I knew exactly what I wanted to see when I entered the “Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes” exhibit at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.
Who would I find among Marvel’s black superheros? I knew Black Panther would be represented; it made Disney a ton of money. I knew of “Luke Cage,” but I don’t have Netflix so I saw none of its episodes before it was canceled. And I saw the African American kid Miles Morales in last year’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.”
I’m a Marvel and DC Comics movies fan, although I haven’t seen all of their films or know of all of their characters. “Avengers: End Game” is on my list but I’m waiting to avoid the crowds.
As soon as I read about the exhibit, I was eager to experience it (although the ticket prices are way too high). Marvel started out as Timely Comics, then Atlas Comics, and its “Captain America” was released during the Golden Age of Comics in the 1940s. The company hit its stride in the 1960s when Stan Lee changed its focus.
The 15,000-square-foot exhibit is a fascinating entrance into the world of Marvel for those who are unfamiliar with its characters, as well those who are its staunchest fans. It features original artwork, costumes, films, first-edition comic-book covers, interactive displays, props and the company’s first-ever comic book from 1939 when it was formed. This is the exhibit’s East Coast stop, which ends on Sept. 2. It was in Seattle last year.
After I entered the exhibit, I saw on the wall a whimsical drawing of Marvel’s comic artists, all identified by a number and sharing space inside tight cubby-hole offices, walking along the aisles, drawing at their desks, talking on the phone. I looked for people who looked “African American,” first by checking their hair and facial features.
Two stood out: No. 24 and No. 29. According to the list at the bottom of the page, No. 24 was Ron Wilson and No. 29 was Keith Pollard.
Wilson spent more than 10 years at Marvel, starting in 1975. He is best known for his work on “The Thing” through various storylines. He worked on both cover and interior artwork on such comic books as “Marvel Two-in-One,” “Black Goliath,” “Power Man,” “The Hulk,” along with “The Avengers,” “Captain America” and “Iron Man.”
Keith Pollard began working at Marvel in 1974, starting on such titles as “Master of Kung Fu,” “Deadly Hands of Kung Fu,” “Astonishing Tales” and “Black Goliath.” He is best known for his work on “The Amazing Spider-Man,” “Fantastic Four” and “Thor” during that time.
Another comic-book artist I came across in my Google research was Arvell Jones, who’s not in the sketch. He was the co-creator of the black female comic character “Misty Knight,” which is featured in the exhibit.
Since I am a Marvel movie-goer and not a comic-book reader, I had not heard of them. But I knew of other black-comic illustrators who did not work for Marvel, all of whom I learned about through auctions. I learned of A.C. Hollingsworth, also a painter, who worked at several comic-book publishers in the 1940s and 1950s. He was preceded by Matt Baker in the 1930s and 1940s, who is considered the first black comic-book illustrator.
I also knew of Orrin Evans, a Philadelphia journalist who left the business for a short time to start his own comics called “All-Negro Comics” in the 1940s. He was able to produce only one issue in 1947 after newsprint companies refused to sell their product to him.
Once, I picked up a comic book distributed as a giveaway by J.C. Penney of famous Americans including George Washington Carver. It was illustrated by famous white artists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby of Marvel.
As for the Marvel exhibit, here are some its African American highlights:
