Hey Kids Comics Wiki
Register
Advertisement

Notable events of 1986 in comics. See also List of years in comics.



Events and publications[]

Year overall[]

  • Watchmen, a twelve-issue limited series written by Alan Moore, illustrated by Dave Gibbons and published by DC Comics, debuts. To date, Watchmen remains the only graphic novel to win a Hugo Award,[2] and is also the only graphic novel to appear on Time's 2005 list of "the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present."[1][3]
  • The first volume of Maus, written and drawn by Art Spiegelman debuts. Maus is a biography, presented in comics form, of Spiegelman's father, Vladek Spiegelman, a survivor of the Nazi Holocaust. Spiegelman was awarded a 1992 Pulitzer Prize Special Award for Maus shortly after its completion in 1991.
  • DC publishes Heroes Against Hunger starring Superman and Batman, an all-star benefit book for African famine relief and recovery.[5]

January[]

February[]

March[]

April[]

May[]

June[]

  • With issue #201, DC changes the title of the Green Lantern comic book to The Green Lantern Corps.
  • The Thing, with issue #36, is cancelled by Marvel.

July[]

August[]

September[]

October[]

November[]

December[]

Deaths[]

July[]

November[]

December[]

  • December 24: Gardner Fox, long-time DC Comics writer with over 4,000 stories to his credit, dies at age 75.

Exhibitions and shows[]

Years in comics
Speech balloon.svg
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
2020s
2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024
2025 · 2026 · 2027 · 2028 · 2029

Conventions[]

Awards[]

Eagle Awards[]

Presented in 1987 for comics published in 1986:

American Section[]

UK Section[]

Kirby Awards[]

First issues by title[]

DC Comics[]

Angel Love

Release: August. Writer/Artist: Barbara Slate.

Blue Beetle

Release: June. Writer: Len Wein. Artists: Paris Cullins and Bruce Patterson.

Booster Gold

Release: February. Writer/Artist: Dan Jurgens.[15]

Electric Warrior

Release: May. Writer: Doug Moench. Artist: Jim Baikie.

Hawkman

Release: August. Writer: Tony Isabella. Artists: Richard Howell and Don Heck.

'Mazing Man

Release: January. Writer: Bob Rozakis. Artist: Stephen DeStefano.

Secret Origins

Release: April. Editor: Roy Thomas.

Teen Titans Spotlight

Release: August. Writer: Marv Wolfman. Artists: Denys Cowan and Dick Giordano.

Limited series[]

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (4 issues)

Release: February. Writer/Artist: Frank Miller.

Cosmic Boy (4 issues)

Release: December. Writer: Paul Levitz. Artists: Keith Giffen, Ernie Colón, and Bob Smith.

The Legend of Wonder Woman

Release: May. Writers: Trina Robbins and Kurt Busiek. Artist: Trina Robbins.

Legends (6 issues)

Release: November. Writers: John Ostrander and Len Wein. Artists: John Byrne and Karl Kesel.

Legionnaires 3

Release: February. Writers: Keith Giffen and Mindy Newell. Artist: Ernie Colón.

Lords of the Ultra-Realm

Release: June. Writer: Doug Moench. Artist: Pat Broderick.

The Man of Steel (6 issues)

Release: July. Writer/Artist: John Byrne.

Watchmen (12 issues)

Release: September. Writer: Alan Moore. Artist: Dave Gibbons.

Dupuis[]

Les Femmes en Blanc (32 volumes)

Artist: Philippe Bercovici. Writer: Raoul Cauvin.

Marvel Comics[]

Acorn Green

Release: October

Classic X-Men

Release: September. Editor: Ann Nocenti.

G.I. Joe Special Missions

Release: October. Writer: Larry Hama. Artist: Herb Trimpe.

Master of the Universe

Release: May by Star Comics. Writer: Mike Carlin. Artists: Ron Wilson and Dennis Janke.

The 'Nam

Release: December. Writer: Doug Murray. Artist: Michael Golden and Armando Gil.

Spider-Man and Zoids

Release: March by Marvel UK. Writer: Ian Rimmer. Artist: Kev Hopgood.

Strikeforce: Morituri

Release: December. Writer: Peter B. Gillis. Artist: Brent Anderson.

X-Factor

Release: February. Writer: Bob Layton. Artist: Jackson Guice.

New Universe[]

D.P. 7

Release: November. Writer: Mark Gruenwald. Artists: Paul Ryan and Romeo Tanghal.

Justice

Release: November. Writer: Archie Goodwin. Artists: Geof Isherwood, Joe DelBeato, and Jack Fury.

Kickers

Release: November. Writer: Tom DeFalco. Artists: Ron Frenz and Sal Buscema.

Mark Hazzard: Merc

Release: November. Writer: Peter David. Artist: Gray Morrow.

Nightmask

Release: November. Writer: Archie Goodwin. Artists: Tony Salmons and Bret Blevins.

Psi-Force

Release: November. Writer: Steve Perry. Artists: Mark Texeira and Kyle Baker.

Spitfire and The Troubleshooters

Release: October. Writers: Eliot Brown, John Morelli, and Gerry Conway. Artists: Herb Trimpe, Joe Sinnott, and Tom Morgan.

Star Brand

Release: October. Writer: Jim Shooter. Artists: John Romita and Al Williamson.

Limited series[]

Dakota North (5 issues)

Release: November. Writer: Martha Thomases. Artist: Tony Salmons.

Elektra: Assassin (8 issues)

Release: August by Epic Comics. Writer: Frank Miller. Artist: Bill Sienkiewicz.

The Punisher (5 issues)

Release: January. Writer: Steven Grant. Artists: Mike Zeck and John Beatty.

Steelgrip Starkey (6 issues)

Release: July by Epic Comics. Writer/Artist: Alan Weiss. Inker: James Sherman.

Independent titles[]

Dark Horse Presents

Release: July by Dark Horse Comics. Editor: Randy Stradley.

Dice Man

Release: by IPC Media. Editor: Pat Mills.

Dylan Dog

Release: October by Sergio Bonelli Editore. Writer: Tiziano Sclavi.

Dynamo Joe

Release: May by First Comics. Writer: John Ostrander. Artist: Doug Rice.

Elric: The Weird of the White Wolf

Release: October by First Comics. Writer: Roy Thomas. Artists: Michael T. Gilbert and George Freeman.

Hamster Vice

Release: June by Blackthorne Publishing. Writer/Artist: Dwayne Ferguson.

Jonny Quest

Release: June by Comico Comics. Editor: Diana Schutz

Karmatron

Release: February by ¡Ka-Boom! Estudio. Writer/Artist: Oscar González Loyo.

night life

Release: by Strawberry Jam Comics. Writer: Derek McCulloch. Artist: Simon Tristam.

Omaha the Cat Dancer

Release: October by Kitchen Sink Press. Writer/Artist: Reed Waller.

The Puma Blues

Release: October by Aardvark One International. Writer: Stephen Murphy. Artist: Michael Zulli.

Reagan's Raiders

Release: October by Solson Publications: Writer: Monroe Arnold. Artists: Dick Ayers and Rich Buckler.

Samurai Penguin

Release: June by Slave Labor Graphics: Writer: Dan Vado. Artists: Dan Buck and Mark Buck.

Limited series[]

Rip in Time

Release: by Fantagor Press. Writer: Bruce Jones. Artist: Richard Corben.

Akita Shoten[]

For Mrs.

Shueisha[]

Young You

Initial appearances by character name[]

DC Comics[]

Marvel Comics[]

Independent titles[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Manning, Matthew K.; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1980s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. [[wikipedia:Dorling Kindersley|]]. p. 218. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. "It was what many consider the greatest year in comics. DC debuted two of the industry's most influential works: Frank Miller supplied a gritty take on super-heroes with Batman: The Dark Knight, while writer Alan Moore brought a literary ear and sophisticated structure to DC's comics with the maxiseries Watchmen." 
  2. "AwardWeb: Hugo Award Winners" - Watchmen listed as a winner of the Hugo Award (retrieved 20 April 2006)
  3. "Time Magazine - ALL-TIME 100 Novels" – A synopsis describing Watchmen (retrieved 14 April 2006)
  4. Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 221: "In the six-issue miniseries entitled [The] Man of Steel, the mammoth task of remaking Superman fell to popular writer/artist John Byrne...The result was an overwhelming success, popular with fans both old and new."
  5. Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 219: "Plotted by Jim Starlin, with dramatic designs by Bernie Wrightson...Heroes Against Hunger featured nearly every popular DC creator of the time."
  6. Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 221: "Batman celebrated the 400th issue of his self-titled comic with a blockbuster featuring dozens of famous comic book creators and nearly as many infamous villains. Written by Doug Moench, with an introduction by novelist Stephen King...[it was] drawn by George Pérez, Bill Sienkiewicz, Arthur Adams, Joe Kubert, Brian Bolland, and others."
  7. Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 221 "DC's next big crossover showcased John Byrne's pencils on all six of the miniseries' issues. Entitled Legends, this new limited series was plotted by writer John Ostrander and scripted by Len Wein...By the series' end, the stage was set for several new ongoing titles, including...the Suicide Squad, as well as the Justice League."
  8. Kavvadias, Tasia. "Just For Comic Books, Zam 5,000 Congregate," Chicago Tribune (08 July 1986), p. 3.
  9. Groth, Gary. "Unmasking the Rocketeer" (Dave Stevens interview), The Comics Journal #117 (Sept. 1987), pp. 68.
  10. "Comix Fair features cartoonists," Houston Chronicle (21 Aug 1986), p. 7.
  11. "The Lively Arts," Columbus Dispatch (November 3, 1986).
  12. "Events," Texas Monthly (Nov. 1986), p. 38.
  13. Siegel profile, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999.
  14. Shuster profile, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999.
  15. 15.0 15.1 Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 218: "The DC Universe gained one of its most peculiar stars in the first issue of writer/artist Dan Jurgens' Booster Gold series."


Category:1986 in comics Category:Incomplete literature lists

Advertisement