1985 in comics

Years in comics
19th Century
1900s
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1910s
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1920s
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1930s
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1940s
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1950s
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1960s
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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

Notable events of 1985 in comics. See also List of years in comics.

Events and publications

Year overall

• More independent publishers enter the marketplace: Aircel Comics, Arrow Comics, Dragon Lady Press, NOW Comics, Sirius Comics, Strawberry Jam Comics, and Wonder Comics all publish their first titles. In addition, David Anthony Kraft's Comics Interview publishes its first comic book titles (it had been publishing the Comics Interview magazine since 1983).
• Red Circle Comics, the Archie Comics superhero imprint, ceases publishing.

April

• Crisis on Infinite Earths 12-issue "maxi-series" debuts, produced by DC Comics to simplify their then-55-year-old continuity. Written by Marv Wolfman, and illustrated by George Pérez (pencils/layouts), with Mike DeCarlo, Dick Giordano, and Jerry Ordway (who shared inking/embellishing chores). The series eliminates the concept of the Multiverse in the fictional DC Universe, and depicts the deaths of such long-standing superheroes as Supergirl and the Barry Allen incarnation of the Flash.

August

• DC publishes Superman Annual #11: "For the Man Who Has Everything," by the future Watchmen team of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.

September

• The "Who Is Sensor Girl?" storyline, written by Paul Levitz, begins in Legion of Super-Heroes #14 (and continues through issue #27).

October

• The death of Supergirl in Crisis on Infinite Earths #7.
• With issue #350, DC Comics publishes the final issue of The Flash (volume 1).
• "The Death of Jean DeWolff" story arc, written by Peter David, begins in Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #107 (eventually running through issue #110).
• Music for Mechanics, the first Love and Rockets collection, is published by Fantagraphics.

November

• The death of Barry Allen / The Flash in Crisis on Infinite Earths #8.

Deaths

March

• Don Rico dies at age 72.

June

• June 21: Charles Wojtkoski dies at age 63.

July

• Super Rabbit creator Ernie Hart dies at age 64.

Exhibitions and shows

Conventions

Awards

First issues by title

DC Comics

Hex

Release: November. Writer: Michael Fleisher. Artist: Mark Texeira.

Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe

Release: March. Editors: Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, and Robert Greenberger.

Limited Series

America vs. the Justice Society (4 issues)

Release: January: Writers: Roy and Dann Thomas.

Crisis on Infinite Earths (12-issues)

Release: April. Writer: by Marv Wolfman. Artist: George Pérez.

The Shadow War of Hawkman (4 issues)

Release: May. Writer: Tony Isabella. Artists: Richard Howell and Alfredo Alcala.

Marvel Comics

Eternals

Release: October. Writer: Peter Gillis. Artists: Sal Buscema and Al Gordon.

The Marvel Saga: The Official History of the Marvel Universe

Release: December. Writer: Peter Sanderson.

ThunderCats

Release: December. Writer: David Michelinie. Artists: Jim Mooney and Brett Breeding.

Limited series

The Bozz Chronicles (6 issues)

Release: December by Epic Comics. Writer: David Michelinie.

Longshot (6 issues)

Release: September. Writer: Ann Nocenti. Artist: Art Adams.

Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu (6 issues)

Release: June.

Moonshadow (12 issues)

Release: March by Epic Comics. Writer: J. M. DeMatteis.

The One (6 issues)

Release: July by Epic Comics. Writer/Artist: Rick Veitch.

Secret Wars II (9 issues)

Release: July. Writer: Jim Shooter. Artist: Al Milgrom.

Independent titles

Fish Police

Release: June by Fishwrap Productions. Writer/Artist: Steven Moncuse.

Miracleman

Release: August by Eclipse Comics. Writer: Alan Moore. Artists: Mick Anglo and Garry Leach.

Neat Stuff

Release: June by Fantagraphics. Writer/Artist: Peter Bagge.

Scout

Release: September by Eclipse Comics. Writer/Artist: Timothy Truman.

Tales from the Aniverse

Release: December by Arrow Comics. Writer/Artists: Randy Zimmerman and Susan Van Camp.

Tales of the Beanworld

Release: by Beanworld Press. Writer/Artists: Larry Marder.

To Be Announced

Release: July by Strawberry Jam Comics. Writer: Derek McCulloch. Artist: Mike Bannon.

Initial appearances by character name

• Fel Andar, in The Shadow War of Hawkman #1 (DC Comics)
• Anti-Monitor, in Crisis on Infinite Earths #2 (DC Comics)
• Brian Banner, in Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #312 (Marvel Comics)
• Bekka, in DC Graphic Novel #4: The Hunger Dogs (DC Comics)
• Black Mask (comics), in Batman #386 (DC Comics)
• Black Mass (comics), in Justice League of America #234 (DC Comics)
• Bushmaster II, in Captain America #310 (Marvel Comics)
• Cadre, in Justice League of America #235 (DC Comics)
• Guido Carosella (Strong Guy), in New Mutants #29 (Marvel Comics)
• John Constantine, in Swamp Thing #37 (DC Comics)
• Erg (comics), in Power Pack #12 (Marvel Comics)
• Fastball (comics), in Justice League of America #234 (DC Comics)
• Firestar, in Uncanny X-Men #193 (DC Comics)
• Doctor Light (Kimiyo Hoshi), in Crisis on Infinite Earths #4 (DC Comics)
• Jinx, in Tales of the Teen Titans #56 (DC Comics)
• Casey Jones, in Raphael #1 (Mirage Studios)
• Kofi Whitemane, in Power Pack #16 (Marvel Comics)
• Kole, in The New Teen Titans vol. 2, #9 (DC Comics)
• Krillin, in Dragon Ball chapter #25 (Shueisha)
• Lady Quark, in Crisis on Infinite Earths #4 (DC Comics)
• Legion, in New Mutants #25 (Marvel Comics)
• Longshot, in Longshot #1 (Marvel Comics)
• Alexander Luthor, Jr., in Crisis on Infinite Earths #1 (DC Comics)
• Doctor Mid-Nite (Beth Chapel), in Infinity, Inc. #19 (DC Comics)
• Mister Bones, in Infinity, Inc. #16 (DC Comics)
• Mojo, in Longshot #3 (Marvel Comics)
• Normie Osborn, in Amazing Spider-Man #263 (Marvel Comics)
• Onyx, in Detective Comics #546 (DC Comics)
• Pariah, in Crisis on Infinite Earths #1 (DC Comics)
• Phastos, in Eternals (vol. 2) #1 (Marvel Comics)
• Rattler, in Captain America #310 (Marvel Comics)
• Scourge of the Underworld, in Iron Man #194 (Marvel Comics)
• Shadow Thief (Hammer), in Vigilante #14 (DC Comics)
• Silver Sable, in Amazing Spider-Man #265 (Marvel Comics)
• Sin-Eater, in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #107 (Marvel Comics)
• Tabitha Smith, in Secret Wars II #5 (Marvel Comics)
• Alistair Smythe, in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #19 (Marvel Comics)
• Superboy-Prime, in DC Comics Presents #87 (DC Comics)
• Hourman (Rick Tyler), in Infinity, Inc. #20 (DC Comics)
• Sharon Ventura, in The Thing #27 (Marvel Comics)
• Vigilante (Alan Welles), in Vigilante #20 (DC Comics)