Due, by Alessandro Sisti, Corrado Mastrantuono and Paolo Mottura (Walt Disney Italia). Two central figures of PKNA, the evil computer Due and the mysterious scientist and businessman Everett Ducklair, make their debut. In the year, the series’ supporting cast is enriched by several other recurring characters, such as the android Odin Eidolon and the secret agent Mary Ann Flagstar.
In Italy, La lunga notte dell’investigatore Merlo (Detective Merlo's long night), by Leo Ortolani (Edizioni Bande Dessinée), parody of the Humphrey Bogart’s movies.[3]
First issue of the annual magazine Il grande Diabolik (Astorina).
First issue of Rat-Man collection (Panini comics); the Leo Ortolani's character, till then appeared only in self-published albums, gets the general public.
May
May 24: The British girls' magazine Mandy and Judy, who merged in 1991, now merge with Bunty. It will run in this form until 2001.[5]
Sergio Bonelli editore launches two new magazines: the semi-annual Agenzia alfa (spin-off of Nathan Never) and the annual I grandi comici del fumetto (The great authors of humoristic comics), inaugurated by Cocco Bill Diquaedilà, one of the last Benito Jacovitti’s work.[6]
June
June 15: Un copieur sachant copier !, by Zidrou and Godi, first album of the series L’éleve Ducobu.
July 31: The Belgian city Middelkerke starts an annual project where statues of famous Belgian comics characters are placed at the dijk during the summer. The first one to be honoured this way is Jommeke.[8]
Marvel Comics' Flashback month: all issues were released with the number −1.
October 11–12: During the Stripdagen in Haarlem, the Netherlands, Peter Pontiac receives the Stripschapprijs.[11] Sunnya van der Vegt en René van Royen receive the P. Hans Frankfurtherprijs for their book Asterix en de waarheid, about the historicity in Astérix.[12]
The last complete story of Zanardi (untitled, but known as “Zanardi in the Middle Ages”) by Andrea Pazienza, appear in the Italian magazine Comic Art.[13].
The giant album Gli uomini in nero (The man in black) by Alfredo Castelli and Esposito Bros is published by Sergio Bonelli. It tells the whole story of the Martin Mystere universe, from the fall of Atlantis to the present.[14]
February 3: Geoffrey Foladori, Uruguayan comics artist (El Professor Pistacho, Pelopincho y Cachirula, Don Gumersindo, Don Tranquilo y Flia), dies at age 88.[25]
April 11: Helge Kühn-Nielsen, Danish comics artist, teacher, painter and illustrator, dies at age 76.[33]
April 16: Roland Topor, French novelist, illustrator, cartoonist, comics artist, film script writer, TV script writer, animator and playwright (Hara-Kiri), dies at age 59.[34]
April 20: Stamatis L. Polenakis, Greek comic artist and animator (Pipis Papias, Spagorammenos), dies at age 88 or 89.[35]
April 27: Víctor Arriazu, Spanish comics artist (assisted on El Jabato), dies at age 61 or 62.[36]
May
May 1: Sirius, Belgian comics artist (Timour), dies at age 86.[37]
May 4: Lou Stathis, American comics editor of DC's Vertigo line, dies of complications related to a brain tumor at age 44.[38]
June 6: Manny Stallman, American comics artist (various horror comics), dies at age 70.[40]
June 12: Rémy Bourles, French comics artist (Bob Mallard), dies at age 91.[41]
June 15: Kim Casali, New Zealand cartoonist and comics artist (Love Is...), dies of bone and liver cancer at age 55.[42]
July
July 6: Michele Pepe, Italian comic artist (Fury, Gli Eroi del Mare, worked on Zagor, Martin Mystère), dies at age 50.[43]
July 8: Clay Geerdes, American writer and photojournalist who extensively covered the underground comix movement (founded Comix World newsletter), dies of liver cancer at age 63.[44]
August
August 19: James Ringrose, Dutch comics artist (Tekko Taks, Blix Kater, Willie en Wop), dies at age 83.[45]
September
September 4: Nasjah Djamin, Indonesian illustrator and comics artist (drew a comic book about Hang Tuah), dies at age 72.[46]
September 15: Lode Pemmelaar, Dutch painter and comics artist (Romila the Velvet Girl), dies at age 54.[47]
September 25: Josep Toutain, Spanish comics artist and publisher (founder of Selecciones Ilustradas and Toutain-Editor), dies from lung cancer at age 64–65.[48]
December 8: Walter Molino, Italian illustrator and comics artist (Virus, Il Mago della Foresta Morta, Captain l'Audace, continued Kit Carson), dies at age 82.[58]
December 11: Heinz Schubel, German illustrator and comics artist (Lurchi), dies at age 91.[59]
Carol Carlson, American comics artist (The Adventures of Waddles), dies at age 84 or 85.[61]
Dennis Ellefson, American comics artist, dies at age 59 or 60.[62]
Kerstin Frykstrand, Swedish illustrator and comics artist (Muff och Tuff), dies at age 95 or 96.[63]
Frank Little, American animator and comics artist (worked for Jerry Iger's studio), dies at age 90.[64]
Armand Panis, A.K.A. Sinap, Belgian comics artist, caricaturist and cartoonist (Klopstok), dies at age 89 or 90.[65]
Jorge Pérez Del Castillo, Chilean-Argentine comics artist, dies at age 73 or 74.[66]
Alan Philpott, British comic artist (Robot Archie, The Deathless Men), dies at age 82 or 83.[67]
Roex, A.K.A. Roger Exelmans, Belgian comics artist (continued Rikske en Fikske), dies at age 60.[68]
Bernard Segal, A.K.A. "Seeg", American painter and comics artist (Honey and Hank, also known as Elsworth), dies at age 78 or 79.[69]
George Smits, A.K.A. 'Toet', Belgian painter, experimental musician and comics artist (De avonturen van Jan, member of Ercola), dies at age 52 or 53.[70]
^Dutrey, Jacques. "News Watch: Angoulême 1997," The Comics Journal #194 (Mar. 1997), pp. 20-21.
^"Chaos! And the Crow Go to Church, 1997 Big Apple Comic Con Report," Comics Buyer's Guide (Mar. 21, 1997), p. 10.
^"Newswatch," The Comics Journal #193. (Feb. 1997). p. 27.
^"Spotlight," Orlando Sentinel (14 Mar 1997), p. 43.
^Ottaviani, Jim. "News Watch: Motor City Convention, March 21–23," The Comics Journal #195 (Apr. 1997), p. 25.
^"Comic Book Fans to Convene," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (18 Apr 1997), p. A.23.
^"Weekend Hot List," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (18 Apr 1997), p. 3.
^Press release. "NEWS: Small Press Expo Signing Tour in September," (July 26, 1997). Archived at Google Groups.
^Sangiacomo, Mike. "Superman Vet Had Write Stuff: Alviin Schwartz will make Rare Public Appearance and Discuss Years at DC," Cleveland Plain Dealer (Nov. 27, 1997).
