Welcome!

Welcome to Comics by the Date!

The site's purpose is to provide a curated chronology of North American comic-book publishing from 1934 to the present. The comics will be presented in order of publication. The cover is accompanied by detailed bibliographic information.

The comics featured are those of aesthetic and/or historical importance. In some instances, as with the various Superman and Batman publications, I will only include key issues of significant titles. However, I will for the most part be presenting the entirety of the major bodies of work. For example, every comic book with an original Carl Barks Donald Duck story will be featured in the posts.

One will get to see something of the context in which the comics were published. Take the original Barks duck comics as an example. They will, depending on the year, appear alongside the Walt Kelly Pogo books, the E. C. "New Trend" titles, and the 1960s Marvel superhero line. This should reflect, at least somewhat, the comics' shared presence on newsstands when they were originally on sale.

One goal is to track the marketing of comics material to booksellers. The listings will be fairly comprehensive when it comes to editions that were marketed to bookstores, and will include work that was not listed when published in a periodical format.

With the advent of the 1980s and the rise of the "direct sales" comics-store market, book editions that were exclusively marketed to comics shops will be restricted to the most significant titles.

The publication dates are by and large the on-sale dates the publishers reported to the U. S. Copyright Office. Exceptions will be noted.

Only magazines and books will be featured. Newspaper material will be included only when it has been published in these formats.

An index to the time periods covered thus far is in the right-hand column. The most recent post is below.

My thanks to Noah Berlatsky and The Hooded Utilitarian for originally hosting the Comics by the Date series.

May 1988 - June 1988

Cerebus #110.

The comic features the story Church & State (Chapter 60): “All the Suns Are Daughters,” by Dave Sim & Gerhard. Cover illustration by Gerhard. Standard-format comic book. Black-and-white interiors. 28 pages. Kitchener, Ontario, Canada: Aardvark-Vanaheim. Cover/indicia date: May 1988. Cover price: $2.00.

Notes

The exact publication date is unknown. This is a Canadian publication. No copyright registration has been filed in the United States.

The Complete Crumb Comics, Vol. 2: Some More Early Years of Bitter Struggle, R. Crumb.

Edited by Gary Groth & Robert Fiore. The book features amateur-period work by R. (Robert) Crumb from the early 1960s. Introduction by Marty Pahls. Cover illustration by R. Crumb. Trade-paperback book. Black-and-white and color interiors. Westlake Village, CA: Fantagraphics. Cover/indicia date: May 1988. Cover price: $14.95.

Notes

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

The trade-paperback edition was published simultaneously with a hardcover edition that was signed and numbered by R. Crumb.

Lone Wolf and Cub #13.

Edited by Rick Oliver. The series is an English-language translation of the Japanese-language manga feature Kozure Ōkami (romanized from the Japanese). The comic features the story “The Six Ways Without End (Chapter 42),” by Kazuo Koike & Goseki Kojima. English-language translation by David Lewis & Alex Wald. Cover illustration by Bill Sienkiewicz. Perfect-bound comic book. Black-and-white interiors. 68 pages. Chicago: First. Cover/indicia date: May 1988. Cover price: $2.50.

Notes

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

“The Six Ways Without End” provided considerable back-story for the events of the series. This is likely why it, as chapter 42, was published in between chapters 25 and 26.

The Lost Women and Other Stories, Jaime Hernandez.

Edited by Gary Groth. The book collects “The Lost Women,” “House of Raging Women,” and other stories featuring the Locas characters. All material was originally published in the Love and Rockets periodical series. Introduction by Brad Holland. Cover illustration by Jaime Hernandez. Trade-paperback book. Black-and-white interiors. 152 pages. Westlake Village, CA: Fantagraphics. Cover/indicia date: May 1988. Cover price: $10.95.

Notes

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

This book collection of Jaime Hernandez’s Locas stories from Love and Rockets was targeted to bookstores. The design mimicked that of Art Spiegelman’s Maus: A Survivor’s Tale. The list price was the same, the book dimensions were identical, and the jacket included French flaps.

The Reticent Heart and Other Stories, Gilbert Hernandez.

Edited by Gary Groth. The book collects “The Reticent Heart,” “An American in Palomar,” and other stories featuring the Palomar characters. All material was originally published in the Love and Rockets periodical series. Introduction by Harvey Pekar. Cover illustration by Gilbert Hernandez. Trade-paperback book. Black-and-white interiors. 152 pages. Westlake Village, CA: Fantagraphics. Cover/indicia date: May 1988. Cover price: $10.95.

Notes

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

This book collection of Gilbert Hernandez’s Palomar stories from Love and Rockets was targeted to bookstores. The design mimicked that of Art Spiegelman’s Maus: A Survivor’s Tale. The list price was the same, the book dimensions were identical, and the jacket included French flaps.

Sinner #3.

Edited by Kim Thompson. The comic features the Alack Sinner story “The Fillmore Case,” by José Muñoz & Carlos Sampayo. English-language translation by Deborah Bonner. Introduction by Kim Thompson. Cover illustration by José Muñoz. Magazine-format. Black-and-white interiors. 36 pages. Westlake Village, CA: Fantagraphics. Cover/indicia date: May 1988. Cover price: $2.95.

Notes

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

“The Fillmore Case” was originally published in Italian as “Il caso Fillmore.” The story appeared in Alterlinus, Vol. 2, No. 2, cover dated February 1975.

The cover illustration is a panel from the interior story.

V for Vendetta #1.

Edited by Karen Berger. The comic features Book 1, Chapters One through Four, by Alan Moore & David Lloyd. Introduction by Alan Moore. Cover illustration by David Lloyd. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: DC. Cover/indicia date: September 1988 (May 1988). Cover price: $2.00.

Notes

The copyright date is July 15, 1988. This is not when the comic was published. The publication dates reported in the copyright registrations for many DC Comics publications at this time are erroneous. DC promotional materials say the comic was expected to be published on May 19.

This is the first issue of a ten-issue limited series. The first six issues reprint material that was originally published in England’s Warrior magazine. Issues seven through ten feature all-new material.

The story material in this issue was first published in black-and-white in Warrior #1-4 (1982).

Walt Disney’s Donald Duck: Sheriff of Bullet Valley.

Edited by Byron Erickson, John Clark, and Geoffrey Blum. The book features the 1948 story “Sheriff of Bullet Valley,” by Carl Barks. Cover illustration by Carl Barks. Trade-paperback book. Color interiors. 52 pages. Scottsdale, AZ: Gladstone. Cover/indicia date: 1988 (May 1988). Cover price: $5.95.

Notes

The book is also known as Gladstone Comic Album, No. 5.

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

Yummy Fur #10.

The comic features the Ed the Happy Clown story “Destroy All Vampires,” and an adaptation of The Gospel According to Mark 8:22-9:13, both by Chester Brown. Cover illustration by Chester Brown. Standard-format comic book. Black-and-white interiors. 28 pages. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Vortex. Cover/indicia date: May 1988. Cover price: $1.75.

Note

The exact publication date is unknown. This is a Canadian publication. No copyright registration was filed in the United States.

Mad’s Sheer Torture, Don Edwing.

Published on May 2, 1988. The book features new material by cartoonist Don “Duck” Edwing. Cover illustration by Don Edwing. Mass-market paperback book. 196 pages. Black-and-white interiors. New York: Warner Books. Cover/indicia date: May 1988. Cover price: $2.95.

Akira #1.

Published on May 10, 1988. Edited by Archie Goodwin. The comic features an English-language translation of the Japanese-language manga feature Akira (romanized from the Japanese). The comic includes the story “The Highway,” by Katsuhiro Otomo. English-language translation by Yoko Umezawa, Linda M. York, and Jo Duffy. Introduction by Archie Goodwin. Cover illustration by Katsuhiro Otomo. Perfect-bound comic book. Color interiors. 68 pages. New York: Epic (Marvel). Cover/indicia date: 1988. Cover price: $3.50.

Mai, the Psychic Girl #24.

Edited by Letitia Glozer. The series is an English-language translation of the Japanese-language manga feature Mai (romanized from the Japanese). The comic features the stories “Part 45: The Assault Begins” and “Part 46: Danger Approaching,” by Kazuya Kudo & Ryoichi Ikegami. Translation by James D. Hudnall & Satoru Fujii. Cover illustration by Ryoichi Ikegami. Standard-format comic book. Black-and-white interiors. 44 pages. Forestville, CA: Eclipse. Cover/indicia date: May 10, 1988. Cover price: $1.50.

Note

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

Sergio Aragonés’ Groo the Wanderer #43.

Published on May 10, 1988. Edited by Archie Goodwin. The comic features the story “Slave!,” by Sergio Aragonés, with Mark Evanier. Cover illustration by Sergio Aragonés. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Epic (Marvel). Cover/indicia date: September 1988. Cover price: $1.00.

Hellblazer #9.

Published on May 24, 1988. Edited by Karen Berger. The comic features the story “Shot to Hell,” by Jamie Delano & John Ridgway, with Alfredo Alcala. Cover illustration by Dave McKean. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: DC. Cover/indicia date: September 1988. Cover price: $1.25.

Mai, the Psychic Girl #25.

Edited by Letitia Glozer. The series is an English-language translation of the Japanese-language manga feature Mai (romanized from the Japanese). The comic features the stories “Part 47: When a Devil Whispers” and “Part 48: The Assassination’s Order,” by Kazuya Kudo & Ryoichi Ikegami. Translation by James D. Hudnall & Satoru Fujii. Cover illustration by Ryoichi Ikegami. Standard-format comic book. Black-and-white interiors. 44 pages. Forestville, CA: Eclipse/Viz. Cover/indicia date: May 24, 1988. Cover price: $1.50.

Note

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

Kings in Disguise #2.

Published on May 29, 1988. Edited by Dave Schreiner. The comic features the second chapter of the six-issue limited series (and later graphic novel) Kings in Disguise, by scriptwriter James Vance and illustrator Dan Burr. Cover illustration by Harvey Kurtzman, with Peter Poplaski. Standard-format comic book. Black-and-white interiors. 36 pages. Princeton, WI. Cover/indicia date: May 1988. Cover price: $2.00.

The Spirit #43.

Published on May 30, 1988. Edited by Dave Schreiner. The comic features stories first published in 1949 in Will Eisner’s The Spirit Sunday-newspaper comic-book insert. The stories include “Dolan Walks a Beat” (04-17-1949), “The Spirit Now Deputy” (04-24-1949), “The Hunted” (05-01-1949), and “Hamid Jebru” (05-08-1949). Introduction by Dave Schreiner. Cover illustration by Will Eisner. Standard-format comic book. Black-and-white interiors. 36 pages. Princeton, WI: Kitchen Sink. Cover/indicia date: May 1988. Cover price: $2.00.

Animal Man #1.

Published on May 31, 1988. Edited by Karen Berger. The comic features the story “The Human Zoo,” by Grant Morrison & Chas Truog, with Doug Hazlewood. Cover illustration by Brian Bolland. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: DC. Cover/indicia date: September 1988. Cover price: $1.25.

Akira #2.

Edited by Archie Goodwin. The comic features an English-language translation of the Japanese-language manga feature Akira (romanized from the Japanese). The comic includes the story “Pursuit,” by Katsuhiro Otomo. English-language translation by Yoko Umezawa, Linda M. York, and Jo Duffy. Cover illustration by Katsuhiro Otomo. Perfect-bound comic book. Color interiors. 68 pages. New York: Epic (Marvel). Cover/indicia date: 1988 (June 1988?). Cover price: $3.50.

Note

The publication date according to the copyright registration is July 26, 1988. This is believed to be erroneous. Promotional materials and anecdotal recollections place the publication date in June.

Batman: Year One, Frank Miller & David Mazzucchelli, with Richmond Lewis.

Edited by Richard Bruning. The book collects the Batman: Year One story material, with new coloring, that was originally published in Batman #404-407. Introduction by Frank Miller. Cover illustration by David Mazzucchelli. Trade-paperback book. 108 pages. Color interiors. New York: Warner. Cover/indicia date: June 1988. Cover price: $9.95.

Notes

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

The material was originally collected by DC Comics in a hardcover-book edition in March. DC released a paperback edition in June. Both DC editions were distributed exclusively to the comics-store market. This Warner Books edition was distributed to the bookstore market. All three editions have different original cover illustrations by David Mazzucchelli. DC Comics took over bookstore distribution of the title in the 1990s.

Cerebus #111.

The comic features the story Church & State (Chapter 61): “Base Tranquility,” by Dave Sim & Gerhard. Cover illustration by Gerhard. Standard-format comic book. Black-and-white interiors. 28 pages. Kitchener, Ontario, Canada: Aardvark-Vanaheim. Cover/indicia date: June 1988. Cover price: $2.00.

Notes

The exact publication date is unknown. This is a Canadian publication. No copyright registration has been filed in the United States.

“Base Tranquility” is the final chapter of Church & State.

Fires, Lorenzo Mattotti.

Edited by Bernd Metz. The book is an English-language translation of the Italian-language book Fuochi, first published in 1986. Translation by Tom Leighton (see Notes). Cover illustration by Lorenzo Mattotti. Trade-paperback book. Color interiors. 68 pages. New York: Catalan. Cover/indicia date: June 1988. Cover price: $12.95.

Notes

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

Tom Leighton’s translation is from a French-language edition of the book, not the original Italian one.

Krazy + Ignatz: The Komplete Kat Komics, Volume One: 1916, George Herriman.

Edited by Bob Callahan. The book collects the 1916 non-Sunday Krazy Kat newspaper strips by George Herriman. Introduction by Bill Blackbeard. Cover illustration by George Herriman. Trade-paperback book. Black-and-white interiors. 68 pages. Forestville, CA: Eclipse/Turtle Island. Cover/indicia date: June 1988. Cover price: $9.95

Note

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

Lone Wolf and Cub #14.

Edited by Rick Oliver. The series is an English-language translation of the Japanese-language manga feature Kozure Ōkami (romanized from the Japanese). The comic features the story “Black Wind (Chapter 26),” by Kazuo Koike & Goseki Kojima. Translation by David Lewis & Alex Wald. Cover illustration by Bill Sienkiewicz. Perfect-bound comic book. Black-and-white interiors. 68 pages. Chicago: First. Cover/indicia date: June 1988. Cover price: $2.50.

Note

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

Neat Stuff #11.

Edited by Gary Groth. The magazine features new material by cartoonist Peter Bagge. Cover illustration by Peter Bagge. Magazine format. Black-and-white interiors. 36 pages. Westlake Village, CA: Fantagraphics. Cover/indicia date: October 1988 (June 1988). Cover price: $2.50.

Note

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

Prince Valiant, Vol. 2: The Singing Sword, Hal Foster.

Edited by Helle Nielsen. The book features the episodes published between January 1 and November 13, 1938 from Hal Foster’s Prince Valiant Sunday-newspaper strip. Cover illustration by Hal Foster. Trade-paperback book. Color interiors. 52 pages. Westlake Village, CA: Fantagraphics. Cover/indicia date: Summer 1988 (June 1988). Cover price: $14.95

Note

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

V for Vendetta #2.

Edited by Karen Berger. The comic features Book 1, Chapters Five through Eight, by Alan Moore & David Lloyd. Cover illustration by David Lloyd. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: DC. Cover/indicia date: October 1988 (June 1988). Cover price: $2.00.

Notes

The copyright date is August 18, 1988. This is not when the comic was published. The publication dates reported in the copyright registrations for many DC comics of this time are erroneous. DC promotional materials say the comic was expected to be published on June 14.

This is the second issue of a ten-issue limited series. The first six issues reprint material that was originally published in England’s Warrior magazine. Issues seven through ten feature all-new material.

The story material in this issue was first published in black-and-white in Warrior #5-8 (1982).

Walt Disney’s Uncle $crooge: Land Beneath the Ground!.

Edited by Byron Erickson, John Clark, and Geoffrey Blum. The book features the 1956 story “Land Beneath the Ground,” and the 1960 story “Pipeline to Danger,” both by Carl Barks. Cover illustration by Don Rosa. Trade-paperback book. Color interiors. 52 pages. Scottsdale, AZ: Gladstone. Cover/indicia date: 1988 (June 1988). Cover price: $5.95.

Notes

The book is also known as Gladstone Comic Album, No. 6.

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

Weirdo #23.

Edited by Aline Kominsky-Crumb. The magazine includes the story “Our Lovely Home,” by R. (Robert) Crumb & Aline Kominsky-Crumb. The other contributors include Lindsay Arnold, Ace Backwords, Tom Chalkley, Sophie Crumb, Kim Deitch, B. N. Duncan, Ted Jouflas, Spain Rodriguez, Joe Sacco, and Carol Tyler. Cover illustration by R. Crumb. Magazine format. Black-and-white interiors. 52 pages. San Francisco, CA: Last Gasp. Cover/indicia date: Summer 1988 (June 1988?). Cover price: $2.95.

Note

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed. The June 1988 listing date is extrapolated from the Summer 1988 date given in the indicia.

Zorro: The Complete Classic Adventures, Volume One, Alex Toth.

Edited by Dean Mullaney. The book is the first of a two-volume collection of the late 1950s Zorro stories illustrated by Alex Toth. Introduction by Howard Chaykin. Cover illustration by Alex Toth. Trade-paperback book. Black-and-white interiors. 124 pages. Forestville, CA: Eclipse. Cover/indicia date: June 1988. Cover price: $9.95.

Note

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

Li’l Abner, Volume One: Dailies, 1934-1935, Al Capp.

Published on June 1, 1988. Edited by Dave Schreiner. The book collects the non-Sunday Li’l Abner newspaper strips that were first published between August 13, 1934 and January 7, 1936. Introductions by Catherine Capp Halberstadt and Dave Schreiner. Cover illustration by Al Capp. Trade-paperback book. Black-and-white interiors. 236 pages. Princeton, WI: Kitchen Sink. Cover/indicia date: June 1988. Cover price: $16.95.

Note

The cover states the book features daily strips between 1934 and 1935. The strips inside continue into 1936.

The Mad Cooler.

Published on June 1, 1988. The book features selections from Mad #218-223, and 225. The creative personnel include Sergio Aragonés, Dave Berg, Bob Clarke, Paul Coker, Jr., Jack Davis, Dick DeBartolo, Mort Drucker, Don “Duck” Edwing, Kelly Freas, Frank Jacobs, Al Jaffee, Tom Koch, Don Martin, Harry North, Esq., Paul Peter Porges, Antonio Prohias, Lou Silverstone, Mike Snider, and Angelo Torres. Cover illustration by Kelly Freas. Mass-market paperback book. Black-and-white interiors. 196 pages. New York: Warner. Cover/indicia date: June 1988. Cover price: $2.95.

The Spirit #44.

Published on June 13, 1988. Edited by Dave Schreiner. The comic features stories first published in 1949 in Will Eisner’s The Spirit Sunday-newspaper comic-book insert. The stories include “The Crime of Passion” (05-15-1949), “The Space Sniper” (05-22-1949), “Young Doctor Ebony” (05-29-1949), and “Black Alley” (06-05-1949). Introduction by Tom Heintjes. Cover illustration by Will Eisner. Standard-format comic book. Black-and-white interiors. 36 pages. Princeton, WI: Kitchen Sink. Cover/indicia date: June 1988. Cover price: $2.00.

Mai, the Psychic Girl #26.

Edited by Letitia Glozer. The series is an English-language translation of the Japanese-language manga feature Mai (romanized from the Japanese). The comic features the stories “Part 49: Kaieda and Tsukiro” and “Part 50: The Challenge of the Psychic Boys,” by Kazuya Kudo & Ryoichi Ikegami. Translation by James D. Hudnall & Satoru Fujii. Cover illustration by Ryoichi Ikegami. Standard-format comic book. Black-and-white interiors. 48 pages. Forestville, CA: Eclipse. Cover/indicia date: June 14, 1988. Cover price: $1.50.

Note

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

Sergio Aragonés’ Groo the Wanderer #44.

Published on June 14, 1988. Edited by Archie Goodwin. The comic features the story “Rufferto Reverie,” by Sergio Aragonés, with Mark Evanier. Cover illustration by Sergio Aragonés. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Epic (Marvel). Cover/indicia date: October 1988. Cover price: $1.00.

American Splendor #13.

Published on June 15, 1988. All stories scripted by Harvey Pekar. The contributing artists include Greg Budgett, Gary Dumm, Drew Friedman, Rebecca Huntington, Paul Mavrides, Val Mayerik, Don Simpson, Frank Stack, Ed Wesolowski, and Joe Zabel. Cover illustration by Gary Dumm. Magazine format. Black-and-white interiors. 60 pages. Cleveland Heights, OH: Harvey Pekar. Cover/indicia date: 1988. Cover price: $2.95.

Hellblazer #10.

Published on June 21, 1988. Edited by Karen Berger. The comic features the story “Sex and Death,” by Jamie Delano & Richard Piers Rayner, with Mark Buckingham. Cover illustration by Dave McKean. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: DC. Cover/indicia date: October 1988. Cover price: $1.25.

Animal Man #2.

Published on June 28, 1988. Edited by Karen Berger. The comic features the story “Life in the Concrete Jungle,” by Grant Morrison & Chas Truog, with Doug Hazlewood. Cover illustration by Brian Bolland. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: DC. Cover/indicia date: October 1988. Cover price: $1.25.

Mai, the Psychic Girl #27.

Edited by Letitia Glozer. The series is an English-language translation of the Japanese-language manga feature Mai (romanized from the Japanese). The comic features the stories “Part 51: The Battle Begins,” by Kazuya Kudo & Ryoichi Ikegami. English-language translation by James D. Hudnall & Satoru Fujii. Cover illustration by Ryoichi Ikegami. Standard-format comic book. Black-and-white interiors. 44 pages. Forestville, CA: Eclipse/Viz. Cover/indicia date: June 28, 1988. Cover price: $1.50.

Note

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

Xenozoic Tales #6.

Published on June 30, 1988. Edited by Dave Schreiner. The comic features the stories "Foundling" and "Green Air," both by Mark Schultz, and "Intrusion," by Mark Schultz & Steve Stiles. Cover illustration by Mark Schultz. Standard-format comic book. Black-and-white interiors. 36 pages. Princeton, WI: Kitchen Sink. Cover/indicia date: May 1988. Cover price: $2.00.

Next: July to August 1988.