1993 in comics

Years in comics
19th century
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Notable events of 1993 in comics. See also List of years in comics.

Events

January

• Doom Patrol #63: " The Empire of Chairs," Grant Morrison's final issue as Doom Patrol writer.

February

• Action Comics, with issue #686, suspends publication following "The Death of Superman." (DC Comics)
• Clive Barker's Hellraiser is canceled by Epic Comics (Marvel) with issue #20.
• Static #1 (cover-dated April) debuts under Milestone brand. Created by Dwayne McDuffie and John Paul Leon, he is the first black superhero written by a black writer.
• February 21: Harvey Kurtzman, founding editor of Mad magazine, dies at age 68.

March

• DC Comics debuts its new Vertigo imprint with the publication of Death: The High Cost of Living #1. Existing DC titles Swamp Thing #129, Hellblazer #63, Sandman #47, Doom Patrol #64, Animal Man #57, and Shade, the Changing Man #33 all become Vertigo titles as well.
• Hawkworld canceled by DC with issue #32.
• Introduction of the hero X in Dark Horse Comics #8. (Dark Horse Comics)
• Introduction of Deathblow in Darker Image #1 and Stormwatch in Stormwatch #1. (Image Comics)

April

• Adventures of Superman #500 (dated "Early June") is released and the Reign of the Supermen begins with four Supermen.
• April 5: Alberto Giolitti passes away in Rome at age 69.

May

• Cable is released by Marvel Comics as a monthly title.
• Peter Parker, Spectacular Spider-Man #200: "Best of Enemies!" by J.M. DeMatteis and Sal Buscema. (Marvel Comics)
• Web of Spider-Man #100 by Terry Kavanagh, Alex Saviuk and Joe Rubinstein. (Marvel Comics)
• Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. is canceled by Marvel with issue #47.
• The Tick vol. 1 is canceled by New England Comics with issue #12.
• May 14: Gerda Gattel, long-time DC Comics letterer and proofreader, dies at age 84.
• Maximum Carnage begins.

June

• Adventures of Superman #500 by Jerry Ordway, Tom Grummett and Doug Hazlewood.
• Action Comics, with issue #687, resumes publication after a four-month hiatus following "The Death of Superman" and "Funeral for a Friend" storylines.
• With issue #51, Justice League Europe changes its name to Justice League International vol. 2. (DC Comics)
• Malibu Comics launches the Ultraverse line of comics in which it states that "Writers are the true enhancements in comics" (a pointed reference to the trend of publishing and marketing foil-stamped covers). Said writers include Steve Englehart, Gerard Jones, and Steve Gerber. Variant editions of the first issues are published with hologram covers.
• The conclusion to Marvel Comics’ "Infinity Trilogy" is launched with Infinity Crusade.

July

• Premiere issue of Hero Illustrated.
• The start of the "Summer Offensive" in 2000 AD when control was handed over to Grant Morrison and Mark Millar. With issue #842^[1] the magazine launches a raft of new features, including Really & Truly, Slaughterbowl, Big Dave, and Maniac 5 as well as Morrison's run on Judge Dredd with "Inferno."
• DC Comics releases Batman #500, in which Azrael becomes the new Batman.
• Image Comics and Valiant Comics stage an intercompany crossover called Deathmate.
• Fatal Attractions begins.

August

• 2000 AD's "Summer Offensive" draws to a close with issue #849.^[2]
• The New Titans #100: "The Darkening, Part Four: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something... Dead," by Marv Wolfman, Tom Grummett, and Bill Jaaska.
• Deadpool #1 is released by Marvel Comics
• "The Fall from Grace" storyline debuts in Daredevil #319.

September

• The 'Nam is canceled by Marvel with issue #84.

October

• Batman #500: 64-page giant — "Knightfall" chapter 19, written by Doug Moench.
• Green Lantern takes part in the Reign of the Supermen in issue #46
• Mike Carlin and Dan Jurgens relaunch the Metal Men with a four-issue limited series
• Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic “dies” in Fantastic Four #381
• Stephen Platt debuts on Moon Knight #55 and becomes extremely popular due to his art style resembling Todd MacFarlane.
• X-Men 2099 #1 - Marvel 2099
• The first full colour issue of The Beano, it was issue 2674 dated October 16 1993.
• October 20: Prolific scripter Gaylord DuBois dies at age 94.

November

• Green Lantern #47 marks the reunion of Green Lantern and Green Arrow.
• Avengers West Coast #100: 64-page anniversary issue; the death of Mockingbird.
• Wolverine #75 represents a turning point in Wolverine’s life as the adamantium is separated from his body by Magneto.
• November 9: Ross Andru dies at age 66.
• November 11: Little Lulu writer John Stanley dies at age 79.
• Fatal Attractions concludes, only for Bloodties to begin.

December

• Conan the Barbarian is canceled with issue #275
• The Punisher (Marvel Comics) debuts the "Suicide Run" storyline with issue #85
• "Emerald Twilight" storyline debuts in Green Lantern #48
• Hellboy makes his first mainstream comic book appearance, in Next Men #21.
• Lobo gets a monthly title from DC Comics
• Malibu Ultraverse launches "Break-Thru," the first company-wide crossover.

Conventions

• Jan. 17–18: International Association for Direct Distribution (New Orleans, Louisiana)
• March 21: WaRP Graphics convention (Liverpool, New York) — organized by Wendy and Richard Pini to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation
• March 31–April 1: ProCon (Oakland, California) — first professionals-only convention; held right before WonderCon
• April 2-4: WonderCon (Oakland, California) — 7th edition of the convention
• June 11–13: Heroes Convention (Charlotte, North Carolina)
• July: Wizard World Philadelphia (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
• July: CAPTION93 (England) — British small-press convention
• July 16–18: Dragon Con Atlanta Comics Expo (Atlanta, Georgia)
• August 19–22: San Diego Comic-Con (San Diego Convention Center and Doubletree Hotel, San Diego, California) —  28,000 attendees. Special guests include Murphy Anderson, Jim Aparo, Peter Bagge, Dan Clowes, Nancy Collins, Paul Dini, Garth Ennis, Ferd Johnson, Rick Kirkman, Don Martin, Olivia, Dave Sim, Vin Sullivan, Michael Whelan, Robert Williams, and Roger Zelazny
• October 8-11: Comicfest '93 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

Awards

First annual publication of the Wizard Fan Awards.

First issues by title

Sirius Entertainment

• Animal Mystic

DC Comics

• Batman: In Darkest Night
• Black Canary
• Bloodlines
• Catwoman monthly series (vol. 1)
• Chain Gang War
• Hawkman
• Justice League Task Force
• Legacy of Superman
• Lobo (Monthly)
• Lobo Annual
• Metal Men
• The Outsiders (vol. 2)^[3]
• Robin monthly series (vol. 2)
• Showcase 93
• Supergirl
• Trinity

Image Comics

• 1963
• Freak Force
• Stormwatch

Malibu Ultraverse

• Break-Thru
• Exiles
• Hard Case
• Mantra
• Prime
• Sludge
• Solitaire
• The Strangers

Marvel Comics

• Deadpool
• Doom 2099
• Midnight Sons Unlimited
• Night Thrasher
• Nova
• Punisher 2099
• Spider-Man Unlimited
• Transformers: Generation 2
• X-Men 2099
• X-Men Unlimited

Milestone Comics

• Blood Syndicate
• Hardware
• Icon
• Static

Writer: Dwayne McDuffie. Artist: John Paul Leon

References