The Library of American Comics is an American publisher of comic strip reprint collections, as an imprint of Clover Press. Although the publishing of a series was advertised as going to be the "complete collection" of a strip, more than half of all LoAC titles were discontinued long before being complete, sometimes after only one or two volumes.
After the conclusion of the final collection series—For Better or For Worse—in November 2024 (plus a deluxe edition of Terry And the Pirates issued by Clover Press), there are currently, as of January 2026, no more LoAC titles being produced.
Collections
Collections Release date LoAC Title Original title Creator(s) Period Number of volumes Daily strips Sunday strips Reproduction color Book size StatusSeptember 2007 – March 2009The Complete Terry and the PiratesTerry and the PiratesMilton Caniff1934–19466YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies) & Full color (Sundays)11 × 8.5 inches(279 × 216 mm)CompleteNovember 2006 – December 2020The Complete Chester Gould's Dick TracyDick TracyChester Gould1931–197729YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies & Sundays)9.5 × 7 inches (241 × 178 mm)Vol. 1-611 × 8.5 inches(279 × 216 mm)Vol. 7-onwardsCompleteJune 2008 – November 2019The Complete Little Orphan AnnieLittle Orphan AnnieHarold Gray1924–195316YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies) & Full color (Sundays)11 × 8.5 inches(279 × x 216 mm)Discontinued after 16 volumesSeptember 2009 – November 2012Bloom County: The Complete LibraryBloom CountyBerkeley Breathed1980–19895+2YesYes Black-and-white (Dailies) & Full color (Sundays) 11 × 8.5 inches(279 × x 216 mm)CompleteOctober 2009 – July 2010The Family CircusThe Family CircusBil Keane1960–19632YesYes?11 × 7.5 inches(279 × 191 mm)Discontinued after two volumesNovember 2009 – July 2019The Complete Rip KirbyRip KirbyAlex Raymond, John Prentice1946–197511YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies)11 × 10 inches(279 × 254 mm)Discontinued after 11 volumesJanuary 2010 – March 2013The Complete King ArooKing ArooJack Kent1950–19542YesYes?9.5 × 7.5 inches(241 × 191 mm)Discontinued after two volumesJanuary 2010 – April 2013Bringing Up FatherBringing Up FatherGeorge McManus1937-19402YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies) & Full color (Sundays)?11 × 10 inches(279 × 254 mm)Discontinued after two volumes April 2010 – December 2017Li'l Abner: The Complete Dailies & Color SundaysLi'l AbnerAl Capp1934–19529YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies) & Full color (Sundays)9.25 × 12(235 × 305 mm)Discontinued after nine volumes September 2010 – July 2014Archie - The Complete Daily Newspaper ComicsArchieBob Montana1946–19481960-19653YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies) & Full color (Sundays)11 × 8.5 inches(279 × 216 mm)Discontinued after three volumes September 2010 – August 2015X-9: Secret Agent CorriganX-9Al Williamson, Archie Goodwin, George Evans1969–19826YesN/ABlack-and-white (Dailies)11 × 10 inches(279 × 254 mm)Discontinued after six volumesOctober 2010 – January 2012Blondie : The Complete Daily ComicsBlondieChic Young1930–19352YesNoBlack-and-white (Dailies)11 × 8.5 inches(279 × 216 mm)Discontinued after two volumes December 2010 – January 2016Polly and Her PalsPolly and Her PalsCliff Sterrett1913–19302NoYesFull color (Sundays)12 × 16 inches(305 × 406 mm)Discontinued after two volumes July 2011 – October 2013Miss Fury: Sensational SundaysMiss FuryTarpé Mills 1944–19492NoYes Full color (Sundays)9.25 × 12 inches(235 × 305 mm)Discontinued after two volumes December 2011 – May 2014Flash Gordon and Jungle JimFlash Gordon, Jungle JimAlex Raymond1934–19444NoYesFull color (Sundays)12 × 16 inches(305 × 406 mm)CompleteJanuary 2012 – November 2022Steve CanyonSteve CanyonMilton Caniff1947–197012YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies) & Full color (Sundays)?11 × 8.5 inches(279 × 216 mm)Discontinued after 12 volumesOctober 2012Gasoline AlleyGasoline AlleyFrank King, Dick Moores1964–19661YesNoBlack-and-white (Dailies)11 × 8.5 inches(279 × 216 mm)Discontinued after a single volume October 2012 – May 2018Skippy: Complete DailiesSkippyPercy Crosby1925–19364YesNoBlack-and-white (Dailies)9.5 × 8.5 inches(241 × 216 mm)Discontinued after four volumes December 2012 – October 2013Star Trek: The Newspaper StripStar TrekThomas Warkentin, Sherman DiVono, Ron Harris, Martin Pasko1979–19832YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies) & Full color (Sundays)8.5 × 11 inches(216 × 279 mm)CompleteJune 2013 – April 2015Tarzan: The Complete Russ Manning Newspaper StripsTarzanRuss Manning1967–19794YesYesBlack-and-white11 × 8.5 inches(279 × 216 mm)CompleteAugust 2013 – December 2014Superman: The Silver Age DailiesSupermanJerry Siegel, Wayne Boring1959–19663YesNoBlack-and-white (Dailies)11 × 8.5 inches(279 × 216 mm)CompleteFebruary 2014 – November 2014Superman: Golden Age SundaysSupermanJack Burnley, Wayne Boring1943–19492NoYesFull color (Sundays)9.25 × 12 inches(235 × 305 mm)CompleteApril 2014 – December 2014Popeye: The Classic Newspaper Comics by Bobby LondonPopeyeBobby London1986–19922YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies) & Full color (Sundays)8.5 × 7.5 inches(216 × 191 mm)CompleteApril 2014 – November 2016Batman: Silver Age Newspaper ComicsBatmanWhitney Ellsworth, Sheldon Moldoff, Carmine Infantino, Joe Giella, Al Plastino1966–19723YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies) & Full color (Sundays)11 × 8.5 inches(279 × 216 mm)CompleteOctober 2014Ripley's Believe It or Not! - The Original Classic CartoonsRipley's Believe It or Not!Robert Ripley19291YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies) & Full color (Sundays)11 × 8.5 inches(279 × 216 mm)Discontinued after a single volumeJune 2015 – May 2019The Amazing Spider-Man: The Ultimate Newspaper Comics CollectionThe Amazing Spider-ManStan Lee, John Romita Jr.1977–19865YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies) & Full color (Sundays)11 × 8.5 inches(279 × 216 mm)Discontinued after five volumesJuly 2015 – December 2017Superman: Atomic Age SundaysSupermanAlvin Schwartz, Wayne Boring, Bill Finger1949–19593NoYesFull color (Sundays)9.25 × 12 inches(235 × 305 mm)CompleteSeptember 2015 – March 2019Donald Duck: The Complete Daily Newspaper ComicsDonald DuckAl Taliaferro1938–19505YesNoBlack-and-white (Dailies)11 × 8.5 inches(279 × 216 mm)Discontinued after five volumesApril 2016 – December 2016Donald Duck: The Complete Sunday Newspaper ComicsDonald DuckAl Taliaferro1938–19452NoYesFull color (Sundays)12 × 8.5 inches(305 × 216 mm)Discontinued after two volumesApril 2016 – September 2017Star Trek: The Classic UK Comics - The Complete SeriesStar TrekHarry Lindfield, Jim Balkie, Mike Noble and others1969–19793YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies) & Full color (Sundays)8.5 × 11 inches(216 × 279 mm)CompleteMay 2016 – September 2019Silly Symphonies: The Complete Disney ClassicsSilly SymphonyAl Taliaferro, Earl Duvall, Hank Porter, Bob Grant1932–19454NoYesFull color (Sundays)12 × 8.5 inches(305 × 216 mm)CompleteNovember 2016Red BarryRed BarryWilliam Gould1934–19351YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies) & Full color (Sundays)11 × 8.5 inches(279 × 216 mm)Discontinued after a single volume November 2016 – June 2018Walt Disney's Treasury of Classic TalesWalt Disney's Treasury of Classic TalesFrank A. Reilly19?–TBA3NoYesFull color (Sundays)12 × 8.5 inches(305 × 216 mm)Discontinued after three volumesApril 2017 – May 2019Superman: The Golden Age DailiesSupermanJerry Siegel, Whitney Ellisworth, Joe Shuster, Wayne Boring1942–19493YesNoBlack-and-white (Dailies)11 × 8.5 inches(279 × 216 mm)CompleteApril 2017 – August 2018Star HawksStar HawksWriting:Ron GoulartArt:Gil Kane1977–19813YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies) & Full color (Sundays)9.25 × 6.5 inches(235 × 165 mm)CompleteMay 2017 – September 2018Star Wars: The Complete Classic Newspaper ComicsStar WarsDon R. Christensen1979–19843YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies) & Full color (Sundays)11 × 8.5 inches(279 × 216 mm)CompleteOctober 2017 – November 2024For Better or For Worse - The Complete LibraryFor Better or For WorseLynn Johnston1979–20089YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies) & Full color (Sundays)11 × 8.5 inches(279 × 216 mm)Complete October 2018 - November 2019Superman: The Silver Age SundaysSupermanJerry Siegel, Wayne Boring1959–19662NoYesFull color(Sundays)9.25 × 12 inches(235 × 305 mm)Complete
Single releases
Single releases Release date LoAC Title Original title Creator(s) Period Number of vol. Daily strips Sunday strips Reproduction color Book size ISBNOctober 2014Wonder Woman: The Complete Newspaper StripsWonder WomanWilliam Moulton Marston, H. G. Peter1944-19451YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies) & Full color (Sundays)11 × 8.5 inches(279 mm × 216 mm)October 2015From Brooklyn Rock to Beyond Mars: The Complete SeriesBeyond MarsJack Williamson, Lee Elias1952-19551NoYesFull color9.25 × 12 inches(235 × 305 mm)September 2017Disney's Christmas ClassicsDisney Christmas StoryFrank A. Reilly1960-19971YesYesBlack-and-white (Dailies) & Black-and-white (Sundays)11 × 8.5 inches(279 × 216 mm)
LoAC Essentials LoAC Essentials or The Library of American Comics - Essentials is a series of books, published between 2012 and 2019, that collected reprints of classic daily newspaper comic strips which are considered as essentials of comic history in different aspects due to their impact on the medium itself, in volumes by strip title and original publication year. LoAC Essentials were published in hardcovers with the odd format of 11.5 inches × 4.25 inches, 292 mm × 108 mm. The comic strips were printed one strip per page in black-and-white together with the original publication date and weekday. Each volume contained one year of a comic strip's run. Extras such as introductions and essays were included in some of the volumes.
LoAC Essentials Release date Title Year Comic strip Author Page count ISBN2012-12-04LOAC Essentials Vol. 1:Baron Bean Vol. 11916Baron BeanGeorge Herriman3362013-04-09LOAC Essentials Vol. 2:The Gumps - The Saga of Mary Gold1929The GumpsSidney Smith3442013-09-10LOAC Essentials Vol. 3:Polly and Her Pals1933Polly and Her PalsCliff Sterrett3362014-02-11LOAC Essentials Vol. 4:Alley Oop1939Alley OopV.T. Hamlin3442014-07-15LOAC Essentials Vol. 5:The Bungle Family1930The Bungle FamilyHarry J. Tuthill3442015-02-24LOAC Essentials Vol. 6:Baron Bean Vol. 21917Baron BeanGeorge Herriman3282015-06-30LOAC Essentials Vol. 7:Tarzan of the Apes1929TarzanWriter: Edgar Rice BurroughsArtist(s): Hal Foster, Rex Maxon3362016-08-30LOAC Essentials Vol. 8King Features Essentials 1:Krazy Kat1934Krazy KatGeorge Herriman3362016-10-18LOAC Essentials Vol. 9King Features Essentials 2:Tim Tyler's Luck1933Tim Tyler's LuckLyman Young, Alex Raymond3962017-04-18LOAC Essentials Vol. 10:Dan Dunn - Secret Operative 481933Dan DunnNorman Marsh3442018-03-13LOAC Essentials Vol. 11:"Cap" Stubbs and Tippie1945Cap Stubbs and TippieEdwina Dumm3842018-12-11LOAC Essentials Vol. 12:Baron Bean Vol. 31918Baron BeanGeorge Herriman3442019-08-13LOAC Essentials Vol. 13:Charlie Chan1938Charlie ChanAlfred Andriola3442019-12-17LOAC Essentials Vol. 14:Barney Google1928Barney GoogleBilly DeBeck352
Factual, historical and biographical titles