Events and publications
January
January 1: The first issue of Cucciolo (Edizioni Alpe) is published. In the 1950s and the 1960s, it will be the most popular Italian magazine for children after Topolino. January 3: Hussein Amin Bikar establishes the Egyptian children's comics magazine Sindibad (also known as Sinbad). January 5: Belgian curator Frans Verstreken organizes the first annual Flemish cartoon exhibition Salon van de Vlaamse Humor (Salon of Flemish Comedy), exhibiting cartoons by dozens of Flemish cartoonists and comic artists. January 6: Charles M. Schulz' Peanuts receives its first Sunday comics page. January 10: André Franquin's Starter makes its debut. January 23: The first episode of the Mickey Mouse story The Midas ring is published, by Floyd Gottfredson and Bill Walsh. January 31: In Spirou et les Héritiers by André Franquin the Marsupilami makes his debut. Astonishing (1951 series) #8 - Atlas Comics Phantom Stranger (January/February) #1 Rex the Wonder Dog (January/February) #1 In Walt Disney's Comics and Stories, Gladstone's Usual Very Good Year, by Carl Barks; first apparition of the Junior Woodchucks’ seat. In Four Color, A Christmas for Shacktown, always by Carl Barks.
February
February 2: Crockett Johnson's Barnaby comes to an end. February 23: The first issue of the British comics magazine Lion is published. It will last until 18 May 1974. Astonishing (1951 series) #9 - Atlas Comics Men Adventures (1949 series) #12 - Atlas Comics Patsy and Hedy (1952 series) #1 - Atlas Comics Shock SuspenStories (1952 series) #1 - EC Comics Strange Tales (1951 series) #5 - Atlas Comics The Thing! (1952 series) #1 - Charlton Comics Young Men on the Battlefield (1949 series) #13 - Atlas Comics In Walt Disney's Comics and Stories, The screaming cowboy, by Carl Barks.
March
March: In Carl Barks' Donald Duck story Statuesque Spendthrifts Duckburg's founder Cornelius Coot makes his debut. First issue of Uncle Scrooge; it contains Only a poor old man, one of the Carl Barks’ masterpieces. March 3: In Charles M. Schulz' Peanuts Lucy van Pelt makes her debut. March 19: The first issue of the Italian western series El Bravo (Torelli) is published, by Gian Giacomo Dalmasso and Franco Bignotti. March 31: In Al Capp's Li'l Abner Abner and Daisy Mae marry, a feat that even becomes a cover story in Time. Astonishing (1951 series) #10 - Atlas Comics Astonishing (1951 series) #11 - Atlas Comics Young Men on the Battlefield (1949 series) #14 - Atlas Comics
April
April 8: The Piet Pienter en Bert Bibber story De Stalen Zeemeermin starts running in Het Handelsblad. Halfway the story, the new main cast member Susan makes her debut. April 21: The first episode of the Mickey Mouse story The Isle of Moola-la by Bill Walsh and Floyd Gottfredson is published. April 25: In Charles M. Schulz' Peanuts Charlie Brown tries to fly a kite, but fails. This will become a running gag in the series. Astonishing (1951 series) #12 - Atlas Comics Battlefield (1952 series) #1 - Atlas Comics Men Adventures (1949 series) #13 - Atlas Comics Strange Tales (1951 series) #6 - Atlas Comics
May
May 1: In Carl Barks' Uncle Scrooge story Gladstone's Terrible Secret inventor Gyro Gearloose makes his debut. May 7: Yaakov Ashman and Elisheva Nadal-Landau publish the first episode of their comic series Lulu. May 27: In Charles M. Schulz' Peanuts Snoopy starts expressing himself in thought balloons, the first phase of his gradual anthropomorphism. Astonishing (1951 series) #13 - Atlas Comics Sensation Comics #109 (cover date May–June) cancelled by DC Comics First issue of Little Eva (St. Johns Publishing ) In Superman 76, The Mightiest Team in the World, by Edmond Hamilton and Curt Swan. First team-up between Superman and Batman; the two heroes discover their secret identities for each other.
June
June 10: In the Italian Disney magazine Topolino, the Mickey Mouse story Topolino nella valle dell’incanto (Mickey Mouse in the Enchanted Valley) by Guido Martina and Rino Anzi is published. In the same issue the first Uncle Scrooge Disney comic by Italian authors is printed. Astonishing (1951 series) #14 - Atlas Comics Battlefield (1952 series) #2 - Atlas Comics Journey into Mystery (1952 series) #1 - Atlas Comics Men Adventures (1949 series) #14 - Atlas Comics Strange Suspense Stories (1952 series) #1 - Fawcett Comics Strange Tales (1951 series) #7 - Atlas Comics Young Men on the Battlefield (1949 series) #15 - Atlas Comics In Walt Disney’s comics and stories, the Donald Duck story The Think Box Bollix by Carl Barks is published.