Free Comic Book Day comics arriving in 2 research libraries

With help and gratitude from Big Planet Comics (Bethesda), Fantom Comics, and Victory Comics, I was able to put together 2 almost complete sets for the Library of Congress and Michigan State University (as well as for myself, natch, because I am a true collector). I delivered the LoC's set yesterday, and am almost ready to mail the other set to MSU.  Both sets are light on five comics - in case there's any other donors out there. And I do have extras if there are any other research libraries looking for issues.

Missing are:

APR210042

10 TON PRESS

FCBD 2021 10 TON OF FUN SAMPLER

AUG 14, 2021

APR210030

MAD CAVE STUDIOS

FCBD 2021 BOUNTIFUL GARDEN #1

AUG 14, 2021

APR210033

NEW ENGLAND COMICS

FCBD 2021 THE TICK

AUG 14, 2021

APR210020

DEVILS DUE

FCBD 2021 TRAILER PARK BOYS

AUG 14, 2021

 

 

APR210038

SCOUT COMICS

FCBD 2021 WHITE ASH SEASON 2 #0

AUG 14, 2021

 

 

Quarantining Coronavirus through Comics at MSU's Comic Art Collection

by Mike Rhode

Like many of us, Michigan State University librarian Randy Scott was sent to work from home when covid-19 began shutting down schools and libraries across the country. To be able to work from home, he had to get creative, since he couldn't take parts of the Comic Art Collection home with him. Scott began clipping comic strips from the Lansing, MI papers that dealt with coronavirus and setting up new subject headings in the collection's Reading Room Index (RRI).

When I checked in with him, and heard that he was doing this, I began sending the daily Washington Post comics pages (I'd been sending the Sundays for years, continuing what crack comics historian Ian Gordon had begun years ago). He's picked coronavirus as his main subject heading, noting "The first mention of the coronavirus (covid 19) pandemic appeared in this collection in the February 13, 2020 episode of Prickly City. Newspaper strips are added here when 5 examples of a title with pandemic-related content are located, clipped and filed in the Library's collection." As of today, he's collected about 600 strips, 400 of which are in the RRI, and 200 waiting to be added.

Strips he's collected include:

• Arlo & Janis (starting Mar. 30, 2020)
• Baldo (starting Apr. 4, 2020)
• Barney and Clyde (starting Mar. 4, 2020)
• Blondie (starting May 7, 2020)
• Brevity (starting Apr. 7, 2020)
• Brewster Rockit: Space Guy! (starting Apr. 6, 2020)
• Candorville (starting Mar. 23, 2020)
• Curtis (starting Mar. 30, 2020)
• Dilbert (starting Apr. 20, 2020)
• Family Circus (starting Apr. 15, 2020)
• Frank and Ernest (starting Mar. 13, 2020)
• Frazz (starting Apr. 18, 2020)
• Lio (starting Mar. 30, 2020)
• Non Sequitur (starting Mar. 9, 2020)
• Off the Mark (starting Apr. 6, 2020)
• On the Fastrack (starting Apr. 13, 2020)
• Pearls Before Swine (starting Apr. 6, 2020)
• Prickly City (starting Feb. 13, 2020)
• Reply All Lite (starting Mar. 30, 2020)
• Sally Forth (starting Apr. 13, 2020)
• Speed Bump (starting Apr. 27, 2020)

New and newly significant related topics include:

• Contagion  
• Covid 19 
• Hand Sanitizer
• Hand Washing
• Hazmat Suits
• Hoarding
• Home Schooling
• Lockdowns
• New Normal
• Quarantine
• Reopening
• Shaking Hands
• Social Distancing
• Staying Home
• Surgical Masks
• Toilet Paper
• Vaccines
• Working from Home
• Zoom

 A typical entry for a Washington, DC-based cartoonist looks like this:

Social Distancing. 
   "Boo Cat Lives and Breathes Social Distancing" (Reply All
   Lite, Apr. 26, 2020) / by Donna A. Lewis. -- Call no.:
   oversize PN6726.S79 Apr. 26, 2020 

Special collections work over the long run and most of this collection probably won't be of interest to users for a few years, and then again after a few decades, most likely for the fiftieth anniversary of the pandemic. But just a cautionary note for those who think they can find everything on the web... this Chris Ware strip from the New York Times from April 26, 2020, has disappeared from the Times' website (and Randy would like a tearsheet if you have it).

Picture from Twitter

PSA: Help support Asian comics at Michigan State University's Comic Art Collection UPDATED

Asian Comics Cataloging at Michigan State University

reprinted from Insight May 2014 - http://img.lib.msu.edu/giving/insight/Insight_May2014.pdf

"I always recommend the MSU Comic Art Collection to fellow comic researchers since it is the world's most comprehensive and internationally oriented collection in the field." Matthias Harbeck, doctoral candidate, Carl von Ossietzky Universität, Oldenburg, Germany

Help make our Asian comics accessible!

Comics are truly a global phenomenon, and an important goal of our Comic Art Collection is to document how cultures around the world have adopted and transformed the medium.

That's why our collection ranges from Golden Age adventure strips to South American fotonovelas, and from Japanese manga to a nearly complete run of THE 99 – the world's first comic series with Muslim superheroes.

However, it's not enough to acquire these diverse materials. It's essential to catalog them as well, so users near and far can determine what we have available.

Thanks to recent gifts, we have far more Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese comics waiting to be cataloged than we can handle – even with the broad range of language skills among the cataloging team!

Fortunately, help is available. We can send the work to an outside contractor, Backstage, which performs research-level cataloging in some 70 different languages. Backstage can complete about 150 of the most needed items for $5000 – and we have already have a generous gift of $1000 to start us off.

The Comic Art Collection is heavily used by MSU students and faculty working in the fields of history, literature, and cultural studies. Help us support their research by putting more Asian comics on the shelf!

Below is a link to a giving page that allows one to make a donation to support the cataloging of our Asian Comics.  Thanks for your interest and help with this project.

https://givingto.msu.edu/gift/?sid=1625

PSA: Help support Asian comics at Michigan State University's Comic Art Collection

Asian Comics Cataloging at Michigan State University

reprinted from Insight May 2014 - http://img.lib.msu.edu/giving/insight/Insight_May2014.pdf

"I always recommend the MSU Comic Art Collection to fellow comic researchers since it is the world's most comprehensive and internationally oriented collection in the field." Matthias Harbeck, doctoral candidate, Carl von Ossietzky Universität, Oldenburg, Germany

Help make our Asian comics accessible!

Comics are truly a global phenomenon, and an important goal of our Comic Art Collection is to document how cultures around the world have adopted and transformed the medium.

That's why our collection ranges from Golden Age adventure strips to South American fotonovelas, and from Japanese manga to a nearly complete run of THE 99 – the world's first comic series with Muslim superheroes.

However, it's not enough to acquire these diverse materials. It's essential to catalog them as well, so users near and far can determine what we have available.

Thanks to recent gifts, we have far more Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese comics waiting to be cataloged than we can handle – even with the broad range of language skills among the cataloging team!

Fortunately, help is available. We can send the work to an outside contractor, Backstage, which performs research-level cataloging in some 70 different languages. Backstage can complete about 150 of the most needed items for $5000 – and we have already have a generous gift of $1000 to start us off.

The Comic Art Collection is heavily used by MSU students and faculty working in the fields of history, literature, and cultural studies. Help us support their research by putting more Asian comics on the shelf!

MSU Libraries reprint classic comic Tim Tyler's Luck

I'm a big fan of MSU's Comic Art Collection.

MSU Libraries' Comic Art Preservation Project releases first volume

The Michigan State University Libraries, home to one of the world's largest collections of comic art, have established the Comic Art Preservation Project (CAPP), with the goal of making classic comics more widely available to libraries, collectors, and fans.

The first CAPP volume reprints two and a half years of Tim Tyler's Luck, a Golden Age adventure strip created by Lyman Young and distributed by King Features Syndicate from 1928 to 1996. The reprint is authorized by King Features.

The reprint volume contains daily strips from July 1, 1937 to December 30, 1939, and follows young Tim as he faces wild animals, dangerous criminals, and constant excitement as a member of the "Ivory Patrol," a fictitious law enforcement organization in Africa.

The strips were scanned from original proof sheets in the collections of the Michigan State University Libraries, resulting in a clear, crisp reproduction. The MSU Libraries have more than one million proof sheets from King Features Syndicate, along with more than 200,000 comic books and an extensive collection of books and journals about comic art.

The volume also features an introduction by Reade W. Dornan, a recently retired faculty member from MSU's Department of English. In her lively essay, Dornan examines the pop culture influences of the time – including Westerns, the Rough Riders, and boys' adventure books – and compares the adventure hero Tim exemplified to the superheroes created a decade later.

"The years of Tim Tyler's Luck reissued in these volumes showcase Young's career at the top of his game," says Dornan in the introduction. "By 1937, nine years after the strip started, Young has figured out how to tell a whopping good story."

"Newspaper comic strips like Tim Tyler were – and are – read daily by millions of people, but they're virtually lost to historians if not collected into volumes like this," explains Clifford H. Haka, director of the MSU Libraries. "We're extremely happy to help preserve this wonderful piece of American popular culture."

Tim Tyler's Luck is printed on the MSU Libraries' Espresso Book Machine, and available through Amazon.com for $18 plus shipping: http://amzn.to/17L7ffK.

For more information, contact  Ruth Ann Jones, Michigan State University Libraries, 517-884-0910, jonesr@msu.edu.

Meet a MSU comic librarian

Here's a feature with my friend Randy Scott - Faculty conversations: Randy Scott, Emily Fox, University Relations student writer, June 11, 2010.

Michigan State U's Comic Art Collection December 2009 additions

Getting back to our ocassional look at MSU's additions to the library, we turn to December 2009.

Hey! I bought this at an early SPX, back when they fit in one room.

Primitives. -- Poquoson, Va. : Spare Time Studios, 1995- . --
ill. ; 26 cm. -- Began with no. 1 (Jan. 1995). -- Superhero
genre. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 1. -- Call no.: PN6728.6.S609P7

I hope the Library isn't really worrying about whether their comics have UPC symbols or not...

Protectors. -- Westlake Village, CA : Malibu Comics,
1992-1994. -- col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- Published no. 1 (Sept.
1992) - no. 20 (May 1994), cf. Overstreet Comic Book Price
Guide. -- This "direct market" ed. differs from the
"newsstand" ed. in that the covers are without UPC codes.
-- Partial wrapper of first cover appears in at least two
different colors. -- Superhero genre. -- LIBRARY HAS: no.
1-20. -- Call no.: PN6728.6.M25P72
COMPLETE HOLDINGS

Anyone read this? Is it any good?

Doomed by Cartoon : How Cartoonist Thomas Nast and the
New-York Times brought down Boss Tweed and His Ring of
Thieves / John Adler, with Draper Hill. -- New York :
Morgan James Publishing, 2008. -- 310 p. : ill. ; 28 cm. --
Call no.: F128.47.T96A32 2008
Nast, Thomas, 1840-1902.
Tweed, William Marcy, 1823-1878.

Frank Tashlin keeps popping up in comics quiz circles because he became a movie director, but used a cartoonist as a character in one movie...

The World that Isn't / by Frank Tashlin. -- New York : Simon
and Schuster, 1951. -- 1 v. : ill. ; 23 cm. -- Story told
primarily in pictures. -- Call no.: NC1429.T18W6 1951

Remember how before Marvel killed Malibu after buying them, but toyed with their characters first? Nah, me either.

Rune vs. Venom. -- Calabasas, CA : Malibu Comics
Entertainment, 1995. -- 48 p. : col. ill. ; 26 cm. --
(Ultraverse) -- "Vol. 1, number 1, December 1995." -- Logo
of Marvel Comics on cover. -- Superhero genre. -- Call no.:
PN6728.6.M25R84 1995

Shouldn't this be linked to Spawn, since memories are fading of what a hot title it was once upon a time?

Spoof Comics Presents Spoon. -- Melville, N.Y. : Spoof Comics,
1992. -- 32 p. : ill. ; 26 cm. -- Superheroine and parody
genres. -- Call no.: PN6728.6.P43S62 1992

I don't imagine I will ever item-level catalogue Fred Bassett comic strips, but I think I would have either put all of these under golf...

"The First Time He's Been on the Fairway All Day"* (Fred
Basset, May 2, 1972) / Graham. -- Summary: Fred's master
hits a tree from the rough. -- Call no.: PN6726 f.B55
"fairways"
-----------------------------------------------------
"Nobody Will Believe Him"* (Fred Basset, June 29, 1973) /
Graham. -- Summary: Fred's master makes a hole in one, and
there are no witnesses. -- Call no.: PN6726 f. B55 "hole
in one"
-----------------------------------------------------
"She's Having a Lovely Time Up Here"* (Fred Basset, Apr. 27,
1972) / Graham. -- Summary: Fred's master has so far taken
seven strokes in the sand trap, and Fred's mistress is
gloating. -- Call no.: PN6726 f.B55 "gloating"
-----------------------------------------------------
"It Was His Golf Club Dinner Last Night"* (Fred Basset, July
13, 1973) / Graham. -- Summary: Fred's master seems to have
a hangover. -- Call no.: PN6726 f.B55 "golf"
-----------------------------------------------------
"I Never Know Whether It's the Thrashing Tail or the Pathetic
Whimpering that Does the Trick"* (Fred Basset, July 21,
1973) / Graham. -- Summary: Fred is allowed to come along
as his master leaves for golf. -- Call no.: PN6726 f.B55
"golf"

...although I like "begging" for the last one, and "hangover" for the one above that. For those that are wondering, these clipped strips are filed in envelopes under that topic.

Somebody gave them a ton of G.I. Joe. Here's a sample. Should G.I. Joe really be "Not intended for children under 13"?

The Best of Snake Eyes / Larry Hama ; pencils, Mike Vosburg,
et al. ; inks, Chic Stone, et al. -- San Diego, Calif. :
IDW Publishing, 2009. -- 145 p. : col. ill ; 26 cm. --
(G.I. Joe. ; 6) -- "Originally published by Marvel Comics
as 'G.I. Joe: a Real American Hero' issues #10, 21, 26, 27,
31, and 44." -- "Not intended for children under 13." --
Spy and war genres. -- Call no.: PN6728.G2B44 2009

A word of advice - don't take sex advice from Heavy Metal.

"How to be Adorable" / by Goupil and Walter. p. 18 in Heavy
Metal, v. 26, no. 3 (July 2002). -- Sex advice. -- Call
no.: PN6728.H43v.26no.3

Hmmmm... what's this?

Dr. Strange / created by Stan Lee ; screenplay by Bob Gale. --
Revised first draft. -- 115 leaves : 28 cm. -- "21 January
86." -- Call no.: PN1997.D77G35 1986
Gale, Bob, 1951-

A bunch of student minicomics came in due to Ryan Claytor's class - here's a sample.

Explovary : a Collection of Last-Minute Comics / by Matt
Bambach. -- East Lansing, MI : Bambaclat Comics, 2009. --
24 p. : ill. ; 22 cm. -- Done for the Fall 2009 Comics and
Visual Narrative class at Michigan State University. -- New
wave genre. -- Call no.: PN6728.55.C575B3 2009

Nothing towards the end of the month was particularly striking. Tune back in soon for ... 2010!

Michigan State U's Comic Art Collection additions for November 2009

It's been over a month since we looked at October, but I'm not getting a groundswell of interest in these posts anyway. So without further ado, here's bits added in November 2009 to the MSU Library's Comic Art Collection that struck me as interesting.

Hey, DC's Nate Beeler is the first entry:

"Bexley Graduate National Honoree" p. D3 in The Columbus
Dispatch, Nov. 21, 2008. -- Item about Nage Beeler and the
2008 Berryman Award for Editorial Cartooning. -- Call no.:
NC1320.S35 2008

This is followed by other articles from the newspapers, a lot of which are on Harvey Pekar for some reason. Maybe somebody else is doing a book on him.

Ahhh, remember the days when people really cared about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Enough to parody them?

Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters Classics. --
Eureka, CA : Parody Press, 1992- . -- ill. ; 26 cm. --
Began with no. 1 (Aug./Sept. 1992). -- Parody and funny
animal genres. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 1. -- Call no.:
PN6728.6.P35A3


More newspaper articles, and oooh...

"Ultimate Comic Book" AP wirephoto in the Michigan State News,
East Lansing, Michigan, 1974. -- Shows collector Mitchell
Mehdy with a copy of Action Comics, no. 1 which he has
bought for $1,800. -- Call no.: PN6710.S35 1974

I wonder what's happened to that copy?

It's hard to imagine a comic less likely to cause ADD...

"Minds at 1,000 Miles an Hour" / by Michael D. Clark. p. 8A in
the Cincinnati Post, Dec. 4, 1989. -- Uses a Family Circus
panel by Bil Keane to illustrate an article on attention
deficit disorder. -- The panel is captioned: "Another
evening in the life on an A.D.D. child." -- Call no.:
PN6710.S35 1989

This looks vaguely interesting, at least to a bibliographer...

"Drawn from Life : How Comic Books are Changing Young People's
Lives, from Asia to the Middle East" / by Marco Visscher.
p. 20-24 in Ode, May 2009. -- Article about Suleiman Bakhit
and his company Aranim Media Factory, publishing comic
books for the Arabic language market. -- Call no.:
PN6710.S35 2009

I feel guilty saying it, but this sounds painful:

The Novel of Nonel and Vovel / Oreet Ashery ; Larissa Sansour.
-- Milano : Edizioni Charta, 2009. -- 183 p. : col. ill. ;
24 cm. -- "Oreet Ashery is from Israel and lives in London.
Larissa Sansour is from Palestine and lives in Copenhagen.
These two artists have created a very special graphic novel
that raises questions on artistic practice, the nature of
authority and art and politics, and offers an eye-opening
take on Palestine. All this assumes particular importance
considering that these artists come from both sides of the
Middle Eastern divide. Nonel and Vovel, the artists' alter
egos, are given superpowers from a virus compromising their
creativity. With their new powers and the help of local
ninja women, they strive to save Palestine" -- Political
and superhero genres. -- Call no.: PN6790 .I83 A77N6 2009

Remember when newspapers used to publish collections of their editorial cartoonists?

Macpherson Editorial Cartoons 1977. -- Toronto : Star Reader
Service, 1977. -- 126 p. : ill. ; 24 x 23 cm. -- Cartoons
published in the Toronto Star. -- Call no.: NC1449.M3A52
1977

Shouldn't there be a 'Little Orphan Annie' subject heading here?

"Little Red Wonder Girl : Annie, the Broadway Orphan Who Stole
Our Hearts Almost 30 Years Ago, Arrives at the Wharton
Center for a Six-Day Run" / by Mike Hughes. p. 1D, 3D in
the Lansing State Journal, Apr. 18, 2006. -- The Annie
musical arrives in East Lansing. Sidebar, "Stars Who've
Played Annie," lists several actresses. -- Call no.:
PN6710.S35 2006

Fantagraphics published 50 issues of this? Must be before they became ideologically pure (that's a joke, Gary)...

Critters. -- Agoura, CA : Fantagraphics Books, 1986-1990. --
ill. ; 26 cm. -- Published no. 1 (1986) - no. 50 (Mar.
1990). -- Funny animal genre. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 1-50. --
Call no.: PN6728.5.F3C7
COMPLETE HOLDINGS

...actually I wonder if there's material worth collecting in there. I seem to recall some fairly good stuff in the few issues I've seen.

There's a lot of NY Times articles indexed. The Times is becoming the paper of record for comic art as well, something I'd never have predicted:

"Captain America Chooses Its Director" p. C2 in the New York
Times, Nov. 11, 2008. -- Item about Joe Johnston being
chosen to direct a Captain America film. -- Call no.:
PN6710.S35 2008
-----------------------------------------------------
"Sad News for Mad Fans" / George Gene Gustines. p. C2 in the
New York Times, Jan. 24, 2009. -- Item about Mad becoming
quarterly, quoting editor John Ficarra. -- Call no.:
PN6710.S35 2009
-----------------------------------------------------
"In Tough Times, Finding the Humor in Value" / Edward
Rothstein. p. C1, C6 in the New York Times, Jan. 31, 2009.
-- Review of an exhibition at the Morgan Library & Museum,
titled "On the Money : Cartoons for the New Yorker," which
collects cartoons about money. -- Call no.: NC1320.S35 2009
-----------------------------------------------------
"Civil War in Uganda, Illustrated and In Panels" / by George
Gene Gustines. p. C1, C5, in the New York Times, Aug. 12,
2009. -- Article about the DC/Vertigo series Unknown
Soldier. -- Call no.: PN6710.S35 2009
-----------------------------------------------------
"Spain Pulls Book with Grown-Up Tintin" p. B2 in the New York
Times, Aug. 19, 2008. -- Item about a book ("The Pink
Lotus") by Antonio Altarriba, which shows Tintin in his 30s
and "contains graphic sex scenes that the Hergé estate
considers to be inappropriate." -- Call no.: PN6710.S35


Not to worry though - obscurities continue!

George Morrow : His Book / with an introduction by E.V. Lucas.
-- 2d ed. -- London : Methuen & Co., 1921. -- 97 leaves :
ill. ; 25 cm. -- Cartoons reprinted from Punch and Land and
Water. -- Call no.: NC1479.M6G4 1921
Morrow, George, 1869-1955.
Lucas, E. V. (Edward Verrall), 1868-1938.
-----------------------------------------------------
More Morrow : a Book of Drawings / by George Morrow. -- London
: Methuen & Co., 1921. -- 97 leaves : chiefly ill. ; 25 cm.
-- Cartoons. -- "Thanks are due to the proprietors of Punch
for permission to reprint ... contributions in this
volume." -- Call no.: NC1479.M6M6 1921
-----------------------------------------------------
It's that Min again! (1968-69) : Cartoons from the New Zealand
Herald / by Minhinnick. -- Auckland : Wilson and Horton,
1969. -- 56 p. : chiefly ill. ; 19 x 24 cm. -- Editorial
cartoons. -- Call no.: NC1761.M5 I8 1969
Minhinnick, 1902-1992.

Furries!

1001 Arabian Tails. -- Miami, FL : Conquest Press, 1992. -- 32
p. : ill. ; 26 cm. -- Numbered "1" on cover. -- Indicia
title: 1001 Arabian Tales. -- Funny animal and erotic
genres. -- Call no.: PN6728.6.C59 O5 1992

The lack of follow through with this was a disappoint to me, as I'm a big Zelazny fan:

Roger Zelazny's Amber: Nine Princes in Amber / adapted by
Terry Bisson ; illustrated by Lou Harrison, Bryn Barnard,
Tom Roberts. -- New York : DC Comics, 1996. -- col. ill. ;
26 cm. -- Cover title: Roger Zelazny's Nine Princes in
Amber. -- Complete in 3 nos. -- "A Byron Preiss Visual
Publications, Inc. book." -- Fantasy genre. -- LIBRARY HAS:
no. 1-3. -- Call no.: PN6728.6.D3R638 1996

Here's our buddy Nevin's book:

Looking for Calvin and Hobbes : the Unconventional Story of
Bill Watterson and his Revolutionary Comic Strip / by Nevin
Martell. -- New York : Continuum International Publishing
Group, 2009. -- 247 p. ; 23 cm. -- Call no.: PN6727.W337M3
2009

Coming soon - December!

Michigan State U's Comic Art Collection's October additions

October opened with a annoying problem for bibliographers. Some companies, that don't take their product line all that seriously in my opinion, put out different books with exactly the same title. Like these. Note the only way to tell them apart is by the description of the cover art.

Garfield : Jumbo Coloring & Activity Book. -- Ashland, OH :
Bendon Publishing International, 2007. -- 96 p. : ill. ; 27
cm. -- Copyright by Paws Incorporated. -- Includes reprints
of Garfield newspaper comic strips. -- Cover has Odie and
Garfield side by side smiling at the reader. -- Funny
animal genre. -- Call no.: PN6728.G28C6 2007
-----------------------------------------------------
Garfield : Jumbo Coloring & Activity Book. -- Ashland, OH :
Bendon Publishing International, 2007. -- 96 p. : ill. ; 27
cm. -- Copyright by Paws Incorporated. -- Includes reprints
of Garfield newspaper comic strips. -- Cover has Garfield
riding Odie as though he were a horse. -- Funny animal
genre. -- Call no.: PN6728.G28C6 2007c
-----------------------------------------------------
Garfield : Jumbo Coloring & Activity Book. -- Ashland, OH :
Bendon Publishing International, 2007. -- 96 p. : ill. ; 27
cm. -- Copyright by Paws Incorporated. -- Includes reprints
of Garfield newspaper comic strips. -- Cover has Garfield
walking on a wall with suction cups. -- Funny animal genre.
-- Call no.: PN6728.G28C6 2007b
-----------------------------------------------------
Garfield : Jumbo Coloring & Activity Book. -- Ashland, OH :
Bendon Publishing International, 2007. -- 96 p. : ill. ; 27
cm. -- Copyright by Paws Incorporated. -- Includes reprints
of Garfield newspaper comic strips. -- Cover has Garfield
making a face at the reader. -- Funny animal genre. -- Call
no.: PN6728.G28C6 2007d

There's a bunch of 'Africa Comics' titles from Europe, of which this is one:

Africa Comics 2003 : Antologia del Premio Africa e
Mediterraneo = Anthologie du Prix Africa e Mediterraneo. --
Sasso Marconi (Bologna) : Africa e Mediterraneo : Lai-momo,
2004. -- 148 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 28 cm. -- Exhibition
catalogue, Alessandria, Sale Espositive, 2004. -- Edited by
Sandra Federici and Andrea Marchesini Reggiani. --
Introductory text in French and Italian. -- Call no.:
PN6790.A342A35 2004
Marchesini Reggiani, Andrea.

Ooooh, Hunt Emerson!

"Leviticus, Chapter 20" / Alan Moore and Hunt Emerson. p.
17-22 in Outrageous Tales from the Old Testament (London :
Knockabout Publications, 1987). -- Call no.: PN6737 .O8
1987

Rick Detorie cartooned around a bit before making it with the One Big Happy comic strip:

No Good Men : Things Men Do that Make Women Crazy / by
Genevieve Richardson ; illustrated by Rick Detorie. -- New
York : Simon & Schuster, 1983. -- 96 p. : ill. ; 14 x 21
cm. -- "A Wallaby book." -- Call no.: NC1429.D367N62 1983

I think this was Pat Broderick leaving Captain Marvel and striking out on his own:

Tales of the Sun Runners. -- Long Beach, CA : Amazing
Publishing Co., 1986-1987. -- ill. ; 26 cm. -- Published
no. 1 (July 1986) - no. 3 (1987). -- "Amazing Comics" logo
on cover. -- Issues 1-2 in color, 3 in b&w. -- Science
fiction genre. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 1-3. -- Call no.:
PN6728.55.A47T3

This sounds interesting:

Bande Dessinée Franco-Belge et Imaginaire Colonial : des
Années 1930 aux Années 1980 / Philippe Delisle. -- Paris :
Karthala, 2008. -- 196 p. : ill. ; 22 cm. -- Includes
bibliographical references (p. 177-191) and index. -- Book
about colonies and indigenous peoples as depicted in
Franco-Belgian comics. -- Call no.: PN6745.D45 2008

There are 3! series based on this movie?

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. -- La Jolla, CA : WildStorm
Productions, 2007. -- col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- Complete in 6
nos. -- Horror genre. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 1. -- Call no.:
PN6728.7.W5T43 2007
-----------------------------------------------------
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre : Cut! -- La Jolla, CA : WildStorm
Productions, 2007. -- 32 p. : col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- "#1,
August 2007." -- Horror genre. -- Call no.: PN6728.7.W5T432
2007
-----------------------------------------------------
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre : Raising Cain. -- La Jolla, CA :
WildStorm Productions, 2008. -- col. ill. ; 26 cm. --
Complete in 3 nos. -- Horror genre. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 1.
-- Call no.: PN6728.7.W5T434 2008

I don't have a copy of this yet, but I'll probably buy it soon.

1,000 Comic Books You Must Read / Tony Isabella. -- Iola, WI :
Krause Publications, 2009. -- 271 p. : col. ill. ; 29 cm.
-- Includes index. -- Annotated and illustrated
bibliography. -- Call no.: PN6725 .I75 O5 2009

You ain't going to find this just anywhere. Actually, I did, but now MSU has my copy:

$honky Dollars : Basher Cartoons from the South China Morning
Post / by Templar. -- Hong Kong : Beaugard Publications,
1988. -- 1 v. : ill. ; 30 cm. -- Cartoons about Hong Kong
life and politics. -- Call no.: NC1729.T4S47 1988

This might be interesting to have translated into English:

Monsieur Schulz et ses Peanuts / Marion Vidal, avec la
participation de Barbe, Caerali, Greg, Yves Got, Gotlib,
Kerleroux, Kurtzman, Lacroix, Leconte, Loup, Lucques, Jay
Lynch, Mézières, Moebius, Mulatier, Nicoulaud, Perich,
Pétillon, Rampal, Rouzaud, Shelton, Solé, Soulas, Swarte,
Tardi, Vazquez de Sola, Willem et Wolinski. -- Paris :
Albin Michel, 1976. -- 98 p. : ill. ; 25 cm. -- (Graffiti)
-- Bibliography: p. 96. -- Call no.: PN6727.S3 Z5V5 1976

Another one of those freebies, but from DC and not Marvel this time. There are also lots of postcards and posters, but they're not being cataloged here yet.

100 Bullets #1/Crime Line Sampler Flip-Book. -- New York : DC
Comics, 2009. -- 48 p. : col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- (Vertigo)
-- Cover titles: 100 Bullets Special Edition ; Vertigo
Crime Special Edition. -- "Free previews of the new Vertigo
crime graphic novels." -- Detective genre. -- Call no.:
PN6728.7.D3 O55 2009

There's a lot of 'superhero fiction' appearing now.

Captain Freedom : a Superhero's Quest for Truth, Justice, and
the Celebrity he so Richly Deserves / G. Xavier Robillard.
-- New York : Harper, 2009. -- 258 p. ; 21 cm. -- Summary
(from OCLC): The Superhero lifestyle is all Captain Freedom
has ever known, but he couldn't fend off middle management!
With the guidance of a new life coach, can he make peace
with his parents... or commit to a single long-term
archenemy? -- Superhero fiction. -- Call no.: PS3618
.O31758C37 2009

This is done by a DC-area cartoonist.

Made Man / Mark Wheatley. -- San Diego, Calif. : IDW
Publishing, 2009. -- ca. 200 p. : col. ill. ; 26 cm. --
(Frankenstein Mobster ; 1) -- Horror genre, organized crime
setting. -- Call no.: PN6727.W425F7 2009

The month wrapped up with Randy's liking for underground comix books such as

"You're a Hero!" / DARVC. back cover of Weirdom Comix, no. 14
(July 1971). -- A soldier returns home without arms or
legs. -- Call no.: PN6728.45.W4W4no.14

Soon, we'll look at ... November!

Michigan State U's Comic Art Collection's September additions

Let's take a look at MSU's additions to the Comic Art Collection in September...

Heavy Metal cataloguing continued...

"Letters to the Editor" p. 3 in Heavy Metal, v. 25, no. 3
(July 2001). -- Letters from: Dave, Jungpunk, and Enrique.
-- Call no.: PN6728.H43v.25no.3
-----------------------------------------------------
"Justin Sweet" (Gallery) p. 5-8 in Heavy Metal, v. 25, no. 3
(July 2001). -- Contents page title: "Gallery on Justin
Sweet." -- Call no.: PN6728.H43v.25no.3

I can't imagine knowing that there's a letter from David in the July 2001 issue will ever be useful, but... I'm not sure who Justin Sweet is either. I do like Darryll K Sweet's fantasy book covers.

This type of thing seems to be in vogue - there's the Last Kiss webcomic, Marvel's done at least one, there's a mainstream publisher's book, and then there's this. Edition of 100? I wonder how MSU got one?

Love and Marriage / Nava Atlas. -- Poughkeepsie, NY :
Amberwood Press, 2008. -- 28 p. : col. ill. ; 27 cm. --
"Love and Marriage is an altered comic book utilizing art
from the 1950s. The original dialog has been removed,
replaced by dry deadpan banter, between male and female
characters on the mythology of modern marriage, supermoms,
media's obsession with domesticity, over the-top weddings,
and monogamy. Interspersed are ads from the era, whose
absurdity is left intact, in their original, unaltered
state"-- Bookseller's website. -- "The art in this volume
was appropriated from the following sources:" Cover from
Love and marriage (I.W. Enterprises) (no date) ; Too
sentimental from Glamorous Romances (1953) ; When a heart
breaks from Love romances (1957) ; A reason to marry from
Love Romances (1957) ; My wedding day from Secrets of young
brides (1957) ; The boy next door from Love Romances
(1957). -- Edition of 100. -- Romance and parody genres. --
Call no.: PN6726.L6 2008

I'm a big Doc Savage fan - Randy catalogued 1-4 from the 1940s. It would be nice to see a reprint project of the Doc stories from these. Or maybe it wouldn't.

Doc Savage Comics, v. 1, no. 1 (1940)
CONTENTS: "The Land of Terror" (Doc Savage) 8 p. --
"Treasure Island" 7 p. -- "Double-Barreled Magic" (Norgil
the Magician) 6 p. -- "The Gas Neutralizer Plans"* (Cap
Fury) 6 p. -- "Death on the Construction Job" (Danny
Garrett) 4 p. -- "Scarlet Give-Away" 2 p. text -- "First
Days at West Point"* (Mark Mallory at West Point) 7 p. --
"L'Liberator"* (Captain Death) 4 p. -- "Nuggets of Doom"
(Sheriff Pete Rice) 5 p. -- "Murder at the De Gron Estate"*
(The Whisperer) 7 p. -- "A Race for a Life" (Billy the Kid)
4 p. -- Data from Lou Mougin, Gary Watson & Leonard
Wolinsky via Grand Comics Database Project. -- Call no.:
Film 15791r.176

Marvel did a lot of these giveaways this year. I probably sent this one in. At some point, a catalog of comics companies ephemera will be done by somebody, and then we'll see a price guide, and inflation... Perhaps I should sponsor a giveaway to see if anyone's reading. I've got pounds of this stuff.

The Stand Sketchbook / featuring the artwork of Mike Perkins &
Lee Bermejo. -- New York : Marvel Publishing, 2008. -- 16
p. : col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- At head of cover title: Stephen
King. -- Horror genre. -- Call no.: PN6728.7.M3S715 2008

Ooooh, speaking of which I don't have this one:

Work in Progress : "as if Doc Ock, Venom and the Vulture
weren't enough to worry about, now I've got an animated
series, too!" -- New York : Marvel Entertainment Group,
1994. -- 16 p. : col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- Describes the
forthcoming (1994) Spider-Man animation series, with
photographs of 18 creative personnel. -- Call no.:
PN1992.77.S68W6 1994

This sounds interesting. I wonder how common it is:

A Sex by Themselves : a Collection of Cartoons about
Femininity, 1846-1958 / assembled, introduced and commented
upon by Alan Wykes. -- London : Arthur Barker Limited,
1958. -- 104 p. : ill. ; 25 cm. -- Call no.: NC1763.W6W9
1958

I wouldn't mind seeing these, apropos of my real career in an Army museum:

Army humor exhibit card collection. -- Chicago : Ex. Sup. Co.,
1944. -- 60 cards : ill. ; 14 cm. -- Exhibit cards, also
called arcade cards or pin-up cards, were sold in vending
machines at penny arcades. The Exhibit Supply Company of
Chicago was a well-known producer of these items. -- The
MSU collection is from a series of cards with cartoons
about American soldiers during World War II. Most depict
their romantic involvements with women, especially in the
South Pacific; a few address other typical subjects of
military humor such as complaints about food. The artists
are not identified. Some cards have the caption "Copr. 1944
Ex. Sup. Co., Made in U.S.A." while the rest have only
"Made in U.S.A." -- Call no.: NC1284.U6A76 1944
-----------------------------------------------------
Navy humor exhibit card collection. -- Chicago : Ex. Sup. Co.,
1944. -- 64 cards : ill. ; 14 cm. -- Exhibit cards, also
called arcade cards or pin-up cards, were sold in vending
machines at penny arcades. The Exhibit Supply Company of
Chicago was a well-known producer of these items. -- The
MSU collection is from a series of cards with cartoons
about American sailors during World War II, most depicting
their romantic involvements with women in the South Pacific
and naval ports. The artists are not identified. Some cards
have the caption "Copr. 1944 Ex. Sup. Co., Made in U.S.A."
while the rest have only "Made in U.S.A." -- Call no.:
NC1284.U6N38 1944

Just to reassure everyone, the X-Men keep rolling in:

-----------------------------------------------------
World War Hulk : X-Men. -- New York : Marvel Publishing, 2007.
-- col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- (Marvel Limited Series) --
Complete in 3 nos. -- Superhero genre. -- LIBRARY HAS: no.
3. -- Call no.: PN6728.7.M3W7 2007
-----------------------------------------------------
X-Factor : the Quick and the Dead. -- New York : Marvel
Publishing, 2008. -- 32 p. : col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- (Marvel
One-Shot) -- "No. 1, July 2008." -- Superhero genre. --
Call no.: PN6728.7.M3X153 2008
-----------------------------------------------------
X-Men : First Class : Special. -- New York : Marvel
Publishing, 2007. -- 48 p. : col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- "No. 1,
July 2007. Published as a one-shot." -- Superhero genre. --
Call no.: PN6728.7.M3X2453 2007
-----------------------------------------------------
X-Men : Odd Men Out. -- New York : Marvel Publishing, 2008. --
48 p. : col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- (Marvel One-Shot) -- Numbered
"1". -- Superhero genre. -- Call no.: PN6728.7.M3X334 2008
-----------------------------------------------------
X-Men Origins : Sabretooth. -- New York : Marvel Publishing,
2009. -- 40 p. : col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- (Marvel One-Shot) --
"No. 1, April 2009." -- Superhero genre. -- Call no.:
PN6728.7.M3 X335S3 2009

I love the description of this one:

Bad Dog. -- Berkeley, CA : Image Comics, 2009- . -- col. ill.
; 26 cm. -- Began with no. 1 (Feb. 2009). -- About bounty
hunters, one of whom is a werewolf. -- Detective genre. --
LIBRARY HAS: no. 1. -- Call no.: PN6728.7.I5B26

One can tell when Randy's hitting the low-price bins at his local comics store:

Black Terror. -- Runnemede, NJ : Dynamite Entertainment, 2008-
. -- col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- Began with no. 1 (2008), cf.
Grand Comics Database Project. -- Superhero genre. --
LIBRARY HAS: no. 2 (2008). -- Call no.: PN6728.7.D9B55
-----------------------------------------------------
Bomb Queen IV : Suicide Bomber. -- Berkeley, CA : Image
Comics, 2007. -- col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- (Shadowline) --
Complete in 4 nos. -- Science fiction and superheroine
genres. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 4. -- Call no.: PN6728.7
.I5B624 2007
-----------------------------------------------------
Bomb Queen. v. 5 : the Divine Comedy. -- Berkeley, CA : Image
Comics, 2008-2009. -- col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- (Shadowline) --
Complete in 6 nos. -- Science fiction and superheroine
genres. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 2. -- Call no.: PN6728.7

This was a good read. The old Ms. Tree team, together again:

Strip for Murder / Max Allan Collins ; illustrations by Terry
Beatty. -- New York : Berkley Prime Crime, 2008. -- 272 p.
: ill. ; 21 cm. -- Mystery set in the 1950s comic strip
industry. -- Call no.: PS3553 .O4753S88 2008

A bunch of Chaykin interviews show up because there's going to be a Conversations book from Mississippi University Press, which I'm looking forward to. Chaykin says what he thinks:

Arken Sword, no. 23 (1988)
CONTENTS: "Speaking in Tongues" (letters) p. 4, 7 --
"Talking in Parallel with Bryan Talbot" (interview) p. 8-14
-- "The Life and Times² of Howard Chaykin!" p. 16-23 --
"News and Reviews from Around the World" p. 25-36 --
"William Simpson" (interview) p. 39-40 -- "Zenith, a
Team-Up Between Grant Morrison and Steve Yeowell"
(interview) p. 42-43 -- "A Chat with Dave McKean" p. 45-50
-- "Bits & Bobs" (miscellanea) p. 52 -- "Alan Davis on
Excalibur & Other Subjects" (interview) p. 53-58 -- Call
no.: PN6735.A66no.23

These two probably aren't pleasant to read. Is that MAD's Dave Berg?

The Real War Goes On! : the Truth About the Arab-Israeli War!
/ by Father David ; editing and art by Hart. -- Oakland,
Calif. : Family of Love, 1978? -- 7 p. : ill. ; 18 cm. --
Illustrated version of the 1973 publication. -- In comics
format. -- Call no.: DS119.7.B4752 1978
Berg, David, 1919-1994.
-----------------------------------------------------
Tales of the Holohoax : a Journal of Satire. -- Hull :
Heretical Press, 2004. -- 15 p. : ill. ; 28 cm. --
Antisemitic holocaust denial comic book. -- Call no.:
D810.J4T32 2004

And this appears to be a real oddity:

Graphic Opinion : newspaper feature. -- 1972. -- 49 leaves :
ill. ; 19 x 26 cm. and smaller. -- A collection of
clippings of political cartoons and strips by seven
different artists: Oscar Berger, Steve Englehart, Ranan
Lurie, Barry Smith, Herb Trimpe, Gary Viskupic, and Ron
Young. Two of the Barry Smith strips are titled only 'Love
is Strange', without the overall 'Graphic opinion' title.
Most are undated, but a few are dated 1972. They appear to
have been clipped from Newsday. -- Political genre. -- Call
no.: PN6728.G67G7 1972
Berger, Oscar, 1901-
Lurie, Ranan R., 1932-

Dark Shadows had a comic strip too? I knew there was a comic book for the tv horror soap opera:

Dark Shadows / K. Bruce. -- 1971. -- 33 leaves : col. ill. ;
17 x 26 cm. -- Clipped Sunday comic strips dated March 14,
1971 to Nov. 7, 1971. -- Horror genre. -- Call no.:
PN6728.D33D3 1971

This was an absolutely lovely comic. You can buy the collected edition now:

The Sandman : the Dream Hunters / original words by Neil
Gaiman ; graphicplay and art by P. Craig Russell. -- New
York : DC Comics, 2009. -- col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- (Vertigo)
-- Complete in 4 nos. -- "Adapted by P. Craig Russell from
the multi-award winning illustrated novella 'The Sandman :
the Dream Hunters' by Neil Gaiman and Yoshitaka Amano." --
Fantasy genre. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 1. -- Call no.:
PN6728.7.D3S29 2009

This is probably not as marginal a publication as one might think at first glance:

Christian Cartoonist & Illustrator, v. 1, no. 1 (Spring 1984)
CONTENTS: "Welcome" (editorial) p. 3 -- "In Our Mail"
(letters) p. 4 -- "Gift of Laughter" (gag cartoons) p. 5 --
"Captain Marvel" p. 6-7, 18 -- "Writing for a Cartoonist"
p. 8 -- "Kids' Pull-Out Section" p. 9-12 -- "Interview -
Jack T. Chick" p. 13, 15 -- "The Life of Pope John Paul II"
(Review) p. 14 -- "The Story of Tintin" p. 16-17 -- Call
no.: PN6700.C38no.1

That was followed up by a bunch of Chick publications including this one. I'd like to see the documentary on Chick that's out now:

The Big Betrayal. -- Ontario, Calif. : Chick Publications,
1981. -- 64 p. : col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- Earlier printings
are in the "Sword series." -- About Charles Paschal
Telesphore Chiniquy, 1809-1899, and the Catholic Church. --
Religious genre. -- Call no.: PN6728.5.C48B5 1981b

More Doc Savage, more X-men and then Roger Langridge!

Fin Fang Four Return. -- New York : Marvel Publishing, 2009.
-- 48 p. : col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- (Marvel One-Shot) -- "No.
1, July 2009." -- Superhero and funny horror genres. --
Call no.: PN6728.7.M3F5 2009

Speaking of Doc, I need to see this. I'm aging fast.

"The Doc Savage Method of Self Development" 2 p. text in Doc
Savage Comics, v. 1, no. 7 (Mar. 1942). -- Exercises 1-7.
-- "Continued in next issue." -- Call no.: Film 15791r.176

October comes next.

Michigan State U's Comic Art Collection's August additions

Let's see what items of interest Michigan State U's Comic Art Collection added to its catalog in August 2009.

August starts off with more titles I've never heard of that presumably didn't last long:

Singapore Sam Adventures. -- Toronto, Ont. : Arteffect
Entertainment Corporation, 1997- . -- col. ill. ; 26 cm. --
Adventure story genre. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 1. -- Call no.:
PN6734.S52

Sinthia. -- Farmington Hills, MI : Lightning Entertainment,
1997- . -- col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- Began with no. 1 (Oct.
1997). -- Superheroine and horror genres. -- LIBRARY HAS:
no. 1A. -- Call no.: PN6728.6.L47S5

and continues with a graveyard of companies - Eclipse, Armada, Malibu, Acclaim, Topps... all gone:

Sky Wolf : An Air Fighters Mini-Series. -- Forestville, CA :
Eclipse Comics, 1988. -- col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- Indicia
title: Skywolf. -- To be complete in 3 nos. -- War genre.
-- LIBRARY HAS: no. 1-3. -- Call no.: PN6728.5.E25S53 1988
COMPLETE HOLDINGS
-----------------------------------------------------
Sliders Ultimatum. -- New York : Armada, 1996. -- ill. ; 26
cm. -- "Based upon the hit TV series." -- Complete in 2
nos, also called Sliders v. 1 no. 3-4. -- Science fiction
genre. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 1-2. -- Call no.:
PN6728.6.A24S55 1996
COMPLETE HOLDINGS
-----------------------------------------------------
Sliders Darkest Hour. -- New York : Acclaim Comics, 1996. --
col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- Complete in 3 nos. -- Also numbered
v. 1, no. 5-7. -- Science fiction genre. -- LIBRARY HAS:
no. 3. -- Call no.: PN6728.6.A24S56 1996
-----------------------------------------------------
The Solution. -- Westlake Village, CA : Malibu Comics
Entertainment, 1993- . -- col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- Published
no. 1 (Sept. 1993) - no. 17 (Feb. 1995). -- (Ultraverse) --
An issue #0 (zero) is dated Jan. 1994. -- Superhero genre.
-- LIBRARY HAS: no. 0-17. -- Call no.: PN6728.6.M25S6
COMPLETE HOLDINGS
-----------------------------------------------------
Space : Above and Beyond. -- New York : Topps Comics, 1996. --
col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- Complete in 3 nos. -- Science fiction
genre. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 1-3. -- Call no.:
PN6728.6.T63S63 1996
COMPLETE HOLDINGS

Star Rangers? Published in Washington, DC? Anyone know anything about this?

Star Rangers. -- Washington, D.C. : Adventure Publications,
1987-1988. -- ill. ; 26 cm. -- Published no. 1 (Oct. 1987)
- no. 4 (Feb. 1988). -- Science fiction genre. -- LIBRARY
HAS: no. 1-4. -- Call no.: PN6728.55.A3S75
COMPLETE HOLDINGS

Some Luann strips that are a direct result of my asking about cancer comics:

"My Body's Fixed, but Now My Heart's Broken"* (Luann, Jan. 8,
1999) / by Greg Evans. -- Summary: Delta talks with Miss
Phelps about Miguel, who has become distant since news of
the cancer being in remission. -- Call no.: PN6726 f.B55
"cancer"

It seems like they should have more of these, doesn't it?

Playboy's Party Jokes. -- ill. ; 18 cm. -- Jokes and cartoons
about sex. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 7 (1975). -- Call no.:
PN6231.S54P53

I pick these books up when I see them and they have an interesting illustrator:

Search for Dinosaurs / David Bischoff ; illustrated by Doug
Henderson and Alex Nino. -- Toronto : Bantam, 1984. -- 120
p. : ill. ; 18 cm. -- (Time Machine ; 2) -- (A Byron Preiss
Book) -- Plot-your-own story. -- Call no.: PS3552 .I759T56
1984

This has got to be pretty obscure:

Mox Nix : Anecdotes About the Life of GI's in Europe / by Jack
Niles ; with stories by Jim Dye. -- Kassel, Germany : The
Transmitter, 1952. -- 80 p. : ill. ; 11 x 16 cm. -- Cover
title: Mox Nix : Cartoons about your Tour in Europe. --
Call no.: NC1429.N5M6 1952

Here's another DC-related book. The author's teaching at Georgetown:

God of Comics : Osamu Tezuka and the Creation of Post-World
War II Manga / Natsu Onoda Power. -- Jackson, Miss. :
University Press of Mississippi, 2009. -- 202 p. : ill. ;
23 cm. -- (Great Comics Artists Series) -- Includes
bibliographical references (p. 175-194) and index. --
Contents: Introduction and some definitions ; Tezuka in
history/History in Tezuka ; Movie in a book ; Stars and
jokes ; Communities and competitions ; Sapphire and other
heroines ; Tormenting affairs with animation ; Low h
umor/high drama, the two faces of adult comics ; God of
comics, master of quotations. -- Call no.: PN6790.J33
T47Z52 2009

Eeeewww on August 7th. Still it's good to have this type of material where it can be studied:

Here Comes Whiteman / art work & story by John Patler. --
Dallas, Tex. : ANP-Dallas, 1965? -- 8 p. : ill. ; 29 cm. --
A white supremacist comic book. -- The author was
associated with the American Nazi Party, founded by George
Lincoln Rockwell. Patler assassinated Rockwell in August of
1967. -- Antisemitism and racism, about Jews and African
Americans. -- Superhero genre. -- Call no.: DS145.A56 1965

1 issue of UK's Valiant? 1! Come on, UK donors, stand up and donate!

Valiant Picture Library. -- London : Fleetway Publications,
1963-1969. -- ill. ; 18 cm. -- Published no. 1 (June 1963)
- no. 144 (May 1969), cf. Gifford, D. The Complete
Catalogue of British Comics Including Price Guide. --
Adventure story genres. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 3 (1963). --
Call no.: PN6738.V3P5

They've got more of the excellent minicomics of Tom Gauld than they have of Valiant!

Three Very Small Comics. volume II / Tom Gauld. -- London :
Cabanon Press, 2005. -- 3 v. : ill. ; 11 cm. -- Issued in
folder (13 cm.) -- Contents: Invasion ; Our hero battles
twenty-six alphabeticised terrors ; The robots broke out of
the factory and fled as far as their batteries would allow.
-- Alternative genre. -- Call no.: PN6737.G35T4702 2005
-----------------------------------------------------
Three Very Small Comics. volume III / Tom Gauld. -- London :
Cabanon Press, 2007. -- 3 v. : ill. ; 11 cm. -- Issued in
folder (13 cm.) -- Contents: The art of war ; Gardening ;
The Gauld collection. -- Alternative genre. -- Call no.:
PN6737.G35T4703 2007

A rose is a rose is a rose...

The Graphic Novel : Walking the Borderline Between Being a
Type of Comic Books or an Independent Genre / Verfasserin,
Janina Belz. -- 2009. -- 22 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm. -- Paper
for the Englisches Seminar, Philosophische Fakultät,
Universität zu Köln, Wintersemester 08/09. -- Includes
bibliographical references. -- "What makes a graphic novel
a graphic novel? Is it a genre in its own right? In this
paper, I try to find answers to these questions by
examining different definitions of the term graphic novel
and applying them to the example of Alison Bechdel's Fun
home to find out whether it should be categorized as a
comic book or graphic novel." -- Call no.: PN6710.B44 2009

Lots of religious stuff cataloged this month. Here's a typical entry:

Kingdoms : a Biblical Epic. -- Grand Rapids, Mich. :
Zondervan, 2007- . -- ill. ; 18 cm. -- Contents: v. 1: The
coming storm ; v. 2. Scions of Josiah ; v. 3 The prophet's
oracle. -- Credits, v. 1: Story by Ben Avery, art by Mat
Broome. -- Religious genre. -- LIBRARY HAS: v. 1-3. --
Call no.: PN6728.K575 2007
Avery, Ben, 1974-

I missed this one at SPX:

Just So You Know. #1 : Autobiographical Comics / by Joey
Alison Sayers. -- Berkeley, CA : J. Sayers, 2009. -- 36 p.
: ill. ; 22 cm. -- Summary (from OCLC): Comics about a
woman as she transitions from male to female, including
stories about "passing" in society, taking female hormones,
getting a new i.d., and maintaining her relationship with
her girlfriend. -- Contents: Freaking out the parents ;
Hormoning ; Springtime ; ID-entification ; Flab ; The big
question ; Oh, ma'am ; Am I a bitch now? #1 ; Selling
comics at: SPX, the Small Press Expo ; Am I a bitch now? #2
; Double threat ; Am I a bitch now? #3 ; Am I a bitch now?
#4 ; Hey, ladies ; Just so you know. -- Call no.:
PN6727.S246J8 2009

Coming soon - September!

Michigan State U's Comic Art Collection's year in review

2009 in the Comic Art Collection at Michigan State University Libraries is featured in the International Journal of Comic Art's blog this morning. Ohio State's Billy Ireland Library and Museum will be appearing tomorrow.

The fund-raising Interplanetary Journal of Comic Art is still available. Proceeds support IJOCA. And it's funny.

Michigan State U's Comic Art Collection's additions continued

I haven't done one of these posts on what's new at MSU's Comic Art Collection since June, and no one's asked where they are! Well, here you go anyway - July 2009 cataloguing.

There's a cartoon collection for everyone these two entries show-

A Nation Grieved : the Kennedy Assassination in Editorial
Cartoons / compiled and edited by Raymond B. Rajski ; with
a foreword by Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. -- Rutland, Vt. :
C.E. Tuttle Co., 1967. -- 134 p. : ill. ; 27 cm. -- Call
no.: E842.9.R28 1967

More Adventures of Flash Filstrup : the Fastest Overcoat in
Town / Peter Plant. -- London : Arrow Books, 1984. -- 94 p.
: ill. ; 11 x 18 cm. -- Cover title: "Filstrup Flashes
Again!" -- Key words: indecent exposure, exhibitionism. --
Call no.: PN6737.P55M6 1984

Surely someone can help finish off these important runs -

Total Justice. -- New York : DC Comics, 1996. -- col. ill. ;
26 cm. -- Complete in 3 nos. -- "Based on the Kenner action
figures." -- Superhero genre. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 1. --
Call no.: PN6728.6.D3T62 1996

2020 Visions. -- New York : DC Comics, 1997-1998. -- col. ill.
; 26 cm. -- (Vertigo) -- Complete in 12 nos. -- Science
fiction genre. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 1. -- Call no.:

Robert Osborn was all over the place in the 1960s, and is largely forgotten now -

The Vulgarians / Osborn. -- Greenwich, Conn. : New York
Graphic Society, 1960? -- 95 p. : ill. (part col.) ; 21 x
27 cm. -- Call no.: NC1429 .O62V8 1960
Osborn, Robert Chesley, 1904-1994.

Mankind May Never Make It! / by Robert Osborn. -- Greenwich,
Conn., New York Graphic Society, 1968. -- 92 p. : ill. ; 21
x 26 cm. -- Call no.: NC1429 .O62M3 1968

Animation isn't one of their main fields, but it sneaks in, especially in Francophone versions -

Histoire du Cinéma d'Animation au Québec : Essai / Mira
Falardeau. -- Montréal, QC : Typo, 2006. -- 186 p. : ill. ;
18 cm. -- Includes bibliographical references (p. 183-187).
-- Book about animated films in Québec. -- Call no.:
NC1766.C3F35 2006

Le Cinéma d'Animation : Dessin Animé, Marionnettes, Images de
Synthèse / Bernard Génin. -- Paris : Cahiers du Cinéma :
SCÉRÉN-CNDP, 2003. -- 95 p. : ill. ; 19 cm. -- (Les Petits
Cahiers) -- Bibliogr.: p. 93. -- Book about animated films.
-- Call no.: NC1765.G4 2003
Génin, Bernard, 1946-

I wonder if this is already dated into history?

Online Comics vs. Printed Comics : a Study in E-Commerce and
the Comparative Economies of Content / Todd Allen. --
Indignant Media, 2005. -- 104 p. ; 22 cm. -- Book about
webcomics. -- Call no.: PN6714.A553 2005

You don't seen 'notes' about the artists in gag cartoon collections very often. You're usually left wondering who did the cartoon when the signature's been cropped out -

The Best Cartoons from France / collected by Edna Bennett ;
preface by Philippe Halsman. -- New York : Simon and
Schuster, 1953. -- 122 p. : chiefly ill. ; 28 cm. --
Includes "Notes about the principal artists represented":
Bernard Aldebert, Barberousse, Jean Bellus, Bil, Chaval,
Cosper & Mogensen, Jacques Dropy, Dubout, Gabriel Edme,
Jacques Faizant, Andre François, Gad, Gus, Maurice Henry,
Mose, Pouzet, Salo, Siné, Trez, and Guy Valls. -- Call no.:
NC1499.B44A45

I just saw an interview that says this title's being canceled in 2010 -

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic. -- Milwaukie, OR : Dark
Horse Comics, 2006- . -- col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- Began with
no. 1 (Jan. 2006), cf. Official Overstreet Comic Book Price
Guide. -- Science fiction genre. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 25,
31-33, 35 (2008). -- Call no.: PN6728.7.D34S7545

I miss the print Comics Journal, and its slightly-longer gone news coverage -

"ICAF Marches On" p. 38-40 in The Comics Journal, no. 272
(Nov. 2005). -- (Newswatch : Journal Datebook) -- Includes
photos of Ann Telnaes, Harry Katz, Charles Hatfield, Jerry
Robinson and Tom Toles. -- Call no.: PN6700.C62no.272

"New Yorker: Comics Renaissance Must Be Over" p. 40 in The
Comics Journal, no. 272 (Nov. 2005). -- (Newswatch :
Journal Datebook) -- Responds to an article by Peter
Schlejdahl in the Oct. 17, 2005 New Yorker. -- Call no.:
PN6700.C62no.272

"Come to Comic Convention, Meet Accused Killer" p. 40-41 in
The Comics Journal, no. 272 (Nov. 2005). -- (Newswatch :
Journal Datebook) -- O.J. Simpson will appear at the
NecroComicon in Los Angeles, Halloween Weekend. -- Call
no.: PN6700.C62no.272

I enjoyed this book a lot -

Bourbon Island 1730 / by Appollo & Lewis Trondheim ; art by
Lewis Trondheim ; translated by Alexis Siegel. -- New York
: First Second, 2008. -- 278 p. : ill. ; 22 cm. -- Summary
On Bourbon Island off the coast of Madagascar, a French
ornithologist and his assistant are caught up in an
adventure involving slavery, colonialism, and the last days
of the great pirates. -- Translation of: L'Île Bourbon
1730. -- Adventure story and funny animal genres. -- Call
no.: PN6747.T72 I413 2008

The month wrapped up with a story that probably sounded better than it read -

"Party in the Penthouse"* (Mr. Risk) / DOC. 7 p. in
Super-Mystery Comics, v. 6, no. 1 (Aug. 1946). -- Call no.:
PN6728.1.A2S77m v.6no.1

Ryan Claytor's tour of MSU's Comic Art Collection

Regular readers know I send material to MSU's collection. However, I've never been there. Cartoonist Ryan Claytor has though, and recently filmed it his tour. Here's his email to the comix-scholar's list:

I just wanted to let everyone know that I recently posted a couple video tours of the MSU Special Collections Library (...the largest public collection of comics in the world, from my understanding).

The reason there are a couple video tours is because I was lucky enough to accompany Randy Scott to the REMOTE STORAGE FACILITY as well as the main stacks. Anyhow, if you're interested and have a few extra minutes this busy season, here is the link to the videos.

http://www.elephanteater.com/865

Many thanks to Randy Scott for taking his time to give us a look around.

Sincerely,
--
Ryan Claytor
Owner/Author/Artist
Elephant Eater Comics
Web: www.ElephantEater.com

Michigan State U's Comic Art Collection's June 2009 additions

And we return to see what new items MSU's Comic Art Collection had added in June...

Randy keeps working his way through the cheap comics boxes, and getting parts of series, including Mark Chiarello's last big creative comic at DC before Wednesday Comics:

Solo. -- New York : DC Comics, 2004-2006. -- col. ill. ; 26
cm. -- Published no. 1 (Dec. 2004) - no. 12 (Oct. 2006),
cf. Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide. -- Each
issue showcases work of a different comics creator. --
Partial contents: 3. Paul Pope ; ; 5. Darwyn Cooke. ; 6.
Jordi Bernet ; 7. Michael Allred ; ; 11. Sergio Aragonés.
-- LIBRARY HAS: no. 5-7, 11 (2005-2006). -- Call no.: PN6728.7.D3S6

...boy, after this there's a lot of partial sets of lame superhero titles...

...lots and lots of them...

Here's some old Clare Briggs...

Golf : the Book of a Thousand Chuckles : the Famous Golf
Cartoons / by Briggs. -- Chicago : P.F. Volland & Co.,
1916. -- 125 p. : ill. (some col.) 24 x 33 cm. -- Call no.:
folio GV965.B77 1916

I'll have to ask librarian Sara Duke about this one:

Five Paintings from Th. Nast's Grand Caricaturama /
introduction and commentary by Lloyd Goodrich. -- New York
: Swann Collection of Caricature and Cartoon, 1970. -- 14
p. : ill. (5 fold. col.) ; 20 x 25 cm. -- Catalog of an
exhibition held Mar. 24-May 10, 1970, at the Whitney Museum
of American Art, New York, and July 1-Aug. 30, 1970, at the
National Collection of Fine Arts, Washington, D.C. -- Call
no.: NC1429.N3G6

Here's a semi-pro fanzine...

Top Cow Newsletter. -- Haddonfield, N.J. : Dynamic Forces,
1997- . -- ill. ; 26 cm. -- Began with v. 1, no. 1 (Apr.
1997). -- "The official Top Cow fan club newsletter." --
LIBRARY HAS: no. 1-2 (1997). -- Call no.: PN6714.T59T6

By god, those hypocrites at Treasure Chest had their nerve:

"You Shouldn't Be Reading This Kind of Trash"* (You Are
Citizens Now) p. 11-16 in Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact,
v. 13, no. 10 (Jan. 16, 1958). -- Story about getting
objectionable comic books removed from newsstands. --
"Prepared under the supervision of the commission on
American Citizenship, Catholic University of America,
Washington, D.C." -- Call no.: PN6728.1.P43T7v.13no.10

This just sounds wrong:

Little Martin : Coloring Book / written by Jacquelyn Caffey ;
illustrated by Ron Scarbough. -- Highland Park, Mich. :
School District of the City of Highland Park, 1982 or 1983?
-- 32 p. : ill. ; 28 cm. -- About Martin Luther King Jr. --
Includes author and illustrator biographies on p. 2. --
Call no.: E185.97 K5C34 1980z

How many Publisher titles has Marvel done anyway?

The Punisher. -- New York : Marvel Comics Group, 2001-2004. --
col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- Published no. 1 (Aug. 2001) - no. 37
(Feb. 2004), cf. Official Overstreet Comic Book Price
Guide. -- Has also volume numbering (v. 4). -- Superhero
genre. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 3, 10, 14-15, 21-23, 30-31
(2001-2003). -- Call no.: PN6728.7.M3P803
-----------------------------------------------------
Punisher Max Annual. -- New York : Marvel Publishing, 2007. --
48 p. : col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- (Max Comics) -- "No. 1,
November, 2007." -- Cover title: Punisher Annual. --
Superhero genre. -- Call no.: PN6728.7.M3P82 2007
-----------------------------------------------------
Punisher Presents : Barracuda Max. -- New York : Marvel
Publishing, 2007. -- col. ill. ; 26 cm.-- (Max Comics) --
Complete in 5 nos. -- Cover title: Punisher Presents
Barracuda. -- Superhero genre. -- LIBRARY HAS: no. 2-3, 5.
-- Call no.: PN6728.7.M3P8305 2007
-----------------------------------------------------
Punisher : Red X-Mas. -- New York : Marvel Comics, 2005. -- 48
p. : col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- "No. 1, February, 2005." --
Superhero genre. -- Call no.: PN6728.7.M3P8309 2005
-----------------------------------------------------
Punisher : Silent Night. -- New York : Marvel Comics, 2006. --
48 p. : col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- (Marvel One-Shot) -- "No. 1,
February, 2006." -- Christmas story. -- Superhero genre. --
Call no.: PN6728.7.M3P8312 2006

I read this yesterday for a lecture I'm doing - it's good:

Janet & Me : an Illustrated Story of Love and Loss / Stan
Mack. -- New York : Simon & Schuster, 2004. -- 157 p. :
ill. ; 24 cm. -- Summary: Stan Mack follows his
eighteen-year relationship with Janet Bode, a lighthearted
fling that beat the odds to become an enduring love affair.
The only thing they couldn't beat was cancer. As Janet and
Stan confront the jagged terrain of cancer, then navigate
the twilight of terminal illness, two portraits emerge: of
a woman who faced her cancer the same way she lived her
life, with guts and charm; and of the man who held her
close and shared her struggle. -- About breast cancer. --
Autobiographical genre. -- Format is text with interjected
drawings and comics. -- Call no.: RC280.B8B596 2004

Boltinoff did a lot of those innocuous half-page, 4 panel gags in 1960s DC Comics so this just sounds wrong too:

Sex is Better in College / edited by Henry Boltinoff. -- New
York : Pyramid Books, 1962. -- 158 p. : ill. ; 18 cm. --
"G-702". -- Jokes and cartoons. -- Call no.: PN6231.S54S4 1962

Oooh, I want one of these. I love a good advertising giveaway... well, it's probably not good, but you know what I mean...

Onstar Batman Special Edition #2. -- New York : DC Comics,
2001. -- 8 p. : col. ill. ; 26 cm. -- "Special limited
edition #2 presented by OnStar." -- "Can OnStar personal
calling & virtual advisor help Batman defeat Mr. Freeze?"
-- Superhero and advertising genres. -- Call no.: PN6728.25.D3 O52 2001

I'm thrilled to see so many biographies of cartoonists appearing now...

Man of Rock : a Biography of Joe Kubert / by Billy Schelly. --
Seattle, Wash. : Fantagraphics Books, 2008. -- 306 p. :
ill. ; 23 cm. -- Includes bibliographical references (p.
293-296) and index. -- Call no.: PN6727.K8 Z5S35 2008

I loved the Shadow as a kid, and bought the Steranko-covered reprint of the Charg, Monster pulp...

The Shadow Comics, v. 1, no. 8 (Jan. 1941)
CONTENTS: "Charg, the Murder Monster" (The Shadow) 20 p. --
"The Head" (Hooded Wasp) 12 p. -- "King Leo's Great Fight"*
(Cappy Can) 8 p. -- "Three Musketeers, pt. 5" 6 p. --
"Frank and Fearless" 7 p. -- "Case of the Gray Toupee"*
(Carrie Cashin) 6 p. -- "Stagecoach Reminiscences" 2 p.
text -- Data from Lou Mougin via Grand Comics Database
Project. -- Call no.: Film 15791r.171

Check out the incongruity of these following five titles being next to each other...

Disney's Mickey Mouse in The Cactus Kid / written by Lee
Nordling. -- New York : Mallard Press ; Greenwich, CT :
Twin Books, 1990. -- 43 p. : col. ill. ; 31 cm. -- Summary
(from OCLC): Mickey poses as the Cactus Kid when he goes
after some cattle rustlers. -- Funny animal fiction. --
Call no.: PN6728.M46C25 1990
-----------------------------------------------------
Mix Tape / Food One/Jim Mahfood art. -- Berkeley, Calif. :
Image Comics, 2008- . -- col. ill. ; 32 cm. -- Showcase of
Jim Mahfood's art. -- Spine title: Mixtape. -- Alternative
genre. -- LIBRARY HAS: v. 1. -- Call no.: PN6727.M308M5
2008
-----------------------------------------------------
The Wizard of Oz : Color by Number. -- 198-? or 199-? -- 1 v.
: ill. ; 28 cm. -- Call no.: folio PS3503.A923C65 1980z
-----------------------------------------------------
Ye Madde Designer / by Low. -- London : The Studio ; New York,
The Studio Publications, 1935. -- 128 p. : ill. ; 26 cm. --
Call no.: NC1479.L65A4
-----------------------------------------------------
Fun with Words in the Country. -- New York : Gallery Books,
1991. -- 44 p. : col. ill. ; 31 cm. -- (Disney Babies) --
"Twin Books." -- Summary (from OCLC): Baby Disney
characters learn words as they wander around in the
country. -- Key word: Vocabulary. -- Call no.: PE1449.F8 1991

I'm guessing there's not too many copies of this in America...

Nepalese Cartoons : Himalayan Humour / Ram Kumar Panday. --
Kathmandu : Ratna Pustak Bhandar, 1997. -- 94 p. : ill. ;
23 cm. -- (Sense of Humour Series) -- Includes pen
portraits of cartoonists represented. -- Includes
bibliographical references (p. 94). -- Call no.: DS495.3.P373 1997

And here's a copy of my buddy Gene's book...

Erotic Comics : a Graphic History from Tijuana Bibles to
Underground Comix / by Tim Pilcher with Gene Kannenberg,
Jr. -- New York : Abrams, 2008. -- 192 p. : ill. (some
col.) ; 26 cm. -- Includes bibliographical references (p.
188) and index. -- Call no.: PN6710.P54E7 2008

Damn them!

"The Nazis Invade New Jersey"* (Ajax the Sun Man) / Jack
Binder. 8 p. in Doc Savage Comics, v. 1, no. 9 (Sept.
1942). -- Call no.: Film 15791r.176

Who would have ever thought we'd see so much interest in the great Basil Wolverton?

The Original art of Basil Wolverton : from the Collection of Glenn Bray / by Glenn Bray. -- San Francisco, Calif. : Last
Gasp ; Santa Ana : Grand Central Press, 2007. -- 271 p :
ill. (some col.) ; 31 cm. -- Published in conjunction with
the exhibition, "The Original Art of Basil Wolverton for
the CSUF," Grand Central Art Center, Santa Ana, California,
Sept. 2 - Nov. 11, 2007. -- Call no.: PN6727.W57 O7 2007

Or a reference project like this?

The Definitive Frazetta Reference / James A. Bond, Dr. David Winiewicz, Andrew Steven. -- Lakewood, New Jersey :
Vanguard Productions, 2008. -- 208 p. : ill. (chiefly col.)
; 28 cm. -- Contents: Four-color Fritz : the comic book
years ; Devotees & afficionados : fan publications ; Off
the rack : the Frazetta magazines ; Frame by frame :
entertainment advertising ; Paperback dreams : book covers
& interior illustrations ; Art for art's sake : prints &
portfolios ; Sculptures & figurines ; In the groove : the
album covers ; The Frazetta canon / David Winiewicz ;
Appendix A. An alphabetical listing of Frazetta's painted
work ; Appendix B. A chronological listing of Frazetta's
comic book career. -- Call no.: PN6727.F7 Z5B6 2008

... I got mine!

Hmmm, this sounds interesting...

How They Draw Prohibition / edited and with foreword by Arthur Bartlett Maurice. -- New York : Association Against the
Prohibition Amendment, 1930. -- 93 p. : ill. ; 26 cm. --
Cartoons. -- Call no.: NC1763.P7M3 1930

So June wrapped up much better than it started... join us soon for July.