February 6: Marvel Enterprises and Electronic Arts announce a multi-year agreement in which EA will develop a new generation of fighting video games, pitting Marvel superheroes against a new, original set of EA heroes.
February 14: In an episode of Cathy, Irving proposes to the titular character.
April 21: Top Cow Productions launches its new property, Proximity Effect, with the first of two free online issues (at Best Indoor Signs Houston, TX | Interior Signs Retail, ADA, & More); the second issue was to premiere on May 26. A 96-page trade paperback collecting the series, with additional anthology stories and a new cover by Marc Silvestri, would be released June 30.
April 24: Nat Gertler and About Comics organize the first annual 24 Hour Comics Day, after a 1990 initiative by Scott McCloud.[4] On this day, comics creators around the world are invited to spend the day making a 24-hour comic. Many comic book stores support this event by setting up space for participating artists to work on their comic. It attracts many writers and artists, working both in print and web media.
May 9: Sam Linthout, son of Belgian cartoonist Willy Linthout, commits suicide at age 21. This will motivate Linthout to draw a graphic novel about his grief: Years of the Elephant.[7][8]
May 19: At the instigation of Kees Kousemaker, owner of the Amsterdam comics store Lambiek, the first buildings of the Stripheldenbuurt in the Dutch city Almere are inaugurated. This is a district where all street names are named after famous comics characters and cartoonists.[9]
Juneedit
With issue #1595, Comics Buyer's Guide changes its format from a weekly tabloid to a monthly squarebound magazine. In addition, in hopes of enhancing newsstand sales, CBG adds a price guide for contemporary comics as well as other new features intended to make the magazine more appealing to those with an avid interest in comic books as an investment.
June 3: Marvel Comics announces the creation of its first prose imprint Marvel Press. Three novels were scheduled for 2004: the young adult novel Mary Jane II would land on bookstore shelves in June, followed by an adult fantasy Wolverine title in October and a middle grade Spider-Man title in November.
September 29: Mark Retera wins the Stripschapprijs.[11] Normally he would be awarded the prize during the Stripdagen in Alphen aan de Rijn a month later, but since he planned a holiday then he is given it during a broadcast of the TV show Vara Laat.[12]
23-24 October: During the Stripdagen in Alphen aan de Rijn Jan Joosse of the organisation Biblion wins the P. Hans Frankfurther Prize.[13] Nico van Dam, Bert Bus en Harry Balm receive the Bulletje en Boonestaakschaal.[14]
Jean-Marc Lelong, French comics artist (Carmen Cru, Monsieur Émile), dies at age 55.[29]
February 25: Albert Chartier, Canadian illustrator and comics artist (Bouboule, Onésime, Séraphin), dies at age 91.[30]
Marchedit
March 5: Martin Emond, New Zealand painter, illustrator and comics artist (Accident Man, The Punisher), commits suicide at age 33.[31]
March 8: Mario Uggeri, Italian painter, sculptor and comics artist, dies at age 70.[32]
March 11:
Ladislaus Elischer, German comics artist (Bummel, Mexycano, Die Spreenixen), dies at age 68 or 69.[33]
Gilles Nicoulaud, French comics artist, dies at age 61.[34]
March 30: Doug Tainsh, Australian cartoonist, gag writer, screenwriter and comics artist (Speewah Jack, Cedric), dies at age 82.[35]
Apriledit
April 5: Gébé, French comics artist (L'An 01), dies from a tumor at age 74.[36]
April 8: Ernö Zórád, Hungarian comics artist, painter and illustrator, dies at age 93.[37]
April 10: Chester Commodore, American comics artist (The Sparks, continued Bungleton Green, The Ravings of Professor Doodle, So What?), dies at age 89.[38]
July 8: Chlodwig Poth, German comics artist (Amadeus Knüll), dies at age 74.[55]
July 25: Joe Buresch, American comics artist (Dinah Mite), dies at age 87.[56]
July 26: Oğuz Aral, Turkish comics artist (Hafiyesi Mahmut, Hayk Mammer, Utanmaz Adam, Avanak Avni), dies at age 68.[57]
July 28: Eugenio Zoppi, Argentine comics artist (Alain y Crazy, Misterix), dies at age 81.[58]
Specific date in July unknown: Mario Capaldi, British comics artist and illustrator, dies at age 69.[59]
Augustedit
August 2: François Craenhals, Belgian comics artist (Pom et Teddy, Primus et Musette, Les 4 As, Le Chevalier Ardent), dies at age 77.[60]
August 11: George Breisacher, American comics artist (Knobs, continued Mutt and Jeff), dies at age 64.[61]
August 26: Enzo Baldoni, Italian journalist and translator of Doonesbury in the Italian magazine Linus, is kidnapped and murdered by terrorists in Iraq at age 55.[10]
August 30: Bart Huges, Dutch activist and comics writer (Arnold Slak & de Slow Sisters op weg, Licht uit de put, Een wetenschappelijke sekte...? en Gnōthi seauton/Ken uzelf: erken uw oude engrammen[62]), dies at age 70.
Septemberedit
September 5: Carlos Leopardi, Argentine comics artist (Atila, worked on Nippur de Lagash), dies at age 57.[63]
Novemberedit
November 2: Theo van Gogh, Dutch film director and comics writer (wrote comics in collaboration with Eric Schreurs[64]), is murdered at age 47.[65]
November 6: Lars Hillersberg, Swedish caricaturist and comics artist, dies at age 67.[66]
November 7: Mariel Dauphin, French comic artist (made comic adaptations of literary works), dies at age 96. [67]
November 9: Hans Nordenström, A.K.A. Brul, Swedish architect, cartoonist, illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 77.[68]
December 22: Loek van Delden, Dutch comics artist (Smidje Verholen, Brigadier Piet), dies at age 86.[71]
December 22: Ben van Voorn, Dutch comics artist and animator (worked for Marten Toonder), dies at age 67.[72]
December 26: Pierre Dupuis, French comics artist (Les Grands Capitaines, La Seconde Guerre Mondiale, worked on L'oncle Paul series, continued Mam'zelle Minouche), dies at age 75.[73]
Specific date unknownedit
Dimitris Antonopoulos, Greek architect, painter, illustrator and comics artist (Ta Koróida oi Archaíoi, aka The Ancient Losers), dies at age 71 or 72.[74]
Wim Hanssen, Dutch comic artist (comic adaptations of De Molenaar and 1984), dies at age 45.[75]
Lucien Meys, Belgian comics artist (Le Beau Pays d'Onironie, Chroniques de l'Heureux Zélu) and comics writer (Signor Spaghetti, Modeste et Pompon, Mongwy), dies at age 67 or 68.[76]
Mehmet Tunali, Turkish painter and comic artist (Alparslan, Amsterdam Underwater), dies at age 48 or 49. [77]
Exhibitionsedit
September 15–December 10: "Gillray's Legacy," curated by Lucy Shelton Caswell (part of 8th Festival of Cartoon Art) (Philip Sills Gallery, William Oxley Thompson Library, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio)[78]
June 6: Stumptown Comics Fest (Portland, Oregon) — first inaugural event, hosted by the Old Church, a non-profit organization whose goal was to preserve an old church. 22 exhibitor tables, 150 attendees
Release: June by Niezależna Prasa. Writer & Artist:Michał Śledziński
Initial appearances by character nameedit
Footnotesedit
^Hoffman, Eric; Grace, Dominick (18 March 2013). Dave Sim: Conversations. Univ. Press of Mississippi. ISBN 9781617037818. Retrieved 7 April 2018 – via Google Books.
^(in Dutch) Beleidsplan van het Nederlands Stripmuseum Archived 2014-03-18 at the Wayback Machine, Nederlands Stripmuseum. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
^Mertes, Micah (October 14, 2008). "Rest up now to take part in 24 Hour Comics Day Saturday". Lincoln Journal Star. Lincoln, Nebraska. Archived from the original on September 23, 2018. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
^"Frank O. King". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
^"Joost Swarte". lambiek.net. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
^"Inmemoriam". Inmemoriam. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
^"Willy Linthout". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
^"Sool Sbiera". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
^Gustines, George Gene (27 March 2020). "Overlooked No More: Kate Worley, a Pioneer Writer of Erotic Comics". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
^"Karel Biddeloo". lambiek.net. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
^"Todor Dinov". lambiek.net. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
^"Heinz Rammelt". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
^"John Cullen Murphy". lambiek.net. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
^"Chlodwig Poth". lambiek.net. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
^"Joe Buresch". lambiek.net. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
^"Oğuz Aral". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
^"Xirinius". lambiek.net. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
^"Mario Capaldi". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
^"François Craenhals". lambiek.net. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
^"George Breisacher". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
^"Eveline van Dijk". lambiek.net. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
^"Controversial filmmaker shot dead". The Independent. London. 2 November 2004. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
^"Wim Hanssen". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
^"Lucien Meys". lambiek.net. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
^"Mehmet Tunali". lambiek.net. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
^McCreery, Cindy (2004). A Genius on the Edge: James Gillray and Caricature in Late Georgian Britain. Ohio State University Cartoon Research Library.
^Millidge, Gary Spencer. "THE RETURN OF THE LONDON CON: Three: The UK Web and Mini-Comix Thing 2004," Strangehaven #16 (June 2004). Archived on Millidge.com.
^ abcPress release. "Wizard Announces Successful Debut for Wizard World Los Angeles," Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. website (2004). Accessed Jan. 30, 2016.
^O'Driscoll, Bill. "Angel With A Dirty Face," Pittsburgh City Paper (28 April 2004), p. 32.
^"Comicon Coming," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (8 April 2004), p. D-3.
^Breithaupt, Christy L. "Pow! Comic Con drops into Novi," Detroit News (May 14, 2004), p. E1.
^"COMICA FESTIVAL 2004". Comica: London International Comics Festival. Archived from the original on Oct 12, 2011.
^Le Duc, Dominique. "COMICA: Confessions & Convictions, June 5th - June 13th 2004" (PDF). Belphégor. 4 (1). University of Brighton – via Dalhousie University.
^Kean, Danuta (October 24, 2003). "Graphic reading". The Bookseller. p. 22.
^Greenwood, Phoebe (8 June 2004). "Stars and Strips". The Times.
^Rodman, Larry (Nov–Dec 2004). "SPX Realigned with ICAF and Extra-Politicized in 2004". Newswatch: Journal Datebook. The Comics Journal. No. 264. p. 42.
^Fischer, Craig (Nov–Dec 2004). "International Comic Arts Festival Draws International Creators, Theorists". Newswatch: Journal Datebook. The Comics Journal. No. 264. pp. 41–42.
^"2004 Festival of Cartoon Art". OSU Cartoon Research Library. Ohio State University.