Marvel: Universe of Superheroes exhibit offers the best of all worlds

There’s a new exhibit at the Museum of Pop Culture, ready to astound comic and movie fans alike. Marvel: Universe of Superheroes is now open — excelsior!

Avengers: Infinity War is finally out and, well, it was brutal. Fan favorite characters were ripped away and the emotional void is gaping. Luckily, their stuff is still around, and now it’s all in one place.

Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture has offered fans an in-depth look at their favorite bands and movies for almost 20 years. Now, it has a new exhibit to help us with our Infinity War blues — Marvel: Universe of Superheroes. Here, fans can really immerse themselves in the world of Marvel, getting a peek at everything from original comic art to movie props.

Of course, getting all these artifacts under one roof took time, 11 months to be exact. But the idea has been in the works a lot longer. According to Ann Nocenti, the EP and one of the original minds behind the exhibit, talks actually started four years ago.

“Basically we just started scribbling on pieces of paper,” Nocenti says. “We started scribbling like ‘This is what a Marvel comics exhibit could look like!'”

Nocenti has worked on the comic side of things at Marvel for 30 years. She created the character of Longshot, and worked on other Marvel titles including Daredevil and Doctor Strange. So for her, highlighting the comic process was crucial.

“I wanted to make sure we had as much sequential art as possible,” Nocenti says. “Because everyone emphasizes covers, covers, covers, movie props — but for me, it’s seeing how a story is told. What can comics do that movies can’t?”

Don’t worry though, there’s plenty of movie memorabilia to be seen. Fans can get an up-close look at the costumes of Black Panther, Thor’s hammer (RIP Mjolnir) and even Peter Quill’s walkman.

Here’s a sneak peek of the detailing on Okoye’s costume from Black Panther:

Photo provided by the Museum of Pop Culture

There’s also a statue of Spider-Man hanging upside down, ready to recreate his iconic kiss.

The real showstopper, at least for Nocenti, is the Doctor Strange room. It mirrors the Infinity Room of the movie and makes for some awesome selfies.

Not only did it take time to curate the exhibit, it also took teamwork. Ben Saunders, the curator, worked relentlessly to get the incredible pieces on display. Fortunately, the collectors were happy to help it all happen.

The exhibit even snagged the Holy Grail amongst comic fans: the very first Marvel comic ever.

“If you’re a comic fan, you swoon over these things,” Nocenti notes.

Even celebrities turn into fans at this exhibit. Runaways‘ James Marsters, Ms. Marvel creator G. Willow Wilson, and Kevin Smith were all on hand for the grand opening.

Young artists can find plenty of knowledge and inspiration at the exhibit, while aspiring filmmakers can see what goes into such a large-scale project. There’s something to be learned in every corner.

At its core, Marvel: Universe of Superheroes has one real goal. As Nocenti puts it, “We hope that no matter who you are… you walk in there and find something that will enchant you.”

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Marvel: Universe of Superheroes is open now at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture.