In time for National Comic Book Day on September 25, the Special Collections Research Center unveils its latest exhibit, “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun: A Celebration of Girls in the Comics.” The exhibit draws from comic books, memorabilia, and reference materials in the Elaine J. O’Quinn Girls’ Studies Collection, part of the Children's Literature collection in the Rare Books & Manuscripts unit in Special Collections, as well as loans from O’Quinn. It is located in the three exhibit cases on the 4th Floor atrium of Belk Library and Information Commons on the Boone campus. The exhibit will be on display through this academic year.
Exhibit on the 4th Floor atrium of Belk Library and Information Commons
The earliest comics emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily as newspaper strips. These initial works often featured humorous or adventurous tales, but the protagonists were predominantly male. The history of comics has centered almost exclusively on men, and comic historians largely describe the medium as one built by men, for men, and about men, neglecting the many ways in which women fought for legitimacy on the page and in publishers’ studios. Despite this male-dominated focus, women played vital roles in the early history of comics, and comics for girls eventually became a reflection of broader social and cultural changes, moving them from one-dimensional characters to individuals with complex personas. These comics eventually became as popular as those for boys.
This exhibit hopes to draw attention to the forgotten female comic book characters and the work done by women in the comics industry. It is our hope to reinsert them into their rightful place in the canon of comics history.
Featured comic characters include Nancy; Little Lulu; Chili and Millie the Model; “Jungle Girls” Rima, Sheena, and Tiger Girl; Betty and Veronica; the first Black female cartoonist Jackie Ormes’ Patty-Jo ‘n’ Ginger and Torchy; superheroes Mary Marvel, Ms. Marvel, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, and She-Hulk; Little Dot; Little Audrey; Little Lotta; Katy Keene; and Patsy Walker. Also included are literature from older teens, including pulp fiction and romance comics, as well as reference books related to girls’ comics.
Exhibit Credits
The exhibit was curated by Dr. Elaine J. O’Quinn, retired Professor of English at Appalachian State, and Greta Browning, Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts in Special Collections. The text was written by Elaine O’Quinn. Digitization of original comic books by Sai Estep and Matt Ransom of Digital Scholarship and Initiatives. Exhibit fabrication by Greta Browning, Library Specialist Paul Grant, Public Services Lecturer Librarian Hannah Helmey, and Public Services Assistant Kari Salisbury. Installation by Elaine O’Quinn, graduate student Melody Oxendine, Greta Browning, and Hannah Helmey.
--Contributed by Greta Browning, Curator of Rare Books & Manuscripts
Cover of Little Lulu comic book. Little Lulu paints a table and reacts to a cat about to jump onto the wet paint.
Little Lulu comic book cover