Marvel superhero exhibit delights all fandom levels
Rounding the first corner of the upcoming Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes exhibit at COSI Columbus, visitors will see an issue of Marvel Comics No. 1 from 1939, featuring the Human Torch and Sub-mariner.
That’s the piece that started the entire Marvel universe.
Around another corner, people can take in the original illustrations done in pen and pencil of Loki’s (Thor’s brother) first appearance in the comics as well as roughly 70 other sketches of key moments in Marvel history.
And around nearly every other corner, Marvel fans will be delighted by a costume worn on screen by one of their favorite superheroes, such as Spiderman or Captain America, not to mention original movie props, such as the mjolnir hammer carried by Chris Hemsworth’s Thor or the famous Walkman from “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
Marvel exhibit displays history, from comic books to movies
The interactive exhibit, which opens Friday, features many of the artifacts that tell the history of Marvel’s Avengers — plus, their villains, sidekicks and other superheroes — all assembled in one place.
Curator Ben Saunders said he wanted to tell three different stories through the massive display he created in 2018, initially for the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle. COSI represents the sixth venue the popular event has visited.
“I wanted to tell story of how Marvel changed the concept of superheroes,” said Saunders, who is a professor of English at the University of Oregon and a comic book expert. “I wanted to tell the story of the company itself, of the little
publisher that could. That is an amazing narrative. And finally, I wanted to tell the fictional story of these delightful characters we all love.”
With more than eight decades of pop culture between that first issue in 1939 and more recent blockbusters, such as “Avengers: Endgame” or “Black Widow,” Saunders said the exhibit is jam-packed with excitement to delight visitors of all ages.
“There’s a way to take in this exhibit that would take five or six hours and another person could take 45 minutes,” Saunders continued. “It’s for the casual fan and for people who are really hardcore fans. It’s really for anyone who would like to know more and who has been drawn into this elaborately complex world.”
Marvel superheroes exhibit helps COSI visitors ‘see the heroes in themselves’
The mass appeal of the subject matter is just one of the many reasons COSI officials are excited about the next few months — the exhibit runs through May 30 – said COSI President and Chief Executive Officer Frederic Bertley.
A big fan of Spider-man, Bertley said the exhibit would be a “blockbuster hit” for them no matter when it came, but the timing now couldn’t be more ideal.
Not only has Marvel championed women and superheroes of color long before the #Metoo and Black Lives Matter movements, Bertley said that because of the hardships of the past two years, people also might need to be reminded about the hero in everyone.
“One of the things that struck me, is the incredible things men and women — our heroes — have done during the pandemic,” Bertley said. “The first responders, doctors, nurses, food deliverers — there’s this whole series of people who have helped. The superheroes from Marvel are human beings just like these men and women.
He continued, “Hopefully, for some people that resonates, and they see the heroes in themselves.”
Indeed, that’s a main theme Saunders wanted to explore.
During periods in the 1950s and ‘60s and even later, comic books were looked at as low-value speech that corrupted youth. They were devoid of art, not considered literature and provided an oversimplification of human emotion.
As a university scholar who not only learned to read with the help of comics but also has made of a career of studying the monumental impacts of the genre, Saunders can’t help but laugh at those notions now.
“They’re full of allegories and people wrestling with what is the right thing to do,” Saunders said. “(The characters) might not know what to do or what the right thing is. The stories are more complex, especially when they do have these extraordinary powers.”
That’s why he believes this subject matter is worthy of such a massive museum exhibit, not only because of superheroes’ immense popularity but also their impact on society as a whole.
And the original drawings (almost all come from never-before-seen private collections), studio-worn gear and kickbutt stories are just plain cool.
Plus, the exhibit also features a nice tribute to Stan Lee, life-size statues of certain superheroes perfect for photo ops, an inspiring soundtrack and even a mirrored room reminiscent of the prismed worlds in “Dr. Strange.”
Working on the set up at COSI, which took roughly 25 people three weeks to complete, has been a dream for Joey Arielle, exhibit fabricator at the museum.
“I’ve been screaming internally constantly,” the avid Marvel fan said. “We got to see things before they were behind glass.”
Arielle said that it’s been awesome to see just how orange Peter Quill’s leather jacket is in real life or how intricate the detailing on Captain America’s suit is.
“People are going to love it,” Arielle said. “They’re absolutely going to love it.” award@dispatch.com @Allisonaward