1990 in comics

• New Century Comics, Disney Comics, Millennium Publications, MU Press, Tundra Publishing, Valiant Comics, Drawn & Quarterly, and the French publisher L'Association, all enter the marketplace.
• The "Days of Future Present" storyline, the sequel to "Days of Future Past," appears in the annuals of Fantastic Four, New Mutants, X-Factor and X-Men.
• The merger of Time Inc. and Warner Communications, parent of DC Comics completed, the merger name was Time Warner.

• January 7: in Topolino, first chapter of The Search for the Zodiac Stone!: An Epic Yarn of Mice and Ducks!, written by Bruno Sarda and drawn by Massimo De Vita and Franco Valussi. The story, in 12 chapter, is considered the longest Disney comic ever published and its issue lasts the whole year. It involves all the principal characters of the Donald and Mckey universes and sees the debut of Paperinik’s nemesis Spectrus.[1]
• Charles M. Schulz is named Commandeur des Arts et Lettres. [2]
• Dinosaurs for Hire is cancelled by Eternity Comics with issue #9.
• 1st known artwork by Dale Keown for Marvel Comics, published in Nth Man #9.

• The last issue of Damage Control v2 is published.
• With issue #6, Police Academy is cancelled.

• March 16: Jan Bucquoy launches the Belgian weekly magazine Dol/Belge, which is so outrageous in slandering media celebrities, the Belgian royal family, the Pope, politicians and other high officials that within a few weeks issues are confiscated and stores refuse to sell copies. Bucquoy then transforms it into a genuine comics magazine featuring reprints of his older porn parodies. The magazine will last merely a year.[3]
• Elektra Lives Again is published by Epic Comics, written and drawn by Frank Miller.
• The last issue of Strikeforce: Morituri: Electric Undertow is published, thereby ending the series as a whole.

• April 6: The unfinished Blake and Mortimer story, The 3 Formulas of Professor Sato: Mortimer vs. Mortimer, made before Edgar P. Jacobs' death, is published posthumously, completed by Bob de Moor.[4]

• With issue 9, The Destroyer v1 is cancelled.

• Fright Night is canceled by Now Comics with issue #22.
• The New Warriors v1 #1 is released.
• 2000AD spin-off Revolver hits newsagents, with the seminal storyline Rogan Gosh.
• Shade the Changing Man is revamped by DC imprint Vertigo.

• August 31: Scott McCloud draws the first comic strip drawn in 24 hours.[5] In 2004 this will become an annual event.
• Animal Man #26: "Deus Ex Machina," writer Grant Morrison's final issue of Animal Man.
• Secret Origins is canceled by DC with issue #50.
• Spider-Man #1, the start of the "Torment" storyline, marked Todd McFarlane's first major outing on a series as a writer/artist.[6][7] The issue would become the best selling comic book so far and be the first major step to the rise of the superstar creators and the formation of Image Comics.

• Nth Man: The Ultimate Ninja is canceled by Marvel with issue #16.
• Terminator is canceled by NOW Comics with issue #17.

• October 13: During the Stripdagen in Breda, the Netherlands, Henk Kuijpers receives the Stripschapprijs.[8][9] Joost Swarte receives the Jaarprijs voor Bijzondere Verdienste (nowadays the P. Hans Frankfurtherprijs).[10]
• Swamp Thing #100: Double-sized issue, "Tales of Eden," by Doug Wheeler, Kelley Jones, and Pat Broderick.
• The Huntress v1 is canceled by DC with issue #19.

• Marvel's "X-Tinction Agenda" crossover begins in the pages of Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, and New Mutants.

• Fantastic Four #347 – A temporary lineup introduced, consisting of the Hulk, Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Ghost Rider.
• Wendy the Good Little Witch (1960 series), with issue #97, canceled by Harvey Comics.
• The Real Ghostbusters is canceled by Now Comics with issue #28.

• The first issue of the Belgian satirical comics and cartoons magazine Ubu-Pan is published.

• January 1: Charles Boost, Dutch illustrator and comics artist (drew comics for De Tijd), passes away at age 82.[11]
• January 8: Bernard Krigstein, American comics artist (Master Race, Mad), dies at age 71.[12]
• January 20: Claude Auclair, French comics artist (Simon du Fleuve), dies at age 46.[13]

• February 22: Thomas Ochse Honiball, South African cartoonist and comics artist (Oom Kaspaas, Jakkals en Wolf), dies at age 84.[14]

• March 4: Salvatore Deidda, Italian comics artist (Stark, continued Martin Mystère), dies at age 37.[15]
• March 12: Woody Kimbrell, American comics artist (Little Lulu), dies at age 83.[16]
• March 24: Ray Goulding, American comedian (Bob & Ray) and comics writer (Mad Magazine [17]), dies at age 68.[18]
• March 30: João Mottini, Brazilian comics artist (Quintín Duval, continued Ellos), passes away at age 66.[19]

• April 24:
  • Claude Henri, French comics writer and artist (Hourrah Freddi, Lynx Blanc, P'tit Joc, Charles Oscar), passes away at age 74.[20]
  • André Fernez, Belgian comics writer, novelist and chief editor of Tintin between 1947 and 1959, passes away at age 72.[21]
• April 28: Edwina Dumm, American comics artist (Cap Stubbs and Tippie) dies at age 96.[22]

• May 7: Pier Lorenzo De Vita, Italian comics artist (Tuffolino, Pecos Bill, Disney comics, Mopsi, Giso e Leo), dies at age 80.[23]
• May 15: Porfiri Nikitich Krylov, Russian painter, illustrator and poster designer (member of the collective Kukryniksy), dies at age 87.[24]
• May 25: William Overgard, American comics artist (continued Steve Roper and Mike Nomad and Kerry Drake), dies at age 64.[25]
• May 31: William Timym, also known as Tim, Austrian-British animator and comics artist (The Boss, Caesar, Bengo the Boxer, Wuff, Tuff and Snuff, Bim, Bam and Boom, Oh, Johnny!, Bleep and Booster), dies at age 87.[26]

• June 23: Howard Boughner, American comics artist (Mac, Hold Everything, writer of Penny and Dotty Dripple, assisted on Dumb Dora and Wash Tubbs), dies at age 81.[27]
• June 30: Jacques Lob, French comics artist (Ténébrax, Blanche Epiphanie, Submerman, Superdupont), dies at age 67.[28]

• July 17: George Waiss, American animator and comics artist (Disney comics), dies at age 83.[29]
• July 18: Yves Chaland, French comics artist (Freddy Lombard), dies in a car accident at age 33.[30]
• July 18: Georges Dargaud, French comics publisher (Dargaud), passes away at age 79.
• July 25: Sam Grainger, American comics artist (Marvel Comics), dies at age 60.

• August 7: Phiny Dick, Dutch comics writer and artist (Miezelientje, Olle Kapoen, Birre Beer), also wife of Marten Toonder, passes away at age 77.[31]
• August 12: B. Kliban, American cartoonist (Playboy), dies of a pulmonary embolism at age 55.[32]
• August 28: Willy Vandersteen, Belgian comics artist (Suske en Wiske, De Familie Snoek, De Vrolijke Bengels, 't Prinske, De Rode Ridder, Bessy, Robert en Bertrand, De Geuzen), dies at age 77.[33]

• September 5: Jerry Iger, American comics publisher (co-founder of Eisner & Iger) writer and artist, dies at age 87.[34]
• September 20:
  • Byron Aptosoglou, Greek illustrator and comics artist (The Superman, Mikrós Íros (Little Hero), Tarzan comics), dies at age 67 or 68.[35]
  • Attilio Micheluzzi, Italian comics artist (Roy Mann, Petra Chérie, Johnny Focus), dies at age 60.[36]

• October 14: Art Huhta, American comics artist (Dinky Dinkerton, Wild Rose, assisted on Mescal Ike, Lolly Gags and The Nebbs), dies at age 88.[37]
• October 29: François Gianolla, Belgian poet, playwright, cartoonist, illustrator, musician, caricaturist and comics artist (Fred, Mile et Bob), dies at age 83.[38]
• October 31: Roger Price, American humorist, writer, publisher and cartoonist (creator of droodles), died at age 72.

• December 21: Susi Weigel, Austrian illustrator, comics artist and animator (worked for Unsere Zeitung), dies at age 76.[39]
• December 30: Tony Abruzzo, American comics artist (made romance comics for National Periodicals (later DC Comics), dies at age 74.[40]

• Dennis Collins, British comics artist (The Perishers), passes away.[41]
• Cram, Belgian cartoonist (De Weyfelaers, Jan Pech), passes away at age 51 or 52.[42]
• Marcel Dehaye, Belgian journalist, novelist, comics writer and chief editor of Tintin (1959-1965), dies at age 82 or 83.
• Nicholas, aka Nick, Firfires, American illustrator and comics artist (made realistically drawn comics for Disney and the celebrity comic based on Gene Autry), dies at age 72 or 73.[43]
• Harry Haenigsen, American comics artist (Penny), dies at age 89.[44]
• Ye Hung-chia, Taiwanese comics artist (Chuko Szu-lang), dies at age 76 or 77.[45]
• Yu Takita, Japanese manga artist (Terajima-cho (The Terajima Neighborhood Mystery tales), dies at age 57 or 58.[46]
• Tom, aka Thomaz de Mello, Portuguese comics artist (Rico, Pico e Sarapico), dies at age 83 or 84.[47]

Presented in 1991 for comics published in 1990.

• Best Story or Single Issue: Concrete Celebrates Earth Day, by Paul Chadwick, Charles Vess, and Jean "Moebius" Giraud (Dark Horse)
• Best Continuing Series: Sandman, by Neil Gaiman and various artists (DC)
• Best Black and White Series: Xenozoic Tales, by Mark Schultz (Kitchen Sink)
• Best Finite Series: Give Me Liberty, by Frank Miller and Dave Gibbons (Dark Horse)
• Best Graphic Album—New: Elektra Lives Again, by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley (Marvel)
• Best Graphic Album—Reprint: Sandman: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman and various artists (DC)
• Best Writer: Neil Gaiman, Sandman (DC)
• Best Writer/Artist or Writer/Artist Team: Frank Miller and Geof Darrow, Hard Boiled
• Best Artist: Steve Rude, Nexus
• Best Inker: Al Williamson
• Hall of Fame: R. Crumb, Alex Toth

For independent and small-press comics; presented in June 1990 by Zine Zone chairperson Terry Hooper. (Zine Zone was based in Bristol, UK.)[54]

• Best Science Fiction Writer: Tom Elmes
• Best Science Fiction Artist: Petri Hiltinen
• Best Science Fiction Zine: Tahti Vaeltaja (Finland)
• Best Horror Writer: Rob Gott
• Best Horror Artist: David Stephenson
• Best Horror Zine: Lippe 10 (Germany)
• Best Adventure Writer: Ludwig Kreutzner
• Best Adventure Artist: Rudolph Perez
• Best Adventure Zine: Zebra (Germany)
• Best Funny Animal Comic: Blues Bar by Bernd Gronenberg (Germany)
• Best Action Comic: Stormwatcher by Ian Abbinnett and Alan Cowsill (UK)
• Best Erotic Comic: Johnny Condom by Steve Harrison (UK)
• Best Slice of Life Comic: Love and Rockets
• Best Text Feature: Small Press World by Hal Hargit (Amazing Heroes)
• Journal Most Helpful to Small Press: Amazing Heroes
• Best Indie/Small Press Journal: Comics F/X
• Best Column: Trade Secrets by Kyle Miller
• Best Original Strip: The Desert Peach by Donna Barr
• Best Humor Writer: Donna Barr
• Best Packaged Title: Kannus (Finland)
• Best Mini-Comic: Testosterone City by Peter Bagge
• Best Indie Artist: Matt "D'Israeli" Brooker
• Best Small Press Album: Heroes from the Black Lagoon (Germany)
• Best European Artist: Martin Frei (Germany)
• Most Promising Newcomer: Terry Ford (UK)
• Person Doing the Most for UK Comics History: Denis Gifford
• Greatest Influence in Comics: Jack Kirby

Justice League Quarterly

Release: Winter.

Superboy v2

Release: February

The Atlantis Chronicles

Release: March. Writer: Peter David. Artist: Esteban Maroto.

The Books of Magic v1

Release: Writer: Neil Gaiman. Artists: John Bolton, Scott Hampton, Charles Vess & Paul Johnson.

Breathtaker

Release: July Writer: Mark Wheatley. Artist: Marc Hempel.

Hawkworld (3 issues, later became an ongoing)

Release: June. Writers: John Ostrander and Timothy Truman. Artist: Graham Nolan.

Twilight

Release: December. Writers: Howard Chaykin. Artist: José Luis García-López.

World Without End

Release: January. Writers: Jamie Delano. Artist: John Higgins.

Batman: Digital Justice

Release: 1990 Writer/Artist: Pepe Moreno.

Camp Candy

Release: May.

Ghost Rider v2

Release: May. Writer: Howard Mackie. Artists: Javier Saltares & Mark Texeira.

Guardians of the Galaxy v1

Release: June.

Knights of Pendragon

Release: July by Marvel UK. Writers: Dan Abnett and John Tomlinson. Artist: Gary Erskine.

Spider-Man

Release: August. Writer & Artist: Todd McFarlane

Issued with regular and silver ink covers, second printing with gold ink cover.

RoboCop

Release: March. Writer: Alan Grant. Artists: Lee Sullivan & Kim DeMulder.

Marvel Super-Heroes v2

Release: May.

Mighty Mouse

Release: October.

Namor the Sub-Mariner

Release: April

New Warriors

Release: July. Writer: Fabian Nicieza. Artists: Mark Bagley & Al Williamson.

Nomad

Release: November. Writer: Fabian Nicieza. Artists: James Fry & Mark McKenna.

Tomorrow Knights

Release: June by Epic Comics.

Zorro

Release: December.

Alien Legion: On The Edge

Release: November.

Atomic Age

Release: November by Epic Comics. Writer: Frank Lovece. Artists: Mike Okamoto & Al Williamson.

Black Knight

Release: June.

Brute Force

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs

Release: November by Epic Comics.

Darkman v1

Release: August.

Deathlok v1

Release: July.

Critical Mass

Release: January by Epic Comics. Writer: D. G. Chichester and Margaret Clark.

Elsewhere Prince

Release: May by Epic Comics. Writer/Artist: Moebius.

Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser

Release: October by Epic Comics. Writer: Howard Chaykin. Artist: Mike Mignola.

Foolkiller v1

Release: October.

Hero: Warrior of the Mystic Realms

Release: May.

Hollywood Superstars

Release: November by Epic Comics. Writer: Mark Evanier. Artist: Dan Spiegle.

Impossible Man Summer Vacation Spectacular

Release: August

The Last American

Release: December by Epic Comics. Writers: John Wagner & Alan Grant. Artist: Mike McMahon.

New Adventures of Cholly & Flytrap

Release: December by Epic Comics.

Punisher Armory

Release: July. Writer:

RoboCop 2

Release: August.

Saga of the Original Human Torch

Release: April. Writer: Roy Thomas.

X-Men Spotlight On... Starjammers

Release: May

Stalkers

Release: April

Steeltown Rockers

Release: April. Writer: Elaine Lee. Artist: Steve Leialoha.

The Thanos Quest

Release: September. Writer: Jim Starlin. Artist: Ron Lim.

The Return of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu: Bleeding Black

Release: February.

Basara

Release: September on Betsucomi. Author: Yumi Tamura.

Classics Illustrated v2

Criminal Macabre: A Cal McDonald Mystery

Release:

Hate

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

Judge Dredd Megazine

Release: October by Egmont UK.

Logan's Run

Release:

Big Numbers (2 issues before cancellation)

Release: April by Mad Love. Writer: Alan Moore Artist: Bill Sienkiewicz.

Bratpack

Release: August by King Hell Press. Writer & artist: Rick Veitch.

Cages

Release: December by Tundra Publishing. Writer/Artist: Dave McKean.

Give Me Liberty

Release: June. Writer: Frank Miller. Artist: Dave Gibbons.

Hard Boiled

Release: September. Writer: Frank Miller. Artist: Geoff Darrow.

The Men In Black v1

Release: January. Writer: Lowell Cunningham. Artist: Sandy Carruthers

Terminator: The Burning Earth

Release: March. Writer: Ron Fortier. Artist: Alex Ross.

The Terminator: Tempest

Release: August by Dark Horse Comics.

• Atlan in The Atlantis Chronicles #5 (July )
• Atom IV in Suicide Squad #44 (August )
• Auberon in The Sandman #19 (September )
• The Beefeater in Justice League Europe #20 (November )
• Blaze in Action Comics #655 (July )
• Crimesmith II in Batman #443 (January )
• Danny the Street in Doom Patrol v2 #35 (August )
• Delirium in The Sandman #21 (December )
• Doctor Diehard in Justice League Europe #15 (June )
• Jack Drake in Batman #455 (October )
• Tim Drake as Robin III in Batman #442 (January )
• Dreamslayer in Justice League Europe #15 (June )
• Dybbuk in Suicide Squad #45 (September )
• Echo III in Justice League Quarterly #1 (Winter)
• Firestorm II in Firestorm the Nuclear Man v2 #100 (August )
• Laurel Gand in Legion of Super-Heroes v4 #5 (March )
• Gorgon in Justice League Europe #15 (June )
• Hank Henshaw in Adventures of Superman #465 (April )
• Timothy Hunter in The Books of Magic v1 #1
• Willoughby Kipling in Doom Patrol v2 #31 (April )
• Legion (DC Comics) in Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn #2 (January )
• Manfred Mota in The Flash 50th Anniversary Special
• Neon (comics) in Legion of Super-Heroes v4 #6 (April )
• NKVDemon in Batman #445 (March )
• 'The Orishas in Firestorm the Nuclear Man v2 #95 (March )
• Reflex in Legion of Super-Heroes v4 #6 (April )
• Kent Shakespeare in Legion of Super-Heroes v4 #12 (December )
• Titania in The Sandman #19 (September )
• Tracer in Justice League Europe #16 (July )
• Trinity in New Titans Annual #6
• Yuga Khan in New Gods v3 #17 (June )

• Abominatrix in Sensational She-Hulk #21 (November )
• Agamemnon in The Incredible Hulk (December )
• Ahab (comics) in Fantastic Four Annual #23
• Blackout II in Ghost Rider v2 #2 (June )
• Bliss in Uncanny X-Men #261 (May)
• Bloodlust I in Marvel Comics Presents #48 (April )
• Bloodwraith in Black Knight #2 (July )
• Cable in New Mutants #87 (March )
• Captain Atlas in Quasar #9 (April )
• Cardiac in The Amazing Spider-Man #342 (December )
• Deathlok III in Deathlok #1 (July )
• Deathwatch in Ghost Rider v2 #1 (May)
• Dittomaster in Damage Control v2 #4 (February )
• Stacey Dolan in Ghost Rider v2 #1 (May)
• Jack D'Uria in Ghost Rider v2 #4 (Aug)
• Kearson DeWitt in Iron Man Annual #13 (July )
• Foolkiller III in Foolkiller v1 #1 (October )
• Gambit in Uncanny X-Men Annual #14
• Ghost Rider II in Ghost Rider v2 #1 (May)
• The Lifeform in Punisher Annual #3
• Midnight's Fire in New Warriors #2 (August )
• Mindblast in The Amazing Spider-Man #340 (October )
• The Monster Pretenders in The Transformers #67 (June )
• Julius Rassitano in The Mighty Thor v1 #426 (November )
• The Mutant Liberation Front in The New Mutants #86 (February ) (all members appeared at the date mentioned, except where noted. otherwise)
  • Dragoness in New Mutants #93 (September )
  • Forearm
  • Kamikaze in New Mutants #93 (September )
  • Reaper
  • Strobe
  • Stryfe
  • Tempo
  • Thumbelina
  • Wildside
  • Zero
• Psionex in New Warriors #4 (October )
  • Asylum I
  • Coronary
  • Dwight Hubbard
  • Heidi P. Franklin
  • Mathemanic
• Silhouette in New Warriors #2 (August)
• Whiplash II in Marvel Comics Presents #46 (May)

• Armoured Gideon in 2000AD (March 24)
• Garganta in Femforce #30
• Madman in Creatures of the Id (October)

• Peggy Jean in Peanuts (July 23)
• The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (December 10)