Superman Plaza Design Elements
Tribute Plaza
Cleveland, Ohio
Ontario/St. Clair
Superman Statue
Siegel & Shuster
Statue
Phone Booth Clark Kent's Changing Room
A Legend is Born
In 1933, two Glenville High School students in Cleveland, Ohio created the very first comic book superhero. His name was Superman - the Man of Steel, Champion of the Oppressed.
Superman’s creators Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster wrote and drew comics for their high school newspaper. They envisioned Superman not only as a hero fighting crime and corruption, but also as a champion who stands up to bullies. They wanted Clark Kent to be like them a mild-mannered newspaper guy.
Once this character was created, those two Glenville High School teens, tried to get their Superman story published, but were rejected by multiple publishers who didn’t think anyone would be interested in reading about a superhero. Despite facing rejections for nearly six years, Jerry and Joe never lost hope. Their perseverance finally paid off when Superman debuted in Action Comics No. 1 in 1938.
All 200,000 of the printed copies sold immediately as ordinary kids and adults proved all the other publishers wrong. Superman became an instant sensation, laying the groundwork for all superhero comics to come.
Nationally renowned sculptor David Deming’s vision to honor both Superman and his creators will stand as a tribute to the legacy of Siegel & Shuster and the foundation of the modern superhero genre.
Superman is an international, intergenerational symbol of hope and inspiration. Our nonprofit hopes you will support this historic Tribute Plaza. No taxpayer money is being used for this project. We are seeking donations from ordinary citizens from all walks of life. Thank you!
A Symbol of Hope & Inspiration
The Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster Superman Plaza, set to be located in front of the expanded Convention Center in the heart of downtown Cleveland, will serve as a lasting homage to the creators of Superman. The dynamic composition of the statues, with Superman seemingly in flight above Jerry and Joanne, while Joe is depicted sketching Action Comics No. l, captures the essence of their creative process and the iconic imagery of the superhero. This plaza will not only celebrate the origins of Superman but also enrich Cleveland's cultural landscape.
Creators Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster
with Joanne Siegel
Jerry Siegel
Born in Cleveland in 1914, Jerry was a young, first-generation American writer who combined his love of science-fiction with his belief that there's a hidden power for good within everyone. The result was Superman, the comics industry's first superhero.
Joe Shuster
Joe was born in Canada, moved to Cleveland when he was 10 years old, and met Jerry at Glenville High School. As the original artist of Superman, Joe illustrated the Man of Steel's dynamic appearance that is recognized world-wide to this day.
Joanne Siegel
Cleveland-born Joanne had just turned 17 when Joe drew her image as reporter Lois Lane. Jerry, inspired by her charm and fearless personality, shaped Lois into a strong woman who pursues truth and justice every day. More than a decade after she modeled for Lois, Joanne married Jerry.
Phone Booth
Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster used a phone booth as a place to transform the mild mannered Clark Kent into Superman.
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9 Feet High
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Composed of fabricated steel and special glass
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Totally enclosed
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Dome light for nighttime
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Clark Kent outfit (suit pants, jacket, shirt, tie, glasses and hat)
