National Comic Book Day on September 25 is a time to celebrate the artists, writers, and fans of the genre that became popular in the 1930s. Cartoons and comic strips appeared in newspapers in the late nineteenth century, and collections of these strips were published in book form in the early twentieth century. Slim paperback books of previously unpublished comics became popular before World War II, which are now known as comic books .
DeGolyer Library’s Western and advertising comics of the twentieth century provide a fascinating look at American culture and juvenile literature. Selected issues of popular Western comics include The Cisco Kid and Jesse James. These cowboy adventures crossed over to film, television, and merchandising.
Advertising comics include messaging from retailers, industries, government, and any other group that wants to educate young adults about their cause. Some of the more interesting advertising comics in DeGolyer Library include politics, household products, and industries.
Superhero comic books published by Marvel and DC since since the mid-twentieth century are still relevant today with their film, television, and merchandise enterprises. DeGolyer Library has a large uncataloged collection of Marvel, DC, smaller comic publishers, and graphic novels that spans decades. Highlights include Black Lightning, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Daredevil, Eternals, and the 1978 graphic novel by Will Eisner, A Contract With God.
Researchers are welcome to visit the library to view the collection. Please contact degolyer@smu.edu for assistance in DeGolyer Library.
Sources:
[Braniff Airlines] Wings of adventure. New York, NY. : Custom Comics, Inc., 1956. Gift of George Curley, 2023.
The Cisco Kid. No. 19. New York, N.Y. : Dell Pub. Co., 1954.
General Electric. Adventures in electricity. Number five : Electricity in railroading. Schenectady, New York : General Electric, 1948.
Jesse James. Volume 1, No. 23. New York, N.Y. : Avon Periodicals, 1955.