1939 in comics

Notable events of 1939 in comics.

January

 * Ace Comics (1937 series) #22 – David McKay Publications
 * Action Comics (1938 series) #8 – National Allied Publications
 * Adventure Comics (1938 series) #34 – National Allied Publications
 * Amazing Mystery Funnies (1938 series) #5 – Centaur Publications
 * Detective Comics (1937 series) #23 – National Allied Publications
 * Feature Funnies (1937 series) #16 – Comic Favorites, Inc.
 * Funny Picture Stories (1939 series) #1 - Centaur Publications
 * More Fun Comics (1936 series) #39 – National Periodical Publications
 * Star Ranger Funnies (1939 series) #1 - Centaur Publications

February

 * Ace Comics #23 – David McKay Publications
 * Action Comics #9 – National Allied Publications
 * Adventure Comics #35 – National Allied Publications
 * Amazing Mystery Funnies #6 – Centaur Publications
 * Detective Comics #24 – National Allied Publications
 * Feature Funnies #17 – Comic Favorites, Inc.
 * Funny Pages (1939 series) #1 (24) - Centaur Publications
 * More Fun Comics #40 – National Periodical Publications
 * Star Comics (1939 series) #1 - Centaur Publications

March

 * 15 March: DC Comics files a lawsuit against Fox Feature Syndicate for copyright infringement of Superman by Fox’s character Wonder Man first appearing in Wonder Comics #1 (May 1939). In 1940 DC won the suit and Fox was forced to stop using the Wonder Man character. He only appeared in Wonder Comics #1. In 1964 Marvel Comics would introduce their Wonder Man with no association with Fox’s character.
 * Ace Comics #24 – David McKay Publications
 * Action Comics #10 – National Allied Publications
 * Adventure Comics #36 – National Allied Publications
 * Amazing Mystery Funnies #7 – Centaur Publications
 * Detective Comics #25 – National Allied Publications
 * Feature Funnies #18 – Comic Favorites, Inc.
 * Funny Pages (1939 series) #2 (25) - Centaur Publications
 * Funny Picture Stories (1939 series) #2 - Centaur Publications
 * More Fun Comics #41 – National Periodical Publications
 * Star Comics (1939 series) #2 - Centaur Publications

April

 * Ace Comics #25 – David McKay Publications
 * Action Comics #11 – National Allied Publications
 * Adventure Comics #37 – National Allied Publications
 * All-American Comics #1 – All-American Publications
 * Amazing Mystery Funnies #8 – Centaur Publications
 * Detective Comics #26 – National Allied Publications
 * Feature Funnies #19 – Comic Favorites, Inc.
 * Funny Pages (1939 series) #3 (26) - Centaur Publications
 * More Fun Comics #42 – National Periodical Publications
 * Movie Comics (1939 series) #1 – National Periodical Publications
 * Star Comics (1939 series) #3 - Centaur Publications
 * Star Ranger Funnies (1939 series) #2 - Centaur Publications

May

 * May 20: In Floyd Gottfredson's Mickey Mouse comic strip the villain Phantom Blot and the policeman Chief O'Hara make their debut; in the story Outwits the Phantom Blot.
 * Ace Comics #26 – David McKay Publications
 * Action Comics #12 – National Allied Publications
 * Adventure Comics #38 – National Allied Publications
 * All-American Comics #2 – All-American Publications
 * Amazing Mystery Funnies #9 – Centaur Publications
 * Detective Comics #27 – National Allied Publications – First appearance of Batman
 * Feature Funnies #20 – Comic Favorites, Inc.
 * Funny Picture Stories (1939 series) #3 - Centaur Publications, Final Issue
 * More Fun Comics #43 – National Periodical Publications
 * Movie Comics #2 – National Periodical Publications
 * Star Comics (1939 series) #4 - Centaur Publications
 * Wonder Comics #1 - Fox Feature Syndicate

June

 * Ace Comics #27 – David McKay Publications
 * Action Comics #13 – National Allied Publications
 * Adventure Comics #39 – National Allied Publications
 * All-American Comics #3 – National Allied Publications
 * Amazing Mystery Funnies #10 – Centaur Publications
 * Detective Comics #28 – National Allied Publications
 * Feature Comics (previously Feature Funnies) #21 – Quality Comics
 * Funny Pages (1939 series) #4 (27) - Centaur Publications
 * More Fun Comics #44 – National Periodical Publications
 * Movie Comics #3 – National Periodical Publications
 * Star Comics (1939 series) #5 - Centaur Publications
 * Star Ranger Funnies (1939 series) #3 - Centaur Publications
 * Superman (1939 series) #1, cover dated Summer – National Periodical Publications
 * Wonder Comics #2 - Fox Feature Syndicate

July

 * 1 July: Fox Feature Syndicate renames Wonder Comics to Wonderworld Comics starting with issue #3.
 * Ace Comics #28 – David McKay Publications
 * Action Comics #14 – National Allied Publications
 * Adventure Comics #40 – National Allied Publications. In this issue Gardner Fox, Bert Christman, Ogden Whitney and Creig Flessel's The Sandman makes his debut.
 * All-American Comics #4 – All-American Publications
 * Amazing Mystery Funnies #11 – Centaur Publications
 * Detective Comics #29 – National Allied Publications. In this issue Gardner Fox introduces Batman's utility belt in Batman by Bill Finger and Bob Kane.
 * Feature Comics #22 – Quality Comics
 * Funny Pages (1939 series) #5 (28) - Centaur Publications
 * More Fun Comics #45 – National Periodical Publications
 * Movie Comics #4 – National Periodical Publications
 * Star Comics (1939 series) #6 - Centaur Publications
 * The Magic Comic #1 – D. C. Thomson & Co.
 * Wonderworld Comics #3 - Fox Feature Syndicate, Will Eisner and Jerry Iger's The Flame makes his debut.

August

 * Ace Comics #29 – David McKay Publications
 * Action Comics #15 – National Allied Publications
 * Adventure Comics #41 – National Allied Publications
 * All-American Comics #5 – All-American Publications
 * Amazing Mystery Funnies #12 – Centaur Publications
 * Detective Comics #30 – National Allied Publications
 * Feature Comics #23 – Quality Comics
 * Funny Pages (1939 series) #6 (29) - Centaur Publications
 * More Fun Comics #46 – National Periodical Publications
 * Movie Comics #5 – National Periodical Publications
 * Mystery Men Comics #1 (1939 series) – Fox Feature Syndicate – First appearance of Blue Beetle
 * Star Comics (1939 series) #7 - Centaur Publications, Final Issue
 * Star Ranger Funnies (1939 series) #4 - Centaur Publications
 * Smash Comics #1 (1939 series) – Quality Comics
 * Wonderworld Comics #4 - Fox Feature Syndicate

September

 * Newspaper strip Ben Bowyang by Alex Gurney begins publication
 * Ace Comics #30 – David McKay Publications
 * Action Comics #16 – National Allied Publications
 * Adventure Comics #42 – National Allied Publications
 * All-American Comics #6 – All-American Publications
 * Amazing Man Comics (1939 series) #5 – Centaur Publications
 * Amazing Mystery Funnies #13 – Centaur Publications
 * Detective Comics #31 – National Allied Publications. In this issue Gardner Fox introduces the Batarang in Batman by Bob Kane and Bill Finger.
 * Feature Comics #24 – Quality Comics
 * Four Color Series 1 (1939 series) #1 – Dell Publishing
 * First comic-book appearance of Dick Tracy, who was already a popular feature in newspaper comics since 1931.
 * Funny Pages (1939 series) #7 (30) - Centaur Publications
 * More Fun Comics #47 – National Periodical Publications
 * Movie Comics #6 – National Periodical Publications, Final Issue
 * Mutt and Jeff (1939 series) #1 – National Periodical Publications
 * Mystery Men Comics #2 – Fox Feature Syndicate
 * Smash Comics #2 – Quality Comics
 * Superman #2, cover dated Fall – National Periodical Publications
 * Wonderworld Comics No. 5 - Fox Feature Syndicate

October

 * October 15: Dorothy Urfer and Virginia Krausmann's Annibelle ends its run after a decade of publication.
 * October: Russell Keaton's Flyin' Jenny makes its debut. It will run until 1946.
 * Ace Comics #31 – David McKay Publications
 * Action Comics #17 – National Allied Publications
 * Adventure Comics #43 – National Allied Publications
 * All-American Comics #7 – All-American Publications
 * Amazing Man Comics #6 – Centaur Publications
 * Amazing Mystery Funnies #14 – Centaur Publications
 * Detective Comics #32 – National Allied Publications
 * Feature Comics #25 – Quality Comics
 * Four Color Series 1 #2 – Dell Publishing
 * Funny Pages (1939 series) #8 (31) - Centaur Publications
 * Marvel Comics (becomes Marvel Mystery Comics) (1939 series) #1 – Timely Comics
 * More Fun Comics #48 – National Periodical Publications
 * Mystery Men Comics #3 – Fox Feature Syndicate
 * Smash Comics #3 – Quality Comics
 * Star Ranger Funnies (1939 series) #5 - Centaur Publications
 * Wonderworld Comics #6 - Fox Feature Syndicate

November

 * Ace Comics #32 – David McKay Publications
 * Action Comics #18 – National Allied Publications
 * Adventure Comics #44 – National Allied Publications
 * All-American Comics #8 – All-American Publications
 * Amazing Man Comics #7 – Centaur Publications
 * Amazing Mystery Funnies #15 – Centaur Publications
 * Blue Beetle #1 – Fox Feature Syndicate
 * Detective Comics #33 – National Allied Publications
 * Double Action Comics #1 — National Allied Publications. Released only in New York City newsstands, Double Action Comics was most likely an "ashcan", a limited-run publication produced simply to register the title. It had a black-and-white cover, with the contents pulled from Action Comics No. 2.
 * Feature Comics #26 – Quality Comics
 * Funny Pages (1939 series) #9 (32) - Centaur Publications
 * More Fun Comics #49 – National Periodical Publications
 * Mystery Men Comics #4 – Fox Feature Syndicate
 * Smash Comics #4 – Quality Comics
 * Superman #3 – National Allied Publications – Winter Issue
 * Wonderworld Comics #7 - Fox Feature Syndicate

December

 * Will Eisner leaves the comics studio Eisner & Iger.
 * Ace Comics #33 – David McKay Publications
 * Action Comics #19 – National Allied Publications
 * Adventure Comics #45 – National Allied Publications
 * All-American Comics #9 – All-American Publications
 * Amazing Man Comics #8 – Centaur Publications
 * Amazing Mystery Funnies #16 – Centaur Publications
 * Detective Comics #34 – National Allied Publications
 * Double Action Comics (1939 series) #1 – National Periodical Publications (ashcan copy, distributed only in New York City newsstands)
 * Fantastic Comics (1939 series) #1 - Fox Feature Syndicate
 * Feature Comics #27 – Quality Comics – In this issue Will Eisner and Lou Fine's Doll Man makes his debut.
 * Funny Pages (1939 series) #10 (33) - Centaur Publications
 * Marvel Mystery Comics (previously Marvel Comics) #2 – Timely Comics
 * More Fun Comics #50 – National Periodical Publications
 * Mystery Men Comics #5 – Fox Feature Syndicate
 * Smash Comics #5 – Quality Comics
 * Wonderworld Comics #8 - Fox Feature Syndicate

Specials

 * New York World's Fair (1939 series) #1 – National Periodical Publications
 * Mutt & Jeff (1939 series) #1 – All-American Comics

Specific date unknown

 * The first episode of Arthur Warden's Tuffy and his Magic Tail is published.
 * Lev Gleason founds the comic book company Lev Gleason Publications.
 * A boom year for the burgeoning American comic book industry, as Archie Comics, Fawcett Comics, Fox Feature Syndicate, Lev Gleason Publications, Marvel Comics/Timely Comics, Nedor Comics, and Quality Comics all begin publishing.
 * The Serbian comic strip Zigomar by writer Branko Vidić and artist Nikola Navojev begins publication.

March

 * March 27: Jo Teodorescu, Romanian illustrator and comics artist (Aventurile profesului Parbriz), (d. 2014).

April

 * April 10: Shinji Mizushima, Japanese manga artist (Yakyū-kyō no Uta, Dokaben, Abu-san), (d. 2022).

January

 * January 18: Carl E. Schultze, American comics artist (Foxy Grandpa), dies at age 72.
 * January 20: Victor Bergdahl, Swedish animator and comics artist (Kapten Grogg), dies at age 60.

June

 * June 28: Joz De Swerts, Belgian illustrator, political cartoonist and comics artist (worked for Zonneland), dies at age 49.

July

 * July 4: Louis Wain, British painter and illustrator (illustrations starring anthropomorphic cats), dies at age 78.
 * July 25: A.E. Hayward, American comics artist (Somebody's Stenog), dies at age 55.

August

 * August 14: T.E. Powers, American comics artist (Our Moving Pictures, Mr. Nobody Holme), dies at the age of 69.

September

 * September 8: Elie Smalhout, Dutch graphic artist, illustrator and comics artist (made text comics for De Notenkraker), dies at age 49.
 * September 29: Luc Lafnet, aka Davine, Visnet, O. Lucas, Pol, Luc, Belgian-French comics artist (Bizouk et Pélik, Zizette, assisted on Spirou et Fantasio, Bibor et Tribar), dies at age 40 from pancreatic cancer.

October

 * October 10: Benjamin Rabier, French comics artist, illustrator, animator and advertising artist (Gédéon, Tintin-Lutin, designed La Vache Qui Rit), dies at age 74.
 * October 12: Llorenç Brunet i Forroll, Spanish caricaturist, painter and comics artist, dies at age 67.
 * October 18: Carl Olof Petersen, Swedish illustrator, painter and comics artist, dies at age 59.

November

 * November 22: Walter Hoban, American comics artist (Jerry on the Job), dies at age 49.

December

 * December 18: Bruno Liljefors, Swedish painter and comics artist, dies at age 79.

Specific date unknown

 * Paul Augros, French illustrator and comics artist, dies at age 58.
 * Louis de Lajarrige, French illustrator, painter, comics artist and writer, dies at age 66.
 * E. Nicolson, French illustrator and comics artist (Les Aventures du Chien Brownie, Bambochard et Trémolo), dies at an unknown age.

First issues by title

 * All-American Comics (April, All-American Publications)
 * Amazing Man Comics (September, Centaur Publications) Issues No. 1 through 4 were not published.
 * Double Action Comics (December, National Periodical Publications) The first issue was an ashcan copy, published but not distributed or sold.
 * Fantastic Comics (December, Fox Feature Syndicate)
 * Four Color (Dell Publishing)
 * Marvel Comics (October, Timely Comics)
 * Movie Comics (April, National Periodical Publications)
 * Mutt & Jeff (Summer, All-American Comics)
 * Mystery Men Comics (August, Fox Feature Syndicate)
 * New York World's Fair (National Periodical Publications)
 * Silver Streak Comics (December, Rhoda Publications)
 * Smash Comics (August, Quality Comics)
 * Star Comics Volume 2 (February, Centaur Publications)
 * Star Ranger Funnies Volume 2 (January, Centaur Publications)
 * Superman (Summer, National Periodical Publications )
 * The Magic Comic (July, D. C. Thomson & Co.)
 * Wonder Comics (May, Fox Feature Syndicate)

Renamed titles

 * Feature Comics renamed Feature Funnies as of the June cover date.
 * Marvel Comics renamed Marvel Mystery Comics as of the December cover date.
 * Wonder Comics renamed Wonderworld Comics starting with issue #3 with a cover date of July.

Initial appearances by character name

 * Batman (Earth-Two) in Detective Comics No. 27 (May), created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, published by National Allied Publications
 * Bozo the Iron Man in Smash Comics No. 1 (August), created by George Brenner, published by Quality Comics.
 * Commissioner Gordon in Detective Comics No. 27 (May) created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, published by National Allied Publications
 * Dan Garret (Blue Beetle) in Mystery Men Comics No. 1 (August), created by Charles Nicholas, published by Fox Feature Syndicate.
 * Doctor Death (comics) in Detective Comics No. 29 (July), created by Bob Kane, published by National Periodical Publications
 * Doll Girl in Feature Comics No. 27 (December), created by Will Eisner, Published by Quality Comics.
 * Doll Man in Feature Comics No. 27 (December), created by Will Eisner, Published by Quality Comics.
 * Green Mask (Michael Shelby) in Mystery Men Comics No. 1 (August), created by Walter Frame, Published by Fox Feature Syndicate.
 * Human Torch in Marvel Comics No. 1 (October) created by Carl Burgos, published by Timely Comics
 * Invisible Hood in Smash Comics No. 1 (August), created by Art Pinajian, published by Quality Comics.
 * Joe Chill in Detective Comics No. 33 (November), created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane.
 * Monk (comics) in Detective Comics No. 31 (September), created by Gardner Fox and Bob Kane, published by National Periodical Publications
 * Namor The Sub-Mariner in Marvel Comics #1 (October) created by Bill Everett, published by Timely Comics
 * Samson in Fantastic Comics #1 (December) created by Will Eisner and Alex Blum
 * Sandman (Wesley Dodds) in New York World's Fair Comics No. 1, created by Gardner Fox and Bert Christman, published by National Periodical Publications.
 * The Flame (Gary Preston) in Wonderworld Comics No. 3 created by Will Eisner and Lou Fine, published by Fox Feature Syndicate.


 * Ultra-Humanite in Action Comics No. 13 (June), created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, published by National Periodical Publications.
 * Ultra-Man in All-American Comics No. 8 (November), created by Jon L. Blummer, published by National Periodical Publications