Comics at the State Library
In keeping with its mission to collect and preserve the written heritage of Pennsylvania through materials published "for, by, and about Pennsylvania," the State Library seeks to build collections that encompass all of the rich history and culture of the Commonwealth. Comics and comic books are one genre that has become an increasingly popular addition to library collections as a resource for studying popular culture. Pennsylvania has played an important role in the development of some of the most popular comics in the United States.
The Library of Congress, which features comics in their Popular Culture Collection, cites comic books as an important resource stating:
“In addition to their value as collectibles, comic books are potentially rich sources for research in the arts, advertising, sociology, popular culture, and history. Perhaps no other medium provides such a popular representation of stereotypes, archetypes, national interests, and fads as do comic books.” From http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/awhhtml/awser2/comic_books.html
History of Comics in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has been the birthplace and has housed the training institutions for more than a few of the most well recognized comic book writers and artists, and has served as the setting for more than a few titles of the form. Comics themselves are considered to have begun as a literary form in 1933, with the publication of Funnies on Parade, though they can only really be considered to have begun to thrive after the publication of Action Comics #1, the first appearance of Superman in 1937. In Pennsylvania publication dates from the earliest days of the form, with Zane Grey's King of the Royal Mounted, published by David McKay Company, c1936, as one of the first examples. Pennsylvania newspaper comics began with the Yellow Kid in 1895.
Pennsylvania was producing comics writers and artists as well. Howard Purcell, a teacher at Wilkes-Barre High School, born in 1918, penned and or inked a number of titles from 1940 to 1972. Manning de Villanueva Lee, or Manning DeV Lee, was born here in 1894, and wrote many comic titles, most famously the Scarlet Seal for Fawcett. Steve Ditko, the artist famous for the creation of Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, and for other collaborations with Stan Lee, was born in Johnstown, PA. These are just a few of Pennsylvania’s comic producers, all a part of the Pennsylvania cultural heritage.
Due to the state’s proximity to New York, many of the major firms retained imprints or shops here, such as Fox Feature Syndicate in Wilkes Barre or Rural Home in Wilkes Barre and Philadelphia. Pennsylvania has also has its homegrown companies as well. The Philadelphia Record printed collections of The Spirit, which ran in its Sunday paper. The afore-mentioned David McKay Company published until the late 1940s. And the investment and independent publisher boom of the late 1980s and 1990s also found companies starting here, from the mainly reprint company Apple Press in Greencastle to Comico and Cat Wild. In the last several years, aside from the alternative comics producers in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has also seen new companies start, such as Sleeping Giant in Philadelphia and Zenoscope, famous for Grimm’s Fairy Tales and the Wonderland titles, in Fort Washington.
Pennsylvania also has several galleries, museums and collections devoted to comics. Among these are the ToonSeum!, located within the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh at 10 Children’s Way, the Lock Haven collection, located within a special collection in the Stevenson Library, and the collection at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, which has been much publicized of late. These are in addition to the State Library of Pennsylvania’s collection, which, among other items, holds rare artwork and other items produced by Steve Ditko, who was born and raised in Johnstown, Pennsylvania before moving to New York to work for Marvel (and its predecessors) and Charlton Comics, among others.
Master List of Known Pennsylvania Comics
The State Library is encouraging anyone with interest and knowledge of the history of comics in Pennsylvania to review the List of Known Pennsylvania Comics (Microsoft Excel File) and to contact us if you notice any gaps or missing information. Certain sections are also currently and constantly in the process of update, such as the subject and title lists.
Donations with Pennsylvania connections, especially those already on this list, which we have vetted, are welcome, under standard gift policies and conditions. Please contact us for more information.
