As one who read comic books well into my adult life, I was excited to learn about Mark Pracht's "Four-Color Trilogy" - a series of three plays based on the history of comic books. Two years ago, I loved "The Mark of Kane" - the story of the 1939 creation of Batman by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, who took credit for many of Finger's ideas. Pracht followed this success a year later with "Seduction of the Innocence," telling of the censorship that nearly destroyed the comic industry in the 1950s. The final entry in the trilogy - "The House of Ideas" - is currently in preview and runs through October 6. I caught a preview performance on Sunday afternoon. All three shows premiered at the City Lit Theatre - an intimate venue in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood.

"The House of Ideas" follows Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, whose collaboration helped revive the comic book superhero genre in the early 1960s. The duo created memorable characters, including The Fantastic Four, Iron Man, the Mighty Thor, and the Incredible Hulk. Lee was an editor at the company that would become Marvel Comics. Kirby was an artist already well-known as the co-creator of Captain America two decades earlier.

Bryan Breau and Brian Plocharczyk excel as Lee and Kirby, respectively. Breau plays up Lee's optimism and showmanship, while Plocharczyk brings out Kirby's hard edges, honed by the artist's upbringing on the Lower East Side of New York City. As the 1960s turn into the 70s, Breau dons a wig and mustache to reflect Lee's tendency to adopt the latest fashions, while Plocharczyk's Kirby maintains the same haircut and attitude throughout the show.

Rivalry and a desire to achieve credit they feel is owed them strain the pair's relationship. Still, each respects his partner, and the actors do an excellent job transmitting these conflicting emotions to the audience.

Former City Lit Artistic Director Terry McCabe returned to direct this play, which featured low-resolution projections of old comic book covers and period photos, enhancing the mood of each scene.

Mark Pracht's trilogy ended with a bang. One can only hope he decides to turn it into a tetralogy.