Living in Sequence Comic Book Art Exhibition Extends Through March 30

After a popular one-month showing, the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation is pleased to announce the extension of the Living in Sequence of comic book artwork exhibition. The exhibition, organized by the Bronx Heroes comic collective, will be on view at the Poe Park Visitor Center through March 30, 2013.

This vibrant collection of Bronx artists pays homage to the strong ties between Poe Park and comic book history. In 1939, Batman's creators Bob Kane and Bill Finger conceived the Caped Crusader while sitting in the Bronx's Poe Park. Artist Jerry Robinson soon joined the team, renting an apartment near Kane's Grand Concourse home. The collaboration produced such famous characters as Robin and The Joker. In time, Poe's stories would provide key storylines for some of Batman's adventures and in 2003 the superhero and Poe teamed up to solve mysteries in the comic miniseries, "Batman: Nevermore."

Living in Sequence features golden age and contemporary comic book artists from the Bronx-demonstrating that that the art of comic illustration is still thriving in the borough. The artists in this exhibition include Shawn Atkinson, Chris Duckett, Trevor Von Eeden, Will Eisner, Ray Felix, Corey F. Godwell, Dmitry Gubin, Hal Foster, N. Steve Harris, Irwin Hasen, Jack Kirby, Carl Kent, Alitha E. Martinez, Regine Sawyer, Jerry Robinson, Vanessa Verduga and Roberto Williams.

The Bronx Heroes collective provides the Bronx community with opportunities to meet emerging and professional artists and offers information about potential career opportunities that exist in the comic book and publishing industries. They foster new generations of readers through artist and writer workshops, and further the understanding and appreciation of graphic novels and comic book art.

Nestled between the Grand Concourse and Kingsbridge Road, Poe Park offers an oasis in the most densely-populated region of the Bronx. The park houses a small playground, a historic bandstand, and most notably the last home of one of the nation's most important literary figures-poet and author Edgar Allan Poe. The cottage was recently restored in 2011 by the Bronx County Historical Society and the Historic House Trust. The latest addition to this historic park is the Poe Park Visitor Center, a 5,400-square-foot structure that includes a gathering space for community uses, display areas, and public restrooms. The striking one-story building, designed by Toshiko Mori, inaugurated Mayor Bloomberg's Design and Construction Excellence Initiative and is the recipient of a Public Design Commission Special Recognition Award.

The Poe Park Visitor Center hosts public programs supportive of Parks' mission, with particular emphasis on the arts. Types of activities that are encouraged include artist workshops, readings, film screenings, temporary exhibits, lectures and community planning.

The Poe Park Visitor Center is located at 2640 Grand Concourse in the Bronx. It is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.