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A new exhibition at the Library of Congress explores how comic books have permeated popular entertainment and influenced U.S. culture, highlighting selections from the Stephen A. Geppi Collection.

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“Geppi Gems” is now open in the Library’s Graphic Arts Gallery through mid-March 2022. A second rotation with different items is planned for spring 2022. The exhibition now features 33 items from the collection of more than 3,000 cartoons, comic books and related items in the Geppi Collection.

The exhibition explores the role of early newspapers in the development of comic books and characters. As a nod to the collection’s founder, the exhibition also represents the major themes of the former Geppi Entertainment Museum in Baltimore, which operated between 2006 and 2018.

“Comic books have permeated almost every popular entertainment medium in the United States. When Stephen A. Geppi opened the Geppi Entertainment Museum in Baltimore, Maryland, in 2006, he sought to show how comic books—much like newspapers, television, motion pictures, music and sports—have shaped and influenced the culture of the United States.

When the Geppi Entertainment Museum closed its doors in 2018, Mr. Geppi generously donated a large portion of its contents to the Library of Congress, knowing that thousands of people would be able to access his collection and relive their own childhood memories or share in his excitement about comic book superheroes and pop culture icons.

The Library of Congress honors Mr. Geppi’s generosity with a selection of the collection’s gems. They represent themes from the museum, including Walt Disney’s iconic characters, westerns, superheroes, science fiction, horror, sports, music, and entertainment.”

Stephen A. Geppi said:

“It’s so gratifying to see more of the Geppi Gems collection made available to the public in this exhibition. This and future displays will continue to expose new fans to the rich artistic history of pop culture started here in the United States. I’m more excited than ever and want to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to my dear friend and Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, for her vision, as well as the curators and conservators who have worked so hard to make this possible.”

Over the years, Geppi has amassed one of the largest individual collections of vintage comic books and pop culture artifacts in the world.

Highlights of the exhibition include:

  • Popeye in an early syndicated newspaper comic strip from 1931 when the character’s popularity was exploding.
  • Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck during their rise in popularity as animated characters. Walt Disney understood the role of marketing his characters so that they would be instantly recognizable.
  • Annie Oakley, Wyatt Earp and Steve McQueen as characters from America’s Wild West translated from Western novels to radio, comics, film and television.
  • Superman’s history with Action Comics and the birth of the comic book superhero from DC Comics, along with examples from the history of Batman and Robin and Wonder Woman.
  • Black Panther’s self-titled debut from Marvel Comics in 1977 and the story of Captain America in The Avengers before he became one of the most popular comic book characters today.
  • Science fiction’s history in comics with examples of dramatic visual expression, including Weird Science and Science and Invention.
  • Terrifying creatures of horror that were brought to visual life through comics in magazines like Creepy.
  • Sports as represented through comic books and cartoon art, including Babe Ruth Sports.
  • Pop culture represented in posters, magazines and collectibles promoting musicians through graphic art, including Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, The Jackson 5 and more.

Free timed entry tickets are available for visitors to the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. To plan a visit and reserve tickets, go to loc.gov/visit. Tickets will be released on a rolling 30-day basis. For online versions of the Library’s exhibitions, visit loc.gov/exhibits.

Below is a complete list of items in the Geppi Gems collection.

Early Newspapers

Gasoline Alley, published in Chicago Sunday Tribune Comics Section, July 19, 1931. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (001.00.00) © Chigaco Tribune

Elzie Segar. Thimble Theatre Starring Popeye, series no. 1, 1931. New York: Sonnet Publishing Co. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (002.00.00) © King Features Syndicate © Sonnet Publishing Co.

Disney

Walt Disney Productions. Standard Oil Company of California Presents Mickey’s and Donald’s Race to Treasure Island. Golden Gate International Exposition on San Francisco Bay, 1939. Photomechanical color print. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (003.00.00) © 1939 Walt Disney Productions LC-DIG-ppmsca-70851

Walt Disney. Mickey Mouse’s Secret Room, Z4, 1947. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (004.00.00) ©Walt Disney Productions

Walt Disney. The Seven Dwarfs and the Enchanted Garden, Z3, 1947. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (005.00.00) ©Walt Disney Productions

Walt Disney. Donald Duck and the Pirates, W1, 1947. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (6.00.00.00) ©Walt Disney Productions

Walt Disney. Goofy Lost in the Desert, X2, 1947. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (007.00.00) ©Walt Disney Productions

Westerns

General Mills. Cheerios. Free on this Package, Wyatt Earp “Dragoon” Pistol and Target Game, [ca. 1955]. Photomechanical color print. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (008.00.00) © General Mills LC-DIG-ppmsca-70853

Annie Oakley and Tagg, no. 7, April/June 1956. New York: Dell Publishing Co., Inc. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (009.00.00) © Dell Publishing

Wanted: Dead or Alive! no. 1102, May—July 1960. New York: Dell Publishing Co., Inc. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (010.00.00) © Four Star-Malcom

Superheroes

A. Leslie Thomas (b. 1926). Human Key Duplicator, [1966]. Gouache, ink, and opaque white drawing on illustration board. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (011.00.00) © 1966 LC-DIG-ppmsca-70855

Batman and Robin: Two Against the Joker, [no. 11 cover recreation, layered for 3-D effect and packaged in a frame], 2000. Die-cut photomechanical print in frame, accompanied by a certificate. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (012.00.00, 012.00.01) © 2000 DC Comics LC-DIG-ppmsca-70856

Batman and Robin: Two Against the Joker, [no. 11 cover recreation, layered for 3-D effect and packaged in a frame], 2000. Die-cut photomechanical print in frame, accompanied by a certificate. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (012.00.00, 012.00.01) © 2000 DC Comics LC-DIG-ppmsca-70856

The Avengers, no. 16, May 1965. New York: Marvel Comics. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (015.00.00) © Marvel Worldwide, Inc.

Black Panther, v. 1, no. 1, January 1977. New York: Marvel Comics. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (033.00.00) © Marvel Worldwide, Inc.

Action Comics, no. 500, October 1979. New York: DC Comics. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (014.00.00) © DC Comics

Wonder Woman, no. 329, February 1986. New York: DC Comics. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (013.00.00) © DC Comics

Superman, no. 75, January 1993. New York: DC Comics. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (016.00.00) © DC Comics

Icon, no. 1, May 1993. New York: Milestone Comics. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (031.00.00) © Milestone Comics

Static, no. 1, June 1993. New York: Milestone Comics. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (030.00.00) © Milestone Comics

Science Fiction

Weird Science, no. 17, January-February 1953. New York: EC Comics. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (017.00.00) © EC Comics

Weird Fantasy, no. 15, September-October 1952. New York: EC Comics. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (018.00.00) © EC Comics

Science and Invention, v. 11, no. 4, August 1923. New York: Experimenter Publishing Co., Inc. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (019.00.00)

Horror

Creepy, no. 1, 1964. Philadelphia: Warren Publishing Co. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (021.00.00) © Warren Publishing

Don Maitz (b. 1953). All-Sports Special Issue! Creepy #93, 1977. Photomechanical print. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (020.00.00) © Warren Publishing Co. LC-DIG-ppmsca-70857; LC-DIG-ppmsca-70852

Sports

Get These Swell Gifts Free for Box Tops, half-sheet color ad published in newspaper, [ca. 1934]. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (023.00.00)
Picture News, no. 6, June 1946. Bridgeport, CT: News in Color and Action, Inc. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (032.00.00) © News in Color and Action, Inc.

Babe Ruth Sports Comics, no. 8, August 1950. St. Louis: Harvey Enterprises. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (022.00.00) ©Harvey Features Syndicate

Pop Culture

Dig, v. 1, no. 7, November, 1956. Hollywood: Teenage Publications, Inc. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (029.00.00)

Monkees, no. 3, July 1967. New York: Dell Comics. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (025.00.00) © Dell Comics

Richard Tolmach. Jim Salzer Presents Aug. 19 [1967] at Earl Warren. Moby Grape, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Captain Speed, Tim Buckley, [image 1967, printed 1986]. Offset lithograph. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (024.00.00) © Richard F. Tolmach LC-DIG-ppmsca-70864

Janis Joplin/Rebirth of the Blues, published in Newsweek, May 26, 1969. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (026.00.00) © Newsweek

[Jackson 5 Groovy Buttons Large Uncut Sheet; a Rice Krinkles Giveaway], 1970. Offset lithograph on plastic. Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (028.00.00) © Jobete Music Co. Inc. Call number: PR 13 CN 2018:069.169

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