Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- [193-]-[199-] (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
tbd
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
George James Morley was born in Ontario in 1927 and operated a retail appliance store in Toronto. After moving to Calgary with his family, Morley became involved with a wide variety of volunteer organizations that complemented his broad range of interests. He had strong interests in Canadian war history and was the founding president of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society, the past president of the N.W.M.P. Commemorative Association, and the director for The Red Coat Puppet Theatre; Morley authored the production “Westward Ride the Red Coats” that was performed in many Alberta schools.
Morley had a passion for comic art. His personal collection, that he began accumulating in the 1940s, includes clippings, comic books, and reference books, reference files on comic art and artists, and original artwork. Morley’s interest in war history is reflected in many of the strips he collected including G-8 and His Battle Aces, Navy Bob Steele, Flyin’ Jenny, and Captain Easy. He was also the founder and publisher of Strip Scene, a fanzine that celebrated the newspaper comic strip with articles, research information and artwork. Strip Scene was first published in 1977 and ran in print form for 25 issues through to 1984; long-time editor Carl Horak continues to maintain Strip Scene as a web presence.
Morley also carried this passion into his volunteer work with Calgary public schools as he worked extensively with students using his love and knowledge of comic art to encourage their own creativity. The George Morley Memorial Scholarship was established in his honour in 2004 to recognize students “with a high level of participation in the arts program."
George Morley died March 5, 2004.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Collection consists of materials that reflect Morley’s life-long passion for comic art and includes an extensive compilation of comic strips from both comic books and newspapers. Morley was also interested in the history of comic art and maintained a series of reference files on artists and comic art subject matters. The collection also consists of ephemera acquired by Morley that celebrates both comic art and popular culture including posters, fabric, and a calendar.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Collection is arranged into the following series:
- Comics
- Reference files - comic art
- Reference files - comic artists
- Reference files - comics
- Ephemera
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Digital content is available
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
See also the extensive reference book collection on comic art and literature and publication, and a collection of “Big Little Books,” four-inch square, one inch thick books that first sold for 15 cents in 1932 and predate the popular “comic book” by one year.