ter.ri.to.ri.al.i.ty n. The behavior of a male animal that defines and defends its territory. cu.ra.to.ri.al.i.ty™ n. The behavior of a curator that defines and defends his collection and its history.
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SPECIAL EDITION: THE REST OF THE STORY
Tempus fugit, eh? We now have only two installments left in this series, our special online tour through the halls of Geppi’s Entertainment Museum. We’ve been from one end of our main corridor to the other — all the way from the 1700s to the present day — and we have one last stop to make before we reach the big wrap-up column next month. So step with me, if you will, into a gallery we like to call “Special Edition.”
See, the problem with pop culture is that it never stops. It just keeps going, year after year, with movies, television, comics, and tons of memorabilia flooding our stores and homes. For the pop culture historian, it means always running to catch up, and it’s not an easy task. Add to that the fact that here at GEM, we have only a limited physical space in which to tell the story of American entertainment — most of which is already spoken for in this historic building — and you can see the intriguing conundrum that we face.
Fortunately, we have one stop-gap that enables us to explore many other aspects of our rich pop culture heritage while leaving our standing exhibition as is (with the possibility of tweaking and evolving even those displays as time and opportunity allows). Following our final chronological gallery devoted to the 1970s and 80s, “Expanding Universe,” and just before you head into our “Flashbacks” gift shop on your way to the lobby and out the door, we have a dedicated space dubbed “Special Edition.” Within its walls we feature a vast variety of uniquely themed exhibits devoted to individual characters, creators, TV shows, movies, or any other specific bits of pop culture that deserve a focus all their own.
As you might expect, some planning has to come into play when the sky’s the limit. The Special Edition gallery will play host to celebrations of birthdays and anniversaries galore (as with the recent 30th anniversary tribute to Star Wars), examinations of the cultural impact of comic characters (as with Professor Bill Foster’s Finally in Full Color exhibition, which we previously hosted), and even a look at how holiday traditions and collecting go hand in hand (as with our very first Christmas-themed exhibit from 2006).
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But what awaits us in the next year? What treasures will be uncovered in the Special Edition room in 2008? Well, it’s not all that difficult to figure out if you just think about the significant birthdays coming up in the world of comic characters. HINT #1: The Man of Steel himself, Superman, reaches 70 in the summer of ’08. First appearing in Action Comics #1 in June 1938, our stalwart hero doesn’t look a day over 30 or so, but he’s been the protector of his adopted home, Earth, since before World War II! Sounds like a man who deserves a special tribute, GEM style, doesn’t he?
And there’s another important birthday to celebrate in the fall, as the leader of the band that’s made for you and me – M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E – turns 80(!). The Walt Disney company formally marks Mickey’s birthday in November and ever since his official debut in Steamboat Willie (to say nothing of his previous, lesser-known escapades in Plane Crazy and The Gallopin’ Gaucho), the diminutive mouse has been one of the indelible icons of childhood in this country and around the world. I can see the birthday cake already!
Hmm, 2008 also means 40 years of Planet of the Apes, to say nothing of other 1968-vintage sci-fi/horror/fantasy favorites like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Yellow Submarine, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Barbarella, and Night of the Living Dead. And in 2009 (you have to look pretty far ahead when you’re planning this kind of schedule), there are a few little dates like the 50th anniversary of Barbie, the 40th anniversary of MGM’s The Wizard of Oz, and birthdays like Batman’s 70th, Flash Gordon’s 75th, and Popeye’s 80th! All of these and more are fair game at the home of “pop culture with character,” so you can expect a lot of exciting announcements to come in the months ahead. The real question is: How will we find the space and time to cover all these milestones in pop culture history? I guess we’ll find out.
Next time, we meet for the final installment in this journey through American pop culture and entertainment. I’ll offer some last thoughts on where we are and where we’re going, and I’ll also offer the usual heartfelt thanks for sticking with me through this whole wacky thing. So one last time, come on back here next month and help me to bid farewell to my little virtual CGC newsletter home. See you then!
or in person at
301 W. Camden St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 625-7060
Star Wars® is a registered name wholly owned by Lucasfilm Ltd. The Force™ is a trademarked term wholly owned by Lucasfilm Ltd. The words Star Wars® and The Force™ appear within the GEM exhibit’s title by expressed permission of Lucasfilm Ltd. Lucasfilm Ltd. neither authorizes nor has an association with the exhibit, whose goal is to illustrate to the public, through a display of products and collectibles, the impact the Star Wars®saga has had on popular culture.
This is a guest article. The thoughts and opinions in this piece are those of their author and are not necessarily the thoughts of the Certified Collectibles Group.
