University of Tulsa’s McFarlin Library har lagt supernørden E. Nelson Bridwell’s tegneserie samling inventar liste på nettet, 14 kasser med blade og memorabilia. Dateret 1943-1987, altså 44 år, og i betragtning af, at han har arbejdet for både MAD Magazine og DC Comics, er det egentlig ikke så forfærdelig meget, han fik skrabet sammen. Nogle gamle numre af “MAD” og “Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen” er vel de mest kostbare ting på listen, men det ville kræve noget tid at krydstjekke så mange forskellige blad numre for tegner kredits, så nej, umiddelbart er det ikke prangende, men måske alligevel nok en nøgle til at forstå, hvad en superfan valgte at gemme i årenes løb, dengang fandommen var vital og livskraftig. E. Nelson var en supergeek, en superfan med en leksikal viden om tegneserier, og han var en af de første fan-turned-pro’s i 50’erne og 60’erne, med historier til “Katy Keene” og “MAD”, og i 1965 blev han ansat af DC Comics, som redaktør assistent til Mort Weisinger. Det forklarer jo så også de mange DC blade i samlingen.
fra http://www.creationent.com/past_events/ccon2.htm
E. Nelson Bridwell,
Gone but not forgotten, the beloved Bridwell was a fixture at Seuling and Creation comic events of the early seventies. With an eccentric speech mannerism and a brilliant command and knowledge of all things comic book, Nelson was a fan favorite and a treasured DC Comics resource until his untimely death.
Personligt stødte jeg første gang på navnet E. Nelson Bridwell i starten af 80’erne, da jeg opdagede de tre 70’er DC hc oldies genoptryks-antologier, som han skrev forord til for DC: Superman, Batman, og Shazam! From the Thirties to the Seventies. Dengang var der ikke noget, der hed “DC Archives” eller “Showcase” telefonbøger i sh, der var kun de tre muligheder, hvis man ville læse golden age DC i større omfang. Heldigvis har DC Comics for længst set lyset, og er i gang med et omfattende genoptryk af deres arvegods fra golden age og silver age, både i farver i hc og tp, og i sh i telefonbogs-tykke Showcase samlinger. Det har aldrig været nemmere at samle DC Comics arvesølv end lige nu, samle, læse, nyde, eller gemme væk! Men én særlig serie fra 80’erne dukker op på Bridwell’s liste, nemlig en funny animal serie, som er blevet kult mange år senere, men som kunne fåes på tilbud til en 10-20 cents stykket dengang, og det er “Captain Carrot & His Amazing Zoo Crew” af Scott Shaw! Alle 23 numre af denne skøre serie, og endda to eks. af #2. Jo, selv i firserne skete der spændende ting og sager, det var ikke Dave McKean det hele, og Bridwell og jeg må have været blandt de første, der så “Captain Carrot” seriens kvaliteter. Dén serie købte jeg nemlig billigt i 80’erne i et anfald af “what the hell”, så jeg var lige så fremsynet som E. Nelson Bridwell, fanboy extraordinarie! Her er “Superman” bogen fra 70’erne. Dén var man taknemlig for dengang, men nu kræves der mere, nu forventer vi alt det gamle lort i diverse indpakninger, og helst “in print” forever!
amazon.com review:
Product Description
Introduction by E. Nelson Bridwell
Only hardcover edition offered
Here is a collector’s treasury of classic adventures, spanning forty years, and never before published in book form. The book traces Superman’s undisputed reign as champion of the comic strip in 28 full stories and 40 color cover reproductions.
Introduction by E. Nelson Bridwell
Only hardcover edition offered
Batman from the 30’s to 70’s relives the spectacular world of the early comic books with over 25 action packed stories, fifty original cover reproductions, and exciting introduction by E. Nelson Bridwell, writer and editor of the Batman newspaper strip, and a complete biography of all the Batman’s appearances.
Og “Shazam!” bogen, der genoptrykker Captain Marvel historier fra 40’erne til 70’erne:
Intro by E. Nelson Bridwell
Only hardcover edition offered (one printing only)
Shazam from the 40’s to 70’s relives the spectacular world of the early comic books with over 25 action packed stories, fifty original cover reproductions, and exciting introduction by E. Nelson Bridwell, and a complete biography of all the Shazam’s appearances.
Men nu videre til E. Nelson Bridwell’s tegneserie samling:
fra http://www.lib.utulsa.edu/speccoll/collections/bridwell/index.htm
E. Nelson Bridwell collection
Collection 1989-001
Dates: 1943-1987.
Extent: (13 boxes, 1 oversize box).
Level of Description: Item level.
Name of creator(s): E. Nelson Bridwell.
Date of creation: Undetermined.
Scope and Content: Consists of comic books dating from 1943-1987 (some of which Bridwell had some hand in creating), ephemeral materials relating to his career, and personal memorabilia. The comic books are arranged alphabetically by title, then chronologically by date and number. Following the comic books are newspaper and magazine cuttings, issues of Comic Buyer’s Guide, and career-related ephemera. A framed caricature of Bridwell by John Johns is on exhibit within the department. Personal memorabilia includes newspaper and magazine cuttings of articles about comic books and comic book characters; several issues of Comic Buyer’s Guide in which advertisements for the sale of the Bridwell estate appear; correspondence mostly relating to but not written by Bridwell; photographs of Bridwell and family; Bridwell’s high school diploma, birth announcement, social security card, DC business card, address book, and 2 blank personalized DC Comics notepads); oversize material (pen and ink layouts for various comics, color separation overlays for 4 comic book covers, and sketches for proposed comic book characters).
Administrative/Biographical History: E. Nelson Bridwell was born in Sapulpa, Oklahoma but grew up in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He was both a writer and an editor for a variety of comic book series published by DC Comics and was the creator of several comic books.
Access and Copyright:
Language and Scripts: English.
Finding aid/Inventory: Finding aid is available online.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition: Gift of Marjorie Smalley, Bridwell’s aunt and executor of his estate, 1989.