DC Exhibition: Dawn Of Superheroes

The DC Exhibition – Dawn Of Super Heroes will feature over 200 original comic pages, around 300 preparatory sketches and concept artworks for the cinema, together with 45 original costumes, models and props used in the iconic films. Fans visitingThe DC Exhibition – Dawn Of Super Heroes will be able to walk through the exhibition, which runs in chronological order, and in each room feel as if they have been transported to a different, mythical DC Universe.

Beginning in Metropolis, the home of Superman, one of the original cartoon covers, visitors will get the chance to discover the worlds of all their favourite DC characters and witness awe-inspiring exhibits such as the gallery of Super Villains featuring The Joker, The Penguin and Mr. Freeze as well as an insight into Batman’s fictional world of Gotham City.

Exhibits available to view at this unique exhibition include original drawings of DC’s stable of famous Superheroes and Super Villains, original costumes from blockbuster DC films including the famous cape worn by Christopher Reeve in the Superman movies and Lynda Carter’s iconic Wonder Woman costume from the 1970s. Also included are costumes and props from more recent films such as; 1989 to 1999’s Batman franchise directed by Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher, the acclaimed The Dark Knight trilogy directed by Christopher Nolan, as well as The Man of Steel, Batman V Superman and the recent Justice League by Zack Snyder; as well as exclusive artworks from the highly-acclaimed Wonder Woman film, directed by Patty Jenkins, that premiered in the summer of 2017.

This exhibition, accompanied throughout by original soundtracks of the DC films and series, will showcase original drawings of DC’s stable of famous Superheroes and Super Villains, as well as iconic scenes and landmarks, from world renowned artists including Jim Lee, Bob Kane, Neal Adams, Frank Miller, Alex Ross and many more. It will showcase almost a century of artistic creations that followed the introduction of an innovative new genre imagined by two adolescents from Cleveland, Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, the creators of Superman. First introduced in Action Comics #1 in 1938, Superman, the world’s first official Super Hero, quickly revolutionised the era, influencing art, literature, fashion, TV and film.
The figurative and narrative strength of DC Superheroes stems from the fact that their creators didn’t just imagine a genre – they also devised all its elements. Whereas medieval stories, crime novels and westerns all use authentic references from the era, the creators of Superheroes invented the costumes, settings, and emblems for their characters. The graphics and colour palettes of these new heroes (and their formidable enemies) went on to bring the characters to life and spark the imagination of generations of readers.

The rapid success of Superman quickly inspired other publishers and a young artist by the name of Bob Kane, who along with Bill Finger, created the character of ‘the Bat-Man,’ an extraordinary new hero whose first adventures were featured in a DC (“Detective Comics”) book the following year.

While Superman is a tireless champion dedicated to protecting life and battling injustice with his array of superpowers and abilities, Batman is a mortal man fighting crime using his intellect, physical training, and an arsenal of gadgets and vehicles developed using his vast wealth and resources. They are two opposites – the near-god and simple mortal. However, this contemporary mythology would not have been complete without the fundamental presence of Wonder Woman, a character who became a trailblazer and symbol for peace, justice and equality. Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman defined the genre on which all subsequent Superheroes are based.