The University of Tennessee Libraries has acquired the papers of critically acclaimed cartoonist and distinguished UT alum (Knoxville ’85) Paige Braddock.
The Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives now holds an ample collection of black-and-white pen-and-ink drawings, cover art, watercolors, print proofs, and thousands of original pen-and-pencil panel drawings, covering Braddock’s work from the early days of her career through 2018.
The majority of the artwork now in the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives pertains to Braddock’s award-nominated comic strip, Jane’s World. The comic strip, which featured a young gay woman living in a trailer with her roommate, pushed the boundaries of comic-book storylines when it appeared on the web in 1998. In 2001, Jane’s World became the first gay-themed comic to receive online distribution by a national media syndicate in the United States.
The UT Library is rightfully proud of its acquisition.