Will Eisner Week kicked off on March 1st, so it’s a great time to remind library users of the rich graphic novel and comics resources available in Special Collections & Archives. If you’re wondering who Will Eisner is and why he gets his own week, you can check out SCA Manuscript Archivist Rory Grennan’s brief and informative essay on Eisner’s contribution to comic books here. Florida State University boasts multiple collections with emphases on comic books and graphic novels, including the Robert M. Ervin Jr. Collection[ and the Alicia Korenman Graphic Novels Collection.
Tripodologia Felina, no. 1, 1992 in the Alicia Korenman Graphic Novels Collection
The Alicia Korenman Graphic Novels Collection is a diverse collection of media, including comic books and strips, graphic novels, zines, books, as well as DVDs and VHS tapes. As detailed in the collection’s finding aid, Korenman’s interest in how women were portrayed by the comic book industry began in the 1990s. She discovered that alternative and small press comic book publishers tendered stories based on everyday experiences and emotions, as well as the female experience.
The contents of the collection run the gamut from classic Archie comics from the 1990s to Japanese manga, including a manga adaptation of the popular anime Cowboy Bebop, as well as a robust assortment of zines. What’s a zine? A zine, according to the Barnard Zine Library, is “short for fanzine or magazine, […] a DIY subculture self-publication, usually made on paper and reproduced with a photocopier or a printer.” While several zines are in English, at least two titles are also in Spanish, including Tripodologia Felina, no. 1 (published in 1992 by Producciones Balazo) and Asi Pasan los Dias/Escuadron Rescate (written and published by Matt Madden and Jessica Abel, published in 1998). The self-published and small-scale nature of zines complements Korenman’s interest in more personal stories.
These zines are only the tip of the iceberg and we at Special Collections & Archives encourage students, faculty, and members of the public to check out the collection, and our other resources at any time!
For those interested in Eisner Week activities, there are two events happening in the Bradley Reading Room in Strozier Library from March 1-7:
March 5: Graphic Novel Literacy Panel – https://www.facebook.com/events/424490508306147/
March 7: A Conversation with Will Eisner- https://www.facebook.com/events/298756474133249/
Post written by Lisa Play.
Illuminations 