Ahead of the theatrical release of "Superman" this week, the city that inspired Metropolis is abuzz with events and programs celebrating the Man of Steel.
Cleveland played a supporting role as a stand-in for Metropolis in the film, which hits theaters July 11. Much of the movie was filmed in Downtown Cleveland, and trailer footage features several of the city's landmarks and well-known spots, including Progressive Field.
Superman was created in Cleveland in 1933 by two high schoolers, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, before the hero’s debut on the cover of Action Comics in 1938. Superman was an instant success, said Michael Sangiacomo, vice president of the Siegel and Shuster Society.
It's not the first time Cleveland has been prominently featured in a superhero film. Previously, Marvel Entertainment movies used Cleveland for scenes set in New York, Sangiacomo said. He is glad to see D.C. Studios use the city for its Metropolis for the first time on the big screen.
“[Jerry and Joe] would look at the skyline. They would look at Terminal Tower and they would fantasize about a superhero flying around this building,” said Sangiacomo. “Jerry and Joe, they loved the city of Cleveland, and they were just thrilled to include it in the comics… Cleveland is the unnamed character in Superman comics.”
Cleveland libraries, museums get in on the action
The Cleveland Public Library makes an appearance in the movie, serving as the Metropolis Public Library. In honor of the film's release, the library will host A Superhero Homecoming, an event consisting of a comic workshop, scavenger hunt, escape room and comic and book signing opportunity. Six comic creatives behind Superman comics will speak on a guest panel. The homecoming will happen on July 12 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the main library.
Attendees can also check out “Superman: From Cleveland to Krypton”, an exhibit that houses artifacts of Superman’s history like Jerry Siegel’s desk where he typed comic book scripts, said Manager of the Literary Department Don Boozer.
“It's really an image that everyone across the world knows, that shield with an S on it, and it all started here in Cleveland,” said Boozer. “It’s an important piece of both Cleveland history and international history.”
Foot traffic for the display has increased in the recent days with the anticipated movie release, Boozer added. After visiting the exhibit, people can borrow comics and books and “take a piece of Superman home with you," he said.
“Continuing to celebrate the birth of Superman in Cleveland is one of the special experiences we can give to people,” said Boozer.
A prop from the film has made its way to the Cleveland History Center.
Lex Luthor’s Humvee will be displayed in the museum starting July 12 after moviegoers catch a glimpse of the vehicle on the big screen, said Dennis Barrie, director of design for the Western Reserve Historical Society. The vehicle is an earlier display piece for their upcoming exhibition, “Hollywood on the Cuyahoga.”
To honor the city’s cinematic achievement, John Dudas, owner of Carol and John Comic Shop, created an 11-foot-tall photo backdrop in the store as a comic book spin on movie festivities.
“It’s all starts in Cleveland…The superhero genre was basically born there, born in Cleveland,” Dudas.
The background is a replica of Superman’s first comic book appearance and allows visitors to step into the shoes of the Man of Steel and pretend to lift a green car to save Metropolis citizens, Dudas said. Shop visitors who come during the movie’s release week can get free copies of Superman comic book reprints, including ones with movie characters like Superman’s dog Krypto and super friends Hawkgirl and Green Lantern, he said.
Dudas’ shop display will last until July 16, but he imagines future opportunities for photo ops to “pop up sometime in the future.”
Next month, the Siegel and Shuster Society will unveil statues honoring the creators’ legacies, Sangiacomo added. The piece includes life-size models of Siegel and Shuster and Shuster’s wife Joanne Shuster, the model for Lois Lane, looking up at a nine-foot statue of the Man of Steel himself on an 18-foot pedestal, he said. The statues will be unveiled in early August outside the Huntington Convention Center.
“When the statue is up in a few weeks it’s gonna be amazing,” said Sangiacomo. “This is really going to be the biggest thing for tourism for Cleveland in years.”
The dedication is set for Aug. 2 featuring an interview with Laura Siegel Larson, daughter of Jerry Siegel, according to the Siegel and Shuster Society.
Other events happening during Superman weekend include:
· Be A Cleveland Film Hero: A GCFC Fan Celebration – The Greater Cleveland Film Commission will host a fan experience followed by a film screening on July 10 at 7 p.m. The celebration will feature a raffle with prizes that include autographed art signed by film director James Gunn and the cast.
· Superman Opening Night Screening & Podcast in Cleveland – The Siegel and Shuster Society will host an opening night screen of “Superman” at the Capitol Theatre at 7 p.m. on the July 11. After the screening viewers can stay for a live podcast screening featuring Superman comic writer Brian Michael Bendis.
· The Superman Movie Party at Tower City – The party will feature comic book writers who have written about Superman and live artwork done by artist Dan Gorman. There will be meet and greet opportunities with Superman and his cousin Supergirl, in addition to a guided Superman tour by the Greater Cleveland Film Commission. The party will last from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on July 12.