Galactic Gallery Is Out of This World

by Brooke Ezzo | Photo courtesy of Ben Stevens

Somewhere between a galaxy far far away and Diagon Alley, you’ll find a popculture art gallery that is bringing some of the most iconic movie moments to life. Whether you want to travel Back to the Future or get advice from a lifelike Yoda that opportunity to start my own Dallas convention, which drew in a few hundred guests.” statue, Galactic Gallery in Flower Mound is a destination spot for all pop art fanatics. By the time he sold in 2014, the Dallas “It’s not your grandmother’s art gallery,” and operator of the ultimate comic book hosting nearly 50,000 attendees from all owner Ben Stevens said. “Think Batman, convention, the Dallas Comic Con. The fan over the world each year. The Muppets, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and expo is a playground for comics, anime, Comic-Con had become a major event, science fiction.” gaming, cosplay, In his post-convention life, Stevens started The Copper Canyon resident has accrued an incredible collection of memorabilia and is a hub for celebrity sightings. “After being laid collecting pop culture art more seriously. That turned into a and rare finds over his 20 years as owner Stevens was first introduced to the off from my tech desire to build a gallery. The custom fascinating world of comics at a young job in 1994, I took built 5,000-squarefoot building opened age, going to his first convention in that opportunity in September and houses hundreds the late 1970s with his father, who was to start my own of original movie posters, book a collector of many things including Dallas convention, covers, promotional paintings, animation Disney comics from the 1940s. which drew in a few cells, reproductions, and vintage sci-fi “It had an impact on my life that I hundred guests.” movie posters from the 1940s and 1950s. wouldn’t realize until “It’s really an much later,” Stevens said. “After being extension of the things I enjoyed collecting laid off from my tech job in 1994, I took at my own comic cons,” Stevens said. “Right

now, 90 percent of the space is dedicated to Drew Struzan — an artist that few know who he is, but most have seen his work.”

Drew Struzan, a man George Lucas dubbed as “the only collectible artist since World War II,” is responsible for some of the most recognizable movie posters for classic films as such as “Hook,” “Star Wars,” “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Indiana Jones,” “The Muppets,” and dozens more.

“He literally painted most of the films I enjoyed growing up,” Stevens said. “It is an amazing thing to share. Building this gallery to show the world his work is my effort to seal Drew’s legacy as one of the great artists of my generation.”

Stevens said the desire to bring Drew to his comic conventions as a guest for fans to meet and get his autograph is how their friendship began. At first, Drew passed on the idea because he did not understand why fans would want his signature. But Stevens persisted.

“I visited Drew in Pasadena,

California and purchased an original Indiana

Jones painting that was used for the movie poster,” “I visited Drew in Pasadena, California and purchased an original Indiana Jones painting that was used for the movie poster,” Stevens said. “Thousands, maybe tens of thousands of posters are printed, but there is only one original painting.” After the initial visit and multiple dinners, the friendship between artist and fan was formed and continues today.

“How exciting it was as I look back to those visits,” Stevens said. “Our friendship grew, and I eventually got Drew to do a few Comic Cons all over North America. Fans loved meeting him, and he enjoyed seeing their faces light up while they endlessly told him how much this or that poster art meant to them. It was the same feeling I had.”

The Galactic Gallery is currently open as “by appointment only,” but Stevens suggested the future may include open house days, special events, and

celebrity signings.

For more on Galactic Gallery, visit GalacticGallery.com