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Marvel Comics' Brian Michael Bendis, Illustrator Mike Gustovich & Artist Derek Hess

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This week the City of Cleveland rolled out the red carpet for the opening of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which spent six weeks shooting in this area. The producers - Disney and Marvel - have a lot riding on the popularity of the Captain. The film's budget was $170 million, of which Cleveland netted about $20 million during the film's production in Northeast Ohio. Since Captain America was launched in 1941 - as a one-man army fighting against our enemies in World War II - he's been a popular, top-selling superhero. Today, he goes toe-to-toe with modern day evils like terrorists, and powerful interest groups. One of the writers who embroils Captain America and The Avengers, Spider-Man and other superheroes in contemporary conflicts is award-winning author, Brian Michael Bendis.

Like many, Mike Gustovich grew up reading comic books and dreaming about fighting evil and vanquishing villains. For him, that dream came true: Mike turned his childhood love of comic books and superheroes into a lifelong career.

Last week, we took you back to the early 1990’s and the hardcore rock scene that sprung up at the Euclid Tavern in University Circle, thanks to acclaimed local poster artist Derek Hess. He took his formal art school training from the Cleveland Institute of Art and fused it with his love for the rough and tumble side of rock and roll. We continue Derek’s story as he moved away from plastering his black and white posters on Cleveland telephone poles by creating color lithographs suitable for framing, not just in local art galleries, but a famous museum in the City of Light.Marvel Comic's Brian Michael Bendis
Comic book Illustrator Mike Gustovich
Artist Derek Hess