Little Lulu Library
Encyclopedia
The Little Lulu Library was an 18 volume deluxe hardcover series of books reprinting a long run of Little Lulu
comics from the period when John Stanley
was writing the stories. Most of the stories collected were drawn by either Stanley or Irving Tripp
. At the time they were published, they were the only Little Lulu comics that were in print in the English language.
The series published by Another Rainbow Publishing
between 1985 and 1992. The six three-volume boxed sets (18 volumes) of the Library reprinted the Little Lulu Four Color comics #374-387 as well as issues 1-87 of Little Lulu
comics. Besides reprinting the Little Lulu stories, each set contains background articles on the artists, essays, and previously unpublished art.
, also published by Another Rainbow
.
They reprinted Little Lulu Four Color #374-387 as well as issues 1-87 of the Little Lulu
series. Each set also contains background articles on the artists, essays, and previously unpublished art. The artwork of most of the Stanley-drawn stories in the books, however, was "crudely trace[d...]as photostats for them did not exist."
The contents of the books were later scanned and republished (minus background material) as the first 18 volumes of Dark Horse Comics
' Little Lulu reprint series, which then continued on in full colour, reprinting Little Lulu comics that Another Rainbow had not managed to get to.
and Chester Brown
, have cited the Little Lulu Library series as making Lulu work available that influenced their own work.
Little Lulu
"Little Lulu" is the nickname for Lulu Moppett, a comic strip character created in the mid-1930s by Marjorie Henderson Buell. The character debuted in The Saturday Evening Post on February 23, 1935 in a single panel, appearing as a flower girl at a wedding and strewing the aisle with banana peels...
comics from the period when John Stanley
John Stanley (comics)
John Stanley was a comic book creator, best known for writing Little Lulu from 1945 to 1959. While mostly known for scripting, Stanley also was an accomplished artist who drew many of his stories, including the earliest Little Lulu issues. His specialty was humorous stories, both with licensed...
was writing the stories. Most of the stories collected were drawn by either Stanley or Irving Tripp
Irving Tripp
Irving Tripp , was an American comic book artist, best known as the illustrator of Little Lulu comics....
. At the time they were published, they were the only Little Lulu comics that were in print in the English language.
The series published by Another Rainbow Publishing
Another Rainbow Publishing
Another Rainbow Publishing is a company dedicated to the re-publication and greater recognition of the work of Carl Barks that was created in 1981 by Bruce Hamilton and Russ Cochran. Its name references Barks's saying that there would be "always another rainbow" for his character Scrooge McDuck,...
between 1985 and 1992. The six three-volume boxed sets (18 volumes) of the Library reprinted the Little Lulu Four Color comics #374-387 as well as issues 1-87 of Little Lulu
Little Lulu
"Little Lulu" is the nickname for Lulu Moppett, a comic strip character created in the mid-1930s by Marjorie Henderson Buell. The character debuted in The Saturday Evening Post on February 23, 1935 in a single panel, appearing as a flower girl at a wedding and strewing the aisle with banana peels...
comics. Besides reprinting the Little Lulu stories, each set contains background articles on the artists, essays, and previously unpublished art.
Reproduction
The eighteen 9" x 12" hardcover volumes are housed in 6 slipcases. The stories are reproduced larger than comic size and most are printed in black and whitewhile the front covers to the original comics are in full color. They are very similar in construction to the 30 volume/10 set collection of the Carl Barks LibraryCarl Barks Library
Carl Barks Library is a series of 30 books with all Disney comics and covers written and/or drawn by Carl Barks. A few stories were modified, sometimes for production reasons and sometimes in an attempt to remedy censorship in the original publication, restoring the published work to Barks'...
, also published by Another Rainbow
Another Rainbow Publishing
Another Rainbow Publishing is a company dedicated to the re-publication and greater recognition of the work of Carl Barks that was created in 1981 by Bruce Hamilton and Russ Cochran. Its name references Barks's saying that there would be "always another rainbow" for his character Scrooge McDuck,...
.
They reprinted Little Lulu Four Color #374-387 as well as issues 1-87 of the Little Lulu
Little Lulu
"Little Lulu" is the nickname for Lulu Moppett, a comic strip character created in the mid-1930s by Marjorie Henderson Buell. The character debuted in The Saturday Evening Post on February 23, 1935 in a single panel, appearing as a flower girl at a wedding and strewing the aisle with banana peels...
series. Each set also contains background articles on the artists, essays, and previously unpublished art. The artwork of most of the Stanley-drawn stories in the books, however, was "crudely trace[d...]as photostats for them did not exist."
The contents of the books were later scanned and republished (minus background material) as the first 18 volumes of Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
' Little Lulu reprint series, which then continued on in full colour, reprinting Little Lulu comics that Another Rainbow had not managed to get to.
Volumes
The volumes were published in reverse order, with Volume VI coming first and Volume I last.- Set I (published 1992)
- Book I reprints Four Color Comics #74, 97, 110, 115
- Book II reprints Four Color Comics #120, 131, 139, 146, 158
- Book III reprints Four Color Comics #165 and Little Lulu #1-5
- Set II (published 1991)
- Book I reprints Little Lulu #6-11
- Book II reprints Little Lulu #12-17
- Book III reprints reprints Little Lulu #18-21
- Set III (published 1989)
- Book I reprints Little Lulu #22-26
- Book II reprints Little Lulu #27-31
- Book III reprints reprints Little Lulu #32-36
- Set IV (published 1988)
- Book I reprints Little Lulu #37-41
- Book II reprints Little Lulu #42-48
- Book III reprints reprints Little Lulu #49-53
- Set V (published 1986)
- Book I reprints Little Lulu #54-57
- Book II reprints Little Lulu #58-62
- Book III reprints reprints Little Lulu #63-67
- Set VI (published 1985)
- Book I reprints Little Lulu #68-73
- Book II reprints Little Lulu #74-80
- Book III reprints reprints Little Lulu #81-87
Reception
A number of cartoonists, including Daniel ClowesDaniel Clowes
Daniel Gillespie Clowes is an American author, screenwriter and cartoonist of alternative comic books....
and Chester Brown
Chester Brown
Chester William David Brown , is an award-winning, best-selling Canadian alternative cartoonist and, since 2008, the Libertarian Party of Canada's candidate for the riding of Trinity-Spadina in Toronto, Canada....
, have cited the Little Lulu Library series as making Lulu work available that influenced their own work.
External links
- Little Lulu Library page at Another Rainbow's official website
- Those Elusive Four Colors!essay by Lulu scholar Jon Merrill from 1991, an abridged version of which appeared in Little Lulu Library, Set I, Volume 1, in 1992.