Into the Archives: A Showcase of Unique Items from the SDSU Comic Arts Collection
On Display in the SCUA Gallery - Love Library 1st Floor
February 1, 2025 - Dec 18, 2025
Curated by Pamela Jackson, Comic Arts Librarian
San Diego State University Library’s Comic Arts Collection includes more than 120,000 published comics in addition to archival collections and ephemera, mini-comics and zines, cartoons in historic magazines, and a modest amount of original comic art. Primary source collection strengths emphasize alternative and independent titles, underground comix, drawn books and Modern Age comics, as well as materials that document the history of comic book culture, fandom and the creative process behind comic book production. Included in our holdings are the life’s work of American comic book author and cartoonist, Donna Barr; the J. Gordon Melton Vampire Collection, which includes more than 10,000 comic books featuring vampires; and the Ted Adams and Robbie Robbins IDW Founders Collection.
The seven cases on display showcase some of the unique items found in the Comic Arts Collection.
Case 1: Ted Adams and Robbie Robbins IDW Founders Collection
The Adams Robbins IDW Founders Collection includes a catalog of nearly 20,000 items released by IDW Publishing. The collection brings together items unique to comics publishing, such as special convention editions, retailer incentives, exclusives for big box department and toy stores, and items with limited distribution to schools and libraries.
Highlights: Some of the rarest items from this collection are displayed, including a film script for an unproduced movie of Locke & Key. There’s also a scratch and sniff issue of Strawberry Shortcake, and some extremely limited editions of various titles.
Case 2: SDSU Publications
From a student comics anthology that started in 2011 to Amatl Comix, an imprint of the SDSU Press, to a comic published in the country of Georgia, comics are everywhere at SDSU!
Highlights: Student work in SDSU’s Word Balloons anthology, a comic published by SDSU Georgia and comics published by SDSU Press’ comics imprint, Amatl Comix.
Case 3: J. Gordon Melton Vampire Collection
The Melton collection is believed to be one of the largest collections of materials related to vampires in the world. The comic book portion includes more than 10K titles. In addition to English language vampire-related comics, Melton’s collection includes titles in Italian, French, Spanish, German, Swedish and also English language translations of Japanese manga.
Highlights: First appearance issues for Blade the Vampire Hunter, Morbius, and Vampirella. The first comic book adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula in Eerie (1953).
Case 4: Donna Barr Collection
The Donna Barr Collection documents the professional career and creative process of comic artist Donna Barr. The collection includes correspondence, original artwork, and research materials. A large part of Barr’s archival papers consist of versions of her illustrations, manuscripts, and personal documents.
Highlights: Original art for Desert Peach and Stinz comics, in addition to sketchbooks and her elaborate Black Manuscripts.
Case 5: Older Gems and the Jack Sword Collection
Many of the older items in our collection predate “The Golden Age of Comics” and feature comic strips from the turn of the 20th Century.
Highlights: The oldest comic in our collection, The Adventures of Mr. Obadiah Oldbuck, from 1849. The newest items in this case are from 1938. With the exception of the aforementioned oldest comic and the “Tijuana Bibles,” all items in this case were donated by alumnus, Jack Sword, who also sponsors our circulating collection in the Comics Corner.
Case 6: Richard Alf Papers and the Comics & Science Fiction Fandom Collection
The Richard Alf Papers and the Comics and Science Fiction Fandom Collection consist of publications, ephemera, memorabilia and artwork from various comics, science fiction and fantasy conventions and conferences, with a particular focus on Southern California conventions. Alf was a founder of Comic-Con at age 17.
Highlights: Archival documents related to early San Diego Comic-Cons, including a ticket to the very first three-day con in 1970!
Case 7: Original Art
The Comic Arts Collection includes a modest amount of original art that documents the creative process.
Highlights: The first page of a 7 page photostat overlay with hand painting to colorize the comic, The Black Ferris (1953) by Ray Bradbury. It is signed by Bradbury and was donated by Ed Marsh. An online video explaining how photostat overlay works, using Ray Bradbury’s Black Ferris (on display) as an example, will be added soon!