By Michael Pennywark

Who doesn’t love comic books? From Disney characters to superheroes, comic books have entertained children and adults for decades. Their popularity has spawned blockbuster movies and spurred the ire of more than a few girlfriends. And yes, I do think she’s wrong, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a grown man dressing up as Wolverine for a comic convention. If she had just dressed up as Jean Grey instead of the- pouty-girl-who-looked-like-she’d-rather-be-anywhere-else, no one would have stared at you. Everyone has a favorite hero, favorite story, or favorite villain, and everyone can remember reading or spending all of their allowance on the latest issue of Spiderman as a kid. Well, almost everyone. Anyway, I still remember the first time I picked up a comic book and pored over the brightly colored pages of Scrooge McDuck chasing down the Beagle Boys, or when I delved into the darker worlds of Judge Dredd, Nemesis and the other anti-heroes of the 2000AD universe. The point is everyone has a connection to comic books in some form or another.

So even your ex-girlfriend who couldn’t tell the difference between Bruce Wayne and Bruce Banner can appreciate the upcoming exhibition, “and everything in between” by Curtis Gannon at Spacetaker ARC gallery, January 13- March 2. Gannon’s collages and constructions made from deconstructed comic books explore the mechanisms of how comics communicate their message and reflect the characteristics of the action comic: color, movement, dialogue, dramatic story lines, the media, and popular culture.

I caught up with Gannon to find out more about the man behind the art—how he came up with the idea, what was his first comic book experience, what’s his favorite comic, and does he wear a mask when he makes a collage? Okay, not the last one, I do have to at least try to sound professional, y’all. According to Gannon, “after a year of graduate school, one of my professors told me my work wasn’t interesting because I wasn’t putting enough of myself into it. He said I needed to explore something I knew intimately that reflected my interests. I went home and put away the modernist sculpture books I’d been poring over, and I pulled out the boxes of comics I grew up reading. The visual language of comics was something I was acquainted with before I could read. Some of the more vivid memories of my youth involve comic books.”

As for those first comic books, he added that: “some of my first comics were Disney titles, Donald and Mickey mostly. The comic I remember most vividly was an extra large edition of Star Wars #1. It was the first issue in the retelling of the original movie. I read it till it fell apart, then kept the pages long after that. I would have been four or five years old at the time.” And as far as favorites, Gannon explained that, “my ‘favorite’ comic is always in flux, but Fantastic Four # 1 from 1963 is probably my all time favorite. Between Stan Lee’s story and Kirby’s art work, that issue communicates everything possible in the medium of action comics. F.F. # 1 is sci-fi/fantasy at its best. I think it is one of the cornerstones of modern comics.”

And for the other comic connoisseurs out there: fear not, no comic books were harmed in the making of this art. All of the collages and constructions were made from reprinted materials.

“and everything in between.” will be on view January 13 through March 2

A free opening reception will be held on Friday, January 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. In addition to Monday through Friday gallery visits by appointment, the show will also be open to the public on Saturday, January 14 and Saturday, February 11 from 2 to 5 p.m., in conjunction with Winter Street Studios Second Saturday Open Studios.