Steve Cooper graduated from Rochester Institute of technology in 1966 with a degree in illustration photography. Now, Cooper owns a gallery and framing store in New York City. There he amassed a unique collection of comic books which he recently donated to his alma mater.

If comic book titles like Blondie, Archie, Superman, Dick Tracy, MAD, Popeye, Mighty Mouse, Batman, Lassie or Wonder Woman strike a chord with you, then you can probably name the decade they were popular. Cooper can tell you all about the decade he discovered comic books.

“Of course, Flatbush in the 50's, you had an older brother. We lived in this house and into this house the older brother brought the comic books. I got into science fiction, 'Strange Adventures', 'Adventure into the Unknown' and 'Forbidden Worlds'. At a certain point, when I was around 11, I read a story that blew my mind," Cooper said.

As a child, you never know what casual experience might fundamentally change you. For Cooper, it was the idea that an irritated man could pass through a planet.

"That image changed the way I saw the world, forever," Cooper said.

Decades later, Cooper wondered if he could find a copy of that life-altering comic. He searched antique stores, flea markets and comic shows. Then, as he was about to give up, he found an anthology of stories from 'Strange Adventures.'

“My trembling hand turned the pages and I got to this page and, ‘oh my god!’ There it was! In the upper right hand corner! There is the image."

In Cooper’s hands was one image, from one panel, out of countless science fiction comic books he had seen.

"As soon as I had it in my hands it was like a shock, like a time machine. I was suddenly 11 years old again. I realized, ‘this isn't enough’. I need all the comic books that were around this. I need context." Cooper says.

That began a ten year journey to collect all 202 comic books that were on store shelves and newsstands with the cover date April, 1956.

"As soon as this collection occurred to me, I realized how different it was from the usual. This was like a horizontal window into the popular culture zeitgeist of mid-50's America. This would have great research value.”

The value of the series is estimated at $20,000. For Cooper, it’s not about the money.

"I'm very pleased that now someone doing research on mid 50's popular culture, it's an astounding immersion."

Cooper says the endeavor was difficult and time consuming. He also calls it obvious.

“I lived through it so it has absolute personal nostalgia for me. For sure, my inner child is happy as hell. I got all these books for him that he couldn't get at the time."

‘Frozen in time! The Synchronic Comic Book Collection of Stephen Neil Cooper” will be on display from April 14 through June 6 at the Cary Graphic Arts Collection in the Wallace Center at Rochester Institute of Technology. For more information follow the link below.

Cary Graphic Arts Collection