Ernie Bushmiller’s Nancy was a popular comic strip for decades but was never taken seriously. In recent years, cartoon historians and aficionados have lauded Nancy for its Zen-like qualities and have studied Bushmiller’s craft in detail. For over fifty years, Ernie Bushmiller dedicated himself to the single-minded pursuit of a Perfect Gag. “I never quite seem to find it,” he admitted. But he sure came close—many thousands of times.

The Nancy Show – Bushmiller and Beyond at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum is divided into two parts. The Robinson Gallery will feature original strips, Sunday pages by Bushmiller, and printed newspaper pages, photos, and other artifacts from his career. The Friends of the Library Gallery will highlight a wide variety of artists inspired by Nancy, as well as the creators who took over the strip after Bushmiller’s passing in 1982.

This exhibition, curated by Brian Walker, provides an in-depth look at the creative genius of Ernie Bushmiller and his impact on popular culture and the art of cartooning.

Exhibition Catalog Available for Preorder

The Nancy Show exhibition catalog by Peter Maresca and Brian Walker is available to preorder from Fantagraphics. Click for more information.

The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum houses the world’s largest collection of materials related to cartoons and comics, including original art, books, magazines, journals, comic books, archival materials, toys and merchandise, newspaper comic strip pages, and clippings. This permanent exhibit features a selection of exceptional artwork and artifacts highlighting the breadth and depth of our collections.

How are comics made? How are they printed? What tools do cartoonists use, and how have they changed over time? How do writers, inkers, colorists, letterers, and editors all work together?  

Cartoonists transform lines into words and pictures that tell meaningful and entertaining stories, whether they take the form of hard-hitting political cartoons, humorous comic strips, poignant animated films, or action-packed superhero comic books. The process of making comics and cartoon art of all kinds has evolved over time as technology has advanced. This exhibit provides a journey through the different techniques and methods used by cartoonists from the idea’s inception to the final published product that you, the reader, consume.  

The works in this exhibit are drawn from the permanent collections of the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, thanks to many generous donors. 

Curated by Jenny Robb, Caitlin McGurk, and Anne Drozd 

As the first retrospective on Gordo (1941-1985), this exhibit celebrates the dazzling artistry of Mexican-American cartoonist Gustavo ‘Gus’ Arriola (1917-2008).

Gordo was a long-running syndicated comic strip in 270 U.S. newspapers and the most visible ethnic comic strip of its time. With the inclusion of Spanish words, Gordo was meant to be the Mexican Li’l Abner. At the onset, the titular Gordo Salazar Lopez, the bean farmer, reflected Hollywood’s regrettable stereotype of the lazy Mexican. In 1959, Arriola changed Gordo’s profession to a tour guide driving Halley’s Comet, a Mexican ‘colectivo’ (bus), slowly transforming the character. Later, Arriola took his first trip to Mexico where he immersed himself in Mexican culture and modernist art, influencing how he would draw the strip.

Depicting Mexico and Modernism offers the opportunity to look at the visually stunning Gordo and see firsthand Arriola’s development as a modernist Mexican-American artist who used the comics page to celebrate and share his Mexican heritage with American readers.

Curated by Nhora Lucía Serrano, the exhibition consists of animation made by Bret Olsen, and works on loan from Mark Burstein, Jim Guida, Lalo Alcaraz, Hector D. Cantú, Carlos Castellanos, and from the collections of the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum at The Ohio State University.

RECEPTION AND PROGRAM

Join us on Saturday, January 20 for a reception to celebrate the opening of this exhibition and a program featuring Hector D. Cantú and Frederick Luis Aldama.

More info is here: https://cartoons.osu.edu/events/depicting-mexico-and-modernism-gordo-by-gus-arriola-exhibition-opening-reception-program/

***EXHIBITION EXTENDED TO NOVEMBER 19, 2023***

Facing Feelings: The Art of Raina Telgemeier is a retrospective featuring original artwork spanning over 20 years of Telgemeier’s career, including New York Times bestsellers Smile, Drama, Sisters, Ghosts and Guts and some of her earlier works. Also on display are works by artists who influenced Telgemeier and show great skill in depicting human emotions, including Keiji Nakazawa, Lynn Johnston, Robb Armstrong, Bill Watterson, Lynda Barry, Will Eisner, and more.