Balch Institute ethnic comic books and strips collection
Collection SPC237
1947-1993, undated(3.1 Linear feet ; 8 boxes, 1 flat files)
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- Historical Society of Pennsylvania
- Creator
- Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies.
- Title
- Balch Institute ethnic comic books and strips collection
- ID
- SPC237
- Date
- 1947-1993, undated
- Extent
- 3.1 Linear feet ; 8 boxes, 1 flat files
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Sophie Basalone, Phillip Foglia, Cary Hutto.
- Language
- English
- Abstract
- The Balch Institute ethnic comic books and strips collection contains hundreds of comic books and dozens of strips that contain depictions, some stereotypical and/or offensive, of various ethnicities, ethnic minorities, nationalities, and political groups. These comics range from action comics, such as DC’s Blackhawk, to comedy comics, such as Disney’s Donald Duck, to many others. Most of the items in the collection were published in the 1950s and 1960s, but it spans much of the 20th century.
Overview of arrangement
The collection is in rough alphabetical arrangement by title.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Historical Society of Pennsylvania ; 2022.
1300 Locust StreetPhiladelphia, PA, 19107
215-732-6200
Access restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Usage restrictions
Each title in this collection is subject to copyright. Permission to cite from or use any images from this collection must be obtained from individual publishers.
Provenance
This collection was assembled over time by staff of the former Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies. The bulk of it was compiled for the institution's 1986 exhibit, "Ethnic Images in Comics."
Controlled Access Headings
Subject(s)
- Cartoons and Comic Strips
- Ethnic groups--Comic books, strips, etc.
Collection Inventory
| Box | Folder | |||
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Abbott and Costello, Volume 1, Number 15 1952 Noted depiction(s)Indian |
1 | 1 | ||
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The Adventures of Superman, Issues 434, 471, 500 1987-1993 Noted depiction(s)African American, Middle Eastern |
1 | 2 | ||
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All-Negro Comics, Issue 1 1947 Noted depiction(s)African American |
1 | 3 | ||
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The All-Star Squadron, Volume 2, Number 5 1982 Noted depiction(s)German Nazis, Mexican |
1 | 4 | ||
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Arak, Son of Thunder, Issue 31 1984 Noted depiction(s)Native American, Norse |
1 | 5 | ||
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Archie and His Pals in the Peer Helping Program 1991 Noted depiction(s)African American |
1 | 6 | ||
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The A-Team, Volume 1, Number 2 1984 Noted depiction(s)African American, Japanese |
1 | 7 | ||
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Beetle Bailey, Issue 39 1962 Noted depiction(s)Chinese |
1 | 8 | ||
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Ben Bowie and his Mountain Men, Issues 8-11, 14-17 August 1956 - January 1959 Noted depiction(s)Native American (Pueblo, Chinook, Nootka, Crows, Blackfoot, Algonquin, Delaware, and Huron), Spanish |
1 | 9 | ||
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Blackhawk, Issues 54, 164, 219, 245, 246, 250-253 1952-1982 Noted depiction(s)Native South Pacific Islander, Chinese, Russian, French, German, German Nazis, South American, Polish, African American, Latin American |
1 | 10 | ||
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Blackhawk, Issues 254-265 1983 Noted depiction(s)German Nazis, Chinese, French, Polish |
1 | 11 | ||
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Blackhawk, Issues 266-273, 13 1984-1990 Noted depiction(s)German, German Nazis, Chinese, French, Russian, Dutch, Jewish, Polish, Algerians, Indians, Malaysian, African American |
1 | 12 | ||
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Bugs Bunny's Vacation Funnies, Issues 8-9 1958-1959 Noted depiction(s)Middle Eastern, Mexican American, Native American, Indian, Mexican, "Eskimo" |
1 | 13 | ||
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The Captain and the Kids, Issue 881 1958 Noted depiction(s)Hispanic |
2 | 1 | ||
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Cracked, Issues 2, 15 1958-1960 Noted depiction(s)Japanese, French, Italian, Russian, Native Congolese, Native American, Spanish |
2 | 2 | ||
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Walt Disney's Daisy Duck's Diary, Issue 948 1958 Noted depiction(s)Pacific Islander |
2 | 3 | ||
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Donald and Mickey in Disneyland on Tom Sawyer's Island, Issue 1 1958 Noted depiction(s)Native American |
2 | 4 | ||
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Walt Disney's Donald Duck, Issues 44, 48, 51-56 1955-1957 Noted depiction(s)Salvadorans, Scots, Native Americans |
2 | 5 | ||
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Walt Disney's Donald Duck, Issues 57, 59-66 1958-1959 Noted depiction(s)Scots, Native Africans |
2 | 6 | ||
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Walt Disney's Donald Duck, Issues 67,68, 70, 71, 94 1959-1964 Noted depiction(s)Native American, Italian, Scots, Afghani |
2 | 7 | ||
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Walt Disney's Donald Duck Album, Issues 3, 531, 782, 995 1953-1959 |
2 | 8 | ||
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Ebony Warrior, Number 1 1993 Noted depiction(s)African American |
2 | 9 | ||
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El Diablo, Issue 5 1990 Noted depiction(s)African American, Hispanic, Mexican American |
2 | 10 | ||
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Food First Comics 1982 Noted depiction(s)Filipino, African American |
2 | 11 | ||
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The Goofy Adventure Story, Issue 857 1957 Noted depiction(s)Native American, Mexican |
2 | 12 | ||
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Walt Disney's Gyro Gearloose, Issues 1047, 1095 1960 |
2 | 13 | ||
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The World Around Us: The Illustrated Story of..., Issues 6,7, 15 1959 Noted depiction(s)Germans, Japanese, Native Americans, Spanish, Chinese, Romans |
2 | 14 | ||
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Indian Chief, Issues 6, 16, 20-22, 25, 26 1952-1957 Noted depiction(s)Native American (Zuni, Navajo, Delaware, Pequot, Sioux, Winnebago, Hopi, Pawnee, Aztec, Eskimos, Iroquois, Shawnee, Chinook, Catawba, Apache, Cheyenne, Pueblo, Tao, Seminole), Norse |
2 | 15 | ||
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Indian Chief, Issues 28-33 1957-1959 Noted depiction(s)Native American (Sioux, Pawnee, Crow, Zuni, Navajo, Sauk, Iroquois, Massasoit, Makah, Tlingit, Nanticoke, Cree, Muskogee, Carib, Apache, Cheyenne, Modoc, Papago) |
2 | 16 | ||
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Infinity Inc., Issues 17, 22, 23 1985-1986 Noted depiction(s)African American, Native American, Asian American |
3 | 1 | ||
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I Saw It 1982 Noted depiction(s)Japanese |
3 | 2 | ||
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Joe Palooka's Adventures, Volume 2, Issue 75 1953 |
3 | 3 | ||
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The Kilroys, Issue 50 1954 Noted depiction(s)Arab peoples (Egyptian in the "Double Bubble" ad) |
3 | 5 | ||
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Jungle Jim, Volume 1, Numbers 11-16, 18, 19 1957-1959 Noted depiction(s)Native Indian, Native Malaysian, Native Nepalese, Sherpa peoples, Filipino, "Burmese" (Myanmarese), Bengali peoples, Jain peoples, Native Bhutanese, Dayak people, Mongolians |
3 | 4 | ||
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Little Iodine, Volume 1, Issue 16 1953 |
3 | 6 | ||
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Long Bow Indian Boy, Issue 5 1952 Noted depiction(s)Native American (Crow, Pawnee) |
3 | 8 | ||
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The Lone Ranger's Companion Tonto, Issues 19, 28-30 1955-1958 Noted depiction(s)Native American (Navajo, Zuni, Sioux, Pawnee, Comanche, Blackfoot, Arikara, Cherokee) |
3 | 7 | ||
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Mad, Issues 39, 45, 50-52, and a strip 1958-1960 Noted depiction(s)Native American |
3 | 9 | ||
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Mad, Issues 59, 73, 74, 97, 98, 100, 102, 104, 106 1960-1966 Noted depiction(s)Japanese, German, Native Africans, African American, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Vietnamese, Russian, Chinese, Italian, French, Arab peoples, South American, Irish, English, Jewish |
3 | 10 | ||
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Mad, Issues 107, 111, 114, 127 1966-1969 Noted depiction(s)Native African, Chinese, Native American, Middle Eastern, African American, Native Amazonian |
3 | 11 | ||
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Marvel Team-Up: Spider-Man and the Uncanny X-Men, Volume 1, Number 150 1985 Noted depiction(s)Korean, African American |
3 | 12 | ||
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Mark Trail's Adventure Book of Nature, Issue 1 1958 |
3 | 13 | ||
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Mickey Mouse, Issue 60 1958 Noted depiction(s)Arab peoples, African American |
4 | 1 | ||
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Miracleman, Issue 6 1986 Noted depiction(s)African American |
4 | 2 | ||
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Mod Squad, Issue 1 1969 Noted depiction(s)African American |
4 | 3 | ||
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Mutt & Jeff, Issue 69 1954 Noted depiction(s)Egyptian in the "Double Bubble" ad |
4 | 4 | ||
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Walt Disney's The Nature of Things, Issue 842 1957 Noted depiction(s)Eskimo peoples |
4 | 5 | ||
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Nellie the Nurse Comics, Volume 1, Number 36 1952 Noted depiction(s)German |
4 | 6 | ||
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The New Mutants, Volume 1, Number 37 1986 Noted depiction(s)Native American, Brazilian |
4 | 7 | ||
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New Talent Showcase, Issue 1 1984 Noted depiction(s)Taiwanese, Hindi, Vietnamese |
4 | 8 | ||
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Patsy and Her Pals, Volume 1, Number 45 1953 |
4 | 9 | ||
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Prince Valiant, Issue 900 1958 Noted depiction(s)Berber peoples, Norse |
4 | 10 | ||
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Red Ryder Comics, Issue 140 1955 Noted depiction(s)Native American |
4 | 11 | ||
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Richard Dragon, Kung-Fu Fighter, Volume 1, Issue 3 1975 Noted depiction(s)Swiss, African American, Chinese |
4 | 12 | ||
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Roy Rogers Comics, Issue 166 1947 Noted depiction(s)Native American |
4 | 13 | ||
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Sabre, Volume 1, Number 5 1983 Noted depiction(s)African American, Native American |
4 | 14 | ||
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Sea Hunt, Issue 1041 1959 Noted depiction(s)Native South American |
4 | 15 | ||
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Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes, Volume 1, Number 2 1981 |
4 | 16 | ||
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Sgt. Rock, Volume 32, Issue 378 1983 Noted depiction(s)German, African American, Yanomami |
4 | 17 | ||
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Shock Suspenstories, Issue 1 1985 Noted depiction(s)African American, German, Italian, French, Chinese, Arab peoples, South American, Irish, English, Jewish |
4 | 18 | ||
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Sparkler Comics, Issue 110 1954 Noted depiction(s)African, Hispanic |
4 | 19 | ||
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The Spirit, Issues 1-2 1983 Noted depiction(s)African American, Russian (Siberian) |
4 | 20 | ||
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Steve Canyon, Issue 641 1955 |
4 | 21 | ||
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Straight Arrow, Volume 1, Number 46 1955 Noted depiction(s)Native American (Comanche, Cheyenne), Australian Indigenous people (in ad) |
4 | 22 | ||
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Tarzan, Volume 1, Numbers 30, 39, 59, 65, 73, 82, 84 1952-1956 Noted depiction(s)Native African peoples, Zulu, Nandi, Arab peoples |
4 | 23 | ||
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Tarzan, Volume 1, Numbers 84-92 1956-1957 Noted depiction(s)Native African peoples, Zulu, Arab peoples, "pygmy," Norse |
4 | 24 | ||
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Tarzan, Volume 1, Numbers 93-99 1957 Noted depiction(s)Native African peoples, Zulu, Masa peoples and Masai peoples (conflated), Taureg peoples |
5 | 1 | ||
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Tarzan, Volume 1, Numbers 100-109, 7 1958 Noted depiction(s)Native African peoples, Zulu, Taureg peoples, Arab peoples, Congolese, Oromo, Masai, Romans, "Shifta bandits," early Phoenecians |
5 | 2 | ||
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Tarzan, Volume 1, Numbers 110-115, 29, 37 1959, 1960 Noted depiction(s)Native African peoples, Zulu, Muganda, Taureg, Kru, Norse |
5 | 3 | ||
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Tarzan, Volume 1, Numbers 116, 119-124, 126, 128 1960-1962 Noted depiction(s)Native African peoples, Somalian, Zulu, Taureg, Kru, Bantu, French, Romans, |
5 | 4 | ||
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Tarzan, Volume 1, Numbers 129-133, 151-154 1962-1965 Noted depiction(s)Native African peoples, Somali, Kru, Zulu, Taureg, "pygmy" |
5 | 5 | ||
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Tarzan, Issues 155-157, 1 1965-1966 Noted depiction(s)Native African peoples, Zulu, "pygmy," Romans, Native Amazonians, Arab peoples, Watusi, Barbary Corsairs, |
5 | 6 | ||
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Tom and Jerry Comics, Volume 1, Number 139 1956 Noted depiction(s)African stereotypes |
5 | 7 | ||
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True-Life Adventure, Issues 625, 749, 758, 847, 943 1955-1958 Noted depiction(s)Eskimo peoples |
6 | 1 | ||
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Turok, Son of Stone, Issues 656, 5-13 1955-1958 Noted depiction(s)Native Americans |
6 | 2 | ||
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Turok, Son of Stone, Issues 14-17, 19, 23-25 1959-1961 Noted depiction(s)Native Americans |
6 | 3 | ||
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Turok, Son of Stone, Issues 26, 27, 30, 31, 47-49 1962-1966 Noted depiction(s)Native Americans |
6 | 4 | ||
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Uncle Scrooge, Issues 19-21, 23-30 1957-1960 Noted depiction(s)Arab peoples, Bedouins, Southeast Asian, Cambodian, Thai, Indian, Egyptian, Inca people, Jivaro, Native American, Algerian peoples |
6 | 5 | ||
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Uncle Scrooge, Issues 32-35, 37, 39-41, 58-61 1961-1966 Noted depiction(s)Spanish, Native Amazonian, Native South American, Iranian, Native South Pacific Islander, Eskimo, Native African |
6 | 6 | ||
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Walt Disney's Comics and Stories, Volume 16, Numbers 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, Volume 17, Numbers 3-6, 12, Volume 18, Number 1 1956-1957 Noted depiction(s)Native American, Mexican, Roma people |
7 | 1 | ||
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Walt Disney's Comics and Stories, Volume 18, Numbers 2-10 1957-1958 Noted depiction(s)South Pacific Islander, Indian, North African, Spanish |
7 | 2 | ||
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Walt Disney's Comics and Stories, Volume 18, Numbers 11, 12, Volume 19, Numbers 2-9, Volume 20, Number 2 1958-1959 Noted depiction(s)Pacific Islander, Native South American, Native American |
7 | 3 | ||
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Walt Disney's Comics and Stories, Volume 20, Numbers 3, 7, Volume 21, Numbers 3, 4, 6, 9, 11, 12, Volume 22, Numbers 5, 6 1959-1962 Noted depiction(s)Mythical Hawaiian people, Arab peoples, Chinese, Sikh, Native American |
7 | 4 | ||
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Walt Disney's Picnic Party, Issue 8 1957 Noted depiction(s)Spanish, African American |
7 | 5 | ||
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Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe, Volume 11 1986 Noted depiction(s)African American, Native American, German (Nazi), East Indian |
7 | 6 | ||
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Woody Woodpecker's Back to School, Issue 6 1957 Noted depiction(s)Native Pacific Islander, Native American |
7 | 7 | ||
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The Uncanny X-Men, Volume 1, Number 301 1993 Noted depiction(s)African American, African Native |
7 | 8 | ||
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Miscellaneous strips undated General noteGerman, Japanese, Irish, Mexican, African, Italian, Chinese, Spanish, Asian, Jewish, Asian American, Korean, |
7 | 9 | ||
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Miscellaneous strips 1989-1991 General noteAfrican American, White Anglo-Saxon Protestants, Asian American, Irish, Hispanic, German, Italian, French, Jewish, Haitian, Iraqi |
7 | 10 | ||
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Miscellaneous strips 1973, undated General noteItalian, Spanish |
7 | 11 | ||
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| Oversize | Box | |||
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Miscellaneous oversize strips and artwork 1917-1987, undated General noteJapanese, African American, Scandinavian, Chinese, Norse, Hispanic, Irish, Native American, Peruvian, German, some comics written in Spanish |
Flat file 1 | 8 | ||
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