This Day in Comic Book History: June 29

June 29 is a date that echoes through every era of comics history — from the birth of pioneers who broke racial barriers at Marvel and DC, to the debut of one of America's most beloved adventure strips, to the final issue of a 46-year Belgian comics institution.

June 29, 1940: Brenda Starr, Reporter Debuts

1940

Brenda Starr, Reporter Debuts

Created by Dale Messick · Chicago Tribune Sunday Supplement · First woman to create a nationally syndicated adventure strip · Ran 71 years until 2011

In the final days of June 1940, Dale Messick's Brenda Starr, Reporter appeared in the Chicago Tribune's Sunday comic supplement — making Messick the first woman to create and draw a major nationally syndicated adventure strip. She had faced relentless rejection from editors who refused to hire women cartoonists, even disguising her name from Dalia to Dale. A female editorial assistant named Mollie Slott rescued her submission from the trash and championed it into print. Brenda Starr — a glamorous, red-headed reporter modeled on Rita Hayworth — appeared in 250 newspapers at its peak and ran until January 2, 2011.

June 29, 1958: Birth of Shawn McManus, Sandman Artist

Born June 29, 1958, Shawn McManus is best known for his whimsical, expressive contributions to Neil Gaiman's The Sandman. He illustrated the beloved "A Game of You" arc and Sandman #19, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" — the only comic in history to win the World Fantasy Award for Best Short Fiction. His dreamlike linework was perfectly suited to Gaiman's genre-bending narratives.

June 29, 1961: Birth of Christopher Priest — First Black Editor in Mainstream Comics

Born James Christopher Owsley on June 29, 1961, Christopher Priest became the first African-American editor in mainstream comics when Marvel promoted him to oversee the entire Spider-Man line in 1984 — at just 22, also the youngest editor in Marvel history. Priest became the first Black writer-editor at DC Comics, helped lay the groundwork for Milestone Media, and wrote a landmark five-year run on Black Panther (1998–2003) that created Everett K. Ross, reimagined Wakanda as a global superpower, and shaped every portrayal of T'Challa since — including the MCU.

June 29, 1969: Birth of Mike McKone

British comic book artist Mike McKone was born June 29, 1969. His runs on Teen Titans and Avengers: The Initiative earned wide praise for handling large ensemble casts with clarity and energy. McKone's fluid storytelling and expressive characters made him a go-to artist for DC and Marvel's biggest team books throughout the 2000s.

June 29, 1993: Belgium's Tintin Magazine Publishes Its Final Issue

1993

Tintin Magazine Final Issue

Belgian weekly comics anthology · 1946–1993 · 46 years · Home to Tintin, Blake & Mortimer, Buck Danny

On June 29, 1993, the Belgian weekly comics magazine Tintin published its final issue, ending a 46-year run that was one of the great pillars of European comics culture. The magazine had been the home of Hergé's Tintin, Edgar P. Jacobs' Blake and Mortimer, and shaped the Franco-Belgian tradition that influenced generations of cartoonists worldwide. Its closure marked a turning point in the decline of the classic European weekly anthology format.

June 29, 2002: Death of Jaime Brocal Remohi

On June 29, 2002, the comics world lost Jaime Brocal Remohi, the Spanish artist celebrated for his detailed, atmospheric horror artwork for Warren Publishing's Eerie, Creepy, and Vampirella. His refined pen-and-ink style brought a distinctly European sensibility to American horror comics.

Shop Epic Panels Comics for Black Panther, Sandman, and classic Warren horror back issues — find the comics that made June 29 a landmark day in comics history. New issues arrive weekly!