DC Comics featured at Shibuya Parco

Comics News
DC Comics featured at Shibuya Parco
By The Editor
December 20, 2010 - 02:54

DC Comics

Marking the 75th anniversary of the American comic book publisher DC Comics, "DC Comics Super Heroes!!!: American Comic Art Exhibition" continues until Dec. 19 at Parco Factory on the sixth floor of Tokyo's Shibuya Parco Part 1.

Tracing the history of DC Comics, one of the top two comic book publishing powerhouses in the United States, the exhibition features comic superhero characters with new artistic approaches.

Items are grouped into three themes: cover illustrations in chronological order, props from films and collaborative works by contemporary Japanese artists.

The displays are in three small rooms, including a special shop. The exhibition is a rare opportunity to see comic characters that are popular in the United States, but are not widely known in Japan.

Of particular interest is cover art from the past DC Comic books, ranging from the 1930s to the present day.

Comic characters from the 1930s were drawn in bold lines and with simple illustrations to create typical character types.

Gradually, drawing styles evolved into more intricate depictions, with characters and backgrounds being drawn in greater variation. Story lines, too, have become more complex and now encompass much wider themes.

In the third section, we see how 22 Japanese creators have interpreted the popular DC Comic superheroes in their own unique visions.

Among the featured artists are cartoonists Masakazu Katsura, Katsuya Terada, Shinichi Hiromoto and Takashi Okazaki.

Their vivid creations show that comic characters can be expressed in widely varying ways.

The event is hosted by Parco Co. and Lucent Pictures Entertainment Inc., both based in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward.

For details, visit (www.parco-art.com/web/factory).