Publications and events
January
January 7: In Tintin, the first chapter of the Michel Vaillant story Le Pilote Sans Visage by Jean Graton, is published. January 11: After two years of publication Charles M. Schulz' It's Only a Game comes to an end. The first episode of Jean Tabary's Totoche is printed in the magazine Vaillant. January 25: Jean Tabary's Grabadu et Gabaliouchtou makes its debut. January 31: Philip Mendoza's The Adventures of Katie Country Mouse debuts. It will run until 1964. Mr. District Attorney, with issue #67 (January/February cover date), is cancelled by DC Comics. In the Italian Disney magazine Topolino, the story Paperiade (The Ducks’ Iliad), based on a script by Guido Martina and drawings by Luciano Bottaro, is first published. That same year, Martina carries out Disney versions of other classics (Der ring des Nibelungen, Cantar de mio Cid, The Adventures of Saturnin Farandoul).
March
March 10: In the Italian magazine Topolino the story Mickey Mouse in the Delta Dimension, by Romano Scarpa is prepublished, which marks the debut of Atomo Bleep-Bleep and the return of Doctor Einmug, who hadn't been featured in 20 years. March 15: After 38 years of publication Russ Westover's Tillie the Toiler is discontinued. March 27: In Charles M. Schulz' Peanuts Lucy van Pelt opens up her psychiatric booth. March 28: The final episode of Phiny Dick, Ton Beek, Eiso Toonder and Andries Brandt's Birre Beer is published. March: Flash Comics, a series which ended in 1949 is rebooted and marks the debut of The Flash by John Broome and Carmine Infantino. Carl Barks' Uncle Scrooge story The Flying Dutchman is first published. In Italy, Renzo Barbieri debuts as writer and editor with the western series Timbergek.
April
April 16: in Spirou, first chapter of Z comme Zorglub, by Greg and Franquin.
May
May 20: The final episode of René Goscinny and Sempé's Le Petit Nicolas is serialized, still in comic strip format. In 1959 the series returns as illustrated short stories. May 24: After two and a half years Frank Giacoia's Johnny Reb and Billy Yank comes to an end. May 26: In Charles M. Schulz' Peanuts Sally Brown makes her debut. May 30: John Dixon's Air Hawk and the Flying Doctors makes its debut. Hopalong Cassidy, with issue #135 (May/June cover date), cancelled by DC. Carl Barks's Donald Duck story The Beachcombers' Picnic is published in Walt Disney’s comics and stories.
June
June 6: Leo Baxendale's The Three Bears makes its debut in The Beano. June 21: The first issue of the Belgian children's magazine Zonnekind, a sister publication of Zonneland, is published. In the first issue Nonkel Fons and Gray Croucher's Rikske en Fikske makes its debut.
July
July 2: In Spirou the first chapter of Les Schtroumpfs noirs by Peyo is prepublished, which is the first long narrative starring the Smurfs after they debuted as side characters in Johan and Peewit a year earlier. July 30: In Spirou the first chapter of the Lucky Luke story En remontant le Mississippi, script by Goscinny, drawn by Morris is prepublished.
August
August 10: In the Italian magazine Topolino, the first episode of Paperino e l’isola del Tesoro (Donald and the Treasure Island) by Luciano Bottaro, inaugurating the cycle of the "pirate ducks" narratives, and The man from Oola-Oola, by Romano Scarpa, are published. August 19: In Tintin magazine, The Michel Vaillant story Le circuit de la peur (The fear's circuit) by Jean Graton is first published. In the Argentina magazine Supetotem, Hugo Pratt debuts as complete author (writer and illustrator) with the first episode of Ana y Dan, an adventure series set in the colonial Africa.
September
September 14: The new The Adventures of Nero story De Zoon van Nero starts in Het Volk, which marks the birth of Nero's son Adhemar. September 24:The final issue of the Belgian Disney comics magazine Mickey Magazine is published. September: Harvey Kurtzman's graphic novel Harvey Kurtzman's Jungle Book is first published. La griffe noire by Jacques Martin (Le Lombard), fifth album of the series Alix, prepublished as a serial in Tintin.