Asian Comics Take Over MoPop

Oh, goodie! Something fun to look forward to in these months of gloom and doom! Thankfully, the Museum of Pop Culture, aka MoPop has our back with a new fun upcoming show to check out. This time, their laser focus is on…COMICS! ASIAN COMICS at that…yes, MoPop will debut Asian Comics: Evolution of an Art Form this March and while there will obviously be a big focus on manga from Japan, this show will also feature original artwork from all over the huge Asian cultural landscape with works from China, Vietnam, India, Cambodia and many more. Work will include all forms of art from the past and up to modern digital applications. If you love Asian comics and art, you’ll adore this show which originated in the Barbican Centre in London before moving to Los Angeles in 2024 and now to Seattle’s MoPop for an extended stay.

Asian Comics: Evolution of an Art Form celebrates the diversity and creativity of Asian comic art and its powerful impact on global pop culture.

Showcasing the evolution of visual storytelling from traditional graphic forms to modern digital innovations, this special exhibition features the largest-ever selection of original Asian comic artworks and includes over 400 pieces from countries such as Japan, China, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Afghanistan, and Vietnam.

Originally curated by Paul Gravett with a team of more than twenty international advisors at the Barbican Centre in London, this unique exhibition is making its second North American stop at MOPOP.

Join them to explore:

• Acclaimed and influential creators
• Diverse stories from fantastical folklore to challenging expressions of freedom
• Hands-on interactives and pop-ups

The new show opens with a big two day opening celebration…an opening night party on Friday, March 7th from 7:30pm to Midnight with an enchanting visit to “the Forest of Lunarda, an alternate world hidden beyond the Midnight Market and under the moonlight of a total eclipse. Step inside this cosmic cosplay soiree in the Forest of Lunarda and set your imagination free at our Isekai-inspired Moonlit Forest x Night Market exhibition Opening Party.”

Get tickets to the opening night event at https://www.mopop.org/events/asian-comics-opening-party

Then, on Saturday, March 8th, take part in opening day events with special one day only attractions including a drag performance by Seattle’s own grand dame drag diva, Aleksa Manila.

Schedule:

11 AM – 4 PM

• Unleash Your Hero drawing activity from Tessa Hulls in South Lobby
• Community tabler SakuraCon‍
• Drop In Screenings of Street Fighter Alpha: Generations (2005) in Sound and Vision Theater

2 PM – 3 PM

• Drag Performance + Dance and Video Creation Workshop with Aleksa Manila in Sky Church

3 PM

• Tour of Asian Comics Exhibit in South Lobby