Top of page

Celebrating the Graphic Tradition at the National Book Festival

Share this post:

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

Learn More:

Add a Comment

This blog is governed by the general rules of respectful civil discourse. You are fully responsible for everything that you post. The content of all comments is released into the public domain unless clearly stated otherwise. The Library of Congress does not control the content posted. Nevertheless, the Library of Congress may monitor any user-generated content as it chooses and reserves the right to remove content for any reason whatever, without consent. Gratuitous links to sites are viewed as spam and may result in removed comments. We further reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to remove a user's privilege to post content on the Library site. Read our Comment and Posting Policy.


Required fields are indicated with an * asterisk.