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

Please help improve this article by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (June 2007)

Notable events of 1981 in comics. See also List of years in comics.

Contents 1 Events and publications 1.1 January 1.2 February 1.3 March 1.4 April 1.5 May 1.6 June 1.7 July 1.8 August 1.9 September 1.10 October 1.11 November 1.12 December 2 Exhibitions and shows 3 Conventions 4 Awards 5 First issues by title 5.1 Marvel Comics 5.2 Independent titles 6 Initial appearances by character name

[edit] Events and publications

[edit] January

• Capital Comics makes its entree into publishing with the release of Nexus #1.
• Frank Miller takes over full writing duties on Daredevil with issue #168, and creates Elektra.
• "Days of Future Past" storyline debuts in Uncanny X-Men #141 (continues in Uncanny X-Men #142)

[edit] February

[edit] March

• Writer Steve Gerber sues Marvel Comics over rights to his character, Howard the Duck
• Final issue of Mystery in Space published by DC Comics.
• "The Exaggerated Death of Ultra Boy" story arc begins in DC Comics' Legion of Super-Heroes #273. Written by Gerry Conway, Roy Thomas, and Paul Levitz, with pencils by Jimmy Janes and Steve Ditko, the story arc concludes in Legion of Super-Heroes #282.

[edit] April

• Golden Age artist Howard Purcell passes away at age 62.

[edit] May

• Marvel takes notice of the growing direct market and produces a title specifically for comic shops — Dazzler #1 sells 400,000 copies (around twice the normal number).
• Dean and Jan Mullaney found the black & white independent Eclipse Magazine.

[edit] June

• Final issue of The Hulk! published by Curtis Magazines.
• Debut of the comics industry magazine Amazing Heroes (published by the Fantagraphics imprint Zam, Inc.. With later issues, until it folds in 1992, Amazing Heroes will be "officially" published by Fantagraphics).

[edit] July

• Superman and Spider-Man, "The Heroes and the Holocaust," a DC/Marvel intercompany crossover ("sequel" to 1976's Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man).

[edit] August

• DC's The Flash reaches its 300th issue and celebrates its 25th anniversary.
• Final issue of Marvel Premiere (#61) published by Marvel Comics
• With issue #47, DC cancels Super Friends.
• "Doomquest" storyline debuts in Iron Man #149 (continues in Iron Man #150)

[edit] September

[edit] October

• "Block Mania" storyline begins in 2000 A.D. (continues through December)

[edit] November

• Jinty merges with Tammy
• Pacific Comics makes its entree into publishing with the release of Jack Kirby's Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers #1
• November 2: Wally Wood dies at age 54.
• November 18: Fredric Wertham, author of Seduction of the Innocent, dies at age 86.

[edit] December

• December 1: Magnus, Robot Fighter creator Russ Manning passes away at age 52.

[edit] Exhibitions and shows

[edit] Conventions

[edit] Awards

[edit] First issues by title

[edit] Marvel Comics

Dazzler

Release: March. Writer: Tom DeFalco. Artists: John Romita, Jr. and Alfredo Alcala.

Ka-Zar the Savage

Release: April. Writer: Bruce Jones. Artists: Brent Anderson and Carlos Garzon.

[edit] Independent titles

Alien Encounters

Release: by FantaCo Enterprises. Editor: Catherine Yronwode.

Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers

Release: November by Pacific Comics. Writer/Artist: Jack Kirby.

Eclipse

Release: May by Eclipse Comics. Editors: Dean Mullaney and Jan Mullaney.

Justice Machine

Release: June by Noble Comics. Writer/Artist: Michael Gustovich.

Love and Rockets

Release: Self-published by Los Bros Hernandez

Nexus

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

Weirdo

Release: Spring by Last Gasp. Editor: Robert Crumb.

[edit] Initial appearances by character name

• All-Star Squadron in Justice League of America #193, published by DC Comics
• Elektra, in Daredevil #168, published by Marvel Comics
• Fearsome Five in New Teen Titans #3 (January), published by DC Comics
  • Gizmo
  • Mammoth
  • Psimon
  • Shimmer
• Mad Jim Jaspers in Marvel Superheroes #377, published by Marvel UK
• Omega Men in Green Lantern #141 (June), published by DC Comics
  • Broot
  • Demonia
  • Harpis
  • Kalista
  • Nimbus
  • Primus
  • Tigorr
• Plasmus, in New Teen Titans #14 (DC Comics)
• Pyro in Uncanny X-Men #141, published by Marvel Comics
• Rogue in Avengers Annual #10, published by Marvel Comics
• Rogue Trooper in 2000 A.D. #228, published by IPC Media
• Syzygy Darklock in The Price, published by Eclipse Comics
• Thrud the Barbarian in the British fanzine Arken Sword
• Titans of Myth in New Teen Titans #11, published by DC Comics