Masters of American Comics

A two-part exhibition at

The Jewish Museum
&
The Newark Museum

Throughout the twentieth century and into
the twenty-first, comic strips and comic books
have been a tremendously influential form
of mass media. Masters of American Comics
brings together the work of fourteen artists, from
Winsor McCay to Chris Ware, who have defined
and expanded the possibilities of a vastly popular
art form. Presented in two parts, the first, at the
Newark Museum, looks at comic strips in the first
half of the twentieth century, and the second, at
The Jewish Museum, looks at comic books from
the 1950s to the present.

Co-curator John Carlin writes in his catalogue essay, "The history of comics is about many things--stories, gags, characters and layouts. But in the end, it all boils down to inventive ways to design pictures and words to engage readers and make them pay attention." While the exhibition examines the stylistic development of comic art, it also provides a lively survey of the American twentieth century through some of its most well-known--and most beloved--creations.

This exhibition began as a collaboration between two institutions in Los Angeles, where the first half of the show was shown at The Hammer Museum and the second half across town at The Museum of Contemporary Art. Here, the comic strips will be shown at the Newark Museum while the comic books will be at The Jewish Museum. Masters of American Comics was co-curated by independent scholars John Carlin and Brian Walker.


Artists at The Jewish Museum

Will Eisner
Jack Kirby
Harvey Kurtzman
R. Crumb
Gary Panter
Chris Ware

Artists at the Newark Museum
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Winsor McCay
Lionel Feininger
George Herriman
E. C. Segar

Frank King
Chester Gould
Milton Caniff
Charles M. Schulz