Prepare for Nov. Super Heroes FFArtRide at LA’s Skirball Center Comics Show; Film 7/18

ZAP! POW! BAM! The Superhero: The Golden Age of Comic Books, 1938-1950 is on view at the Skirball Cultural Center through August 9.

Explore the genesis of beloved cultural icons Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and many more.  ZAP! POW! BAM! The Superhero: The Golden Age of Comic Books, 1938-1950 features rare artwork and colorful interactive displays.  On Saturday, July 18, at 2:00 p.m., catch a matinee screening of rare Superman footage, including episodes from the 1948 Hollywood serial and the never-broadcast television pilots “The Adventures of Superpup” and “The Adventures of Superboy.”

KCRW Fringe Benefit Cardholders receive 50% off up to two advance tickets to the screening.  Use code 99582 when ordering by phone at (877) SCC-4TIX or online.  Limit 2 tickets per discounted transaction.  Please note: customary processing charges will apply for phone or online purchases.

ADMISSION: Included with Museum admission (tickets at the door): $10 General; $7 Seniors and Full-Time Students; $5 Children 2–12; Free to Members and Children under 2; Free to all on Thursdays

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, and Wonder Woman. 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.

“A mind-blowing collection.”—LA Weekly