Exhibition: HEROES: The British invasion of American comics

Comic books are American as apple pie and Uncle Sam… aren’t they? Discover how British artists and writers invaded America and made their mark on iconic superheroes and more.

HEROES: The British invasion of American comics tells the story of early American comics such as Buster Brown, Miss Fury and Superman, how they influenced British artists and culture, and how the British took that influence and sold it back to America through legendary comics such as Watchmen and V For Vendetta.

The exhibition shines a light on the many British creators who provided art for iconic superheroes including Batman, Spider-Man, Hellboy and Hit-Girl, including works by Brian Bolland, David Lloyd, Doug Braithwaite and Alison Sampson. On the way you’ll discover British attempts to imitate American strips in the 1940s; find out the story behind the 1972 launch of Marvel UK; see rarely-seen full-colour early American comic newspaper pages by RF Outcault, Harold Foster and Alex Raymond; and enjoy stunning artwork by key figures from the history of British and American comics, including works by legendary names such as Jack Kirby, Jack Davis and Tarpe Mills. You’ll even get to see the costume of a real-life British superhero!