1982 in comics

Year overall

• San Diego-based independent publisher Pacific Comics makes a strong push in the marketplace, following Jack Kirby's Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers with four new ongoing titles, Starslayer, Ms. Mystic, Twisted Tales, and Alien Worlds, featuring such established talents as Neal Adams and Mike Grell.
• To stem the flow of creators defecting to companies such as First Comics, Pacific Comics, and Eclipse Comics, DC Comics begins offering royalties to artists and writers of regular newsstand comics that sell more than 100,000 copies;^[1] Marvel soon follows suit with its creator-owned imprint Epic Comics. Launched by editor-in-chief Jim Shooter as a spin-off of the successful Epic Illustrated magazine, the Epic imprint allows creators to retain control and ownership of their properties. Co-edited by Al Milgrom and Archie Goodwin, the imprint also allows Marvel to publish a mature line of comics oriented toward an older audience. Epic titles are printed on higher quality paper than typical Marvel comics, and are only available via the direct market.^[2]
• Marvel debuts its Marvel Graphic Novels series, releasing five trade paperbacks over the course of the year: The Death of Captain Marvel, Elric: The Dreaming City, Dreadstar, The New Mutants, and X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills.
• Marvel publishes its first limited series titles: Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions, Wolverine, Hercules: Prince of Power, and Vision and the Scarlet Witch.
• After 41 years as a publisher, Harvey Comics ceases publishing.
• After ten years as a publisher, Spire Christian Comics ceases publishing original titles.
• Attempting to create synthesis for two Warner Communications subsidiaries, DC Comics teams up with Atari Inc. to publish Atari Force, storylines for Atari home console games. The comics are packed in with the games Defender, Berzerk, Star Raiders, Phoenix, and Galaxian.
• DC cancels its last three suspense/horror anthologies, The Unexpected, Ghosts, and Secrets of Haunted House.
• With the demise of New Media/Irjax, Steve Geppi takes over their warehouses and distribution centers and founds Diamond Comic Distributors; 14 years later the company would become the sole major comics distributor
• Independent publisher Paragon Publications changes its name to Americomics.

January

• Warren Publishing suspends publication.
• DC Comics Presents #41 features an insert previewing the new Wonder Woman creative team of writer Roy Thomas and artist Gene Colan as well as an update of the character's costume.^[3]
• House of Mystery #300: "Special Thrill-Filled 300th Issue," edited by Karen Berger. (DC Comics)
• Phantom Zone #1 (of a four-issue limited series), by Steve Gerber, Gene Colan, and Tony DeZuniga; published by DC Comics.
• Marvel Super-Heroes (1967 series), with issue #105, cancelled by Marvel.
• "Apocalypse War" Judge Dredd storyline begins in 2000 AD. (continues through July)

February

• The Flash #306 began a Doctor Fate backup series by writer Martin Pasko and artist Keith Giffen which ran through issue #313.^[4]
• The New Teen Titans #16 features an insert previewing the upcoming Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew! series by Roy Thomas and Scott Shaw.^[5]
• Savage She-Hulk, with issue #25, is cancelled by Marvel.

March

• The debut of Alan Moore's new, darker Marvelman in Warrior #1.
• The debut of Alan Moore and David Lloyd's V for Vendetta in Warrior #1.
• Justice League of America #200: 76-page anniversary issue, "A League Divided". The double-sized issue was a "jam" featuring a story written by Gerry Conway, a framing sequence drawn by George Pérez, and chapters drawn by Pat Broderick, Jim Aparo, Dick Giordano, Gil Kane, Carmine Infantino, Brian Bolland, and Joe Kubert. Bolland's chapter gave the artist his "first stab at drawing Batman."^[6]
• DC's horror-suspense anthology Secrets of Haunted House ceases publication with issue #46.
• Flash Gordon (1966 series), with issue #37, is cancelled by the Gold Key Comics imprint Whitman Comics.
• March 27: Britain's weekly Eagle comic relaunched by IPC Media in a mostly photonovel format.

April

• Daredevil #181 — Bullseye fatally stabs Elektra.
• The long-running British series The Trigan Empire ceases publication with the cancellation of Look and Learn with issue #1042.

May

• To help raise money for his lawsuit against Marvel Comics for ownership of Howard the Duck, Steve Gerber brings out his own Destroyer Duck from Eclipse Comics.
• Fantastic Four Roast a one-shot written by Fred Hembeck is published by Marvel Comics.
• DC's long-running weird/horror anthology The Unexpected ceases publication with issue #222.
• Ghosts, with issue #112, is cancelled by DC.
• The Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves, with issue #72, is cancelled for the second time by Charlton.

June

• Fantagraphics publishes the Hernandez brothers (Jaime and Gilbert)'s Love & Rockets anthology.
• Marvel begins publishing the Hasbro-licensed series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, which would sell over 200,000 copies and out-sell Superman and the X-Men.
• Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions #1 (of a three-issue limited series), by Mark Gruenwald, John Romita, Jr., and Bob Layton; published by Marvel Comics.
• The two-issue "Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut!" storyline by creative team Roger Stern, John Romita, Jr., and Jim Mooney begins in The Amazing Spider-Man #229.
• Silver Surfer one-shot scripted by Stan Lee, plotted and penciled by John Byrne, and inked by Tom Palmer is published by Marvel Comics.

July

• The New Teen Titans #21 features an insert previewing the upcoming Night Force series by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan.^[7]
• The Penguin Books imprint Plume releases Creepshow, a graphic novella based on the 1982 horror movie Creepshow.
• The Marvel UK storyline "Jaspers' Warp" (also known as "Crooked World") begins in Marvel Superheroes #387 (continuing through June 1984 in Mighty World of Marvel)

August

• The Legion of Super-Heroes storyline "The Great Darkness Saga" begins with issue #290 (runs through December).
• Marvel Superheroes, with issue #388, is cancelled by Marvel UK; it replaced in all but name by The Mighty World of Marvel.

September

• Marvel's Wolverine four-issue mini-series, by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller, begins.
• Marvel's Hercules: Prince of Power four-issue mini-series, by Bob Layton, begins.
• The Marvel/DC intercompany crossover The Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans, by Chris Claremont, Walt Simonson,^[8] and Terry Austin.

October

• Norristown, Pennsylvania-based Comico begins publishing with the release of the black-and-white anthology title Primer #1.
• With issue #251, DC again revives Blackhawk volume 1, which ran from 1944 to 1968, and then from 1976 to 1977.
• Josie and the Pussycats (1963 series) is cancelled by Archie Comics with issue #106.
• Justice League of America #207 and All-Star Squadron #14 feature the beginning of the "Crisis on Earth-Prime" crossover between the two titles. The storyline continues into Justice League of America #208 and All-Star Squadron #15 in November and concludes in Justice League of America #209 in December.^[9][10]
• October 10 - Illustrator Ben Krefta is born

November

• Jim Starlin's Dreadstar, the first title published by Marvel's creator-owned imprint Epic Comics, begins.
• Canadian publisher Vortex Comics makes its entrée into the comics world with its anthology Vortex
• Marvel's Vision and the Scarlet Witch four-issue mini-series, by Bill Mantlo, Rick Leonardi, Ian Akin and Brian Garvey, begins.

December

• DC publishes its first tailored direct market offering: the first of 12 issues of Camelot 3000, Mike W. Barr & Brian Bolland's future-set tale of King Arthur. It is widely recognized as the first "maxi-series".^[11]
• Detective Comics #521: Green Arrow becomes the backup feature.^[12]
• DC publishes the first issue of its three-issue Masters of the Universe mini-series
• Charlton Bullseye, with issue #10, canceled by Charlton.
• December 20: Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira debuts in Young Magazine

January

• January 2: Fred Harman, American comics artist (Bronc Peeler, Red Ryder), passes away at age 79. ^[16]
• January 8: Ray Thompson , American comics artist and illustrator (The Dubble Bubble Kids), dies at the age of 76. ^[17]
• January 19: Charles Plumb, American comics artist (Ella Cinders, Chris Crusty), dies at age 81. ^[18]

February

• February 3: Arent Christensen, Norwegian comics artist (adventure and science fiction comics based on Christian Haugen's novels), dies at age 87. ^[19]
• February 13: Gluyas Williams, American comics artist (made cartoons and pantomime comics for The New Yorker), dies at age 93. ^[20]
• February 27: Carlo Bisi, Italian comics artist (Sor Pampurio), dies at age 91. ^[21]

March

• March 28: Dave Sheridan, American comics artist (Tales from the Leather Nun, co-worked on The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers), dies at age 38 or 39.^[22]

April

• April 2: Birger Malmborg, Swedish comics artist and cartoonist (Götlund), dies at age 72. ^[23]
• April 23: Georges Beuville, French illustrator and comics artist (comics based on classic adventure novels), dies at age 80. ^[24]

June

• June 4: Henning Dahl Mikkelsen, aka Mik, Danish comics artist (Ferd'nand), dies at age 67 from a heart attack. ^[25]
• June 30: Abner Dean, American cartoonist, illustrator and comics artist (published in The New Yorker and Life), dies at age 72. ^[26]

July

• July 6: Warren Tufts, American comics artist (Casey Ruggles, Lance) dies at the age of 56.^[27]
• July 9: Jehan Sennep, French illustrator, caricaturist, journalist and occasional comics artist, passes away at age 88.^[28]
• July 25: Harold Foster, American comics artist (Prince Valiant, Tarzan) dies at the age of 89.^[29]

August

• August 15: Ernie Bushmiller, American comics artist (Nancy, continued Fritzi Ritz), dies at age 76.^[30]

September

• September 7: José Cabrero Arnal, Spanish-French comics artist (Pif le chien, Placid et Muzo), dies at the age of 73. ^[31]
• September 12: Gian Giacomo Dalmasso, Italian comics writer (Pantera Bionda), dies at age 75.
• September 13: Reed Crandall, American comics artist (Blackhawk and EC Comics), dies at age 65. ^[32]
• September 16: Courtney Dunkel, American comics artist (Hannah), dies at age 79. ^[33]
• September 23: Gene Day, Canadian comics artist (Star Wars, Master of Kung Fu) dies of a coronary while crossing a street. He is only around 30 years old.^[34]
• September 29: Marcel Turin, aka Mat, French comics artist, dies at age 86. ^[35]

October

• October 3: Noel Sickles, American comics artist and illustrator (continued Scorchy Smith), passes away at age 72. ^[36]

Specific date unknown

• Carl Lyon, Australian comics artist (Tootles, The Eagle, The Astounding Mr. Storm, Tim O'Hara), dies at age 78 or 79. ^[37]
• H.E. Pease, British comics artist (Professor Jolly and his Magic Brolly, Cas of Cosnem's College, Tich the Tiny Tec), passes away at age 73 or 74. ^[38]
• Eric Roberts, British comics artist (Helpful Henry, Dirty Dick, Winker Watson), passes away at age 72.^[39]

Eagle Awards

Presented in 1983 for comics published in 1982:

• Best Story: V for Vendetta, by Alan Moore and David Lloyd (Warrior, Quality Communications)
• Best New Book: Teen Titans, by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez (DC Comics)
• Character Most Worthy of Own Title: Judge Anderson, 2000 AD (Fleetway)
• Best Comics Writer: Alan Moore, V For Vendetta (Warrior, Quality Communications)
• Favourite Artist: Bill Sienkiewicz^[40]
• Best UK Title: Warrior, edited by Dez Skinn
• Favourite Artist (UK): Brian Bolland

DC Comics

Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew!

Release: March. Writer: Roy Thomas. Artists: Ross Andru, Scott Shaw, and Bob Smith

Daring New Adventures of Supergirl

Release: November. Writer: Paul Kupperberg. Artists: Carmine Infantino and Bob Oksner

The Fury of Firestorm

Release: June. Writer: Gerry Conway. Artists: Pat Broderick and Rodin Rodriguez.

Saga of the Swamp Thing

Release: May. Writer: Martin Pasko. Artist: Thomas Yeates.

Marvel Comics

Dreadstar

Release: November by Epic Comics. Writer/Artist: Jim Starlin

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero

Release: June. Writer: Larry Hama. Artists: Herb Trimpe and Bob McLeod

Marvel Fanfare

Release: March. Editor: Al Milgrom

Marvel Graphic Novel: "The Death of Captain Marvel"

Release: January. Writer/Artist: Jim Starlin.

The Mighty World of Marvel vol. 2

Release by Marvel UK: June. Editor: Dez Skinn.

Pacific Comics

Alien Worlds

Release: December. Editor: Bruce Jones

Ms. Mystic

Release: October. Writer/Artist: Neal Adams

Starslayer: The Log of the Jolly Roger

Release: February. Writer/Artist: Mike Grell

Twisted Tales

Release: November. Editor: Bruce Jones

Other publishers

Destroyer Duck

Release: May by Eclipse Comics. Writer: Steve Gerber. Artist: Jack Kirby

Domino chance

Release: May by Chance Enterprises. Writer/Artist: Kevin Lenagh

Love and Rockets

Release: June by Fantagraphics. Writers/Artists: Los Bros Hernandez

Primer

Release: October by Comico.

Vortex

Release: November by Vortex Comics. Editor: William P. Marks

Warrior

Release: March by Quality Communications. Writer: Alan Moore. Artists: Garry Leach and Alan Davis

DC Comics

• Ambush Bug in DC Comics Presents #52 (December)
• Arion in The Warlord #55 (March)
• Komand'r in New Teen Titans #22 (August)
• Brother Blood in New Teen Titans #21
• Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew! in New Teen Titans #16
• Ch'p in Green Lantern #148
• Firehawk in Firestorm #01 (June)
• Global Guardians in DC Comics Presents #46
• Hamilton Hill, in Detective Comics #511 (February)
• Frances Kane in New Teen Titans #17 (March)
• The Monitor, in New Teen Titans #21 (July)
• Plastique in The Fury of Firestorm #07 (December)
• The Psions in New Teen Titans #4
• Terra in New Teen Titans #26 (December)
• Ryand'r in Tales of the New Teen Titans #04 (September)
• Adrian Chase in New Teen Titans #23 (September)
• Myrra Rhodes in Weird War Tales #110 (April)
• Black Bison in Firestorm #01 (June)
• X'Hal in New Teen Titans #24 (October)
• Alexander Luthor in DC Comics Presents Annual #01 (1982)
• Baron Winters in New Teen Titans #21 (July)
• Rubberduck in New Teen Titans #16 (February)
• Invisible Kid in Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #01 (1982)
• Salaak in Green Lantern #149 (February)
• Captain Carrot in New Teen Titans #16 (February)
• Fastback in New Teen Titans #16 (February)
• Chameleon Girl in Legion of Super-Heroes #287 (May)
• Rising Sun in DC Comics Presents #46 (June)
• Helen Alexandros in Wonder Woman #288 (February)
• Michael Beldon in New Teen Titans #20 (June)
• Mirage in Detective Comics #511 (February)
• Thunderlord in DC Comics Presents #46 (June)
• Aristides Demetrios in DC Comics Presents #46 (June)
• Lydea Mallor in Legion of Super-Heroes #290 (August)
• Wanda Wayland in Justice League of America #203 (June)
• Joseph Carny in Justice League of America #203 (June)
• Mona Taylor in Justice League of America #203 (June)
• Jack of Spades in Justice League of America #203 (June)
• Jack Gold in New Teen Titans #21 (July)
• Vanessa van Helsing in New Teen Titans #21 (July)
• Donovan Caine in New Teen Titans #21 (July)
• Bethany Snow in New Teen Titans #22 (August)
• Bushmaster in DC Comics Presents #46 (June)
• Alley-Kat-Abra in New Teen Titans #16 (February)
• Yankee Poodle in New Teen Titans #16 (February)
• Lord Damyn in New Teen Titans #24 (October)

Marvel Comics

• The Acanti in Uncanny X-Men #156
• Arcanna, in The Defenders #112 (October)
• The Brood in Uncanny X-Men #155
• Cloak and Dagger in Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #64
• Luna, in Fantastic Four #240 (March)
• Marada, the She-Wolf, in Epic Illustrated #10 (Feb)
• New Mutants, in Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants
  • Cannonball
  • Danielle Moonstar
  • Sunspot
  • Wolfsbane
• Nuke, in The Defenders #112 (October)
• Power Princess, in The Defenders #112 (October)
• Monica Rambeau in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16
• Sikorsky in Uncanny X-Men #156 (April)
• Obadiah Stane, in Iron Man #163 (October)
• William Stryker in X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills
• Varnae in Bizarre Adventures #33
• Vermin in Captain America #272
• Vertigo, in Marvel Fanfare #1 (March)
• Yukio in Wolverine #2

Other titles

• Grendel in Primer #2, published by Comico
• Groo the Wanderer in Destroyer Duck #1, published by Eclipse Comics
• Marvelous Maureen, in Pep Comics #383 (Apr.), published by Archie Comics
• Ms. Mystic in Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers #3, published by Pacific Comics
• Rocketeer in Starslayer #2, published by Pacific Comics
• The Warpsmiths in Warrior Summer Special #4, published by Quality Communications