Aquaman Eats Bologna

Over $70,000 was use to remodel the Jerry Siegel house. The house was completed in 2009 and raised over $111,000 in donations.

Josh Schauder is a fan of Superman.

So much that he had seen all the films, watched the original animated series in the late 90’s voiced by Tim Daly, and religiously read Action Comics. He had even visited the only city in the United States called Metropolis, all the way in Illinois. He labeled himself ‘Superman’s greatest fan’. Then he met Reggie Gray.

Kimberley Avenue is not your typical street in the city of Cleveland, Ohio. Though, you see typical middle-class houses, short grassy lawns, and potholes indented like craters in the middle of the road, something catches the eye of a spectator. A giant bright red ‘S’, your introduction to Metropolis.

On the street, there is a sign with a wooden gate with the insignia ‘S’ nailed to it. This is 16022 Kimberly Avenue, this is Krypton. This is where Jor-El and Lara-Jor-El gave birth to an American hero. This is where Jerry Siegel lived.

“This is something.” Josh says. He wonders if anyone lives there or if the house is just a memorial to a pop culture icon. “Looks like someone lives here,” he says. After several knocks, a tall, dark skinned man answers.

Issue #2: The house
Walking inside, the bottom floor is what someone to picture the average households. Pictures of family scattered around, a couch facing a television, and an unwanted cup of coffee sitting patiently on the lamp stand. Reggie Gray, a man whose family bought the Siegel house in 1983 welcomes us and we follow him upstairs.

“My family had no idea when they bought the house in 83’,” he said “that this house was Jerry Siegel home.” Reggie’s Dad dedicated his entire room to Superman. “This is my Dad’s room, he’s the Superman fan.”

The entire room is covered in Superman memorabilia. The carpet bled a bold yellow ‘S’ surrounded by a lake of blue. Shelves and shelves upon books, toys, and movies all relating to Superman was there. The entire room was a praising ritual to the man more powerful than a locomotive.

“It was the most Superman stuff I’ve ever seen,” Schauder said.

In 2008, novelist and comic author Brad Meltzer wanted to raise money in order to remodel the house for Superman. “That’s when my dad realized” Reggie said, “we got a phone call from DC comics, saying they wanted to remodel our home, telling us this is where Jerry Siegel was from, we couldn’t say no.” In 2009, the unveiling of the new Superman home was revealed to the public. Melter along with the Siegel/Shuster society spent $70,000 to make repairs and raised over $111,047 from donations. Now, a little house in Cleveland is no longer your average household, it apart of pop culture history.

“We get visitors all the time, people want to see ‘Krypton’” Gray said. “We should start charging people a small fine, then I won’t have to work again.” He added.

Final Issue: The Joe Shuster gate
A vacant space stands behind a wooden gate. This was where childhood friend of Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster once lived. Shuster’s home is forever lost to a fire. A wooden gate with large plastic replica issues of Action Comics #1 is nailed in place. A memoir to Shuster. Each page of Action Comics #1 stands alone. Every panel telling a story that would trend for the next 75 years.

These were the first pages of Superman. There is a panel of Superman using his strength to stop a car. “This was truly something” Schauder said, “now Cleveland has something more to offer other than Rock n Roll.”

Siegel and Shuster sold the rights of Superman to DC Comics for $130 in 1938.