Administrative Information
Access Restrictions: Open for research.
Preferred Citation: Jack Jackson Papers, Southwestern Writers Collection, Texas State University-San Marcos
Acquisition Information: Gift of Jack Jackson, Accession #1996-044
Processing Information: Processed by Alexis Castro, Maggie DeBrecht, Kathy Faz, and Aimee Jameson, 2009.
Notes to Researchers
Additional Jack Jackson artwork within the Wittliff Collections is located in the Oat Willies Collection and the Tom Wilmore Poster Collection.
The following repositories house additional Jackson collections:
The Soap Creek Saloon Archives, The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.
Comic Art Collection, Special Collections Division, Michigan State University Library
Biographical Note
Jack Jackson (b. May 15, 1941, d. June 8, 2006) was a writer and illustrator born in Pandora, Texas. While attending The University of Texas as an accounting major, he worked on the school humor magazine, Texas Ranger. After being fired from the Ranger in 1964, Jackson is credited with creating the first underground comic, “God Nose.” He moved to San Francisco in 1966 for the art scene and, in 1969, co-founded one of the first underground comic publishers, “Rip off Press,” which published works such as R. Crumb’s Comix and Stories.
In the late 1970s, Jackson returned to Texas and shifted from underground comics to works on Texas and Native American history as an illustrator, writer, and creator. He began with the historical graphic novel Comanche Moon in 1979, which was a biography of Quanah Parker. Jackson then transitioned into non-comics history with his work Los Mesteños: Spanish Ranching in Texas. Los Mesteños was very well received and Jackson moved on to works such as Imaginary Kingdom: Texas as Seen by the Rivera and Rubi Military Expeditions, 1727 and 1767.
Jackson remained a vital part of the Austin art scene throughout his life, even illustrating Threadgill’s: The Cookbook, in 1996. He was the first artist featured at the South Austin Museum of Popular Culture when it opened to the public in 2004. Jackson received many honors, including being made a Lifetime Fellow of the Texas State Historical Association and inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters.
Jackson, also known under the pseudonym Jaxon, donated this collection to the Southwestern Writers Collection in 1996.
Scope and Contents Note
The papers of artist and writer, Jack Jackson span 1977 to 1995 and measure 12.5 linear feet. The collection is arranged into the following seven series: Biographical Material; Novels by Jack Jackson; Comics/Graphic Novels by Jackson; Dark Horse; Artwork; Novels by Others; and Maps. The bulk of the collection documents Jackson’s career as an illustrator and author for graphic novels and historical fiction.
The collection contains a small amount of biographical materials such as personal correspondence and newspaper articles written and collected by Jack Jackson. Jackson’s publishing career is represented by correspondence, research materials, proofs, and drafts of the following novels: Charting the Gulf, Imaginary Kingdom, the Karpinski Guide, Shooting the Sun and Tejano Journey. Comics by Jack Jackson are arranged alphabetically and include research materials, sketches and drafts, and copies of fourteen comics/graphic novels such as “Balto the Cosmic Slug,” “Camino Real,” “Columbus,” “Dead in the West,” and “The Last of the Mohicans.”
The Dark Horse series documents Jackson’s relationship with the publishing company and contains business correspondence, receipts, and publishing agreements for “Last of the Mohicans” and “Columbus.” The Novels by Other series includes novels, some of which are by William C. Foster, with which Jackson edited and collaborated. The artwork series contains posters for “Comanche Moon,” negatives of miscellaneous artwork, and miscellaneous artwork for title pages. The final series contains a collection of a few maps used for research or inclusion in novels.
Jack Jackson’s entire literary and artistic career is not represented in the collection, however, the research materials, proofs, and dated drafts of novels created by Jackson and the collection of posters, advertisements, drafts and sketches of comics in the artwork series and comics/graphic novels by Jack Jackson series demonstrate his talent as a successful writer and artist, as well as his literary focus and interest. Research material and other creative writing process elements are not evident in all series/works and researchers should be aware that some materials are in Spanish.
Series Descriptions
Series I: Biographical Material, 1979-1995
Box 20
The bulk of this series is newspaper clippings written by or about Jack Jackson. Also included are flyers for a Jackson family reunion.
Series II: Novels by Jack Jackson, 1991-1995 and undated
Boxes 1-14, 20, 22
This series contains materials related to novels written by Jack Jackson including Charting the Gulf, Karpinski Guide, Imaginary Kingdom, and Shooting the Sun. Some of the material in this series includes research material (some in Spanish), drafts, proofs, and maps. The series is arranged alphabetically by novel and then according to the type and date of the material. Some of the material for this series has been separated into oversized boxes.
Series III: Comics, 1977, 1991-1993 and undated
Boxes 14, 20
This series contains comics and graphic novels Jackson was associated with. Some of the comics are individual comic strips that would have been printed in newspapers while other comics are comic books or graphic novels published by Dark Horse. Some of the works included in this series are “Columbus,” “Last of the Mohicans,” “Camino Real,” “Dead in the West,” and “The Rise and Decline of Austintatious.” Material in this series ranges from drafts, full comic strips or comic books, untitled or miscellaneous comic strips, research material, and artwork sketches.
Series IV: Dark Horse, 1991-1994
Box 14 and 15
This series includes business material related to the comic book publisher, Dark Horse. Some of the material in this series includes invoices, correspondence, shipping material, and publishing agreements. The material in this collection is arranged according to the type of material.
Series V: Artwork
Box 21
This series includes advertisements, concert posters, and other artwork created by Jackson. Also included is artwork in which the creator is unknown. The material is arranged according to the creative purpose, so advertisements are arranged separately from concert posters.
Series VI: Novels by Others, 1989, 1991-1995, and undated
Boxes 15-19
This series includes novels written by other authors with which Jackson collaborated. There are two full length novels by William Foster as well as partial drafts which were sent to Jackson for collaboration and editing. The material in this series is arranged alphabetically by author.
Series VII: Maps
Box 21, Mapcase
This series includes various negatives of maps as well as a large map called “Austin’s Colony, the Cradle of Modern Texas, 1821-1836.”
Container List
Box Folder
Series I: Biographical Material, 1979-1995
20 1 Newspaper articles and clippings about Jack Jackson, November 18, 1979 to June
30, 1995.
20 2 Newspaper articles and comics by Jack Jackson, September 4, 1981 to October
11, 1991.
20 3 Flyers of the Solomon B. Jackson family reunion, with information about reunion
written by Jack Jackson.
Series II: Novels by Jack Jackson, 1991-1995
Charting the Gulf, 1991-1994, undated
1 1 Publishing Announcements. Sloan and Vinson envelope containing
drafts of an announcement. Book Club of Texas announcement draft.
Drafts, 1991-1994, undated
1 2 Draft undated. Handwritten and typed bibliography with
handwritten notes and changes. 24 pages total.
1 3 Draft undated. Typed with notes and changes. Part I pages 1-74.
Part II pages 1-52. (Handwritten numbered 1-127).
1 4 Endnotes and miscellaneous. Pages 128-206.
1 5 - 6 Draft undated. Typed with few changes. No page numbers.
1 7 - 8 Draft undated. Typed dot-matrix with notes and changes. No page
numbers.
1 9 Draft undated. Typed endnotes with handwritten notes and
changes. No page numbers.
2 1 Draft undated. Handwritten draft with changes and notes. Includes
miscellaneous notes. Part I pages 1-72. Part II pages 1-18.
20 4-5 Unbound page sections of Charting the Gulf.
2 2 Draft 1991. Copy of handwritten draft with notes and changes.
Includes Devin Map Appendix and letter from Jackson to the editor. Part I pages 1-73. Part II pages 1-38.
2 3 Draft 1991. Typed with handwritten notes and changes. Part I
pages1-74. Part II pages 1-52.
2 4-6 Draft 1992. Typed with handwritten notes and changes.
Includes floppy discs. Includes extra bibliographic information Pages 1- 250.
2 7 Galley March 1993. Unbound with handwritten notes and changes.
3 1 Galley May 1993. Unbound, typed with handwritten notes and
changes.
3 2 Galley June 1993. Unbound, typed with no notes or changes.
3 3 Galley 1994. Bound, typed with no notes or changes. A separate
handwritten note is included.
Imaginary Kingdom, 1992-1995, undated
Research Material, 1992-1993, undated
3 4 Photocopies of Rubi diaries in Spanish- undated.
3 5 Rubi diary translations- undated.
3 6 Draft of Spanish D. Pedro de Rivera diary documents A- E and
conclusion- undated.
3 7 Draft of Spanish copy of Rivera diary. Bound with note “Spanish
(couldn’t use in Imaginary K.).”- undated.
4 1 Multiple drafts of translation of Pedro de Rivera diary, some with
editing marks- October 14, 1992.
4 2 Multiple copies of translation of the Pedro de Rivera diary, with
editing marks- October 29, 1992 and November 30,
1992.
4 3 Rubi diary translation with editing marks- dated December
26, 1992. Also includes notebook paper with notes- October 6, 1993.
4 4 Rivera diary translation- Document A- December 28, 1992,
Document A Rivera diary in Spanish- February 17, 1993, translations with editing marks and Spanish version- April 30, 1993.
4 5 Rubi diary draft with note “Spanish with David’s editing”-
March 13, 1993, Document B in Spanish- July 9, 1993, Document D in Spanish.
4 6 Translation of Rubi Diary with note “Final Edited Rubi Diary
Translation”- March 13, 1993, Spanish draft of Rubi diary, Rivera footnotes with editing marks- August1, 1993.
5 1 Drafts of Rubi diary with a sticky note- May 27, 1993.
5 2 Handwritten proposal- undated.
Drafts, 1993-1994, undated
5 3 Draft- Document C Spanish, Document D translated few editing
marks, Rubi Document E translated with few editing marks, “The Cartographic Record of the Rubi Inspection.”- undated.
5 4 Draft- “The Rivera and Rubi Diaries,” originally bound with
editing marks and notes- undated.
5 5-6 Draft- Preface, Document A translated and in Spanish, Document
B translated, “Cartographic Record of the Rivera Inspection,” “An Assessment of the Rivera Inspection,” “Part II: The Rubi Inspection,” Document C- undated.
5 7-8 Draft- Part II: The Rubi Inspection. Includes historical background,
undated draft with Rubi footnotes, Document E, and endnotes- undated.
6 1 Draft- Part II: The Rubi Inspection, continued- undated.
6 2-3 Draft with note “R & R Duplicate with Notes Odds ‘n ends”
undated.
6 4-5 “The Rivera and Rubi Diaries” with note “as submitted to UT, with
map chapters pulled…” also includes “Nueva Estremadura or Coahuila”- undated.
6 6 “The Rivera and Rubi Diaries” with note “returned by Frankie
Westbrook UT Press”- March 15, 1993.
6 7 “The Rivera and Rubi Diaries” draft with note “early draft of my
chapters”- March 15, 1993, with written notes on piece of notebook paper.
6 8 Draft- June 28, 1993 with note “R & R working copy: intros/
assess. / notes,” typed and handwritten pages. Document B with editing marks.
7 1-3 Imaginary Kingdom draft- December 1, 1994.
Proofs, 1995
7 4 Incomplete proof, includes introduction, and partial of Part I: The
Rivera Inspection- February 21, 1995.
7 5-6 Corrected setting copy with copies of related correspondence, with
note “samples of ‘final’ type face”- May 9, 1995.
7 7 Imaginary Kingdom proof- August 4-11, 1995.
8 1 Imaginary Kingdom proof- continued.
Karpinski Guide, 1995, undated
Correspondence, 1995
8 2 Correspondence, between Jackson and others regarding the
publication of the Karpinski Guide. January 1995-May 1995.
Research Material, undated
Handwritten note cards of historical maps (Also
used as research for Charting the Gulf).
8 3 Dated 1600-1708.
8 4 Dated 1710-1729.
8 5 Dated 1730-1769.
8 6 Dated 1770-1884.
Drafts, 1995, undated
8 7 Draft undated. Typed with corrections and handwritten notes
regarding placement of maps. Pages 1-184.
9 1 Draft undated. Handwritten, including citation pages. 24 pages
total.
9 2-3 Draft Undated. Typed with handwritten changes and
notations. Pages 1-199.
9 4 Draft 1995. Typed draft with handwritten changes and notations.
Includes note from publisher regarding draft.
9 5 Corrected Master Copy. Typed with no changes. Pages 1-186.
Shooting the Sun, 1993-1995, undated
Maps, undated
9 6 Approximately 115 maps for approximately 80 pages containing
bound pages of maps to be reproduced in Shooting the Sun, including notations regarding whether they will be utilized, revisions, and placement within the Shooting the Sun draft.
Drafts, 1993-1995, undated
9 7 Partial, undated draft containing revisions and edits and including
pages 483-592, which consists of citation notes for each chapter in Shooting the Sun.
10 1-3 Complete, undated, unbound draft of Shooting the Sun including
pages 1-412 and also including no edits or revisions.
10 4 Partial, typed draft- 1993, Incldues chapter 12, pages 344-358.
10 5-6 Complete, handwritten draft- 1993, pages 1-406.
11 1-2 Typed draft- 1993, containing pages 1-333 and including
some handwritten revisions.
11 3 Typed, partial sections from Shooting the Sun- 1994. Includes handwritten
revisions, a note, and a handwritten poem on the back of the notebook paper by an unidentified author.
11 4-5 Beginning section of a typed draft-1994, including pages 1
360 and containing handwritten revisions and edits, some of which are written on notebook paper.
12 1 Final portion of a typed draft- 1994, including handwritten
revisions and edits, some of which are written on notebook paper.
12 2-5 Typed, complete draft-1994, including pages 1-576 and
containing handwritten revision; Draft also includes maps
and citation notes.
12 6 Typed partial draft-1995, including pages 483-592, and
consisting of citation notes for each chapter with revisions.
13 1 Undated, handwritten draft of Shooting the Sun Map List with
notes regarding the maps to be included in Shooting the Sun.
13 2 Typed, undated, and unedited copy of Shooting the Sun Map List
with notes regarding the maps for Shooting the Sun.
13 3 Typed, undated copy of Shooting the Sun Map List, including
pages 7-146, containing revisions, and regarding maps to
be included in Shooting the Sun.
13 4 Typed copy of Shooting the Sun Map List, dated 1995, including
pages 1-125 and containing revisions and notes on the
typed copy as well as included in the draft on notebook paper.
Box Folder
Series II: Novels by Jack Jackson, continued
Tejano Journey, 1995, undated
Research Material, undated
13 5 Copies of typed Spanish material from Bancroft Library. “Sevilla.”
13 6 Copies of typed Spanish material from Center for American History.
Includes handwritten notes. Also contains transcribed Spanish typed copies and one typed English copy with no changes and another with handwritten changes. “Sevilla.”
13 7 Copy of original handwritten Spanish language material,
“Coahuyla.” Typed transcription of handwritten Spanish work, “Coahuyla.” Typed English copy of same work with handwritten notes.
Drafts, 1995
14 1-2 Drafts, 1995. Typed with handwritten notes. Pages 1-270.
Untitled Works, undated
21 1 Research materials for what seems to be an unfinished novel –
undated.
Series III: Comics/ Graphic Novels by Jack Jackson, 1977-1993, undated
Balto the Cosmic Slug, undated
14 3 Multiple copies of the same artwork for “Balto the Cosmic Slug” including one piece of artwork with the title frame for “Balto the
Cosmic Slug.”
Camino Real, undated
14 4 Folder with a handwritten label that says “Camino Real Comics”; Unbound, incomplete draft of “Camino Real Comics”; Memos dated
October 9, 1991 and October 16, 1991; Typed text for “Camino Real
Comics”; Two drafts of handwritten text for the comic strip; Maps and a newspaper article about the Camino Real; Mockup page; Artwork for “Camino Real Comics.”
20 6 Incomplete comics with handwritten notes.
Box Folder
Series III: Comics/ Graphic Novels by Jack Jackson, continued
The Capture of His Mother, undated
21 2 Print of partial comic strip – undated.
Chewin’ and Spittin’ at the General Store, undated
14 5 5 copies of a single page comic called “Chewin’ and Spittin’ at the General Store.
The Colt Revolver and the Texas Rangers, undated
14 6 A single paged comic called “The Colt Revolver and the Texas
Rangers.”
Columbus, 1992, undated
14 7 1 bound copy of “Columbus” comic book; Advertisement for
comic books, including “Columbus;” Handwritten text captions for “Columbus;” Typed text for “Columbus.”
14 8 Pen and ink drawing of a tree; Hand drawn draft of art frames with
two drafts of text for “Columbus” included in a bound draft of typed text for “Columbus” with drawings of storyboards.
14 9 Research material for “Columbus” including newspaper articles
and magazines; Artwork sketches for “Columbus;” Folder with a handwritten label that says “Ships etc. Columbus.”
20 7 Sketches and drafts of “Columbus” comics.
Cozmic Cowboy, undated
14 10 Newspaper clippings for “Cozmic Cowboy;” Copied pages of
artwork for “Cozmic Cowboy.”
Dead in the West, 1993
14 11 2 volumes of bound “Dead in the West” comic books; Front and
back pages for “Dead in the West” comic book;
Handwritten notebook pages with drawn storyboard sketches.
Freddy the Barbarian, undated
20 8 “Freddy the Barbarian” comics. Incomplete with handwritten notes.
The Good Life, 1990
22 3 Two copies of “The Good Life” comic strip, one dated April 1990.
Published in Graphic Story Monthly.
Great Moments in Austin Music at Houston Prices, undated
14 12 6 copies of a single paged comic strip called “Great Moments in Austin Music at Houston Prices.”
The Last of the Mohicans, 1991-1992
20 9 “The Last of the Mohicans” Dark Horse, published 1991-
1992 copies and oversized copies of comics. Includes color poster.
Possum on a Stick, 1990
21 4 Two copies of “Possum on a Stick,” one dated June 1990. Published in
Graphic Story Monthly.
The Rise and Decline of Austintatious, 1977
14 13 Newspaper clippings from the Texas Sun with a cartoon history of Austin.
The Savage Within, 1990
21 5 Two copies of “The Savage Within,” one dated May 1990. Published in
Graphic Story Monthly.
Sutherly Breeze, undated
14 14 Single frame comic by another artist with a note that says “Sutherly
Breeze;” 2 copies of a one-page comic strip, “Sutherly Breeze.”
Untitled, undated
14 15 Unbound pages from an unknown comic book; Handwritten text and
notes.
Willie Nelson 4th of July Picnic, undated
14 16 Newspaper clippings of a comic called “You Gotta Have a Lotta
Soul..to Attend a Willie Nelson 4th of July Picnic.”
Series IV: Dark Horse, 1991-1994, undated
14 17 Correspondence. Miscellaneous incoming and outgoing letters
between Jackson and others, including Dark Horse. Ordered chronologically from December 19,1991 to January 18, 1994 and regarding Dark Horse publications.
15 1 Receipts. Contains FedEx shipping labels April 28, 1992 to
February 17, 1994. Work Vouchers February 27, 1992 to February 10, 1994.Royalty letters and invoices October 15, 1992 to December 31, 1993. All ordered chronologically.
15 2 Publishing Agreements. Signed by Jackson and others. Not
ordered, most without dates.
Series V: Artwork, undated
21 7 Miscellaneous artwork negatives – undated.
21 8 Advertisements – undated.
21 9 Artwork for a “Comanche Moon” poster – undated.
21 10 Miscellaneous Artwork with Jackson as the creator – undated.
21 11 Miscellaneous artwork for various title pages – undated.
21 12 Miscellaneous artwork with unknown creator – undated.
Series VI: Novels by Others, 1991-1993, undated
The 1693 Expedition of Gregorio de Salinas Varona to Sustain the Missionaries
among the Tejas Indians, 1991 – 1993, undated
Research Material, undated
15 3 Photocopy of Captain Gregoria de Salinas Varona diary, May 3,
1693-July 17, 1693. Translation of Captain Salinas’ diary –
undated.
15 4 March 3, 1693. Draft of translation of Captain Salinas’s Service Record
from Archivo General de Indias dated May 12, 1725, pages 1 -5
with editing marks. Photocopy of Captain Salinas’ service record – undated with handwritten notes with an additional copy attached. Typed translation of Captain Salinas’ expedition diary with handwritten notes, diary entry dates unknown. 5 pages of handwritten notes – miscellaneous. Photocopy of Captain Salinas’ diary entry, pages 1- 145, entry dates unknown.
15 5 Translation of Captain Salinas’ diary entries, Pages 1 -39, diary entry
dates unknown with editing marks. Typed translation of Captain Salinas’ diary Foster with editing marks and note on front page, “Sent to Bill 7/29/92 with edited diary.” Typed notes for manuscript – undated with editing marks.
15 6 Photocopy of “Texas Documentary History” Volume 1 (#2176), pages
249-286, with note on front page “from L.C., sent by William Foster - undated. Photocopy of Rubi Diary from the Thorn Family Spanish Colonial Documents Collection, 1741-1776 at the Austin History Center, random pagination..
16 1 - 2 Photocopy of diary from unknown source – diary entry dates unknown
with sticky note attached, “Cornide Dictamen” and “Rubi Informes” and “Rubi Dictamen”.
16 3 Photocopy of La Fora Diary – diary entry dates unknown.
16 4 Photocopy of Solis Diary – diary entry dates unknown.
16 5 - 6 Photocopy of Calif. Diary – diary entry dates unknown with sticky
note, “militias”.
Drafts, 1992-1993, undated
17 1 Undated draft. Translation by Ned F. Brierley, edited by William Foster.
17 2 Undated partial draft, random pagination with sticky note on cover and
editing marks. Handwritten comments on 3 pages, dated October
18, 1992.
17 3 Draft dated April 25, 1993 with handwritten note on cover page dated
May 6, 1993 with additional handwritten notes and editing marks throughout..
17 4 Undated Draft with handwritten notes and editing marks.
17 5 Draft dated October 25, 1991 with editor’s handwritten notes and
editing marks.
17 6 Draft dated August 11, 1992. Includes final corrections by editor
with editing marks in red ink. Copy of draft with editing notes and post-it note corrections – undated.
Spanish Expeditions into Texas (1689-1768), 1994- 1995, undated
Research Materials, undated
18 1 - 3 Research materials that accompany Chapters 1 -44 with handwritten
notes including “sections be placed in Table section at end of manuscript.” Bound list of “Indian tribes in the provinces of Coahuila and Texas from 1689-1768,”
pages 1-63.
Draft, undated
18 4 Undated bound draft, Volume I, Chapters I – IV.
18 5 Undated bound draft, Volume II, Chapters V – VIII.
18 6 Undated draft, Volume III, Chapters IX – XIII.
Proof, 1995
19 1-2 Page proofs dated January 7 – 8, 1995, Pages 1-323 unbound with
editing notes.
Untitled Work by R.S. Weddle, 1989
19 3 R.S. Weddle. Large envelope containing typed draft with handwritten
notes and changes. Envelope also has handwritten notes on it. Pages 307-632. 1989.
19 4 Includes endnotes. Chapter 15, pages 1-23, endnotes pages 70-73.
Chapter 16, pages 1-25, endnotes pages 74-79. Chapter 17, pages 1-19, endnotes pages 80-82. 1989.
Series VII: Maps, undated
21 6 Map negatives – undated.
Map case Dr. 9 “Austin’s Colony, the Cradle or Modern Texas, fro
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