 1956 by Quality Comics, followed by DC Comics until its final issue in 1987. In 2012 it was briefly revived. Publication histor ...

'', assisted on ''

Terry and the Pirates ''Terry and the Pirates'' is an action-adventure comic strip created by cartoonist Milton Caniff, which originally ran from October 22, 1934, to February 25, 1973. Captain Joseph Patterson, editor for the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndica ...

'', ''

Flash Gordon Flash Gordon is the protagonist of a space adventure comic strip created and originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by, and created to compete with, the already established ''Buck Rogers'' ...

'', ''

Little Annie Fanny ''Little Annie Fanny'' is a comics series by Harvey Kurtzman and Will Elder. It appeared in 107 two- to seven-page episodes in ''Playboy'' magazine from October 1962 to September 1988. ''Little Annie Fanny'' is a humorous satire of contemporar ...

''), dies at age 91 from cancer. * August 27: Marten Bierman, Dutch politician, engineer and comics artist (''Loek Spandoek'') dies at age 78. * August 30:

Gary Friedrich Gary Friedrich (; August 21, 1943 – August 29, 2018) was an American comic book writer best known for his Silver Age stories for Marvel Comics' '' Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos'' and in the following era, the series '' The Monster of Fr ...

, American comics writer ('' Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos'', '' The Monster of Frankenstein'', co-creator of ''

Ghost Rider Ghost Rider is the name of multiple superheroes or antiheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Phantom Rider. The first s ...

'' and ''

Son of Satan Daimon Hellstrom, also known as the Son of Satan and Hellstorm, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Daimon made his live action debut in the television series '' Helstrom'', portrayed by Tom Aus ...

''), dies at age 75. * August 30:

Marie Severin Marie Severin (; August 21, 1929 – August 29, 2018) was an American comics artist and colorist best known for her work for Marvel Comics and the 1950s' EC Comics. She is an inductee of the Will Eisner Comics Hall of Fame and the Harvey Awards ...

, American comics artist and colorist (''

'', ''

Not Brand Echh ''Not Brand Echh'' is a satiric comic book series published by Marvel Comics that parodied its own superhero stories as well as those of other comics publishers. Running for 13 issues ( cover-dated Aug. 1967 to May 1969), it included among its ...

'', co-creator of the visual look of

Spider-Woman Spider-Woman is the code name of several fictional characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first major version is Jessica Drew (and later impersonated by Veranke), the second major version is Julia Carpenter, and the third m ...

), dies at age 89.

September

* September 6: Edouard Aidans, aka Jok, Joke, Delcroix and Hardan, Belgian comics artist (''Bob Binn'', ''Tounga'', ''Marc Franval'', ''Les Panthères'', ''La Toile et la Dague'', ''Tony Stark'', continued '' Bernard Prince'', ''Les Saintes Nitouches''), dies at age 88. * September 7: ** Szarlota Pawel, Polish comic artist ('' Jonka, Jonek i Kleks'', ''Kubus Piekielny''), dies at age 70. ** Carlos Ceesepe, Spanish painter, illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 60 from leukemia. * September 24:

Norm Breyfogle Norman Keith Breyfogle (; February 27, 1960 – September 24, 2018) was an American artist, best known for his comic book art on DC Comics's Batman franchise from 1987 to 1995. During this time, he co-created the villains Ventriloquist and Ratc ...

, 58, American comic book artist (''

Batman Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...

'', ''

Prime A prime number (or a prime) is a natural number greater than 1 that is not a product of two smaller natural numbers. A natural number greater than 1 that is not prime is called a composite number. For example, 5 is prime because the only ways ...

''), complications from a stroke. * September 24: Bert Cornelius, Dutch comics artist (''Mussengang''), dies at age 66. * September 30:

René Pétillon René Pétillon (; 12 December 1945, Lesneven – 30 September 2018) was a French satirical and political cartoonist and comics artist. As a cartoonist he was most famous for his work in '' Canard Enchaîné''. As a comics artist his best known ...

, French political cartoonist and comics artist (''Jack Palmer'', ''Docteur Miracle'', ''Le Baron Noir''), dies at age 72. * September 30:

Carlos Ezquerra Carlos Sanchez Ezquerra (; 12 November 1947 – 1 October 2018) was a Spanish comics artist who worked mainly in British comics. He is best known as the co-creator of ''Judge Dredd''. Biography Early work Born in Ibdes, Zaragoza (province), prov ...

, Spanish comics artist (''

Judge Dredd Judge Joseph Dredd is a fictional character created by writer John Wagner and artist Carlos Ezquerra. He first appeared in the second issue of the British weekly anthology Comic book, comic ''2000 AD (comics), 2000 AD'' (1977). He is the magazi ...

''), dies at age 70.

October

* October 2:

Hermenegildo Sábat Hermenegildo Sábat (23 June 1933 – 2 October 2018) was an Argentine-Uruguayan caricaturist. Life and work Early career in journalism Hermenegildo Sábat was born in the oceanfront Pocitos section of Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1933. Named after ...

, Uruguayan-Argentine comics artist, journalist, jazz musician and caricaturist, dies at age 85. * October 3: Raquel Orzuj, Uruguayan editorial cartoonist, painter, journalist and comic artist, dies at age 79. * October 7: Gibba, Italian animator and comics artist, dies at age 93. * October 13: Nesten, Belgian caricaturist and painter, dies at age 71 from cancer. * October 17: ** Leone Frollo, Italian comics artist (''

Biancaneve ''Biancaneve'' is an Italian erotic comic book, created in 1972 by Renzo Barbieri and Rubino Ventura (pseudonym of Giuseppe Pederiali) and illustrated by Leone Frollo. The series, published by Edifumetto, was based on ''Snow White and the Se ...

''), dies at age 87. ** Jean-Pierre Girerd, Canadian political cartoonist (made the comic strip ''On à Volé La Coupe Stanley''), dies at age 87. * October 18:

Anthea Bell Anthea Bell (10 May 1936 – 18 October 2018) was an English translator of literary works, including children's literature, from French, German and Danish language, Danish. These include ''The Castle (novel), The Castle'' by Franz Kafka, ''Aus ...

, British translator (co-translator of ''

Astérix ''Asterix'' ( or , "Asterix the Gaul"; also known as ''Asterix and Obelix'' in some adaptations or ''The Adventures of Asterix'') is a French comic album series about a Gaulish village which, thanks to a magic potion that enhances strength ...

'', ''

Blueberry (comics) ''Blueberry'' is a Western comic series created in the Franco-Belgian ''bandes dessinées'' (BD) tradition by the Belgian scriptwriter Jean-Michel Charlier and French comics artist Jean "Mœbius" Giraud. It chronicles the adventures of Mike S ...

'', ''

Iznogoud ''Iznogoud'' (; from "is no good" pronounced with a French accent) is a French comics series featuring an eponymous character, created by the comics writer René Goscinny and comics artist Jean Tabary. The comic series chronicles the life and ...

'', ''

Le Petit Nicolas ''Le Petit Nicolas'' (''Little Nicholas'') is a series of French children's books created by René Goscinny and illustrated by Jean-Jacques Sempé; its first installment was originally published on 29 March 1959. The books depict an idealized ...

''), dies at age 82. * October 22: Jacques Tabary, French comic artist (''Monsieur Magie'', assisted on ''Totoche'', ''Corinne et Jeannot''), dies at age 92. * October 23: Roberto Renzi, Italian comics artist ('' Tiramolla'', ''

Akim An ''akim'' (, , әкімдер / ''äkimder''; ; , ) is the head of a local government in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. ''Akim'' is derived from the Arabic word '' hakim'', which means "ruler" or "governor". Definitions Kazakhstan In Kazakhs ...

''), dies at age 95. * October 31: Enzo Apicella, Italian cartoonist, dies at age 95.

November

* November 7: John Allard, British comics writer (scripted '' The Perishers'') and artist (''Scorer'', continued '' Garth'' and '' Jane''), dies at age 89 or 90. * November 11: Jack Tremblay, Canadian comics artist (''Crash Carson''), dies at age 92. * November 12:

, American comic book writer (

), dies at age 95. * November 15:

Mike Noble Mike Noble (17 September 1930 – 15 November 2018) was a British comic artist and illustrator, best known for drawing strips like ''Fireball XL5'' for ''TV Century 21''. Biography Noble's father was a stockbroker's clerk who had artistic talent ...

, British comics artist (''The Twins Simon and Sally'', worked on comics based on TV series, among them ''

Fireball XL5 ''Fireball XL5'' is a 1960s British children's Science fiction on television, science-fiction puppet television series about the missions of ''Fireball XL5'', a vessel of the World Space Patrol that polices the cosmos in the year 2062. Commanded ...

''), dies at age 88. * November 15: Werner Wejp-Olsen, Danish-American comics artist (''Peter og Perle'', ''Felix'', ''Inspector Danger's Crime Quiz'', ''Granny and Slowpoke'', ''The Tales of Hans Christian Andersen''), dies at age 80. * November 19:

Larry Pickering Lawrence Pickering (18 October 1942 – 19 November 2018) was an Australian political cartoonist, caricaturist, and illustrator of books and calendars. The winner of four Walkley Awards for his work, Pickering largely retired from political ...

, Australian cartoonist and caricaturist, dies at age 76. * November 26:

Stephen Hillenburg Stephen McDannell Hillenburg (August 21, 1961 – November 26, 2018) was an American animator, writer, producer, director, voice actor, and marine biology educator. Hillenburg was best known for creating the animated television series ''SpongeBo ...

, American comics artist and animator (''The Intertidal Zone'', ''

SpongeBob SquarePants ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' is an American animated television series, animated comedy television series created by marine science educator and animator Stephen Hillenburg for Nickelodeon. It first aired as a sneak peek after the 1999 Kids' C ...

''), dies at age 57.

December

* December 13:

Jean-Pierre Van Rossem Jean-Pierre Van Rossem (29 May 1945 – 13 December 2018) was a Belgian stock market guru, economist, econometrician, convicted fraudster, author, philosopher, public figure, politician, and member of the Belgian and Flemish Parliaments. L ...

, Belgian economist, politician, criminal and comics writer (wrote the script for his own

celebrity comics Celebrity comics are comics based on the fame and popularity of a celebrity.De Weyer, Geert, "België gestript",Standaard Uitgeverij, 2014. They are a byproduct of merchandising around a certain media star or franchise and have existed since the ma ...

series ''Van Rossem'', drawn by Erik Meynen), dies at age 73. * December 17: José Clémen, Argentine comic artist and illustrator, dies at age 89 or 90. * December 20: F. W. Bernstein, German poet and cartoonist, dies at age 80. * December 24: Grazia Nidasio, Italian comics artist (''Valentina Mela Verde'', ''Steffi''), dies at age 87. * December 27:

Børge Ring Børge Ring (17 February 1921 – 27 December 2018) was a Danish animated short film writer, director and animator. His 1978 short film ''Oh My Darling'' won the Best Short Film award at the 1978 Cannes Film Festival, and his 1984 short film ' ...

, Danish animator, jazz musician and comics artist (''Distel'', ''Kobus en Kachelmans'', ''Fleurtje'', worked on ''

Pelle Svanslös Pelle Svanslös (English: Peter-No-Tail (film version) or Pelle No-Tail (book version)) is a fictional anthropomorphic cat created by the Swedish people, Swedish author Gösta Knutsson and a children's literature, children's book series about hi ...

'' and

), dies at age 97. * December 28: Paul Wheelahan, Australian comics artist (''The Panther'', ''Rex Strong'', ''The Raven''), dies at age 88. .

Exhibitions

* November 17–December 15: ''"The Masters Series:

Roz Chast Roz Chast (born November 26, 1954) is an American cartoonist and a staff cartoonist for ''The New Yorker''. Since 1978, she has published more than 1000 cartoons in ''The New Yorker''. She also publishes cartoons in ''Scientific American'' and the ...

"'', SVA Chelsea Gallery, New York City

Conventions

* March 24: FLUKE Mini-Comics & Zine Festival (40 Watt, Athens, Georgia) * April 7–8:

MoCCA Festival The MoCCA Arts Festival, or MoCCA Fest, is an independent comics showcase that typically includes artist booths, slide shows, and educational panels. It was created by the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art in 2002 by bringing together over 2,000 ar ...

(Metropolitan West, New York City) * April 28–29:

Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo The Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo, or SPACE or S.P.A.C.E., is an annual Convention (meeting), convention in Columbus, Ohio, United States, for alternative comics, minicomics, and webcomics. Bob Corby founded the convention as a gathering ...

(S.P.A.C.E.) (Northland Performing Arts Center, Columbus, Ohio) * May 19: East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (

ECBACC The East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (ECBACC) is the Philadelphia region's first black comic book convention, bringing together hundreds of comic book, science fiction, and fantasy creators, their colleagues, and their fans. The ECBACC is ...

) (TECH Freire Charter School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) * June 2–3: Chicago Alternative Comics Expo (CAKE) (

Center on Halsted Center on Halsted is a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) community center in Chicago, Illinois. The center is located in the Lakeview neighborhood on the corner of Halsted Street and Waveland, attached to Whole Foods Market. It is ...

, Chicago, Illinois) — special guests: Tony Breed,

Eddie Campbell Eddie Campbell (born 10 August 1955) is a British comics artist and cartoonist. He was the illustrator and publisher of '' From Hell'' (written by Alan Moore), and the creator of the semi-autobiographical ''Alec'' stories collected in ''Alec: ...

, Nick Drnaso, Nicole Hollander,

Audrey Niffenegger Audrey Niffenegger (born June 13, 1963) is an American writer, artist, and academic. Her debut novel, '' The Time Traveler's Wife'', published in 2003, was a bestseller. Biography Audrey Niffenegger was born in 1963 in South Haven, Michigan. At ...

, Mimi Pond, Fiona Smyth, Carol Tyler, Georgia Webber,

Jim Woodring James William Woodring (born October 11, 1952) is an American cartoonist, fine artist, writer and toy designer. He is best known for the dream-based comics he published in his magazine '' Jim'', and as the creator of the anthropomorphic cartoo ...

, Gina Wynbrandt,

Bianca Xunise Bianca Xunise is an American cartoonist, illustrator, and self-described "goth of color". Her work is nationally syndicated through the '' Six Chix'' comic strip collaborative. Early life Xunise was born in Chicago to artistic parents; her mot ...

"2018 Guests And Exhibitors,"
CAKE 2018 Archive. Retrieved May 21, 2022. * September 8–9: STAPLE! (Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex, Austin, Texas) * September 15–16:

Small Press Expo The Small Press Expo (SPX) is an American alternative comics convention. A registered 501(c)(3) that was created in 1994, every year since its inception, SPX has put on a festival, known as The Expo, that provides a forum for artists, writers a ...

(Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, North Bethesda, Maryland) * September 27–30

Cartoon Crossroads Columbus Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC) is an annual, free, four-day celebration of cartooning and graphic novels held in Columbus, Ohio. Venues for the festival include Ohio State University's Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, Hale Hall, and the ...

(Columbus, Ohio) — special guests Liana Finck, Georgia Webber, M. K. Czerwiec, Rachel Lindsay, Hilary Price, Noah Van Sciver, Emi Gennis,

Michael DeForge Michael DeForge (born 1987) is a Canadian comics artist and illustrator. Biography DeForge grew up in Ottawa and attended the University of Toronto, dropping out after two years. He lives and works in Toronto. According to DeForge, he has "alwa ...

, Annie Koyama, Dustin Harbin, Keiler Roberts, Jessica Campbell,

Lynn Johnston Lynn Johnston (born May 28, 1947) is a Canadian cartoonist and author, best known for her newspaper comic strip '' For Better or For Worse''. She was the first woman and first Canadian to win the National Cartoonist Society's Reuben Award. ...

, and

Darrin Bell Darrin Lawrence Bell (born January 27, 1975) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning United States, American editorial cartoonist and comic strip creator known for the syndicated satirical comic strips ''Candorville'' and ''Rudy Park''. He is a syndicated e ...

* November 11 (

Comic Arts Brooklyn Comic Arts Brooklyn (CAB) was a comic book festival and art book fair organized by the comic book store Desert Island (comic shop), Desert Island, held annually in Brooklyn, New York. Founded in 2013 as a successor to the Brooklyn Comics and Gr ...

) (CAB) (Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York) — special guests Doug Allen, Austin English, Charles Burns,

Mike Diana Michael Christopher DianaShepherd, Chuck (August 1994). "Loony Toons: Florida puts the boot to a cartoonist". "The Playboy Forum". ''Playboy'' magazine. Pages 41-43 (born 1969) is an American underground cartoonist. His work, which is largely sel ...

Julie Doucet Julie Doucet (born December 31, 1965)
is a Canadian

, Simon Hanselmann,

Frank Henenlotter Frank Henenlotter (born August 29, 1950) is an American film director, screenwriter and film historian. He is known primarily for directing horror comedies, especially '' Basket Case'' (1982), ''Brain Damage'' (1988), and '' Frankenhooker'' (199 ...

, Todd James, Patrick Kyle, Xander Marro, Mark Newgarden, Dirt Palace,

Ariel Schrag Ariel Schrag (born December 29, 1979) is an American cartoonist and television writer who achieved critical recognition at an early age for her autobiographical comics. Her novel ''Adam'' provoked controversy with its theme of a heterosexual teen ...

, Olivier Schrauwen, Nick Thorburn, Matthew Thurber, Lauren Weinstein,

* December 8–9 Comic Arts Los Angeles (Homenetmen Ararat, Glendale, Los Angeles, California) — featured guest: Ronald Wimberly

First issues by title

;'' Doctor Strange: Damnation'' :''Released'' February by

. ''Writers:'' Donny Cates and

Nick Spencer Nick Spencer is an American comic book writer and former politician best known for his Image series ''Morning Glories'', his collaborations with artist Steve Lieber on the comedic series '' Superior Foes of Spider-Man'' and '' The Fix'', a three- ...

''Artist:'' Rod Reis ;''

Farmhand A farmworker, farmhand or agricultural worker is someone employed for labor in agriculture. In labor law, the term "farmworker" is sometimes used more narrowly, applying only to a hired worker involved in agricultural production, including har ...

'' :''Released'' July by

Image Comics Image Comics is an independent American American comic book, comic book publisher and is the third largest direct market comic book and graphic novel publisher in the industry by market share. Its best-known publications include ''Spawn (comics) ...

. ''Writer & Artist:''

Rob Guillory Robert Guillory (born June 2, 1982) is an American comic book artist known for his art on ''Chew (comic), Chew'', published by Image Comics. He currently writes and draws ''Farmhand (comics), Farmhand'' published by Image Comics and writes ''Mosel ...

;''

Sonic the Hedgehog is a video game series and media franchise created by the Japanese developers Yuji Naka, Naoto Ohshima, and Hirokazu Yasuhara for Sega. The franchise follows Sonic the Hedgehog (character), Sonic, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who battle ...

'' :''Released'' April by

. ''Writer:''

Ian Flynn James Ian Flynn (born May 31, 1982), also known by his Internet pen name Ian Potto, is an American-Canadian comic book writer. He was chief writer for Archie Comics's ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' since issue #160, after the departure of the previous chi ...

''Artist:''

Tracy Yardley Tracy Yardley (born July 19, 1979, in Southern Illinois) is an American comic book artist best known for his work with the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' comics, originally published by Archie Comics. Career Sonic the Hedgehog comics Yardley has been ...

;''

X-Men Red ''X-Men: Red'' is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics, featuring characters from X-Men stories. The first series was an eleven-issue comic book series published by Marvel Comics in monthly installments between February and D ...

'' :''Released'' February by Marvel Comics. ''Writer:''

Tom Taylor Tom Taylor (19 October 1817 – 12 July 1880) was an English dramatist, critic, biographer, public servant, and editor of Punch (magazine), ''Punch'' magazine. Taylor had a brief academic career, holding the professorship of English literatu ...

''Artist:''

Mahmud Asrar Mahmud Anjum Asrar (born November 20, 1976) is an Austrian comic book artist who is known for his work on American and non-American comic books. His American work includes runs on Conan the Barbarian, King Conan, X-Men, X-Men Red, Wolverine & the ...

;''

LaGuardia LaGuardia Airport ( ) – colloquially known as LaGuardia or simply LGA – is a civil airport in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City, situated on the northwestern shore of Long Island, bordering Flushing Bay. Covering , the facility wa ...

'' :''Released'' December by

Berger Books Karen Berger (; born February 26, 1958) is an American comic book editor. She is best known for her role in helping create DC Comics' Vertigo imprint in 1993 and serving as the line's Executive Editor until 2013. She currently oversees Berger ...

. ''Writer:''

Nnedi Okorafor Nnedimma Nkemdili "Nnedi" Okorafor (formerly Okorafor-Mbachu; born April 8, 1974) is a Nigerian American writer of science fiction and fantasy for both children and adults. She is best known for her ''Binti Series'' and her novels '' Who Fears ...

''Artist:'' Tana Ford

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2018 In Comics

Comics a Media (communication), medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of Panel (comics), panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, Glo ...

Mass media timelines by year