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Superman Statue comes to Cleveland

David C. Barnett

A number of famous war heroes and political figures are celebrated in sculpture across Ohio, but one of the state's most famous sons has never had that honor --- until now.  Plans are underway for a statue of Superman.

Like many Clevelanders, sculptor David Deming grew-up knowing that one of the world’s most famous super heroes was the creation of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster --- a couple of teenagers from the city’s east side in the 1930s.  When he got the assignment to create a statue of the Man of Steel, he wanted it to be a tribute to Siegel and Shuster.

" The original Superman just looked like a normal man, but pretty fit.  My idea was to create that first Superman." said Deming. 

Planners are looking to put the statue at the base of a new Lakefront bridge, in the space between the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Great Lakes Science Center. 

A twelve-foot long Superman will be depicted in flight and mounted on a base that rises 30 feet in the air. 

Although Deming usually works in bronze, he says the final version of Superman will be cast in, what else,

stainless steel.  Once the statue goes through city and county design reviews, he estimates the final work could be ready to install towards toward the end of 2016.