A Great Loss

By Mike Olszewski
April 27, 2016 at 1:00 PM

It's with our deepest regrets that we announce the loss of Irv Fine, one of the founding members of the Siegel and Shuster Society. Irv was a dear friend and colleague, not only to members of the Society, but to all fans of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and their place in popular culture. He was also dedicated to his family, his faith and the Northeast Ohio community, and will always be remembered for his generosity, sage advice and inspiration. His long-time friend Brad Ricca summed it up best:

"If the Society had a soul, it was unquestionably Irv Fine. For all of his prodigious success in life, I remember him best for his ever-present suit and the way he would always seek out every last person in a room and shake their hand. An all-time class act. When we did the houses all those years ago, there was no one who smiled more than he did. Let's keep that spirit alive, as best we can."

We've also included links to Irv's obituaries. We urge everyone to keep his memory alive through donations to the Fine / Nadler Education Enrichment Fund c/o Fairmount Temple, 23737 Fairmount Blvd. Beachwood, OH 44122.

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Siegel & Shuster's Cleveland

By Mike Olszewski
April 26, 2016 at 4:00 PM

Northeast Ohio has many links to Superman and his creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. A very talented videographer from Detroit, Doug Willett, has produced a virtual tour of many of those landmarks through his company Luna Tech 3D and has graciously shared them through this website. Click on the image below to enjoy this cyber-visit to Siegel and Shuster's Cleveland!

The Siegel & Shuster Society at the Ohio History Connection

By Mike Olszewski
April 26, 2016 at 9:00 AM

The Siegel and Shuster Society was very honored to partner with the Ohio History Connection in Columbus, Ohio, to promote Superman's creators through its "Life in the 1950s" exhibit. The centerpiece of the exhibit was George Reeves' costume from the Fifties' TV series which was loaned to the OHC by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.

Along with the Reeve's costume was a prominent display focusing on Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and the Society's mission to promote their legacy. It featured artifacts from the Siegel house, rare Superman memorabilia other items showcasing the Society's efforts. In addition, the OHC hosted a "Super Saturday" family event on Thanksgiving weekend which drew a huge crowd taking part in activities focusing on comics and popular culture.

Derf at the Capitol Theater

By Mike Olszewski
April 25, 2016 at 5:00 PM

Cleveland area fans had a sneak got an early look at the new Batman vs. Superman film at the historic Capitol Theater. The Capitol partnered with the Siegel & Shuster Society to host renowned graphic artist Derf, John Backderf, who was on hand to sign a special print he designed to honor the men who created the Man of Steel.

Superman Statue Project at Wizard World Cleveland

By Mike Olszewski
April 25, 2016 at 1:00 PM

Thousands of pop culture fans packed the Cleveland Convention Center in February 2015 for the massive Wizard World Convention. The convention also hosted a presentation updating the efforts to erect statues honoring the creators of Superman on the city's lakefront. For many it was the first time many had seen photos of the proposed project and the crowd broke into spontaneous applause when they were shown on the panel room screen. Keep checking back for more information on the statue project.

Note: It must be stressed that while the Society applauds any positive promotion of Superman, his creators and the city of Cleveland, this is not a Siegel and Shuster Society project. The statue project is the work of a separate group that has been in contact with Warner Communications.

Brad Ricca at the Music Box Supper Club

By Mike Olszewski
April 25, 2016 at 9:00 AM

Cleveland's Music Box Supper Club has been staging a weekly series of Wednesday night dinner lectures focusing on Northeast Ohio history and pop culture. It's in cooperation with the Ohio History Center at the Western Reserve Historical Society. Brad Ricca discussed Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster at a recent get together and drew a good sized crowd to hear about their Cleveland roots.

THANKS FOR A GREAT SUMMER 2015!

Our thanks to everyone who attended the Society's Summer Library Series concerning Siegel and Shuster's history in Cleveland. Also, special thanks to the staffs at the Cuyahoga County Library System and the Cleveland Public Library for hosting us over the past few months.

The interest in Superman's creators is obvious with the number of people who made it out to the presentations. We're also scheduled for appearances in the Columbus, Ohio area later this year and we'll have details coming up.

Siegel and Shuster Before Superman

By Ethan Roberts

The stories of Jerry Siegel and the art of Joe Shuster were published in comic books nationwide long before Superman appeared on the cover of and within the pages of Action Comics #1, June 1938. The first published stories by our honored team appeared in New Fun Comics #6, in October, 1935. Siegel and Shuster produced two features for that issue - "Dr. Occult" and "Henri Duval of France, Famed Soldier of France"

Superman Welcoming Center opens at Hopkins Airport in tribute to Cleveland-created superhero

By Michael Sangiacomo, The Plain Dealer
October 11, 2012 at 8:46 PM, updated February 27, 2013 at 3:22 PM

CLEVELAND, Ohio--Under the strains of the John Williams "Superman" theme by members of the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, the Superman Welcoming Center opened Thursday night at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

Mayor Frank Jackson, the Siegel and Shuster Society and relatives of Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster spoke to hundreds of Superman fans who showed up to witness the unveiling of the display.

"Did you know Superman was created in Cleveland?" asks the permanent display in the baggage claim area of the airport. "Welcome to Cleveland, where the legend began."

At Home - Really - With Superman

By John Bordsen, Travel Editor
Posted: Friday, Jul. 11, 2014

Superman, the story goes, was born on the planet Krypton and sent to Earth in a small rocket by his father when that planet was about to explode.

He was actually born in 1933 in a two-story bungalow in a scruffy neighborhood on the east side of Cleveland, probably in the attic.

If you’re in the area to see Cleveland’s...

Superman Creator, Siegel, 81, Is Dead

By Michael Sangiacomo, The Plain Dealer
Publication Date: January 31, 1996 Page: 1A Section: NATIONAL Edition: FINAL / ALL

Superman is an orphan again.

Jerome Siegel, of Marina Del Rey, Calif., who created the Man of Steel with Glenville High School buddy Joseph Shuster, died Sunday of heart failure in a suburban Los Angeles hospital. He was 81.

Siegel's wife, Joanne, said he had been ill for several weeks. "He had a weak heart and on Sunday it just gave out," said Joanne, the Cleveland woman who was the original model for Lois Lane. "He had been in and out of the hospital since Jan. 5 and was home for a week," she said.

Superman celebrates 75 years: Marking the Man of Steel's birthday in his home town

By Michael Sangiacomo, The Plain Dealer
April 05, 2013 at 8:00 AM, updated April 05, 2013 at 9:18 AM

Look, up in the sky! It's the social security Superman. On Thursday, April 18, Superman celebrates his 75th year of continuous publication with the anniversary of "Action Comics" No. 1, created here in Cleveland by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

On Sunday and Monday, April 14-15, The Plain Dealer will feature coverage focusing on Superman stories and lore.

All kinds of other stuff to honor Cleveland's favorite son are in play, so stayed tuned.

IN PRAISE OF OLD COMICS

A friend stopped at my desk with a couple of shopping bags full of comic books, mainly 1980s and 1990s Marvels like "Fantastic Four" and "X-Men" and DCs, including a hefty chunk of the amazing "Animal Man" series.

He picked them up as part of a large collection...

Finding A Tribute To Super Creator Widow Of Superman Co-Creator Works On A Man-Of-Steel Memorial In Cleveland

By Michael Sangiacomo, The Plain Dealer
Publication Date: October 29, 1996 Page: 1B Section: METRO Edition: FINAL / ALL

Joanne Siegel remembered the house as being white. But the house she saw yesterday was a stark blue and red.

Faded posters and pictures of Superman in a window were the only acknowledgement that the superhero was born in a bedroom of this modest house on Kimberley Ave. more than six decades ago.

Joanne Siegel, widow of Superman co-creator Jerome Siegel, is in Cleveland to fulfill her late husband's wish to develop a fitting Superman memorial in the city.

She plans to speak with officials of several institutions, including the Western Reserve Historical Society and the Great Lakes Science Center, to decide what that memorial will be.

The legacy includes Jerry Siegel's typewriter, his glasses, photos and some of the filing cabinets full of his writings, letters and personal...

Superman license plate unveiled this morning

By Michael Sangiacomo, The Plain Dealer
on October 07, 2013 at 11:02 AM, updated October 07, 2013 at 3:18 PM

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The new Ohio license plates bearing the insignia of Superman were unveiled Monday morning outside the modest house in Glenville where the Man of Steel was created more than 75 years ago.

State Rep. Bill Patmon, members of the board of directors of the Siegel and Shuster Society, and relatives of Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster stood outside 10622 Kimberley Ave. and showed off the new plate, which is now available at all Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles offices. The plate can also be ordered on-line at the BMV website, which features the plate.