2025 in comics

See also: List of years in comics

Notable events of 2025 in comics.

Events

January

• January 1:
  • The earliest episodes of Thimble Theater ( Popeye ) enter public domain, but the series' trademarks remain with King Features. ^[1]
  • The earliest versions of Hergé's comic characters Tintin and Snowy enter public domain, but only in the United States. ^{[2] [3] [4]}
  • All characters created by Belgian comic artist Marc Sleen officially enter public domain, as decided by the Marc Sleen Foundation. ^{[5] [6]}
• January 3: U.S. comic artist and editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes resigns as cartoonist for The Washington Post, after one of her cartoons was rejected for publication, because her point of view was not supported by the editors. The cartoon depicted various real-life billionaires offering cash to a huge statue of Donald Trump. ^{[7] [8] [9]}
• January 8: Belgian comic artist Merho, who decided to terminate his signature series De Kiekeboes in 2023 and replace it with a spin-off series drawn in a different style, announces that the original series will resume publication with a new album. ^{[10] [11]}
• January 25: Dutch comics artist Michiel van de Pol wins the Stripschapprijs. ^{[12] [13]}
• January 29: U.S. comic artist John Romita Jr. receives a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival. ^[14]

February

• February 10: The comics information website Stripspeciaalzaak, hosted by David Steenhuyse, wins the annual P. Hans Frankfurther Prize. ^[15]

March

• Willy Linthout and Ann Smet will release the first public domain The Adventures of Nero story in album format, titled De Babbelkousen. ^[16]

Deaths

January

• January 1: Kaak, Indian editorial cartoonist, dies at age 84. ^[17]
• January 10:
  • Marc Michetz, A.K.A. Marc de Groide, Belgian comics artist (Kogaratsu, Tako), dies at age 73. ^[18]
  • Michel Schetter, Belgian comics writer (Yérushalaïm ^[19] ), artist (Cargo, Berlin, Yin and Yang) and colorist for French comic artist Tibet), dies at age 76. ^[20]
• January 15:
  • Patricia Lyfoung, French comic artist (The Mythics, The Scarlet Rose), dies at age 47. ^{[21] [22]}
  • Turtel Onli, American art teacher, publisher and comic artist (NOG, Malcolm-10), dies at age 72. ^[23]
• January 16: David Lynch, American film director, comics writer and artist ( The Angriest Dog in the World ), dies at age 78. ^[24]
• January 17: Jules Feiffer, American editorial cartoonist (Feiffer), comic artist (Tantrum, Kill My Mother) and essayist (The Great Comic Book Heroes), dies at age 95. ^[25]
• January 20: Alain Sikorski, Belgian comic artist (continued Tif et Tondu , Garage Isidore), dies at age 65. ^[26]
• January 21: Doug Sneyd, Canadian editorial cartoonist and comics artist (Scoops), dies at age 93. ^{[27] [28]}
• January 23:
  • Luc Cauwenberghs, Belgian sculptor (sculpted the statue of Nero in Hoeilaart, Gaston Lagaffe (Gomer Goof) in Charleroi and of Urbanus in Middelkerke and the Plastieken Walvis sculpture (based on the Jommeke story of the same name) in Wilrijk), dies at age 72. ^[29]
  • Leen van Hulst, Belgian comics artist (Melk en Sneeuw), dies at age 42. ^[30]
• January 24:
  • Gianfranco Manfredi, Italian comic artist (Magic Wind, Gordon Link, Shanghai Devil, Dylan Dog ), dies at age 76. ^[31]
  • Marcin Wicha, Polish editorial cartoonist, dies at age 52. ^[32]
• January 30: Ada Milani, A.K.A. Ada Uderzo, wife of French comics artist Albert Uderzo (inspiration for the character Falbala (Panacea in English translation) in the Astérix story Asterix the Legionary ^[33] ), dies at age 89. ^[34]

February

• February 2: Mort Künstler, American painter, poster illustrator and comic artist ( Classics Illustrated , the Jaws poster parody on the cover of Mad ^[35] ), dies at age 97. ^[36]
• February 4: Ed Seeman, American cartoonist, dies at age 93. ^[37]
• February 7: Chris Moore, British illustrator and comic artist ( Heavy Metal , Graphic Classics), dies at age 58. ^[38]
• February 8: Rob van Eijck, Dutch comics journalist (wrote for Stripschrift), writer (books about Marten Toonder, Hans G. Kresse, Martin Lodewijk), artist (De Opstand de Bataven), letterer, translator and namegiver for the Rob van Eijck Comics Award, dies at age 76. ^[39]
• February 9: KC Carlson, American comic book editor and writer ( Legion of Super-Heroes , Superboy , Batman ), dies at age 68. ^[40]
• February 11: Jerry Eisenberg, American animator and comic artist (Hanna-Barbera comics), dies at age 87. ^[41]
• February 14: Colin Whittock, British editorial cartoonist and comic artist (Champ, Lazy Bones, Catnap, Mizz Marble, Coronation Street Kids, continued Ivy the Terrible ), dies at age 84. ^[42]
• February 15:
  • Chantal De Spiegeleer, Belgian comic artist ( Adler , continued Blake and Mortimer ) and colorist (Adler), dies at age 67. ^{[43] [44]}
  • Ivan Steiger, Czechoslovak-born German cartoonist, dies at age 86. ^[45]
• February 16: Jim Silke, comic book artist ( Rascals in Paradise , Vampirella , Sin City , The Rocketeer , The Magdalena ), dies at age 93. ^{[46] [47]}
• February 24: Leen Vandersteen, Belgian businessmwoman (daughter of Willy Vandersteen, team leader of Studio Vandersteen and inspiration for his character Wiske), dies at age 88. ^[48]

Sources

1. "Public Domain Day 2025 | Duke University School of Law". web.law.duke.edu. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
2. "Beloved comic character Tintin enters US public domain with certain limitations". 2 January 2025.
3. "Public Domain Day 2025 | Duke University School of Law".
4. "Eerste versie van Kuifje kan nu rechtenvrij gebruikt worden in de VS". 2 January 2025.
5. ""Als we 70 jaar moeten wachten, dan is Nero dood": Stripfiguren van Marc Sleen uitzonderlijk nu al vrij te hergebruiken". 9 January 2025.
6. "Marc Sleens striphelden vanaf 2025 rechtenvrij | Algemeen | Stripspeciaalzaak". 28 September 2024.
7. Vargas, Ramon Antonio (4 January 2025). "Washington Post cartoonist resigns over paper's refusal to publish cartoon critical of Jeff Bezos". The Guardian.
8. "Why I'm quitting the Washington Post". 4 January 2025.
9. "Washington Post cartoonist quits after satire of Jeff Bezos is rejected". 4 January 2025.
10. "De Kiekeboes komen terug met deel 165 door Charel Cambré en Mike Beyers | Vooruitblikken | Stripspeciaalzaak". 8 January 2025.
11. "Stripreeks de Kiekeboes keert met nieuwe scenarist weer naar oude stijl: "Roep om originele DNA werd steeds luider"". 8 January 2025.
12. https://stripschapprijs.nl/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Rapport-Michiel-vd-Pol.pdf
13. https://www.parool.nl/kunst-media/striptekenaar-michiel-van-de-pol-krijgt-oeuvreprijs-als-het-niet-eerlijk-is-is-het-niks~b9fae51d/?referrer=https://www.google.com/
14. "Fauve d'Honneur de la 52E Édition".
15. "Nominaties Stripschapprijzen en winnaar P. Hans Frankurtherprijs 2025 | Awards en prijzen | Stripspeciaalzaak". 10 February 2025.
16. ""Als we 70 jaar moeten wachten, dan is Nero dood": Stripfiguren van Marc Sleen uitzonderlijk nu al vrij te hergebruiken". 9 January 2025.
17. "Kaak".
18. "Marc Michetz".
19. "Emmanuel Moynot".
20. "Michel Schetter".
21. "Patricia Lyfoung".
22. Patricia Lyfoung, l'autrice de « La Rose écarlate », est décédée (in French)
23. "Turtel Onli".
24. "David Lynch".
25. "Jules Feiffer".
26. "Alain Sikorski".
27. "Doug Sneyd".
28. https://www.mundellfuneralhome.com/tributes/douglas-doug-sneyd Douglas "Doug" Mord Sneyd
29. "Kunstenaar Luc Cauwenberghs (72) overleden, maker van beelden van Nero en Urbanus". 23 January 2025.
30. "Leen van Hulst".
31. Morto Gianfranco Manfredi, creatore dei fumetti di Magico Vento (in Italian)
32. Marcin Wicha nie żyje (in Polish)
33. "«Falbala, c'était moi !» : Ada, la veuve d'Uderzo, raconte la création d'Astérix". 27 May 2021.
34. "Disparition d'Ada, épouse et muse d'Albert Uderzo - ActuaBD".
35. "Doug Gilford's Mad Cover Site - Mad Magazine Contributors - Master List".
36. https://www.newsday.com/long-island/obituaries/mort-kunstler-obituary-jm3ll82b Mort Künstler, hailed as America's most prominent historical artist, dies at 97
37. https://avn.com/news/video/golden-age-xxx-filmmaker-photographer-ed-seeman-dies-at-93-178978 Golden Age XXX Filmmaker, Photographer Ed Seeman Dies at 93
38. https://locusmag.com/2025/02/chris-moore-1947-2025/ Chris Moore (1947–2025)
39. "Rob van Eijck".
40. https://bleedingcool.com/comics/kc-carlson-legion-of-super-heroes-editor-dies-aged-68/ KC Carlson, Legion Of Super-Heroes Editor, Dies Aged 68
41. "Jerry Eisenberg".
42. "Colin Whittock". lambiek.net. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
43. "Chantal de Spiegeleer". lambiek.net. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
44. Décès de Chantal De Spiegeleer (in French)
45. Zemřel Ivan Steiger (in Czech)
46. "Jim Silke". lambiek.net. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
47. https://tripwiremagazine.co.uk/headlines/rip-veteran-comics-illustrator-jim-silke/ RIP Veteran Comics Illustrator Jim Silke
48. https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2025/02/24/leen-vandersteen-overleden-inspiratie-suske-en-wiske/