On Wednesday, October 2nd, I attended two gallery exhibitions located in the Chelsea area. Both exhibitions are free and open to the public to walk in and witness the beauty of hand-drawn comic pages by various comic book illustrators past and present. One exhibition located on West 26th, titled The POW, BAM, WOW: Contemporary Comic Book Art is centered around comic book illustrators within mainstream and independent scenes. This exhibition is showcased at the Hudson Guild Gallery featuring the works of Neal Adams, N Steven Harris, Eric Battle, Shawn Martinbrough, Rob Prior, Raphael Tiberino, Vincent Zurzolo, and some variant cover art from the likes of Amanda Conner, Ryan Brown, and Andres Labrada, curated by Danny Simmons. Upon entering, I was greeted by Ms Serrano, who guided me around the space.
There are about 29 framed pieces featuring each illustrator’s works of various sizes, which is great to see in person. Visitors get to see the art up close with every pencil mark, ink etched, and notations on full display. Subjects of these pieces range from iconic characters such as Spider-Man, Batman, and Superman, to Voltron, and indie characters both new and old alike. This particular exhibition is noteworthy because it displays the decision-making process that comic creators make from penciling to the final stages of inking. Gallery goers get to see where artists place word balloons, draft panel compositions, gesture work, and see all the errors that led to the final result that is on full display. That can stir some inspiration for kids that struggle with expectations of perfection when it is all centered on trial and error through practice and refinement. It’s a great community space for comic lovers of the medium and for the community to kick off the NYC Comic Con season by visiting this exhibition. The exhibition began in August and will run until October 20th. Make sure to catch it while the exhibition is still up and running!
Another exhibition that is close by that is worth your while is located a few blocks away. The Philippe Labaune Gallery is running an exhibition featuring the works of comic book legend Mike Mignola, titled Hell, Ink and Water: The Art of Mike Mignola. The gallery is located on West 24th where it often contains exhibits featuring various works of artists from all walks of life within the medium. This time around, Mike Mignola’s work is the focus as this exhibit features numerous works ranging from his iconic characters such as Hellboy, The Amazing Screw-On Head, to Batman, Conan, Pinocchio to his COVID sketches and otherworldly watercolor paintings that are worth seeing in full display. Some of the best pieces to look at are his COVID sketches and his watercolor work as they contrast as beginnings and endings of how a piece is made and completed, displaying the kind of range that Mignola’s always showcased throughout his career.
I had the pleasure of visiting the gallery space, floating from one wall to the other, scanning my eyes over each and every inked, pencil and watercolor piece. Mignola’s ability to play around with gesture, contrast, and shape is commonly known as his signature, but seeing it in person shows why he is one of a kind in his craft. If you’re in the New York City area, and you’re looking to kick off the Comic-Con season right, then visiting the Mignola exhibition at Philippe Labaune Gallery is worth your while for anyone who is a longtime appreciator of the medium, and for art lovers in general looking to have a good time for free.
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Brian Isaacs - Executive Editor / Publisher