Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Admiring Adams: "A Concept for Superman's Future" by Neal Adams
Greetings, Groove-ophiles! Way back in 1972, I remember my folks reading a newspaper article to me saying that Metropolis, Illinois, had declared itself the official hometown of Superman. There's a statue there in front of the courthouse, and every year there's a "Superman Celebration". Even the local paper is called the Metropolis Planet. Another thing I remember hearing way back then, but it never came to fruition, was the possibility of a Superman theme park. Neal Adams must have heard those same rumors, 'cause he was inspired to design his own Superman theme park, as lucky owners of Limited Collectors' Edition #C-31 (July 1974) learned when we cracked open those tabloid sized pages...
In October 1974, the original art for these was put on display in the Brooklyn Museum of Art, alongside work by Kirby, Infantino, Kane, Kurtzman, Eisner, Kubert, and several others in an exhibit organized by Phil Seuling in honor of these artists having roots in Brooklyn. To see these tableaus up close was really something...all the more so for someone seeing original comic book art in person for the first time, and in a classy art museum at that. As a result these pages are seared in my memory.
ReplyDeleteSo if anyone should a supermarket-Superman should.Remember those classic Mad Comic Book features
ReplyDeleteI would have loved to go to a park like this.
ReplyDeleteHey Groove, my parents took e to Metropolis the first year the museum opened, it was HUGE back then, now it is quite a bit smaller than it was but still very cool. When you walked in there was Superman shaking hands and signing autographs, you could watch the old Filmation Superman and Superboy cartoons, look at memorabilia, they had this giant black screen, in front of it was buttons labeled Clark Kent's boyhood home, The Daily Planet, etc. when you pushed the button it lit up on the screen to show you where it was. Somewhere I still have my Amazing World of Superman Metroplis edition I got that day. lot of fun for a 5 year old.
ReplyDeleteThank you,Mr Groove,for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI've only seen the first pic before.
Cheers!
/Mr Anonymous