Age of Ultron Art Showcase Makes You Wanna See The Movie

Ultrons! I'm surrounded by Ultrons! Ultrons in back of me, in front of me, all around me! Just like in the scene from Avengers: Age of Ultron in the commercials and trailers.  I was surrounded by Ultrons, Avengers and fans and artists at Marvel's and Hero Complex's Age of Ultron Art Showcase last Saturday, May 2nd. A line of fans outside to get into Hero Complex's latest "for fans of" show that promoted the upcoming blockbuster.

Drew Wise, shirt king and beloved Internet artist had two pieces in the show, "Escher"; paying homage to the work of M.C. Escher and the transformation of Bruce Banner into the Hulk. His other piece paid homage to the poster for Metropolis called "Ultronopolis" with Ultron taking the place of the robot Maria. Fans were immediately drawn to the pieces, spouting "ooohs" and "ahhs."

Drew was clutching a drink in one hand and a picture in the other. "It's a picture that my son drew of Super-Hulk fighting Super Iron-Man... in continuity," Drew told me. A proud father, he told me of his son's contribution to a kid's art show that was suppose to happen that night too. There was so much up that there wasn't a spot for it all, sorry kids.

He was right about empty spots with blue-prints for the Hulk Buster Armor, huge portraits of the Avengers ready to fight and wall to wall art of Ultron's robotic ugly mug there wouldn't be anywhere to put the their drawings other than the ceiling.

"First of all, I was just honored to be part of show, it was hard to think of a concept, but eventually...," remember those "oohs" and "ahhs" I mentioned artist Drew Wise got, it was his hard work. "I racked my brain, " Drew continued on about his Escher piece. His wife gave him the idea for his Metropolis piece. Drew flew out from Virgina to make it to the opening night and I left him, talking  talking about video games, he was passed a drink and starting talking with some friends.

Sam Gilbey, know for his portraits, had the the Avengers and Ultron's faces looking down upon the  crowd stuffed inside the gallery. Sam came all the way from England to attend the show. I asked him if he was on set, stalking the actors to capture their likeness. Being English he didn't understand jokes and I had to explain it to him. He told me he just studied their faces online to grabs their looks and put them on paper. "Sadly not," Sam said, he just missed the film's premiere in England.

Sam Gilbey

In fact none of the artist I talk to got to see the film. All their work was based on the trailer and commercials released to the public and some images Marvel provided into them. So no worries about any spoilers on seeing this show.

Glen Brogan

Glen Brogan

I soon met Glen Brogan after his mother pointed him out to me at the show. Glen, like Drew, is very much liked my TTDILA, we show off their work frequently. Glen's new piece depicted the Avengers in his cartoony style. It managed to grab the whole cast of the film. "I don't know about that," Glen was humble that his piece was used for the preview images to get excited about the show, I mentioned that most shows have his piece as the preview art. When I asked if he would be doing a animated show of his own, he said, "Nothing so far, " to both our sadness. I did congratulate him on placing human versions of the Hulk and Iron Man as see through in their armor and bulk in his piece. Cartoony, but deep is his portrait of the Avengers. "Yeah, I really liked that idea, but I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to pull it off and have it make sense, 'I think we got it, " I told Glen.

Far off in the back...was that the Avengers' "A"? By George, it was and from artist Kevin Wilson, also from England, who also just missed the film. "Sure, I've never seen it as creepy, " Kevin told me when I told him how Vision looked in his piece hovering over Iron Man. It takes you a few seconds to register all the Avengers in the piece and how they were put into it to form the A. "I was just looking at the battles in the film and I just wanted to show an outcome, a war zone essentially, " Kevin said about his piece. It took him about fifty hours to get the piece ready for the show.

Truck Torrence, also known as "100% Soft" took his art a different way. Hey you at home, would you like Ultron in your house as a home appliance? Well, now, " It's called "The Age of Ultron: Kitchen Essentials Collection ... I think it would be funny that after they defeated him they turn him into a line of home appliances, " Soft said. "I have Ultron as a Kitchen-Aid mixer, a toaster, a barbecue and a blender, " Soft continued.  Soft left me hungry with "So Thor is making some Ultron cupcakes...Thor's really into home baking, it's a little known fact about Thor."

100% Soft

Having way too much of a good time was, what's his name? He made me have such a good time too, oh Bruce Yan. Bruce was partying hard with his piece depicting the ol' red- white-n-blue...and gray. He limited his colore palette for the piece, that looked like a comic book cover of old. "I felt they need to be patriotic, " Bruce told me as to why the flag was a big part of the piece.

I salute you Bruce and the rest of the artists for their marvelous work just based on a film known of them even saw yet.


Age of Ultron Art Showcase
On View: April 24 – May 17
Wednesday - Sunday, 11 AM - 6 PM PT
Hero Complex Gallery
2020 South Robertson Blvd., Studio D, Los Angeles, CA 90064

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