Paper records consist of original copy of some articles, legal files, miscellaneous administrative files, and unsolicited manuscripts, with some original artwork. The bulk of the collection is photographs used in music, drama, dance, neighborhood news, columns, and feature articles. Because of its large size, Individual works of various artists commissioned by the Chicago Reader as cover art, or to illustrate features, news articles and columns. The collection contains original pen and ink drawings, charcoal drawings, paintings, and computer-generated images by local, regional and nationally known artists and illustrators. Works were published as cover art or to illustrate feature stories or columns. Included in the collection are multiple small drawings and cartoons by Slug Signorino, illustrator of the nationally syndicated question and answer column The Straight Dope since 1975, early pen and ink drawings by innovative comic artist Gary Panter, and illustrations by Chicago musician and artist Archer Prewitt. Original copy of articles and some columns; legal files pertaining to articles which involved litigation of some kind; miscellaneous administrative materials, including files of editor Nancy Banks, letters to the editor, and letters to the Straight Dope column; layout and paste-up spreads; and unsolicited manuscripts. Photographs used to accompany front page and other feature stories in the Chicago Reader, as well as the columns Calendar, Hot Type, Neighborhood News, Our Town, TheWorks, and Chicago Anti-Social. There is considerable overlap between the two series of photographs. There are also some miscellaneous staff photographs, and various photographs organized by general subject matter and photographer.The Chicago Reader employed many photographers over the years whose work is represented in this collection, among them Mireya Acierto, Eric Futran, Nathan Mandell, Jim Newberry, Marty Perez, Marc PoKempner, Bruce Powell, Kathy Richland, Mike Tappin, and Randy Tunnell. Publicity and live photographs of Midwest area dance, drama, comedy, and music performers and performances from the files of the Chicago Reader weekly newspaper.Dance and drama photographs include those of small and large theatre groups and companies, spaces, and productions, as well as actors, comedy troups, and performance artists. Music photos encompass the many genres present in the Chicago and Midwest music scenes including blues, jazz, R & B, rock, folk, cabaret, and country.
