1984

Events

Dated Events

• Real World: January 24. Apple releases the first Macintosh computers for sale.

• Real World: March 22. Based on accusations of Satanic ritual abuse on children, charges are filed against teachers at the McMartin Preschool in Manhattan Beach, California. The charges are later dropped when they turn out to be unfounded.

• Real World: May 8. The Soviet Union boycotts the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, in reaction to the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

• Real World: May 11. A transit of Earth from Mars occurs.

• Real World: June 30. John Turner becomes Prime Minister of Canada.

• Real World: July 21. A factory robot in Jackson, Michigan, accidentally crushes a worker; this is the first known robot-related death in the United States.

• Real World: September 17. Brian Mulroney becomes Prime Minister of Canada.

• Real World: October 12. The IRA fails in an attempt to assassinate the British Cabinet.

• Real World: October 31. Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, is assassinated by two Sikh guards; riots soon follow, with 2700 innocent Sikhs being killed in the violence.

• Real World: November 6. Ronald Reagan re-elected President of the United States.

• Real World: December 3. The Bhopal Disaster occurs when a Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, leaks methyl isocyanate gas; 2000 die immediately, and as many as 600,000 more are injured. 6000 more die from their injuries.

• Real World: December 31. Rajiv Gandhi, son of Indira Gandhi, becomes Prime Minister of India.

Undated Events

• Daredevil (Films): Matt Murdock is involved in an accident that blinds him and gives him superhuman senses. Soon afterward, his father is murdered by a thug who will become the Kingpin. (Daredevil (movie novelization))

• Spider-Man (Films): Peter Parker is born. (Source unknown)

• Transformers (U.S. Animated), Transformers (Japan), Transformers (Marvel U.S.), Transformers (Marvel U.K.), Transformers (Dreamwave): A volcanic eruption reactivates the Ark, reviving the Transformers on board and bringing the war between the Autobots (Cybertrons) and Decepticons (Destrons) to Earth. (Transformers: "More Than Meets the Eye" Part I; Transformers #1 (Marvel U.S.); Beast Wars: "The Agenda" Part III; Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #8)

New Fictional Works

Notable Books

The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks, The Practice Effect by David Brin, Neuromancer by William Gibson, The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub, Thinner by "Richard Bachman" (Stephen King), The Sicilian by Mario Puzo, The Witches of Eastwick by John Updike.

Notable Films

• 1984, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, 2020 Texas Gladiators, Access Code, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai, The Adventures of Hercules, Alien Prey, Alison's Birthday, The Being, Biohazard, Black Arrow, The Blade Master, Blind Date, C.H.U.D., Children of the Corn, A Christmas Carol, City Limits, Cloak and Dagger, The Cold Room, Conan the Destroyer
• Dark Forces, Deathstalker, Deja Vu, Devilfish, Dog Trouble, Dreams Come True, Dreamscape, Dune, The Ewok Adventure, The Final Combat, Fire and Ice, Firestarter, Frankenstein (TV movie), Frankenweenie, Friday the 13th - The Final Chapter, Ghost Warrior, Ghostbusters, Gremlins, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, The Hills Have Eyes: Part Two, Howling II
• Ice Pirates, Iceman, Impulse, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Invisible Strangler, Invitation to Hell, Jungle Heat, The Karate Kid, The Killing Hour, King Lear (TV movie), The Last Starfighter, Legend of the Eight Samurai, The Neverending Story, Night of the Comet, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Philadelphia Experiment, The Plague Dogs, Radioactive Dreams, Red Dawn, Repo Man, Return, The Return of Captain Invincible, Rock and Rule, Rocktober Blood, Romancing the Stone, Runaway
• Samson and Delilah (TV movie), Sheena, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Starman, Streets of Fire, Supergirl, Sword of the Valiant, The Terminator, Terror in the Swamp, Threads (TV movie), Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer (Japan), The Vindicator, The Warrior and the Sorceress, Yellow Hair and the Fortress of Gold, Zombie Island Massacre

Notable Comic Books

Saga of the Swamp Thing #21 (reinvention of Swamp Thing), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1.

Notable Television Series

• Beginning: Challenge of the GoBots, Dragon's Lair, The Invisible Man, Kidd Video, Leo the Lion (U.S.), Mighty Orbots, Pole Position, Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show, Transformers, The Tripods, V (regular series), Voltron (regular series).

• Continuing: Doctor Who (Season 22), G.I. Joe (second miniseries), Saturday Supercade (Season 2), Terrahawks (Season 2).

• Ending: Captain Zep - Space Detective (Season 2), Dungeons and Dragons, Voyagers.

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