"Atlas At Last!" Exhibit at the Geppi Museum

[theVisitor]

I was fortunate enough to have some involvement in this project so I want to spread the word. If you are a fan of Atlas-Seaboard comics this is a event you won't want to miss. Even if you're not, it's a fascinating and interesting bit of comic book history.

 

Thanks

 

Phil

 

From the 2/25/11 Scoop:

 

We’ll call it just about 36 years in the making.

 

The “Atlas At Last” exhibit, presented at Geppi’s Entertainment Museum in Baltimore’s historic Camden Yards sports complex by the Fandom Advisory Network, kicks off with a special event on Friday, March 11, 2011, from 6 PM to 9 PM.

 

“Atlas At Last” is a visual tour of the short-lived (or so it seemed) Atlas-Seaboard line of comics, which was originally published in 1974-1975 by Martin Goodman, the man who founded Marvel Comics. Although it only managed a combined output of 72 color comic books and black & white magazines, saw its longest-lived title reach only four issues, and included at least a few thinly disguised versions of established characters, the Atlas line stuck in the minds of collectors, dealers and pop culture historians.

 

The line featured a mix of strong concepts executed by both established and up-and-coming creators, and for a few months it stood toe-to-toe with industry giants Marvel Comics and DC Comics.

 

Then they were gone.

 

And now, just like a comic character who’s been declared definitively dead, Atlas is returning after a hiatus of just about 36 years with the March 2, 2011 debut of Wulf #1, written by 30 Days of Night creator Steve Niles and his Spawn: The Dark Ages collaborator, artist Nat Jones. At the helm is Goodman’s grandson, Jason Goodman.

 

On March 9, the new Atlas will also debut a new version of The Grim Ghost written by The Grudge screenwriter Stephen Susco and original Grim Ghost scribe Tony Isabella, illustrated by acclaimed Batman and Batman Elseworlds artist Kelley Jones, with colors by Kieran Oats.

 

Then on March 16, Phoenix, another Atlas reboot, debuts. It is written by Jim Krueger (Marvel’s Earth X and DC’s Justice) and Brendan Deneen (Flash Gordon) and illustrated by Dean Zachary.

 

With the attention being paid to the returning Atlas, this seemed like a perfect time to celebrate the original Atlas line, thought Melissa Bowersox, the Executive Vice-President of Geppi’s Entertainment Museum.

 

“We will have all of the original comic books and magazines, many of the fan publications that covered Atlas the first time around, some of the derivative titles the came out after Atlas suspended publication, and what is probably the largest public display ever of original Atlas artwork,” she said. “We’ll have concept pieces, cover art, and even unpublished covers.”

 

The first 50 fans who attend opening night will receive a SWAG bag with goodies including the C2E2 Exclusive Variant Cover edition of Comic Book Marketplace #1 (limited to 400 copies and featuring for the first time Howard Chaykin’s unpublished original cover for The Scorpion #2 in color for the first time), a T-shirt from Atlas and Ardden Entertainment.

 

Also included in the swag are the deluxe hardcover book Pop Culture With Character: A Look Inside Geppi’s Entertainment Museum, a copy of The Overstreet Hall of Fame, and a copy of the latest Baltimore magazine (great for finding the hotspots and awesome food around town).

 

And speaking of food, the goody bags will also include a coupon for complementary beer with purchase of any food purchase at Baltimore’s Luna del Sea or Tony's Hookah Lounge, along with cool information from the Virginia Comicon, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, The Hero Initiative, the Comic Book Collecting Association, ComicLink, Hake’s Americana & Collectibles, and more.

 

Admission for this special evening is $20.00.

 

“Guest Curators J.C. Vaughn (Associate Publisher of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide) and Mike Wilbur (of Diamond International Galleries) are longtime Atlas historians, and they’re working to coordinate the exhibition with our Associate Curator/Registrar Andrew Hershberger,” Bowersox said. “It’s going to be something that no serious comic fan or pop culture devotee should miss!”

 

"Atlas At Last" runs through May 29, 2011.

 

 

[zuckuss2003]

I think I might be up for attending this on opening night. Any other locals going to go?

[Chespirito]

I wish a could Journey...if I had to say what my MECCA was... it would be second on my list....