BLOOMINGTON — A collection of rare comic book history is now on display at Indiana University. It all would have likely been destroyed in the Palisades Fire if not for this exhibit.
The gallery of Marvel comic book artist Mike Zeck's work prominently features original drafts and prints collected by Chuck Costas, an Indiana University alum.
"As Spiderman said, 'With great power comes great responsibility,'" Costas said. "With all of the power of owning this amazing artwork, the responsibility I had was to give it back and showcase it to other people."
The collection features original work from The Punisher, Secret Wars, and Captain America dating back to the mid-1980s.
Costas was preparing to ship them to Indiana from Southern California when his home was destroyed in the Palisades Fire.
"We had about 45 minutes to get everything we wanted out of the house," Costas said. "My entire comic book collection, 99 percent of it, did not survive."
The prints in the gallery only survived because they were out of the house awaiting their move to Bloomington. However, Costas did not save everything he wanted to.
"There was a Punisher logo which was used to print a cover that did not make it," Costas said. "The worst part is having to go back to the artist and say, 'These are the pieces of yours we lost, and I was the caretaker for them.' It's tough."
He says he's grateful the pieces in the gallery survived for the public to marvel at.
"I may not have everything, but I have enough to start a new world," Costas said.
The Mike Zeck collection is on display at Indiana University's McCalla Building until February 2026.
-
Suspect arrested in connection with April shooting on Indy's near east side
Indianapolis police arrested a suspect over two months after a warrant was issued in a near east side shooting that left a victim critically injured.
Is your car ready for the heat? Indiana mechanics say check these things now
Extreme heat is putting stress on vehicles across Indiana, and local auto shops are bracing for more breakdowns as temperatures climb.
Heatwave holds on with another day in the 90s
Another day with high heat and humidity across parts of Indiana. Our pattern begins to shift a little and brings us more rain chances for the end of the week into the holiday weekend.
Indianapolis EMS director sees surge in calls during heat wave
Due to the extreme heat, Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services has seen a spike in heat-related calls. People are encouraged to check on their neighbors and loved ones.
