2016 in comics

DC Rebirth is a 2016 relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books.

• February 25: In The Hague, a statue of Marnix Rueb's comic character Haagse Harry is inaugurated. ^[1]
• February 28: During the Stripdagen in Rijswijk, Maaike Hartjes wins the Stripschapprijs^[2] and publisher Strip2000 wins the P. Hans Frankfurtherprijs.^[3] Publishing company VanderHout & Co wins the Bulletje en Boonestaakschaal.^[4]

• April 18: Al Jaffee makes the Guinness Book of Records for being the oldest active cartoonist in the world.^[5]

• May 3: Iranian cartoonist Atena Farghadani, jailed in 2014 over a cartoon offending the Iranian government, is finally released from prison thanks to international sympathy campaigns for her cause. ^[6]
• May 13: French cartoonist Piem is named Commander in the Ordre National du Mérite.^[7]

• June 3–12 For the first time the Stripdagen in Haarlem lasts a week, rather than just a weekend.^[8]

• July 27: Belgian comic artist Marc Sleen receives the Honorary Sign of the Flemish Community. ^[9]
• Image comic Morning Glories by Nick Spencer and Joe Eisma concludes its second season and goes on hiatus following the publication of issue #50.

• Cancellation of the Dutch children's and comics magazine Taptoe^[10]

• September 27: Dutch cartoonist Peter van Straaten wins his fifth Inktspotprijs for Best Political Cartoon. ^[11]
• September 28: DC Comics writer Greg Rucka confirms that Wonder Woman is canonically bisexual. This makes her the first U.S. superhero to be officially bisexual. ^[12][13]

• Artist Fred Dewilde publishes Mon Bataclan, a personal account of the November 2015 Paris attacks, which he experienced firsthand at the Bataclan Theatre in Paris, nearly one year earlier.^[14]

• Dutch journalist/comic artist Robin Vinck and publisher Seb van der Kaaden launch the Stripjournaal Podcast, a news podcast on which they discuss and interview people and events regarding the Dutch-Belgian comic industry. ^[15]

• Julia Gfrörer publishes her graphic novel Laid Waste.^[16]
• Caricaturist and illustrator Edward Sorel releases his graphic novel Mary Astor's Purple Diary: The Great American Sex Scandal of 1936, about Hollywood actress Mary Astor.^[17]
• French comic writer Jean-David Morvan and South Korean artist Kim Jung Gi publish the biographical graphic novel McCurry, NYC, 911 about photojournalist Steve McCurry.^[18]

• January 28–April 17: "Our Comics Ourselves: Identity, Expression, and Representation in Comic Art", Interference Archive (Brooklyn, New York)^[19] — artists include Cathy Guisewite, Julie Doucet, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Phoebe Gloeckner, Sheri S. Tepper, Carol Tyler, and Leela Corman; exhibition later toured to George Mason University^[20][21] and the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center on the University of Connecticut, Storrs Campus^[22]
• March 2–May 7: "The ZAP Show: A Cultural Revolution", Society of Illustrators (New York City) — featuring the work of R. Crumb, S. Clay Wilson, Robert Williams, Victor Moscoso, Spain Rodriguez, Rick Griffin, and Paul Mavrides; curated by Monte Beauchamp

• January 26–31: Angoulême International Comics Festival (Angoulême, France)
• April 23: FLUKE Mini-Comics & Zine Festival (40 Watt, Athens, Georgia)
• March 5: New York Comic Book Marketplace (Penn Plaza Pavilion, New York City)
• March 5–6: STAPLE! (Marchesa Hall and Theater, Austin, Texas)
• March 18–20: Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (McCormick Place Complex, Chicago, Illinois)
• March 24–26: Salt Lake Comic Con FanXperience (Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah)
• March 25–27: WonderCon Los Angeles (Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, California)
• May 26–29: MegaCon (Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida)
• April 2–3: MoCCA Arts Festival (Metropolitan West, New York City)
• April 7–10: Emerald City Comicon (Washington State Convention Center, Seattle, Washington)
• April 9–10: Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo (Northland Performing Arts Center, Columbus, Ohio)
• April 14-16: International Comic Arts Forum (University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina) — guests include Cece Bell, Michael Chaney, Howard Cruse, Dominique Goblet, Sanford Green, Gary Jackson, and Keith Knight^[23]
• April 16–17: East Coast Comicon (Meadowlands Exposition Center, Meadowlands, New Jersey)
• April 23: FLUKE Mini-Comics & Zine Festival (40 Watt, Athens, Georgia)
• May 14–15: Toronto Comic Arts Festival (Toronto Reference Library, Toronto, Canada)
• May 13–15: Motor City Comic Con (Suburban Collection Showplace, Novi, Michigan)
• May 14: Comica Comiket: The Independent Comics Market (House of Illustration, London, England) — part of "Comica London Weekender"; features the "drawing parade" Cavalcade of Celebrity Cartoonists^[24]
• May 21: East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (The Enterprise Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
• June 2–5: Phoenix Comicon (Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix, Arizona)
• June 3–5: Fan Expo Dallas (Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Dallas, Texas)
• June 11–12: Chicago Alternative Comics Expo [CAKE] (Center on Halsted, Chicago, Illinois) — special guests: Chester Brown, Tyrell Cannon, Ezra Claytan Daniels, Sammy Harkham, Cathy G. Johnson, Patrick Kyle, Laura Park, Trina Robbins, Leslie Stein^[25]
• June 17–19: Heroes Convention (Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, North Carolina)
• June 18–19: St. Louis Comicon (St. Charles Convention Center, St Louis, Missouri)
• July 21–24: San Diego Comic-Con (San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California)^[26]
• July 29–31: Wizard World Columbus (Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio)
• August 24–27: Wizard World Chicago (Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Illinois)
• September 2–5: Dragon Con (Atlanta, Georgia)
• September 2–4: Baltimore Comic-Con (Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland)
• September 17–18: Small Press Expo (Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, North Bethesda, Maryland)
• September 24–25: Rhode Island Independent Publishing Expo (RIPE) (Providence Public Library, Providence, RI) — third iteration of this event
• October 6–9: New York Comic Con (Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York City)
• October 8–9: Alternative Press Expo (San Jose Convention Center, San Jose, California)
• October 8: Comica Comiket (The Lightbox, Woking, Surrey, England) — Drawing Parade; guests include Peter Hampson, son of Frank Hampson^[27]
• October 13–16: Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC) (Columbus, Ohio) — special guests Bruce Worden, Derf Backderf, Garry Trudeau, Sergio Aragonés, Raina Telgemeier, Nate Beeler,^[28] Charles Burns, Ann Telnaes, Ronald Wimberly, Stan Sakai, Mark Osborne, Keith Knight, Julia Gfrörer,^[29] Lalo Alcaraz, John Canemaker, Brandon Graham, Jay Hosler, Ben Katchor, Ed Koren, Sacha Mardou, Seth, Carol Tyler, Scottie Young
• October 28–30: Comikaze Expo (Los Angeles Convention Center)
• October 29–30: Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (Lesley's University Hall, Porter Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts)
• November 2–3: WES Feminist Comic Con (Forman Christian College, Lahore, Pakistan) — first annual event
• November 5: CAB/Comic Arts Brooklyn (Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church & Wythe Hotel, Brooklyn, New York)
• November 11–13: Rhode Island Comic Con (Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, Rhode Island)
• December 3–4: Comic Arts Los Angeles (Think Tank Gallery, Los Angeles, California) — featured guests: Sam Bosma, Matt Furie^[30]