Larry Hama Comic Book Collection
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Date
Creator
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Language of Materials
Abstract
Larry Hama is a cartoonist, illustrator, writer, actor, and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s. This archive represents comic books and other publications spanning 1967 to 2011, with many created by Hama himself. Also represented in the collection are drafting materials for a variety of Hama's creative projects.
(from Asian/Pacific/American Institute, www.apa.nyu.edu/)
Biographical Note
Comic book writer and artist Larry Hama (b. 1949) is the creative force behind comic book titles like G.I. Joe, The 'Nam, and Bucky O'Hare, but his creative influence extends to other titles and fields.
A third generation (sansei) Japanese American, Hama was born in Manhattan and raised in Queens, New York. As a youth, Hama hoped to be a painter and attended Manhattan's High School of Art and Design, where one of his instructors was former Entertaining Comics (EC) artist Bernard Krigstein. Hama's talent was evident from an early age. He was able to sell his first work in comics to a fantasy film magazine, Castle of Frankenstein, when he was only 16 years old. Upon graduation from high school, Hama worked as a catalog illustrator.
From 1969 to 1971 Hama served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam, an experience that would inform much of his creative work. After his discharge, Hama found a job as an assistant at EC, and joined the Basement Workshop, a grassroots activist organization in Chinatown. After leaving EC, Hama joined comic book and commercial artist Neal Adams' Continuity Associates studio. Along with other artists like Ralph Reese, Frank Brunner, and Bernie Wrightson, Hama became part of an inking group, collectively credited as "Crusty Bunkers" and known for their distinctive, rough-hewn style. During his time at Neal Adams' studio, Hama created Bucky O' Hare, a comic character that later went on to have a television cartoon series, a video game and toy line. He became a "penciler" working on titles like Iron Fist, Wulf the Barbarian, Planet of Vampires, and Big Apple Comix.
Hama became an editor at DC Comics in 1977 before joining Marvel as an editor in 1980, where he edited acclaimed titles like Conan and The 'Nam. It was at Marvel that he began writing stories for G.I. Joe. Although the GI Joe series was originally meant as a short-term vehicle for the Hasbro toy line of military action figures, Hama created engaging storylines involving complex characters and details based on his knowledge of Eastern philosophies, martial arts, and military history. G.I. Joe became an unexpected blockbuster hit. In addition to creating an enormous catalog of toys, the title inspired, and continues to inspire, a number of comic book series, television shows, and movies.
Other works to which Hama has made significant contributions as writer or artist include The Nth Man: the Ultimate Ninja; Wolverine; Daredevil; The Punisher War Zone; Moon Knight; Before the Fantastic Four: Ben Grimm and Logan; Savage Tales; Generation X, and Batman. Most recently, Hama has written a new G.I. Joe short series called Barack the Barbarian, a fantasy-parody based on President Barack Obama and other major political figures.
Hama is also an actor and musician. He was the guitarist for the band K-Optics and, in the 1970s, was seen in minor roles on television shows like Saturday Night Live and M*A*S*H. In 1976, he was cast in two roles in Stephen Sondheim's original Broadway production, Pacific Overtures.
Biographical Note adapted from the Asian/Pacific American Archives Survey (https://apa.nyu.edu/survey/)
Arrangement
The collection is organized into the following series:
SERIES I: Comic Books and Periodicals consists of comic books, magazines, and other published materials. It is arranged into the following subseries by comic book series.
Subseries A: G.I. Joe - comics are organized primarily by publisher, and further ordered chronologically by the date of the first holding for each title.
Subseries B: Wolverine - comics are organized primarily by publisher, and further ordered chronologically by the date of the first holding for each title.
Subseries C: Various - organized alphabetically by title.
SERIES II: Drafting Materials and Creative Work consists of original visuals, character dossiers, storyboards, and correspondence. Original order and folder titles have been retained.
Scope and Content
The Larry Hama Comic Book Collection consists largely of comic books and other publications spanning 1967 to 2011. A large portion of this material consists of comics worked on by Hama. In addition to published materials, this collection also contains original drafting material and creative work.
Subjects
Organizations
People
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open to researchers. Please contact the Fales Library and Special Collections, fales.library@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright (or related rights to publicity and privacy) for materials in this collection was not transferred to New York University. Permission to use materials must be secured from the copyright holder. Please contact the Fales Library and Special Collections, fales.library@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596.
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); Larry Hama Comic Book Collection; MSS 337; box number; folder number; Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University Libraries.
About this Guide
Repository
Series I: Comic Books and Periodicals
Subseries A: G.I. Joe
Arrangement note
-Contains G.I. Joe comics -Organized by Publisher (alphabetical), publication date of first holding (chronological), title (alphabetical)
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.1-5), June 1982- December 1982
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.7-10,12), January 1983- June 1983
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.14,16-20), August 1983- February 1984
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.21-26), March 1984- August 1984
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.27-32), September 1984- February 1985
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.33-38), March 1985- August 1985
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.39-44), September 1985- February 1986
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.45-50), March 1986- August 1986
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.51-56), September 1986- February 1987
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.57-62), March 1987- August 1987
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.63-68), September 1987- February 1988
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.69-74), March 1988- August 1988
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.75-80), Septmeber 1988- November 1988
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.81-86), December 1988- May 1989
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.87-88,90-93), June 1989- December 1989
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.94-99), December 1989- April 1990
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.100-105), May 1990- October 1990
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.106-111), November 1990- April 1991
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.112-117), May 1991- October 1991
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.118-123), November 1991- April 1992
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.124-129), May 1992- October 1992
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.130-135), November 1992- April 1993
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.136-141), May 1993- October 1993
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.142-147), November 1993- April 1994
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.148-153), May 1994- October 1994
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (vol.1, no.154-155)
G.I. Joe Yearbook (1-2), March 1985- March 1986
G.I. Joe Yearbook (3-4), March 1987- February 1988
G.I. Joe: Special Missions (vol.1, no.1-6), October 1986- August 1987
G.I. Joe: Special Missions (vol.1, no.7-12), October 1987- August 1988
G.I. Joe: Special Missions (vol.1, no.13-18), September 1988- February 1989
G.I. Joe: Special Missions (vol.1, no.19-24), March 1989- August 1989
G.I. Joe: Special Missions (vol.1, no.25-28), September 1989- December 1989
G. I. Joe: European Missions (Action Force) (3,6,10), August 1988- March 1989
Tales of G.I. Joe (11,13,15), November 1988- March 1989
G.I. Joe: Frontline (1), 2002
G.I. Joe: Frontline (2), 2002
G.I. Joe: Frontline (3), 2002
G.I. Joe: Frontline (4), 2002
G.I. Joe: Battle Files (1-3), 2002
G.I. Joe: American Elite (vol. II, issue 0), June 2005
G.I. Joe: Declassified (1-2), June 2006- August 2006
G.I. Joe: Declassified (3), October 2006
G.I. Joe: Special Missions Antarctica, December 2006
G.I. Joe (0,1), October 2008- January 2009
G.I. Joe Volume 1, July 2009
G.I. Joe: Origins (1), February 2009
G.I. Joe: Origins (2), March 2009
G.I. Joe: Origins (3), April 2009
G.I. Joe: Origins (4), May 2009
G.I. Joe: Origins (5), June 2009
G.I. Joe: Origins (8), October 2009
G.I. Joe: Origins (8), October 2009
G.I. Joe: Origins (9), November 2009
G.I. Joe: Origins (10), December 2009
G.I. Joe: Origins (19), September 2010
G.I. Joe: Origins (IDW Incentive) (19), July 2010
G.I. Joe: Origins (Volume 1), September 2009
G.I. Joe: Origins (Volume 2), March 2010
G.I. Joe: Origins (Volume 4), January 2011
Classic G.I. Joe (Volume 2), March 2009
Classic G.I. Joe (Volume 2), March 2009
Classic G.I. Joe (Volume 4), July 2009
Classic G.I. Joe (Volume 4), July 2009
Classic G.I. Joe (Volume 5), September 2009
Classic G.I. Joe (Volume 5), September 2009
Classic G.I. Joe (Volume 6), December 2009
Classic G.I. Joe (Volume 7), February 2010
Classic G.I. Joe (Volume 8), May 2010
Classic G.I. Joe (Volume 8), May 2010
Classic G.I. Joe (Volume 9), August 2010
Classic G.I. Joe (Volume 10), December 2010
Classic G.I. Joe (Volume 10), December 2010
Classic G.I. Joe (Volume 11), March 2011
G.I. Joe Best of: Duke, June 2009
G.I. Joe Best of: Hawk, May 2009
G.I. Joe Best of: Scarlett, August 2010
G.I. Joe Best of: Snake Eyes, July 2009
G.I. Joe Worst of: Baroness, January 2010
G.I. Joe Worst of: Baroness, January 2010
G.I. Joe Worst of: Destro, June 2009
G.I. Joe Worst of: Destro, June 2009
G.I. Joe Worst of: Storm Shadow, July 2009
G.I. Joe Special Missions (Volume 1), June 2010
G.I. Joe Special Missions (Volume 2), October 2010
G.I. Joe Special Missions (Volume 3), January 2011
G.I. Joe Special Missions (Volume 3), January 2011
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (156), July 2010
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (157), August 2010
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (158), September 2010
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (159), October 2010
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (160), November 2010
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (161), December 2010
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (162), January 2011
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (163), February 2011
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (164), March 2011
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (165), April 2011
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! (166), May 2011
G.I. Joe vs. Cobra (G.I. Joe Convention), 2008, 2011
G.I. Joe: Canadian Convention Edition, 2010
G.I. Joe: Collector's Club Magazine (May 2010, August 2010, September 2010, February 2011), May 2010- February 2011
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero 25th Anniversary (4-6,11-12), 2008
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra: Mission Dossier, 2009
Subseries B: Wolverine
Arrangement note
- Contains: Wolverine and X-Men/ Wolverine and X-Men related - Organized: Publisher (Alphabetical), publication date of first holding (chronological), Title (alphabetical) -
Wolverine (vol.1, no.4), December 1982
The Uncanny X-Men (vol.1, no.175)
The X-Men Annual (vol.1, no.7), 1983
X-Men Unlimited (vol.1, no.9), December 1985
Wolverine, 1987
Wolverine (1,6-10), November 1988- August 1989
Wolverine (11-16), Early September 1989- Mid November 1989
Wolverine (17-19,21,23-24), November 1989- May 1990
Wolverine (25-26,30,32-33), June 1990- November 1990
Wolverine (34-39), December 1990- May 1991
Wolverine (40-45), June 1991- September 1991
Wolverine (46-50), September 1991- January 1992
Wolverine (51-55), February 1992- June 1992
Wolverine (56-57,60-62,64), July 1992- December 1992
Wolverine (66-67,70-71), February 1993- July 1993
Wolverine (72-77), August 1993- January 1994
Wolverine (78-83), February 1994- July 1994
Wolverine (84-88,91), August 1994- July 1995
Wolverine (92-97), August 1995- January 1996
Wolverine (98-100,102-103), February 1996- July 1996
Wolverine (104-108), August 1996- December 1996
Wolverine (109-111), January 1997- March 1997
Wolverine (112-114), April 1997- June 1997
Wolverine (115-117), August 1997- October 1997
Wolverine (118,121), November 1997- February 1998
The Wolverine Saga (vol.1, no.1-4), September 1989- Mid December 1989
What If...? (vol.1, no.7), December 1989
Marvel Comics Presents (vol.1, no.39,88-89,136-137), January 1990- Late September 1993
The New Mutants (vol.1, no.94), October 1990
Wolverine Annual 2: Bloodlust, 1990
Lobezno (39) [Spanish], 1992
Marvel Collector's Edition Presents: Wolverine (1), 1992
Wolverine: Inner Fury, 1992
X-Men Survival Guide to the Mansion (vol.1, no.1), August 1993
X-Men Anniversary Magazine (vol.1, no.1), September 1993
Wolverine and the Punisher: Damaging Evidence (No.1), October 1993
Wolverine: Blood Hungry, 1993
Wolverine: Killing, 1993
Weapon X, April 1994
Wolverine: Evilution, 1994
Wolverine '89, January 1995
Weapon X (vol.1, no.1-4), March 1995- June 1995
Wolverine vs. Spider-Man, March 1995
Wolverine '96, October 1995
Lobenzo (vol. II, no. 5) [Spanish], 1995
Wolverine (1,8) [German], 1995
Wolverine '95 (vol.1, no.1), 1995
Logan: Path of the Warlord (vol.1, no.1), February 1996
X-Men '96, November 1996
Wolverine Encyclopedia (vol. 1-2), November 1996- December 1996
Team X/ Team 7, 1996
Maverick (vol.1, no.1), January 1997
Ballistic/ Wolverine (vol.1, #1), February 1997
Wolverine Flashback (vol.1, no.1), July 1997
X-Men (vol.1, no.68), October 1997
Generation X (vol.1, no.33-38), December 1997- May 1998
Marvel Chillers: The Thing in the Glass Case, 1997
Generation X (vol.1, no.39-42,46-47), June 1998- January 1999
J2 (vol.1, no.5), February 1999
Wild Thing (vol.1, no. 1-5), October 1999- February 2000
Before the Fantastic Four: Ben Grimm and Logan (vol.1, no.1-3), July 2000- September 2000
Wolverine Legends Vol. 6: Marc Silvestri Book 1, 2004
X-Men: Age of Apocalypse One Shot (1), May 2005
Wolverine: Saudade, 2008
X-Men: The Complete Onslaught Epic Book 2, 2008
Deathblow/ Wolverine (1) [Canadian], September 1996
Dolmen (9-10) [Spanish], August/ September 1996- Noviembre 1996
Subseries C: Various
Arrangement note
- Contains miscellaneous comics-- both related to Hama in some capacity, as well as some in his personal collection - Organized by title (alphabetically), and by vol/ date of publication of first holding