Laing Comics Collection
- Reference:GB 254 MS 447
- Dates of Creation:1941-1955
- Name of Creator:
- Physical Description:165 comics
Scope and Content
A wide variety of Dell Comics and comics published by the Gilbertson Company. The Dell comics include western, Disney, and Looney Toons titles. The Gilbertson Company published Classics Illustrated and Classic Comics, based on classic literature.
Administrative / Biographical History
Dell Publishing got its start in pulp magazines and then created the branch of Dell Comics. It was popular from 1929 to 1974. At its peak it was considered one of the largest and most successful comic publishers in the world boasting in 1953 to be selling over 26 million comic per month. This is largely due to the comics scare in the early 1950s led by psychologist Fredrick Wertham. Instead of adopting the Comics Code in 1954 Dell created their own slogan for parents that "Dell Comics are Good Comics". The Gilbertson Company published adaptations of famous novels into comics including those by authors Walter Scott Robert Louis Stevenson and Mary Shelley. By the time of the Comics Code in 1954 these comics were the only ones largely unregulated because they came from literature and were deemed educational rather than creating child delinquents.
Arrangement
Usually chronological within series.
Access Information
Open for consultation subject to preservation requirements. Access must also conform to the restrictions of the Data Protection Act (2018), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, 2018) and any other relevant legislation or restrictions. Clinical information is closed for 100 years.
Acquisition Information
Gifted by Margaret Laing
Note
Dell Publishing got its start in pulp magazines and then created the branch of Dell Comics. It was popular from 1929 to 1974. At its peak it was considered one of the largest and most successful comic publishers in the world boasting in 1953 to be selling over 26 million comic per month. This is largely due to the comics scare in the early 1950s led by psychologist Fredrick Wertham. Instead of adopting the Comics Code in 1954 Dell created their own slogan for parents that "Dell Comics are Good Comics". The Gilbertson Company published adaptations of famous novels into comics including those by authors Walter Scott Robert Louis Stevenson and Mary Shelley. By the time of the Comics Code in 1954 these comics were the only ones largely unregulated because they came from literature and were deemed educational rather than creating child delinquents.
Archivist's Note
Description compiled by Hailey Austin 06/08/2019
Conditions Governing Use
Reproduction is available subject to preservation requirements. Charges may be made for this service, and copyright and other restrictions may apply; please check with the Duty Archivist.
Appraisal Information
Nothing disposed of
Custodial History
The Laing family had bought and kept the comics which were inherited by the depositor.
Accruals
Not expected
Additional Information
Published
Catalogued
MS 447
Subjects