Comic Book Heroes Featuring the Max Simon Comic Book Collection
The Max Simon Collection contains more than 19,000
Comic Books Donated by the Simon Family

We can’t promise visitors will be able to leap tall buildings at a single bound following a visit to the new Comic Book Heroes Featuring the Max Simon Comic Book Collection exhibit. But rest assured that this is a can’t miss opportunity to view — for the first time ever — a collection of more than 19,000 comic books amassed by the late Max Simon, son of Mel and Brenda Simon. Opening to the public on May 3, 2008, the new 7,000 square-foot exhibit created by The Children’s Museum highlights the people who bring comic books to life and those who preserve them while demonstrating that anyone be a comic book hero just by harnessing their creative talents.

“Comic books have entertained children, families and adults for generations, since they were introduced in the 1930s. The format has evolved from simple pairings of visuals and captions into a celebrated artistic form. Comics combine visual and literary storytelling with compelling characters to create a medium that fuels the imagination, connects generations and sparks further interest in reading,” said Dr. Jeffrey H. Patchen, president and CEO of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. “Comics have become vehicles for critical commentary on important social issues such as racism, intolerance, cruelty and other issues close to the hearts of today’s society.”

Children and families can explore the diversity of talent and teamwork that go into creating iconic characters and their adventures. The exhibit will showcase the world of the comic that readers and collectors, such as the late Max Simon whose passion and historic preservation gives life to the artists’ creations. Collecting Marvel and DC Comics, Simon accumulated not only extensive runs of X-men, the Fantastic Four and the Avengers, he also sought variety by collecting 1980s and 1990s Wonder Woman, Batman, Incredible Hulk, the Justice League and the Teen Titans. He also cultivated a strong collection of back issues of classics as well as exploring new comic stories from smaller publishers.

Comic Book Heroes displays rare and unusual comic books, related artifacts from popular television shows and movies along with exciting participatory interactives to immerse children and families in the amazing world of comics. Visitors will encounter opportunities to explore how comic art has changed over time and how it reflects the world around us. They can use different tools to create art, explore careers in comics and meet special guests.

In the past, the only time students read a comic book in school was when it was smuggled in and hid between the pages of a math or science book. Today, teachers are using comic books to teach science and math. Could the Flash run on water? How much force would Superman need to leap a tall building? Comics help teach complex information, such as sequencing, building literacy, utilizing symbols, ideas and word selections.

Educators have found that the visual cues in comic books help young readers decipher the meanings of unfamiliar vocabulary words and sometimes comics draw reluctant readers into a literary world. Teaching art and literature using comics and graphic novels has been recognized as meeting a variety of the fine arts and language arts standards established by the Consortium for National Arts Education Association and those required by the Indiana Department of Education. Comic Book Heroes will reinforce the standards using engaging activities and dynamic objects to introduce families and schools to a fun literacy-building tool.

Comics express more than simple “Pow! Biff! Bam!” adventures. They are much more than a monthly shot of adrenaline for the reader. Everyman characters such as Spider-Man and the X-Men embody the feelings and thoughts of children and adults alike. Interest in comics has never waned and is in fact growing, generating millions of dollars annually. Comic enthusiasts now span age, gender, race and geography. Japanese manga comics have taken the world by storm in the last two decades engaging a new generation of readers.

Special collector information, opportunities to get up close with authors and artists, and opportunities to share the passion of collecting will appeal everyone who visits Comic Book Heroes Featuring the Max Simon Comic Collection.

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The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is a non-profit institution committed to creating extraordinary family learning experiences that have the power to transform the lives of children and families.  The 433,000 square-foot facility houses 11 major galleries. Visitors can explore the physical and natural sciences, history, world cultures, the arts, see how dinosaurs lived 65 million years ago in Dinosphere: Now You’re in Their World®, experience Dale Chihuly’s Fireworks of Glass and examine children’s impact in shaping history in The Power of Children: Making a Difference. The Children’s Museum, situated on 13 acres of land in Indianapolis, presents hundreds of programs and activities each year.  For more information about The Children’s Museum in English and Spanish, visit www.childrensmuseum.org