The hype was real.

I was privileged to attend the press preview for the latest Mondo Gallery show: Marvel Studios: The First Ten Years. Except for an Iron Man piece by César Moreno, this show has been largely kept from the public view. Actually, I can’t remember another Mondo show that kept all pieces under wraps until the gallery opening.

The real story of the night wasn’t the additions to the Marvel poster-verse… it’s the omission of a few incredible pieces. Four, actually. Due to a licensing holdup (stars get busy, too), the contributions of both Martin Ansin and Matt Taylor were held back from the public. The Black Panther giclee stand-ins were absolutely the best pieces of the night and it’s a shame people waited in line for the chance to not purchase them. I absolutely understand Mondo and the artists wanting to show off their work – Matt Taylor was in attendance – but I can’t help but to believe some attendees would have preferred to not know what they were missing.

It’s undeniable Mondo brings a consistent quality to the pieces it green-lights. But, much like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, consistency – even at a high level – can start to feel boring. Even with all the beautiful pieces on display, the magic of Mondo failed to manifest itself. So while the hype was real, it faded quickly once the curtain was raised. Here’s hoping for a better next showing.