Superman has certainly been everywhere as of late, from the upcoming movie to recent lawsuits, but if a new bill passes the Ohio House, the Man of Steel will become the state of Ohio’s Official Superhero.
In a new bipartisan legislation, Ohio Lawmakers look to bestow the title of the state’s Official Superhero to the Man of Steel, who was created by Cleveland‘s own, Jerry Siegel and Joseph Shuster in 1933. A fun fact about James Gunn’s new film was that it was filmed in certain parts in both Cleveland and Cincinnati. If the new bill, House Bill 270, passes, it would see Superman become the state’s Official Superhero. There’s a catch, however; it wouldn’t take effect until April 18, 2033, when he enters the public domain.
Lebanon, Ohio’s Republican State Rep. Adam Mathews, who is co-sponsoring the bill, said in an interview that the legislation is meant to highlight the connection that Superman has to Ohio, over and above other states that try to claim him as their own. The Illinois State Legislature has recognized the city of Metropolis as the official hometown of Superman. The southern Illinois city has a Superman museum, an annual festival in his honor, and a 15-foot-tall statue of the superhero outside of its city hall. He is also a member of Kansas’s Hall of Fame, as he grew up in the fictional town of Smallville. Surprisingly, Ohio Lawmakers fought with North Carolina for years over ownership of the Wright Brothers, the inventors of the airplane, Mathews said his bill stakes Ohio’s claim to the Man of Steel. While it remains to be seen how HB 270 will go in the Ohio Legislature, joining Rep. Adam Mathews in this bill is Terrence Upchurch, a Cleveland Democrat.
“The old tagline was, ‘You’ll believe a man can fly’ from the old Christopher Reeves (Superman) movie, but Ohio is the first place of flight, both for airplanes and superheroes. I think that there may be some old curmudgeon who asks, ‘Why do we need a state superhero?’ “But highlighting the gift that Superman is, as a force for truth, justice, and the American way, could not be any more Ohio.”
State Rep. Adam Mathews, Lebanon, Ohio
Now Available On Prime Video: Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Superman made his heroic debut in Action Comics #1 in June 1938 (Cover Dated June 1938, published on April 18, 1938). Since his debut, Superman has been adapted into numerous forms of merchandise and media such as Television, Films, Radio Serials, Novels, Theater, and Video Games. Superman makes its debut in Theaters on July 11, 2025.
Source: Cleveland, The Ohio Legislature
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