The San Antonio Museum of Art has already hosted a slew of lectures and other educational events in conjunction with its “Men of Steel, Women of Wonder” exhibition, but on Friday museum visitors will have yet another way to experience the superhero-themed collection.
For its “Superhero Pajama Party,” SAMA is asking you to don your favorite superpowered vigilante-themed jammies and come on over to watch cartoons. While a marathon of Max Fleischer’s classic Superman toons from the early ’40s plays in the museum’s auditorium, attendees can lean into the nostalgic Saturday morning vibe with breakfast tacos by Xanthia De La Cocina, cereal-inspired treats from Cereal Killer Sweets and the opportunity to release your inner child at a craft station, where you can make your own versions of Wonder Woman’s headgear or Superman’s cuffs.
Although Fleischer and his brother Dave achieved great success with famous cartoon characters including Betty Boop and Popeye the Sailor, their studio was in decline when they took on the Superman project. Even so, the resulting animated shorts are considered a hallmark achievement of the Golden Age of Animation. While the 17 Superman shorts are often referred to as the “Fleischer Superman cartoons,” the final eight entries in the series were produced by Famous Studios without the brothers’ involvement after the collapse of their business.
If your only exposure to superhero cartoons is more recent classics like Spider-Man and the Super Friends, then this is your long overdue chance to experience how it all started.
$12-$20, 6-9 p.m. Friday, July 26, San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 W. Jones Ave., (210) 978-8100, samuseum.org
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This article appears in Jul 17-30, 2019.
