After years of planning, lobbying, and fundraising, downtown Cleveland finally has its permanent Superman statue.
Led by a private fundraising effort from the Siegel & Shuster Society, the statue - part of a larger Superman Plaza - cost $2.2 million and was unveiled in August 2025. It features a 9.5-foot Superman in flight, soaring above onlookers while mounted atop an 18-foot blue pylon.
In addition to the stainless steel Man of Steel, there are life-size bronze statues of Jerry Siegel and Joel Shuster, along with Joanne Siegel, who served as the real-life inspiration for Lois Lane. Jerry and Joanne are looking skyward at Superman while Joe sketches.
The installation also features a vintage-style phone booth that includes Clark Kent's discarded clothes, which is a really fun touch to the whole thing.
The statues were designed by sculptor David Deming, who is also known for his bronze sculptures of Cleveland Browns legend Jim Brown and Cleveland Indians/Guardians Hall of Famer Jim Thome.
Located outside the Huntington Convention Center, the plaza is a wonderful tribute to Superman's Northeast Ohio origins.
Sure, you can find other instances of Superman throughout Cleveland - there's a little Superman exhibit at the airport near the baggage claim, a Superman display/hallway at the Cleveland Public Library (which is occasionally much bigger/more prominent), and in Glenville, there is a plaque and "S" sign in front of Siegel's childhood home - but this permanent installation was much-needed. And after seeing it in the works for at least twenty years, it's great to finally see it live.
