HEROES: The British Invasion of American Comics
25 April –
20 October 2024
Comic books are American as apple pie and Uncle Sam… aren’t they? Visit
The Cartoon Museum this Spring to discover how British artists and writers
invaded America and made their mark on iconic superheroes and more!
HEROES: The British Invasion of American Comics tells the story of
early American comics such as Buster Brown, Miss Fury and Superman, how they
influenced British artists and culture, and how the British took that influence
and sold it back to America through legendary comics such as Watchmen and V For
Vendetta.
The exhibition also celebrates The Mighty
World of Marvel which brought Marvel’s heroes and heroines to newsagents
across Britain every week.
In 1972, Stan Lee launched
Marvel UK with an event at The Bung Hole wine bar in Holborn, London. Up until
then, UK distribution of American comics had been patchy at best, and fans
often had to make do with poorer-quality black and white imitations. The Mighty
World of Marvel brought Marvel’s heroes and heroines to newsagents across
Britain every week, establishing a new fan base and influencing an upcoming
generation of comic creators.
We are thrilled to be able to
display a rare original press kit given out at the launch event, which has
never been on show before.
The exhibition also shines a
light on the many British creators who provided art for iconic superheroes
including Batman, Spider-Man, Hellboy and Hit-Girl, including works by Brian
Bolland, David Lloyd, Doug Braithwaite and Alison Sampson. On the way you’ll
discover British attempts to imitate American strips in the 1940s, find out the
story behind the 1972 launch of Marvel UK, and enjoy stunning artwork by key
figures from DC Comics and the British Invasion. You’ll even get to see the
costume of a real-life British superhero!
The exhibition features an
incredible collection of original Sunday Paper Strips and artworks from the
early 1900s and wonderful British and American comic art from the 1950s to the
modern day. Among these are works by legendary names such as Jack Kirby, Jack
Davis and Tarpe Mills.
Since the 1938 publication of
Action Comics #1 the world has fallen more and more in love with American comic
books, right up to the box office success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Drawing inspiration from popular characters of the 1940s, such as Popeye and
Aquaman, the Brits took no time proving they could do it just as well as the
Americans, leading to decades of collaboration and competition across the
Atlantic. Through this exhibition you will be able to step back in time and see
just how right they were.
“We love our superheroes
because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence,
kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us
of who we are and what we wish we could be.”
- Grant Morrison, Supergods
The Cartoon
Museum can be found at 63 Wells Street, Fitzrovia, London, W1A 3AE. Click here to visit web site.