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The views expressed on this page are soley
those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the views of County
News Online
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Some Ohio
citizens want a Superman Day
By Melissa Martin
“Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird. It's a plane. It's Superman!” And
he’s flying over the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio.
The Ohio House is designating June 12 as "Superman Day.” [To enact
section 5.49 of the Revised Code as passed by the House 132nd General
Assembly Regular Session H. B. No. 135 2017-2018.] “For on this day,
let it be known that Superman is faster than a speeding bullet, more
powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single
bound.” www.legislature.ohio.gov/.
Status on H.B. 135
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-2). Status: Engrossed on
April 11, 2018. Action: 5/10/2018 - Refer to Committee: Government
Oversight and Reform. Pending: Senate Government Oversight and Reform
Committee.
I say, “Vote for the Man of Steel. Give Ohio an annual Superman Day!”
Who Created Superman?
In 1933, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created the comic book character,
Superman, when they were in high school. Siegel wrote the storyline and
dialogue, while Shuster drew the comic.
Joseph Shuster (1914-1992) was born in Toronto, Canada, but his family
relocated to Cleveland. Jerome Siegel (1914-1996) was born in
Cleveland, Ohio. The boys lived down the street from each other and
attended school together. www.smithsonianmag.com/.
Superman is from Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio is his birthplace. A Cleveland commission wants to
build a giant monument to Superman, complete with a stainless steel
statue and Kryptonite crystals. The statue would weigh 4,000 pounds and
measure 10 feet in length.
The Siegel & Shuster Society raised funds to restore the home place
of Siegel to promote Cleveland as Superman’s original home. A large red
Superman shield is affixed to a steel fence in front of the house.
Oversized Superman comic book pages are displayed on a fence outside of
Joe Shuster's boyhood home in Cleveland.www.supermanincleveland.com/.
An Ohio license plate with the iconic “S” shield and the motto “Truth,
Justice and the American Way” is available at Ohio Bureau of Motor
Vehicles offices.
In March 2018, the Cleveland Public Library displayed Superman
memorabilia. The collection featured thousands of items and included:
comics, posters, toys, packaging, clothing, and photographs. See photos
of the Superman exhibit at www.cpl.org/superman/.
What Happened to the Superman Comic?
The News-Herald (Willoughby, Ohio) published a three-part series in
2013 on the history of Superman’s creators, Siegel and Shuster, in
honor of the character’s 75th anniversary. The Superman story is told
in detail by journalist Chris Lambert. hwww.news-herald.com/.
“So in a 13-year period, those famous Clevelanders were working
successfully in an industry they loved, created the greatest of all
superheroes, got cheated as adults not teenagers, made tons and tons of
money (but should have made millions or at least hundreds of thousands
more for the time period), got cheated again, lost a lawsuit, won a
lawsuit and promptly cheated themselves as they gave the teen version
of their greatest creation back to the people who took advantage of
them,” wrote Lambert.
Siegel and Shuster sued DC Comics for the rights to Superman. A deal
was made that gave credit on all comic books and movies to Siegel and
Shuster (but not for toys or other merchandise).
Readers and residents, celebrate Ohio Superman Day (when it passes the
Senate). But, no spiking the punch with Kryptonite.
Melissa Martin, Ph.D, is an author, columnist, educator, and therapist.
She resides in Southern Ohio. www.melissamartinchildrensauthor.com.
Contact her at melissamcolumnist@gmail.com.
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