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Celebrating the Graphic Tradition at the National Book Festival

Posted by: Barbara Orbach Natanson

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The following is a guest post by Sara W. Duke, Curator of Popular & Applied Graphic Arts, Prints & Photographs Division.

The Library of Congress has long collected cartoon art and illustration, including editorial cartoon and comic strip drawings. In the last fifteen years, we’ve expanded the scope to include original drawings for alternative comics, comic books, and graphic novels. Highlights from this more recent collecting effort include:

Spider-man! Drawing by Steve Ditko, 1962. © MARVEL, used with permission. //www.loc.gov/pictures/item/acd2008000005/PP/
Spider-Man! Drawing by Steve Ditko, 1962. © MARVEL, used with permission. //www.loc.gov/pictures/item/acd2008000005/PP/
Page from Passionella, or, Plink, Plank, Plunk. Drawing by Jules Feiffer, ca. 1960.© Jules Feiffer, used with permission.
Page from Passionella, or, Plink, Plank, Plunk. Drawing by Jules Feiffer, ca. 1960. © Jules Feiffer, used with permission. //www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2002722411/
  • mock-ups for Jules Feiffer’s Passionella and other early graphic books
  • original wood engravings from the wordless novel by Lynd Ward, Prelude to a Million Years
  • exquisite scratchboard drawings by Eric Drooker for Flood
  • alternative comic and mini-press art from the Small Press Expo Collection
  • the perennial favorite, the original drawings from Amazing Fantasy #15 for the first time Spider-man appeared in a comic book.

As the Library of Congress hosts the 14th annual National Book Festival on Saturday, August 30, we’re delighted that graphic novels will be part of the celebration. In addition to the Graphic Novel Super Session on Saturday evening, several cartoonists, illustrators and writers who have worked in the medium will be appearing all day [view the schedule of sessions and speakers].

If you’re in the Washington, D.C., area on Saturday, come sample the visual and literary delights! If you’re not able to visit in person, look out for the Webcasts that will allow everyone to savor the event.

National Book Festival 2014. Poster artist, Bob Staake. Downloadable PDF: //www.loc.gov/bookfest/pdf/posters/2014.pdf
National Book Festival 2014. Poster artist, Bob Staake. Downloadable PDF: //www.loc.gov/bookfest/pdf/posters/2014.pdf

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