January 17: Two years earlier, the Peter R. de Vries foundation and publisher Seb Van der Kaaden launched a series of comic strip adaptations of real-life unsolved Dutch crime cases, drawn by Meinte Strikwerda and Anco Dijkman. Episodes are printed in the newspaper Algemeen Dagblad in their advertising pages. On this day, it is announced that one of the comics about a previously unsolved rape crime in Vlaardingen brought new attention to the case, resulting in the arrest of another suspect.[1][2]
February 20: French comic artist Jean-Michel Arroyo is sentenced to four years and 30 months of jail time for domestic violence, sexual violence, and death threats against two of his former partners.[7][8]
February 22: It was announced that Marvel Comics was reviving the Ultimate Universe through a four-issue miniseries called Ultimate Invasion by Jonathan Hickman and Bryan Hitch. While it was initially reported as being a return to Earth-1610, it actually featured the creation of a brand new universe dubbed Earth-6160. This was followed by Ultimate Universe #1 by Hickman and Stefano Caselli, which then led into a new line of Ultimate Comics.[10][11]
February 25: Dutch comic artist Hans van Oudenaarden receives the annual Stripschapprijs for his work.[12][13][14] The P. Hans Frankfurtherprijs for Special Accomplishments is given to Marc De Lobie, from publishing company Syndikaat.[15][16]
February 26: After making comments that are widely described as racist, comic artist Scott Adams is dropped by his syndicate. Several newspapers all discontinue his signature comic Dilbert.[17][18][19][20]Portfolio, his book publisher, states it will drop his non-Dilbert book scheduled for release in September.[21] Adams announces that Dilbert will be available through the subscription service Locals.[22][23]
May 31: After Isabelle Franquin, daughter of André Franquin, tried to sue Dupuis for wanting to publish a posthumous album of Gaston in 2022, the judge now rules in Dupuis' favor, greenlighting the first publication of a new Gaston album in three decades for the fall of 2023.[25]
June 7: A comics mural depicting characters from the Belgian comic series Stam & Pilou by Marc Daniëls and Rik Dewulf [26] will be hidden from visitors to the Brussels café La Fleur en Papier Doré/Het Goudblommeken with a curtain, since both a feminist action group and the current café owners find the drawing sexist.[27]
June 26: A poster for a comics festival in Dieppe, France, designed by artist Jim, is censored at the request of the town council. The drawing depicted a woman with a prominent cleavage and is censored by putting more books in front of her. Eventually the drawing is allowed to be published uncensored.[29]
August 13: The final episode of the Australian newspaper comic Ginger Meggs appears in print. It had been in continuous run since 1921, making it the longest-running Australian comic series of all time.[30][31]
September 6: The final De Kiekeboes album that creator Merho has personally scripted and overseen, appears in print. [34][35]
September 8: About a month-and-a-half before its planned release on 26 October, the latest Astérix story The White Iris is already brought out and sold. Publishing company Éditions Albert René calls the police, who arrest the culprits behind this leak. [36][37]
September 9: 30 years after the final issue of Tintin rolled from the presses, Belgian publishing company Le Lombard releases a one-time special issue, to celebrate what would've been the magazine's 77th anniversary.[38][39][40][41] The French-language edition is published on 9 September, while a Dutch-language translation will appear on 4 October. [42]
September 14: Bill Willingham intentionally releases the Fables intellectual property into the public domain as the result of a conflict with DC Comics.[43][44]
September 20: In Texas, a teacher is fired after assigning a 2018 graphic novel adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank, scripted by Ari Folman and drawn by David Polonsky to pupils. Officials of the Hamshire-Fannett independent school district complained about scenes commenting on nudity and sexuality. The Texas State Teachers Association criticizes this censorship. [45][46][47]
October 10: Bill Watterson and caricaturist John Kascht release a graphic novel, The Mysteries. It is Watterson's first major comic release in decades.[48][49][50]
February 3: Albin Rogelj, Slovenian ski jumper, caricaturist and cartoonist (Smrkavec iz Levega Kota, Smrklja Iz Desnega Kota, Iva, Urška), dies at age 93.[61][62]
February 5: Chris Browne, American comic artist (Chris Browne's Comic Strip, Raising Duncan, assisted on and continued Hägar the Horrible), dies at age 70.[63]
February 7: Jo-El Azara, Belgian comic artist (Taka Takata, continued Clifton), dies at age 85.[64]
February 12: Enrich, French-Spanish comic artist (El Caco Bonifacio, El Pirata Malapata, El Doctor Perejil, continued El Repórter Tribulete), dies at age 93.[65]
March 1: Wally Fawkes, a.k.a. Trog, British jazz musician and comic artist (Flook), dies at age 98.[71]
March 10: Frank Hill, American comic writer (the Bugs Bunny newspaper comic) and artist (Randy, Senator Gassius, continued Short Ribs and the Tom & Jerry newspaper comic), dies at age 93.[72]
March 29: Henri Desclez, Belgian comic artist (Mycroft et Klaxon, Richard Bantam, San Antonio, Brisebois, Pic et Nic, Les Mics et les Miquettes), editor-in-chief of the Belgian edition of Pilote (1972–1975) and editor-in-chief of Tintin (1975–1976), dies at age 80.[81]
April 10: Al Jaffee, American cartoonist (Mad Fold-in pages, Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions, Don't You Hate...? and Hawks & Doves in Mad, Tall Tales, Debbie Deere, Jason, The Shpy, also worked for Trump and Humbug magazines), dies at age 102.[85][86]
April 14: Lagas, Belgian comic artist (Pthyt-Thett, Sam et L'Ours, Rody), dies at age 81. [87]
May 5: Bruce McCall, Canadian essayist, cartoonist and illustrator, dies at age 87.[90]
May 6: Gommaar Timmermans, a.k.a. GoT, Belgian illustrator and comic artist (Fideel de Fluwelen Ridder, Jonas en de Wonderwinkel, De Nieuwe Ark, Iamboree, Weber), dies at age 92.[91]
May 9: Sam Gross, American cartoonist and comic writer (The Genius, Gertrude Follies, Cigarman), dies at age 89.[92]
May 10:
Massimo Cavezzali, Italian comics artist (Ivan Timbrovic, Ava, Piglia e Dalla), dies at age 73.[93]
Rupert van der Linden, Dutch animator, illustrator, painter and comic artist (Mr. D. van Kwikschoten), dies at age 92. [101]
Graziano Origa, Italian journalist, editor (worked for the comics information magazine Fumetti d'Italia), writer (Enciclopedia del Fumetto) and comic artist (founder of the studio Studioriga), dies at age 70.[102]
June 24: Lennart Elworth, Swedish comic artist (47:an Löken, Thudor), dies at age 82 or 83. [103]
July 4: Tabaré Gómez Laborde, Uruguayan cartoonist (Diogenes y el Linyera, El Romancero del Eustaquio, Vida Interior, Don Chipote de Pampa, El Cacique Paja Brava, Bicherío, Bosquivia), dies at age 74.[106][107]
July 12: Leif Zetterling, Swedish political cartoonist and comic artist (Nils Holgersson Flyger Igen), dies at age 82.[108]
August 3: Saverio Tenuta, Italian comic artist (Legend of the Scarlet Blades, Throne of Ice, The Mask of Fudo, JLA: Riddle of the Beast), dies at age 54.[110][111]
