pARTy on the Patio Returns with Superhero Mania!

Comic book fans tend to fall into camps. DC or Marvel. Batman or Superman. X-Men or The Avengers (And, within that last one: Captain America or Tony Stark — pick up a copy of Civil War if you don't believe me).

Well, toss all that aside and head to the Erie Art Museum for a celebration of all things super-human, at the museum's annual pARTy on the Patio fundraiser, triumphantly returning this year as Superhero Mania!

Truth is, there's a lot to celebrate when it comes to comics, from their impact on popular culture to the artistry they hold in their pages (apt, since the event is at an art museum, after all). There will be food, drinks, music, and dancing, and an added bonus: cosplayers dressed as their favorite comic book hero or heroine are entered into a prize drawing, so dig out your old costume from Comic-Con (or, you know, the one you'd wear to Comic-Con if you were ever so lucky to go, someday, somehow). You might just see the Joker and Batman tearing it up together on the dance floor.

Even if you're not a fan of super-human do-gooders in capes and spandex, Friday's event is for do-gooders of all walks of life, as all proceeds directly support the mission and programing of the Erie Art Museum. By purchasing a ticket and turning out for dancing, food, music, and drinks, even the run-of-the-mill Lois Lanes of the world have a chance to indeed do something quite super.  — Sara Toth

7 to 11 p.m. Friday, June 12// Erie Art Museum, 20 E. Fifth St.// erieartmuseum.org // Tickets $35