Serials

Movie serials were multi-chapter film adventures shown in weekly installments from the 1910s through the early 1950s, designed to keep audiences returning to theaters with cliffhangers and continuous action. Popular among younger viewers and early genre fans, serials introduced enduring characters and archetypes that later defined television and comic book storytelling—from masked heroes and daring aviators to detectives, space explorers, and jungle adventurers. Their posters and lobby cards radiate energy and suspense, often depicting the hero mid-peril or the villain’s dramatic reveal, with striking typography and explosive illustration. Today, serial movie posters are prized by collectors for their nostalgic charm, pulp-era design, and connection to the origins of serialized cinematic storytelling—the foundation of the modern action and superhero saga.