As exhibitions go, it’s hard to imagine a more ambitious undertaking that Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes, running now through January 31, 2021 at The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. [1,2]
Michiganders know the genre. A dizzying aray of Comic Cons reflect passion as well as deep understanding of myriad details, layers, and standards that give substance to the incredibly rich worlds in which frequently interwoven stories unfold. [3,4]
The standard by which any museum will be measured as host is at least as lofty, if not more so. Value-addeds naturally begin with historical context, ideally serving to showcase materials in fashions that are as close as practical to all consuming. Displays and graphics that provide stretch for even the most studied aficianados. At the same time, engaging, fun for casual visitors.
In recent years, those in Southeast Michigan may recall Star Wars and the Power of Costume at Detroit Institute of Arts during 2018. Or Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds last year in this same space at The Henry Ford. [5,6]
For Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes, designers cleverly produced and organized gallery layout to route timed-entry ticket holders through a brief, engaging video as setup what they are about to see in the various set pieces deeper inside. To be sure, clips touched on what is generally understood to distinguish these characters from others. Familiar names, too, were highlighted and fleshed out a bit. [7]
However, this is the Marvel Universe. Thus the message of this preamble and the exhibit it framed was that nothing less than the entire comic book industry was about to be lost, until singularly turned, then brought to thrive by Marvel enterprises.
From there things build to providing an understanding of the creative process — in some cases with implied looks over the shoulders of individuals who conceived, dialogued, and imaged tales. Quickly, original costumes worn in blockbuster motion pictures, including the late Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther, Tom Holland as Spider-Man, Robert Downy Jr as Iron Man, and Chris Evans as Captain America, invite onlookers to come as near as sealed cases will allow to their screen favorites.
Want to get closer still? Share a seat on one comfortable couch next to The Thing. Stand for a selfie in the shadow of The Incredible Hulk, scaled to size sure to dwarf any man, women, or child.
More subtly, the visionaries behind Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes took care to often separate and distinguish galleries to uniquely enhance content. In contrast to the dark ally where Daredevil is introduced, Doctor Strange was found in a passage bounded by mirrored walls and colored lighting unimaginable in the environs, say, of the Menlo Park Laboratory elsewhere on the greater Greenfield Village property. [8]
Originally set to have opened on March 28 of this year, Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes was assembled at The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation on the very cusp of the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence of time well spent in making adjustments to maximize staff and patron safety viz social distancing and between-touch disinfecting could be found throughout when Saline Journal toured as press earlier this week. [9-12]
Numbers for timed-ticket admission are more limited, and visitors are being asked to redouble their own efforts to respect those times for access — as well as following posted guides for maintaining space between parties while waiting in queue.
Marvel will unquestionably delight fans, of course. Nicely, it succeeds in intent to do much the same for almost everyone else as well.
Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes will continue to run during regular open admission hours at The Henry Ford through January 31, 2021. Separate tickets are required for admission. The exhibition will next travel to the Museum of Science and Industry for a scheduled March 4, 2021 opening in Chicago. [13,14]
For additional images of this exhibition in Dearborn Michigan, see Saline Journal feed on Instagram. [15]
References
- “Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes” (July 30, 2020 through January 31, 2021) The Henry Ford.
- The Henry Ford (home page).
- “Comic Book Collecting Is Passion For Some, Business For Others – And For Many A Signature Event Headed To Detroit” Dell Deaton (July 25, 2018) Saline Journal.
- “Grand Rapids Comic-Con Provides An Immersive Look At Unique Culture Of Passion, Fun, And Impressively Serious Group” Dell Deaton (November 12, 2018) Saline Journal.
- “Part History, Part Fashion, Part Science Fiction: Detroit Marks Final Stop For Must-See Original ‘Star Wars’ Exhibition” Dell Deaton (July 3, 2018) Saline Journal.
- “Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds” Dell Deaton (May 10, 2019) Saline Journal.
- “Alex Ross Explains Difference Between Marvel and DC Characters” Kofi Outlaw (April 30, 2018) Comic Book.
- “Edison at Work” The Henry Ford.
- “Arrival of COVID-19 in Michigan made for a different sort of ‘Coffee Hour’ with Brian Marl and Donna Lasinski” Dell Deaton (March 13, 2020) Saline Journal.
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) (home page).
- “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)” CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- “Novel Coronavirus Reports” CDC.
- Museum of Science and Industry (home page).
- “Marvel: Universe of Heroes” (March 4, 2021 through September 6, 2021) Museum of Science and Industry.
- Saline Journal (Instagram Feed).
