Despite what Hero Complex Gallery’s name might lead you to believe, not every HCG show is superhero-related.  Often clever, generally awesome, and featuring a consistently talented pool of artists?  Yes, for sure.  Wall-to-wall prints featuring spandex-clad mutants, Kryptonian refugees, and/or unkillable Canadians with razor-sharp claws?  Not so much.

Their next show-- Arch Nemesis, which opens this Friday at the gallery’s Los Angeles location—falls somewhere in-between.  Yes, you’ll get all the Batman, Fantastic Four, and Justice League posters you can handle…but they’ll be rubbing elbows with new prints based on geek-friendly properties like Predator, The Wizard of Oz, and Masters of The Universe.  Wanna see some preview images from the show (and find out how you can win one of two extremely rare variant prints)?  Meet me after the jump, folks.

We’ve got a lot of photos and info to get through and precious little time to do so (Limited Paper’s got an appointment to get a perm this morning), so let’s get right to it:  our friends at Hero Complex Gallery are opening their new show, Arch Nemesis, this Friday, and yesterday they sent over some preview images and info for our perusal.  For details on Hero Complex Gallery’s latest, let’s go to the press release:

Hero Complex Gallery is proud to announce our next exhibition on May 24th, 2013, “Arch Nemesis!” - an art show focusing on Bad Guys...on the Villains, Rogues, and Scoundrels of the world. And what good is a Nemesis show without a few heroes to kick around! 

We will be giving away (1) maple wood variant of Laurent Durieux's “Peter Pan (Peter and Wendy)”...and if that wasn't enough, we will ALSO be giving away (1) metal variant of Craig Drake's “Predator”, inspired by the film of the same name. One will be awarded to opening night customers and one will be awarded to online customers.  All customers with purchases of $100 or more will automatically be entered to win.

So, first of all:  the theme sounds good, and we’re sure the people who snag either the wood Durieux or the metal Drake will be thrilled to death.  For anyone who hasn’t seen either of those pieces yet (images have been bouncing around the interwebs for the past week or two), here’s what they look like.  Oh, and please note that the Durieux may feature slightly different colors in its final, printed-on-wood format;  the Drake Predator should be spot-on:

  • Peter Pan by Laurent Durieux
  • One maple wood variant being raffled off
  • All customers who drop $100+ (online or in-store) are entered to win

  • Predator by Craig Drake
  • One metal variant being raffled off
  • All customers who drop $100+ (online or in-store) are entered to win

Little-known fact:  Peter Pan and Tinkerbell were always bitter adversaries, their friendship an elaborate charade that fooled generation after generation of children.  But getting back on track:  let’s take a look at some of the other preview images Hero Complex Gallery sent over, starting with one that we suspect will be very popular come Sunday:

  • Lucille by Tim Anderson

Tim-Anderson-Lucille-poster

  • Bane by Mark Reihill

  • The Wizard of Oz by Adam Juresko

  • Mars Attacks by Ale Giorgini

  • It’s Not About The Money by Marko Manev

Happy Trails, Hans by Matt Tobin

HCG-Arch-Nemesis-Matt-Tobin-Happy-Trails-Hans

  • Skeletor by Brett Parson

  • Galactus by Michael Latimer

  • Saint Vader by Timothy Pittides

  • Predator by Craig Drake (screenprinted/paper edition)

  • Bebop and Rocksteady (set of 2 prints) by Isaac Bidwell

HCG-Arch-Nemesis-Isaac-Bidwell-Bebop-Rocksteady-Set

  • Saturday Morning in Front of La Salle de Justice by Rey Taira

HCG-Arch-Nemesis-Rey-Taira-Saturday-Morning-In-Front-of-LaSalle-De-Justice

  • Sunday Evening By The Legion of Doom by Rey Taira

HCG-Arch-Nemesis-Rey-Taira-Sunday-Evening-By-The-Legion-Of-Doom

This looks like a solid show, has more than a few strong artists involved, and seems to have something for just about everyone:  what’s not to like?  If you’re going to be in Los Angeles on Friday evening (7pm PST, to be precise), stop on by Hero Complex Gallery to see Arch Nemesis for yourself.  The sales start then and will continue until the supply’s exhausted, but the show itself will be open through the first half of June.  Want more updates from Hero Complex as we get closer to the show’s opening?  You can visit their website over here or you can follow them over on Twitter via this link, or follow the happenings all over Poster World via the Limited Paper Twitter feed at this link.

What do you guys think?  Like what you see?  Gonna try for one of those giveaway variants pictured up top?  Let us know in the comments section below.  Everyone else:  if you’re an artist or gallery with artwork you’d like to see featured on Limited Paper (or if you’re just some lucky bastard who happened to overhear a bit of poster-related gossip while standing in the bushes outside Martin Ansin’s house) we wanna hear from you!  Email Limited Paper directly at LimitedPaper@gmail.com, and be sure that you’re following us on Twitter via @LimitedPaper for ongoing commentary, news updates, giveaways, and more!