Cleveland unveils statues of Superman and his creators 8/2/25

87 years after Superman debuted...

33 years after original Superman artist Joe Shuster died...

29 years after original Superman writer Jerry Siegel died...

18 years after I first came to Cleveland while researching Boys of Steel...

...the city finally installed statues to honor its hometown legacies Superman, Jerry, Joe, and Jerry's wife Joanne [inspiration for Lois Lane]. 

[I know you're not supposed to start sentences with numbers that are not written out, but Jerry and Joe broke some rules, too, and look how that turned out.]

I'd estimate at least 200 attended.

The Boys [and Girl] of Steel are cast in bronze. Superman is, of course, stainless steel.

Donations are still desperately needed to cover the $2.2 million cost.

Thanks to the Siegel & Shuster Society for their tireless efforts. Getting public art up [up and away] does not go faster than a speeding bullet...

Jerry's daughter Laura Siegel Larson and grandson James

the Gray family, who lived in Jerry's former house 

when I went there for research in 2007 

[and who still live there today], 

and George Gene Gustines, 

who wrote the New York Times article about the event

fellow Super Boy of Steel author Brad Ricca

Tracey Kirksey, who was Executive Director of the

Glenville Development Corporation when I was 

researching Boys of Steel [Glenville was the neighborhood

where Jerry and Joe were living when they created

Superman]

Gary Kaplan, Roy Schwartz, me, Brad Ricca,

Samantha Baskind, Jamie Reigle

center: sculptor of the statues, David Deming

George was perched above the plaza for the unveiling and

caught this guy in gray pants trampling on the landscaping.

Inside the adjoining convention center, an orchestra played

the John Williams Superman theme.

Both are creators!

a view inside the phone booth 

that is part of the installation

I flew in just for the event, landing the night before.

Walking to my hotel at 1:30 am, I passed the covered statues.

Nearby, a city carnival was empty aside from crew, 

but despite the lateness of the hour, still aglow.

Up, up, and...here to stay.