Lubeznik Center for the Arts (LCA) is featuring a collection of vintage superhero comic artwork and ephemera in the upcoming exhibition, “KAPOW! Mighty Mythos,” on display from July 1 through October 19, 2024. The public reception will be on Friday, July 5, from 5-8 PM Central.

This exhibition will provide an opportunity to view a curated selection of vintage comic books, toys, ephemera and original artworks created between 1960 and 1980. The works in this incredible collection were amassed by Werner Graf, a Michigan City native who began collecting superhero memorabilia as a young boy and recently transitioned the collection to the Graf Dairy Hero Foundation (GDHF). The Foundation is now extremely excited to share a portion of its 6000+ items publicly for the first time here at Lubeznik Center for the Arts. 

Janet Bloch, LCA’s executive director said, “We expect a huge audience for this exhibit. Not only will there be original artworks by artists who have made a huge impact on generations of artists since, but there will also be items that have nostalgic appeal. LCA hopes families have fun and make memories.”                

The GDHF’s core mission is to inspire young people to espouse character virtues that superheroes exemplify; courage, responsibility, integrity, because the world needs heroes! Whether you are a comic fan or not, this exhibition will blow your mind as it includes a stunning collection of original character art by the most prominent artists of the era as well as rare and exciting items like a pristine 1966 comic book vending machine. In addition, you will see a small selection of one of the world’s largest toy collections and ephemera including Stan Lee’s first office sign, and the working papers for the original lyrics for the 1967 Spider-Man cartoon theme song.      

Lubeznik Center for the Arts would like to thank the Graf Dairy Hero Foundation for generously lending artworks and support to make this exhibition possible. Support for Education and Outreach is funded in part by the Michigan City Community Enrichment Corporation.

Free, public events taking place during the run of “KAPOW! Mighty Mythos” include:        

• Opening Reception on Friday, July 5 from 5-8 p.m. CST      
• Spidey & Me Presentation on Saturday, July 6 at 4 p.m. CST      
• Gallery Talk on Saturday, July 13 at 11:30 a.m. CST                  

Free gallery tours are available for small groups and organizations. To schedule a docent-led tour, contact Janet Bloch at jbloch@lubeznikcenter.org. To schedule a children's tour, contact Nelsy Marcano at nmarcano@lubeznikcenter.org.