In September 2008, MU Libraries celebrated the 75th anniversary of the syndication of the comic strip Alley Oop with an exhibition drawing from the libraries' V.T. Hamlin and Comic Art Collections, which are permanently housed in the Special Collections at Ellis Library. The exhibit explored the evolution of the strip, as well as its place in the history of the comic art medium and American culture. Personal photographs, correspondence, original artwork, daily and Sunday strips, books and various other ephemera were on display. Events around the exhibition included an opening reception with Jack and Carole Bender, the current artists of Alley Oop; talks by local literary and art historians; a panel of young cartoonists from St. Louis and Chicago; a screening of Max Allan Collins' documentary Caveman: V.T. Hamlin and Alley Oop; and a talk by legendary underground cartoonist and MU Professor Emeritus of Art Frank Stack.

This digital exhibit is inspired by that exhibition and includes all of the items featured in the physical exhibit, plus some additional artifacts. Video of all of the events are available for viewing online as well.

Both of the exhibits were curated by Katie Carr, with assistance from Anselm Huelsbergen, Karen Witt, Shannon Cary, and the staff of the SCARaB Department. The video was recorded by J. B. Winter. 

In 2021, the 2008 version of the digital exhibition was revised, updated, and reconstructed in the Omeka content management system by Kelli Hansen. The original version of the exhibit can be viewed in the Internet Archive.