Rice University’s Comic Art Teaching and Study Workshop (CATS) has received a significant donation of original comic art, enhancing its already sizable collection. The donation comprising dozens of pieces includes a Charles Schulz-signed animation cell as well as multiple strips from Chic Young’s “Blondie” series, Al Capp’s “Li’l Abner” and Milton Caniff’s “Steve Canyon.” These pieces will be housed in Fondren Library’s Woodson Research Center (WRC).
“These are original drawings that were made,” said Christopher Sperandio, associate professor of visual and dramatic arts, who highlighted the unique insights offered by the art such as pencil marks, editorial notes and even mistakes that reveal the artists’ processes. “These are the original comic strip drawings that were photographed then printed in newspapers around the country and around the world.”
The CATS collection, already rich with historical and international comic art, now boasts a substantial addition of American comic heritage. Sperandio said the collection includes one of the largest private collections of Mexican comic art in the United States, Soviet-era East German comic books, comics from China’s Cultural Revolution and Edo-period Japanese woodblock prints.
“This is about a third of the most recent gift that we got,” Sperandio said, gesturing to a table with some of the art laid out. “With the addition of these five ‘Blondie’ strips, we have more than a dozen Chic Young ‘Blondie strips,’ which is incredible.”
The CATS collection is a resource for both students and professionals, Sperandio added. It offers a unique opportunity to study the art of comics in depth, providing access to original works that illustrate the creative process behind beloved characters and stories.
“This is history and it’s history that was until recently treated like garbage,” Sperandio said. “These are the surviving shards.”
Students and researchers at Rice can explore original comic art thanks to the CATS collection, gaining insights into the artistic process and the historical context of these works.
“We are very glad to see the Comic Art Teaching and Study Workshop growing, and this new gift really has some gems that will engage our students,” said Amanda Focke, head of special collections for the WRC.
To learn more about the CATS collection, click here.
