A Comic Book Museum Exhibition We All Need To Go See

 



Attention Comic Book Fans!!!

 

The Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles has just started up two amazing exhibitions that we all need to go see.  

 

The first exhibition is entitled ZAP! POW! BAM! The Superhero: The Golden Age of Comic Books, 1938–1950.  It is a detailed look at the history and evolution of the comic book superhero from the 1930's to present.

 

Through never-before exhibited art and objects culled from private and institutional collections, ZAP! POW! BAM! The Superhero: The Golden Age of Comic Books, 1938-1950 explores the genesis of cultural icons such as Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman, and Captain America. In the midst of the economic and political turmoil of the 1930s and 1940s, comic books offered America champions who shaped the values of an entire generation. ZAP! POW! BAM! examines the creative processes and influences that drove young Jewish artists to express their talents through the storylines and art of comic books. The exhibition features rare vintage artwork and books, 1940s Hollywood movie serials, and colorful interactive displays including a drawing studio, a newsstand, a vintage Batmobile ride, and stations that allow children to dress up as Superheroes or transform themselves via a quick costume change in a telephone booth. Guest curator Jerry Robinson brings a long history as a comic book industry insider to the exhibition. Working with Batman co-creators Bob Kane and Bill Finger, Robinson named Robin, Batman's young protégé. Robinson also co-created The Joker, Batman's nemesis and one of the first Super-Villains.

 

ORGANIZED BY THE BREMAN MUSEUM, ATLANTA, GA.

 

The second exhibition is entitled Lights, Camera, Action: Comic Book Heroes of Film and Television, and it focuses on the long history between comic books and other mediums such as television and movies.

 

The Skirball has organized an exclusive companion exhibition to ZAP! POW! BAM! that explores the long connection between comic book heroes and the moving image. These characters have been a vital part of American popular culture ever since the first appearance of Superman in Action Comics established the comic book as a viable artistic form. Almost immediately after their rise to prominence in comic books, superheroes transcended their pulpy origins to find expression in theater, music, films, and television. Lights, Camera, Action examines the close relationship and parallel development of the comic book and motion picture industries. Objects on view include the original 1966 Batcycle from the Batman television series on loan from the Petersen Automotive Museum, along with vintage movie posters on loan from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, original comic books on loan from the University of California, Riverside, and movie and television memorabilia.

 

The exhibitions are running from February 19th to August 9th, 2009.  Ticketing information is as follows:

 

Museum admission: $10 General; $7 Seniors and Full-Time Students; $5 Children 2–12; Free to Members and Children under 2; Free to all on Thursdays

 

Your admission price gets you into both exhibitions.  I would be absolutely willing to organize an Official Geek-tastic Trip to the Skirball with any readers that may be interested in joining me as I go to check out what looks to be probably the coolest looking Exhibition I've seen in a long, long time.  If anyone is interested in joining in on such a trip, contact me and let me know.  If I get a couple of seriously interested people, I'll make an official statement regarding the trip.  If not . . . . . well . . . . . then I'll just have to go on my own and will tell you guys all about it.  I'll also speak to the guys and gals over at the GeekRoundTable and see if they'd be interested in going too. 

 

As a comic fan and lover of art in general, it always makes me happy whenever I see something like this that looks at comics like the proper art form they are.  Any chance I can get to support something like this I will do so.  If you're reading this site, chances are you're a kindred spirit and love the art form of comics just as much as I do.  Please, go support this show.  Only when things like this do well will we get to see more great exhibitions like it. 

 

Let's all, as fans, make sure to do our part to go out and support this show and make sure it's as successful as possible.