Inventing America: The Comic Book Revolution (OPENING DAY)

(THROUGH FEB. 28, 2027) During the twentieth century, American comic books evolved from modest beginnings into one of the most influential forms of popular entertainment. Inventing America: The Comic Book Revolution examines how this art form became a revolutionary cultural medium that helped shape national identity through distinctive stories and characters.

At its core are visionary creators. Many of them were immigrants and outsiders who brought the perspectives of marginalized communities, including Jewish Americans, into the medium. Drawing on their experiences, they helped construct a vision of America defined by struggle, aspiration, and reinvention. The exhibition traces this evolution from the Great Depression through the dawn of the new millennium.

Inventing America highlights how comics reflected—and at times anticipated—an increasingly complex and inclusive society. Visitors encounter iconic figures of American popular culture, including Superman, Captain America, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, Little Lulu, Archie, Black Panther, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Each emerged from pivotal historical moments, capturing the anxieties, ideals, and imagination of their era.

Featuring original artwork and rare artifacts, the exhibition connects comic storytelling to defining national experiences: World War II, the social upheavals of the 1960s, the cultural impact of pop art and hip-hop, and ongoing movements for justice and equality. Together, these materials reveal comics as both entertainment and historical record—vivid, inventive, and deeply reflective of the American experience.