A protest outside Garrick Theater c. 1960 (Richard Nickel / Art Institute of Chicago)

Rescued ruins and a virtual tour of a lost masterpiece of Chicago architecture — we speak with the city’s cultural historian and a noted artist who were part of a team exploring a long-lost theater and more.

Frank King created the masterpiece “Gasoline Alley,” which captured the ineffable passage of life in an impermanent medium, its characters aging at the same rate as its readers, many of them based on King’s own family. His best work focused on the quiet, tender and poignant moments of life, especially those between parents and children. (Courtesy Chicago Cultural Center)

We check out a new show at the Chicago Cultural Center that makes the case that the comic strip was born and raised in Chicago. Our tour guides? Artist Chris Ware and cultural historian Tim Samuelson.

Artist Chris Ware (WTTW News)

For fans of comics and graphic novels, he is a superstar. But the artist Chris Ware lives a low-key life just outside Chicago. At his home studio, we meet the engaging comic book artist with an unusual eye for everyday life.