Comic Arts Collection
The VCU Libraries' Comic Arts Collection, housed in Special Collections and Archives, consists of over 100,000 items, including nearly 30,000 comic books along with graphic novels, editorial cartoons, comic strips, memorabilia, comic journals, fanzines and a broad array of reference materials. In addition to the growing, comprehensive collections for the study of comic arts, VCU Libraries is the repository for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards Archives.
A recent documentary about the library's collection was produced by VCU TV/HD and is available online -- its entitled VCU Comics.
The collection began in the early 1970s with the donation of a comic book collection and the papers of a noted Richmond newspaper editorial cartoonist. The collection has been especially helped by Dr. M. Thomas Inge, an expert on the history of popular culture and the comic arts. For over 30 years, Dr. Inge has donated time and resources to the advancement of the collection. We have also benefited from the work and generosity of numerous staff members and interested patrons and donors.
Today, the collection includes nearly 30,000 comic books dating primarily from the 1960s through today; the papers and drawings of two Richmond political cartoonists and several other related manuscript collections; an extensive collection of reference journals, books and other resources donated by Dr. M. Thomas Inge; and a growing collection of reference books supporting the study of all areas of the comic arts.
- VCU
Libraries' Comic Book Collection. Listing of nearly 30,000
comic books dating primarily from the 1960s through today housed
in Special Collections and Archives.
- M.
Thomas Inge Collection of Comic Arts Reference Periodicals.
Collection contains just nearly 1,000 titles of periodicals and
fanzines. Also available online is the
guide to the M. Thomas Inge Papers.
- Dr.
William E. Blake Jr. Collection of True Life Comics, 1940s.
Dr. William E. Blake Jr. began collecting these types of comic
books as a young teenager growing up in Richmond. The collection
includes over 300 comic books and other memorabilia from the Golden
Age of Comics. This site includes a listing of the comics and
other items in the collection, a history of True
Life comics written by Dr. Blake, and images of items from the
collection.
- Fred
O. Seibel Online Exhibit. From the papers of Fred O. Seibel,
noted editorial cartoonist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
- Charles
Henry "Bill" Sykes (1882-1942) Collection. In 1914,
Sykes became the first and only editorial cartoonist employed by
the Philadelphia Evening Ledger (the paper folded in 1942). The
collection consists of 298 original editorial cartoons and three
unfinished sketches. The collection also contains a U.S. War Bond poster
and a U. S. Victory poster both designed and drawn by Sykes. The cartoons
illustrate the events of 1940 -- many of which represent the American
reaction to the aggressions of the Axis powers before the U.S. entry
into World War II. Ten original cartoon drawings can be viewed online.
The site also links to a full listing of the Sykes
collection housed in Special Collections and Archives.
- Comic
Arts Resource Guide. Includes links to Comic Arts
Resources.
- Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards Archives. This collection is housed in Special Collections and Archives.
- VCU TV/HD's documentary about the collection called VCU Comics.