They began as miniature magazines more than five decades ago. They were an outlet for children’s imaginations. Then they became animated cartoons, filling television sets and bringing life to superheroes. Then, they made the leap to the big screen. The magic of Hollywood has made these superheroes larger than life.
Now,
local artists and cartoonists are showcasing their works at Maxwell’s in
Hoboken to pay tribute to beloved underground comicbook personas.
Last
week, about a dozen artists gathered in the main room of the popular venue for
an opening reception. The collection’s variety of comic strip interpretations
by area artists makes this art show unique. Jackie Post, Maxwell’s co-owner,
enlisted the help of cartoonist and illustrator Karl Heitmueller, also a
bartender.
“Jackie
offered me a solo show, but I knew I wouldn’t have the time to put everything
together,” Heitmueller said while greeting friends and fellow cartoonists
during the opening. “So I decided to do a group show.”
Heitmueller
conducted what he called an open casting call for any artists interested in
showcasing their works. He succeeded in rounding up 15 artists. He labeled the
group Agents of P.O.O.C. (Panels Out Of Context).
“The
name is kind of a flip to show that none of us are taking this too seriously,”
Heitmueller said. “It’s just a group of artists goofing around with ideas and
hopefully people can come away with a broader understanding of the medium.”
Along
with the artists’ work, the original inspiration for each piece is hung beside
it, giving onlookers a sense of where the idea for each drawing or illustration
came from.
“This
was an interesting challenge,” said Brian Musikoff, one of the artists
involved. “Doing an elaboration on an existing piece can be a challenge, but it
was good because it allowed me to extend my imagination and my ability. The
show also gives exposure to a craft that is pretty much buried.”
Agents
of P.O.O.C also includes works by Gregory Benton, Andrea Breitman, Brendan
Carrol, Evan Forsch, John Hanlon, Cheese Hasselberger, Randolph Hoppe, K. Thor
Jensen, Miss Lasko-Gross, Chris McCulloch, Adam Meyers, Rodá, and Chris Ward.
The show will be on display through Aug. 1.
Maxwell’s
is located at 1039 Washington St. For information call (201) 653-1703 or visit
www.maxwellsnj.com. q