The Library of American Comics

Beginning a new 4-book series collecting the entire run of the Tarzan newspaper strip by Russ Manning. In 1967 Manning was selected by the Edgar Rice Burroughs estate to take over the strip and bring it back to the original Burroughs vision. With assists by Bill Stout, Mike Royer, and Dave Stevens, Manning created 26 original Sunday storylines and 7 daily stories. The action took place from Pal-ul-don to Opar and Pellucidar and beyond. The first volume includes the daily and Sunday strips strips from December 1967 through October 1969, reproduced from the Edgar Rice Burroughs file copies. Learn More

Debuting in 1923 in Life magazine, Skippy moved to the comics pages in 1925 and soon became a sensation, published in 28 countries and 14 languages. In 1931, Skippy became the first comic strip to see its film version win an Academy Award. Crosby continued writing and drawing the feature until 1945. Perhaps more than any other cartoonist before him, Crosby brought philosophy and politics to the American newspaper comic strip, ultimately leading to his exile from comics and his forced incarceration in a mental institution for the last sixteen years of his life. As a result of his tragic end, Crosby’s remarkable contributions to American culture have been largely eclipsed, until now. Co-edited by Jared Gardner and Dean Mullaney, and designed by Lorraine Turner, the premiere volume contains the daily comics from 1925 through 1927 and is illustrated with many photographs and rare artwork from the collection of the cartoonist's daughter, Joan Crosby Tibbetts, and Skippy, Inc. Learn More

The year 1964 was a momentous one in the history of Gasoline Alley—it's when Frank King officially handed the baton to Dick Moores. King continued to help plot the strip but it's Moores who takes center stage. More so than any other newspaper strip, Gasoline Alley is renowned for its strict continuity and this is our chance to see Moores—who continued writing and drawing the strip until 1986—make it his own. Forty-plus years earlier, Walt Wallet found baby Skeezix in a basket on his doorstep and in the 1964-1966 strips reproduced in this volume, Skeezix is now middle-aged and has a family of his own. For the first time since they appeared in newspapers fifty years ago, readers can enjoy these classic strips featuring Walt and his wife Phyllis, Skeezix and his wife Nina, Corky, Clovia, Slim, Avery, Mr. Pert, Joel, Rufus, and a whole cast of familiar characters. Learn More

It’s Berkeley Breathed’s final spin around the dance floor with his most quirky and endearing character—Opus. The Pleasant penguin has long been the moral center of the Berkley-verse, and nowhere is that as abundantly clear as in his own self-named book. Aside from our waddling friend, this book contains numerous characters readers will fondly remember from the days of Bloom County. This volume collects the entire run of Berkeley Breathed’s Opus, from first to last, and features an introduction and running commentary from Breathed. Learn More

Introducing a new series that will reprint early daily newspaper strips that are essential to the history of comics. Each volume will contain a full year of dailies. By reproducing the strips one per page in an oblong format, it allows us to have the experience of reading the comics one day at a time. The inaugural volume of Library of American Comics Essentials features Baron Bean by one of the greatest of all comic strip stars: George Herriman. The creator of Krazy Kat drew Baron Bean for three years, beginning in 1916. Included in this volume is the first year. Two additional books will complete the series. Future LOAC Essentials titles include The Gumps and Polly and Her Pals. Learn More

Presenting the rare newspaper strip from the late 1970s and early 1980s that Star Trek fans have eagerly awaited. Volume One includes the first ten story arcs, from the strip's debut on December 2, 1979 through October 25, 1981. Stories and art by Thomas Warkentin, Sharman DiVono, and Ron Harris. Learn More

In the darkest hours of World War II, why were millions of people laughing? Because they were reading Li'l Abner, that’s why! The fifth volume of this series features daily strips and full-color Sundays from 1943 and 1944, with a zany cast of characters that includes Shadrack Throwback, “The Monster,” Madame Lazonga, and Joan L. Sullivan, plus returning favorites like Moonbeam McSwine, Swami Riva, and Available Jones. Capp also aims his satirical barbs at teen idol Frank Sinatra (yes, Frank Sinatra!), as a starving Li’l Abner Yokum croons his way into female hearts. Meanwhile, the hilarious take-off on Dick Tracy, Fearless Fosdick, is like getting two comic strips in one! Learn More

Al Williamson creates what is arguably his best artwork of the 1970s as he and Archie Goodwin wrap up their run of Secret Agent Corrigan. This final volume contains all strips from June 13, 1977–February 2, 1980. Learn More

Dean Mullaney and Bruce Canwell continue their comprehensive review of the life and art of Alex Toth in Genius, Illustrated. Covering the years from the 1960s to Toth's poignant death in 2006, this oversized book features artwork and complete stories from Toth's latter-day work at Warren, DC Comics, Red Circle, Marvel, and his own creator-owner properties… plus samples of his animation work for Hanna-Barbera, Ruby-Spears, and others—as well as sketchbook pages, doodles, advertising art, and other rarities provided through the cooperation of Toth's family and his legion of fans. Two of Toth's best stories are reproduced complete from the original artwork: "Burma Skies" and "White Devil… Yellow Devil." A full-length text biography will chart the path from Toth's increasingly reclusive lifestyle to his touching re-connection to the world in his final years. Fans of comics, cartoons, and all-around great artwork revere Alex Toth. See why Genius, Illustrated—along with its companion volume, 2011's Genius, Isolated—are being praised as the definitive examination of the life and art of The Master, Alex Toth! Learn More