Part 2: 'ZAP! POW! BAM! The Superhero: The Golden Age of Comic Books, 1938-1950' 

PLUS  'Lights, Camera, Action - Comic Book Heroes Of Film and Television'!

Note From Make It So Marketing: Michael first set up as a dealer at the 1972 San Diego's West Coast Comic Con. To the left is a photo of Michael, Howard & Tina at the Skirball February 2009. Click that photo to see 'Our Current World Of Pop Culture'!                   Each comic / comics book. Graphic Novels or magazine in our eBay Featured Store is individually graded by Michael, inventoried, priced, bagged and boarded, before being listed for sale!

Part 1: The ZAP! POW! BAM! Exhibit 

Parking was free, actual admission to the center itself was free, you can view Audrey's Museum Store and go to lunch at Ziedler's Cafe without paying an admission fee.  However, there is an admission charge to view the exhibits.  While you are still at the lobby area be sure to sign up for the docent tour that is held at 2:30 PM.

We decided to take in the main exhibit first after first scoping out the lobby, general info on the multiple permanent exhibits, and maps. The lobby area was well staffed with courteous and helpful persons. 

 The ZAP! POW! BAM! Exhibit actually was first shown at The Breman Museum in Atlanta, Georgia in 2004.  Researching a little online before traveling to see this exhibit I saw that it was also at the California State Fair in 2006.

For those wanting a souvenir of what is actually shown in the exhibit, there is a booklet on sale in Audrey's Museum Store that shows many of the items that are on exhibit.  This might be the best way of keeping memories of the exhibit, as photographs are NOT allowed in the exhibit halls!  That fact was the only disappointing feature of the whole exhibit experience, and is NOT mentioned until you wall to the doors of each exhibit!  Thus no pics of any of the items in either of  the two Comics related exhibits, with the exception of the vintage Batmobile toy ride.

However, taking in the Zap! Bow! Bam! exhibit  first, this exhibit is very family friendly!  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"!  Please Note that the area that the children are transforming in is also in the museum's "no camera area", thus NO pics are allowed of the children in the super- hero/heroine costumes.

Readers of this Blog know that I have been to many Comic Cons and other Pop Culture Conventions since 1972.   So you would think I would have had seen everything by now right?   Well, many of the pieces shown here are from the personal collection of Jerry Robinson, who is the guest curator of this exhibit.  Jerry brings a long history as an early comic books industry insider to this exhibition. While working with Batman co-creators Bob Kane and Bill Finger, Jerry named Robin, Batman's young protégé.   Jerry also co-created The Joker, Batman's nemesis and one of the first Super-Villains.  I have met Jerry Robinson before at the SDCC, and also heard him interviewed by Mark Evanier, who knows how to interview a guest!  (More on a special Curator's Talk in a future blog!)

My personal favorite pieces of this exhibit were the 'dime banks' that I had never seen before.  A child saving dimes would place them in this tiny little metal box, which would only open up after reaching the $5.00 mark. I had never seen any of these before, and those stood out to me.  Of course seeing the one-of-a-kind original artwork for comic book covers and splash pages was pretty good too!

My Great Uncle Howard, (born 1916), enjoyed seeing a replica of a Newstand with newspapers and comics inside the exhibit, and enjoyed posing by the Superman cut-out by the Museum Store as seen at the top right!

The docent tour at 2:30 was conducted by Sandra, who had a strong voice and was able to convey her message even though there was a lot of background noise!   There are theme songs playing all the time in the exhibit area, from the Hefti Batman theme to the Wonder Woman TV theme song to the Green Hornet 1966 TV show theme song, etc., etc.!

For those not able to go to a Comic Convention near them, but are in the Los Angeles Metro Area any time up until August 9th, 2009, this would be a good place to go see with your family.   It is varied enough in exhibits to entertain the young through older in years, and not too 'geeky'!

Due to space limitations in the eBay format version of this Blog, there will be a Part 2 of this Blog post!

Details for the ZAP! POW! BAM! The Superhero: The Golden Age of Comic Books, 1938–1950
On Exhibit From February 19 - August 9, 2009

ADMISSION To these two special exhibits are included with 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.

Note: There is a current special Wells Fargo check and credit card discount. Check the web site before going to print out the discount coupon if you hold either of these two cards!

http://www.skirball.org/index.php?option=com_ccevents&scope=exbt&task=detail&ccmenu=v2hhdcdzie9u&oid=34 

For those of you that are new to our blog today, we have an ongoing online 'Comic Con and Pop Culture Convention' ourselves here at "Make It So Marketing Inc.", what with our daily blog posts,  and new listings of items for sale in our online eBay Featured Store!

Would you believe that our Blog has greeted its' 335,000th visitor this past week??   Thanks again to all of YOU reading our current and archived blog posts!

~ Michael

Note From Make It So Marketing: Michael first set up at the 1972 San Diego's West Coast Comic Con. To the left is a photo of Michael at the 1973 SDCC - San Diego Comic Con that was held at the Sheraton Hotel, Harbor Island, San Diego. Click that photo to see 'Our Current World Of Pop Culture'!                   Each comic / comics book. Graphic Novels or magazine in our eBay Featured Store is individually graded by Michael, inventoried, priced, bagged and boarded, before being listed for sale!

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO OR VIDEO IS:

  MONDAY, MARCH 9TH, 2009. 8:00 PM, EST (NY)

Lisa Hager-Duncan... Who is the Event Coordinator for the Competition, (and also pictured above), messaged me that that the details for this event are now online at the Comic Con's Event web site! 

I am copying them here for the benefit of those that have not yet become a member of Facebook nor joined the Facebook Comic Con!  The following are the details but You must enter at the web site itself!! 

To enter this event you actually need to go to:

www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=48014919300

and follow the instructions there!  Please Note: The details posted here were as of this blog posting. For up-to-date details please see their web site!

And Yes, that is My name up there as one of the (impartial) Judges for this Event!  You Blog readers are invited to participate in this 'Virtual World Comic Con'... just do so before the deadline is reached!

Also,  Lisa Hager-Duncan works with Monarch Comics as an editor part time for their Witch Hunter comic book. As she is the events coordinator for this event, any questions regarding the Premiere Costume Competition should be directed toward her.

Facebook Comic Con, (a virtual comic con), was just recently started by Michael Netzer. Michael is donating all three prizes for the event, by the way, which can be found on Michael's website listed on the contest events page.  

~ Michael

Note From Make It So Marketing:   Michael first set up at the 1972 San Diego's West Coast Comic Con. To the left is a photo of Michael at the 1973 SDCC - San Diego Comic Con that was held at the Sheraton Hotel, Harbor Island, San Diego. Click that photo to see 'Our Current World Of Pop Culture'!                   Each comic / comics book. Graphic Novels or magazine in our eBay Featured Store is individually graded by Michael, inventoried, priced, bagged and boarded, before being listed for sale!

By Corinna Sara Bechko and Gabriel Hardman !

This New Graphic Novel...  Is What I consider to be a 'good read' for those that like HoRRoR Comics / Graphic Novels.  So much so that I wanted to blog about it right away, as you should be able to find it at your usual sources for graphic novels very soon if not already!

This was a really compelling read for me.  Why?  The mix between the text and the art was enough to keep me reading it straight through till I was finished with it!  The graphic novel is basically 94 pages with a few background pages added at the end of the story for additional reference.

Those that have read prior blog posts of mine will know that I enjoyed the old EC HoRRoR Comics and the Atlas (Marvel) HoRRoR Comics of the pre-code era.   I like thriller comics that aren't overly out there for cheap thrills or scares, nor to tempt your gag reflexes.

These two creators established the mood for the GN and deliberately hooked me as a reader into wanting to stay with it until the end of the story!

At first the storyline is set in Africa... and other than a murder you wouldn't think this was a HoRRoR story...

But when the scares start the action doesn't stop until the last page!

What is weird about this GN are the elements that are added when the setting changes to the funeral scene of one of the main characters in the state of Florida. The cemetery is where the story opens up into the HoRRoR aspect.  Would you believe that in Florida you would run into Conquistadores, wooly mammoths, demonized dogs, and grizzly bears all at the same time?  Whew!

I'm not going to go into more than that for this blog post.  As a reader of blogs I don't appreciate reading all about the creative work being totally reviewed before I get a chance to read it for myself!

Suffice to say, that it is the black and white art of this GN that adds so much to the storyline and the script.  The text itself could have stood alone as a short story, but it is the artwork that completes this story.  Thus a great reason for this to have been created as a 'graphic novel'.

For those not familar with the creators:

"The writer, Corinna Sara Bechko, has had stories published in All Hollows, Reflection's Edge and Zoo View. She was shortlisted for the Aeon Award in 2005. Trained as a zoologist, she works as an animal keeper at the Playboy Mansion."

"The artist, Gabriel Hardman, has recently drawn comics including Monster Size Hulk, Agent of Atlas, Skaar: Son Of Hulk for Marvel and The Black Coat for Ape Entertainment. He is an accomplished motion picture illustrator whose credits include Spider-Man 3, X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand, Superman Returns, the Austin Powers movies and Tropic Thunder. He also directed the prize winning short film Wrong Way Up, which premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival."

This graphic novel is listed at $9.99 From Shadowline / Image

If you are a Facebook member, you can see updates and comments on this GN from the creators, by going to this web site which is the Heathentown Group Page:

www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1309883201#/group.php?gid=50893775799&ref=ts

(Note: A complimentary online copy for this mention / review was provided by the creators.)

For those of you that are new to our blog today, we have an ongoing online 'Comic Con and Pop Culture Convention' ourselves here at "Make It So Marketing Inc.", what with our daily blog posts,  and new listings of items for sale in our online eBay Featured Store! 

Thanks for reading this blog post today, and please join us again for more!  BTW, besides blogging, we have 481 Reviews that Tina and I have placed in our eBay Reviews Section. Just click here to see our latest reviews!

Would you believe that our Blog has greeted its' 333,000th visitor this week??   Thanks again to all of YOU reading our current and archived blog posts!

Note From Make It So Marketing: Michael first set up at the 1972 San Diego's West Coast Comic Con. To the left is a photo of Michael at the 1973 SDCC - San Diego Comic Con that was held at the Sheraton Hotel, Harbor Island, San Diego. Click that photo to see 'Our Current World Of Pop Culture'!                   Each comic / comics book. Graphic Novels or magazine in our eBay Featured Store is individually graded by Michael, inventoried, priced, bagged and boarded, before being listed for sale!