Star Trek vol. 2 is canceled by DC with issue #80.
Marchedit
March 2: The Flemish newspapers Het Laatste Nieuws and De Nieuwe Gazet launch a weekly children comics supplement titled De Samson en Gert Krant, based on the popular TV show Samson en Gert. It will run until 1998, after which it is renamed.[4]
March 14: Evronians, by Alessandro Sisti, Ezio Sisto and Alberto Lavoradori, album "number zero" of PKNA ; debut of the principal characters of the series (the A. I. One, the journalist Angus Fangus, the female robot Lyla Lai, the super-heroine Xadhoom).
With issue #75, The Sandman ends its run. (DC/Vertigo)
First issue of the magazine Mondo Naif (Star Comics), meant as a showcase for the young Italian cartoonists.[5]
April 30: In the Disney comics magazine Topolino, Basettoni e la dieta da fame, by Giorgio Pezzin and Romano Scarpa is first published, which markes the debut of Petulia, Chief O’Hara's wife.
In Zona X, L’uomo venuto dal futuro (The man from future), by Luigi Mignacco and Fabrizio Russo, first episode of the series about the time traveller Robinson Hart (Bonelli).[10]
June 11: in Topolino, Silvia Ziche's Il papero del mistero, papernovela in uno sproposito di puntate (The mystery duck, duck-novela in a blunder of episodes) begins. The story, lasting for even 24 episodes, is a parody of the never-ending Latin-American telenovelas.[12]
La valle del terrore (The valey of fear) by Claudio Nizzi and Magnus (Bonelli). The album, a Tex Willer adventure inspired by the life of John Sutter, is the swansong for Magnus, who works to it for seven years and dies just before its publishing.[14]
When Blow the Winds of Time?, by Alessandro Sisti and Claudio Sciarrone, album 0/2 of PKNA is first published, which marks the debut of the principal antagonist of the series, the time traveller Red Raider.
Xanadu, by Alfredo Castelli and Paolo Morales (Bonelli). Sergej Orloff, the villain of the Martin Mystere series, redeems and is reconciled with the hero, in addition to healing from his mutilations.[16]
October 11: The 30th Asterix story is published, La Galère d'Obélix (translated in English as Asterix and Obelix All at Sea). In the story Obelix drinks the magic potion for the first time since he was a child, with dire consequences.[19]
October 12–13: During the Stripdagen in Breda, the Netherlands, Hanco Kolk receives the Stripschapprijs.[20][21] Het Nederlands Stripmuseum receives the first P. Hans Frankfurtherprijs (formerly the Jaarprijs voor Bijzondere Verdiensten), named after P. Hans Frankfurther, who died in a drowning accident in August.[22]
January 31: Claus Deleuran, Danish comics artist (Thorfinn, Rejsen til Saturn, Pirelli & Firestone, The People's Illustrated History of Denmark), dies at age 49.[30]
March 7: Ramon Monzon, French comics artist (Cha'pa et Group-Group, Jehan des Bis, Finnekin Jones, Bouzouk, le Petit Prince, Testar le Robot), dies at age 65.[37]
March 14: Jack Berrill, American comics artist (Gil Thorp), dies of cancer at age 72.[38]
March 15: Homer Groening, Canadian-American film director, cartoonist and comics artist (Phoebe, Get Your Man), dies at age 76.[39]
April 12: Bob Zschiesche, American comics artist (Our Folks, Harley Hogg, assisted on Gasoline Alley and Snuffy Smith), dies at age 67 from an aneurysm.[41]
April 20: Håven, Swedish cartoonist and comics artist (Gamle Uno), dies at age 74.[42]
Mayedit
May 6: Eric Larnoy, French illustrator and comic artist (Thanéros), dies at age 35 from liver cancer.[43]
May 7: Piet Worm, Dutch comics artist (De Vrolijke Vaderlandse Geschiedenis, Professor Zegellak), dies at age 95.[44]
May 26: Francis Paid, Dutch comics artist (Joris Voetangel, Toonder Studios), dies at age 71.[45]
Juneedit
June 11: Gin, Spanish comics artist, animator, and illustrator (Nathalie, Denise, Disney comics), dies at age 65.[46]
June 15: Nonkel Fons, Belgian priest, publisher, and comics writer (founder of the comics magazine Zonneland, writer of Rikske en Fikske) dies at age 84.[47]
August 28: P. Hans Frankfurther, Dutch film & TV producer, activist and organizer (founder of Het Stripschap, namegiver to the annual P. Hans Frankfurther comics prize[52]), drowns at age 64, trying to save his son (who also drowns).[53][54]
Septemberedit
September 3: Petar Grigorov, Bulgarian painter and comics artist, dies at age 83.[55]
September 14: Fernando Bento, Portuguese illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 85.[56]
July 27–28: Dallas Fantasy Fair (Market Hall, Dallas, Texas) — cancelled at the last minute; the Harvey Awards were scheduled to be presented there and had to be rescheduled for later in the year[83]
October 12–13: Motor City Comic Con II (Dearborn Civic Center, Dearborn, Michigan)
October 25–27: Dynamic Forces New York Comic Book Convention (Sheraton New York Hotel, New York City) — official guests include Barry Windsor-Smith and Dan Jurgens[87]
^"Newswatch: NYC Comics Convention Cancelled, Fans Irate," The Comics Journal #185 (Mar. 1996), pp. 18–19.
^"Comic Marvels," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (19 Apr 1996), p. 2.
^"Book events," Houston Chronicle (02 June 1996), p. 20.
^Cwiklik, Gregory. "The 21st Annual Chicago Comicon: A Personal View," The Comics Journal #189 (Aug. 1996), pp. 23–27.
^Wardle, Paul: "Freaks, Outcasts, and Peter David: Dragon Con '96," The Comics Journal #189 (Aug. 1996), pp. 27–30.
^Raphael, Jordan. "Dallas Fantasy Fair Cancelled: New Con Takes Its Place," The Comics Journal #189 (Aug. 1996), p. 23.
^"People Watch," Fort Worth Star-Telegram (July 26, 1996), p. 7.
^"Georgetown Set to Host International Festival". Newswatch. The Comics Journal. No. 188. July 1996. p. 15.
^Ahrens, Frank (Sep 30, 1996). "A HIGH-CLASS STRIP SHOW: Festival Draws a Bead on French Comics". The Washington Post. pp. C1, C6. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on Aug 28, 2017. Retrieved 2020-09-02.
^Rodman, Larry (Nov 1996). "Social Studies: European Comics and the International Comics and Animation Festival". The Comics Journal. No. 191. pp. 29–34.
^"Choices: What's Happening This Weekend," Newsday (25 Oct 1996), p. B.02.