The Super Museum

Above, the main entrance to the Super Museum. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

by Armand Vaquer

With this year's Superman Celebration coming up on June 7 -10 in Metropolis, Illinois, it would be a good idea to show what the town's Super Museum has to offer you. I visited Metropolis in November 2016 to attend the memorial service for actress Noel Neill. 

Along with the Super Museum, the town also has a statue honoring Noel, which I also visited. 

Here, with some updates, is my 2016 article on my visit.

Following my visit to the Noel Neill Lois Lane statue, I headed to Harrah's Casino alongside the Ohio River for breakfast. After breakfast, I went to the square next to the Massac County Court House where the giant Superman statue and Super Museum are located.

Above, yours truly with the Superman statue, who is ready for Christmas.

Upon arrival, I found that the Superman statue was wearing a Santa Claus hat. There were already Christmas decorations on the fence surrounding it. A couple were viewing the statue and photographing it. They asked me to take some of them with the statue, so I obliged. I had them take some of me with it as well.

Above, the store of the Super Museum. Photo by Armnd Vaquer.

Once we were done picture-taking, I headed off to the Super Museum. Inside, is a large store filled with all kinds of Superman and super-hero goods. I bought a magnet for The Beast. While roaming around the store, I ran into Noel's biographer, Larry Thomas Ward. I didn't recognize him right off as he had his hair cut much shorter than the last time I saw him two years ago.

Above, Larry Ward talks to museum owner Jim Hambrick's daughter. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

We exchanged greetings and he marveled that I drove all the way from L.A. to Metropolis. I then paid my admission fee (just $5.00) to enter the museum. Before going in, I asked the lady at the counter if it is okay to photograph inside. It turned out that she's the daughter of the museum's owner/operator Jim Hambrick. She said that I can take all the pictures I wanted. (I always ask permission to take photos whenever I go into a museum. Some allow it and some don't.)

"Relics" From the Adventures of Superman TV Show:

Upon entering the museum, I first saw a big display case of assorted Superman toys. I made a right turn and immediately came upon the Adventures of Superman television show section. It contained many photographs and props from the show. I took some photos of the displays. I then headed down to the next section, which was (more or less) dedicated to the first screen Superman, Kirk Alyn.

Above, Kirk Alyn Superman display. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Following this, I headed further where I found props and memorabilia from the Christopher Reeve Superman movies, including one of his costumes.

Above, a Christopher Reeve Superman costume. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Next, was a section dedicated to the Broadway Superman show of the 1960s. Ahead was a new separate room of Superman items which was dominated by a huge figure of Doomsday, the "critter" that killed Superman in the comic books in 1992.

Above, the Supergirl room. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Then, I reached a room dedicated to Supergirl. All incarnations of the Supergirl character were in this room, but mainly the Helen Slater Supergirl movie. If there were anything pertaining to the current Supergirl television series in there, I certainly didn't see any. (Keep in mind that this was in 2016. They may have artifacts of the Melissa Benoist Supergirl show now.)

Above, an actual "lead" mask from "The Man In The Lead Mask" episode. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Further on, was another section of photographs and memorabilia from the George Reeves Adventures of Superman television show including a "flying pan" from 1951-53, a "lead" mask from the 1953 episode, "The Man In The Lead Mask", a color George Reeves Superman costume and the "Mr. Kryptonite" costume worn by Gene LeBell in 1957 during a county fair tour.

Above, a George Reeves color Superman costume. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a costume worn by Gene LeBell during the 1957 county fair
 tour with George Reeves and Noel Neill. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Also in this section were some original art by Curt Swan, Dick Giodano and others. There were more Superman memorabilia from over the years in this section, mainly toys and figures.

Above, the "flying pan" device used by George Reeves from 1951 to 1953. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After this, I exited the museum and re-entered the store.

The museum is a must-see for Superman fans of all ages.  It is worth a visit!

Above, this is just a small fraction of the Superman goods on display. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I took many more photos inside the Super Museum. I will probably post them in a separate blog post in the near-future. For the museum's website, go here.

As I mentioned at the beginning, I visited the Noel Neill Lois Lane statue before touring the Super Museum.

Here's a photograph of it:

Above, Noel Neill as Lois Lane. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Tribute Comics Honor George Reeves and Christopher Reeve

by Armand Vaquer

The word legendary is often too easily tossed about these days. Sometimes it is a fitting description of someone, and sometimes it isn't.

In the cases of Superman actors George Reeves and Christopher Reeve, it is a fitting description. As such, Bluewater Productions is producing two comic books in tribute to Reeve and Reeves.

Here's what the Superman Homepage says about the books:

Bluewater Productions is releasing a new comic book biographies on two legendary men of steel, Christopher Reeve and George Reeves. Tribute: Christopher Reeve is released this week in conjunction with the release of the Man of Steel DVD. 

In January is releasing another comic book on the life of another hero, Tribute: George Reeves written and drawn by M. Anthony Gerardo . The book can be pre-ordered on iTunes and Comic Flea Market today.

To read the full story on the Tribute books, go here.

Thoughts On The Superman Re-Boot

by Armand Vaquer


It will be interesting to see how Brit Henry Cavill (above) fills Superman's red boots in the upcoming Superman re-boot movie.

Will he be able to suppress his British accent enough to convincingly convey that he was raised in the midwestern section of the United States? ("I say, old chap, I'm fighting the never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American Way!")



To me, for a super-hero movie to work is that the actor has to look and act as if the comic book character stepped out of the pages of the comic and onto the silver screen. In the post-Kirk Alyn era, only George Reeves (left) and Christopher Reeve (below, right) had that quality (although I despise Reeve's Clark Kent portrayal). None of the other Supermen had this quality. Dean Cain didn't look at all like Superman and his costume was wrong (especially the buckle and boots).






Brandon Routh did not convince me that he was Superman (Superboy, maybe). Cavill looks more mature and more like Superman than does Routh in my opinion. How he handles the role is an open question. We will have to wait and see.

Another thing that would have to happen for me to be convinced that I am watching Superman on screen in the new movie: jettison the Routh Superman costume with that awful collar, dark coloring and those awful Speedo trunks! The costume would have to look more like Christopher Reeve's costume with its bright colors.

Above, Brandon Routh in his awful costume from "Superman Returns."

Will the producers take note? Again we'll have to wait and see.