It’s been 11 years since I first started the Daily Planet, and I have to admit that the slow burn to legitimizing the paper has been fairly frustrating. I initially launched this real-world interpretation of Superman’s famed broadsheet with little foresight into the journey it would take me on, and man has it been a wild one.
Some milestones include my interview with Wonder Woman voice actor Susan Eisenberg, launching a website, building an ethical reporting structure, cultivating a community of passionate storytellers, and now my Daily Planet is hanging outside the Super Museum, the world’s largest collection of Man of Steel artifacts, in Metropolis, Illinois.
I was around 16 years old when I first discovered the city of Metropolis was real. As far as I’ve seen, Metropolis, Illinois, nestled on the Ohio River directly in America’s Heartland, is the only municipality on the entire planet with that name. Incredible! I was over the moon and wanted to visit instantly, but I was never able to.
The official hometown of Superman
Ever since 1972, Metropolis has been recognized as the official hometown of Superman, and they have been celebrating that fact for the past four decades.
With a population of around 6,000 people, the town is much smaller than its comic book counterpart and is more comparable to Smallville, the fictional hometown of Superman located in Kansas. However, it shares many similarities to DC’s City of Tomorrow.
Their local newspaper is the Metropolis Planet, they house a massive bronze statue of our favorite caped wonder, and they boast the largest collection of physical Superman history in the world. The city also hosts a weekend long Superman Celebration that draws tens of thousands of people to their city every June.
The legend is real
We first connected with Metropolis thanks to Daniel Sanchez, an avid contributing journalist and Superman representer. Daniel wrote about the heroic archival acts of one super dad and Metropolis resident, Jim Hambrick.
Around the new year, Daniel sat down with Jim’s daughter, Morgan Siebert, who is currently managing all of the Super Museum’s operations, to talk about her late and great father and the legacy he left behind. Morgan was so gracious and was so thankful to have the opportunity to tell her father’s story and offered, to Daniel, a spot for the Daily Planet, our Daily Planet, to be represented at the world’s largest collection of Superman history.
Daniel asked me and I was flabbergasted. Never in my wildest dreams would I think my Daily Planet creation would be represented in such a way. I’m so greatful to Anthony Desiato from Digging for Kryptonite for connecting me with that man — that Superman — Daniel Sanchez.
Late last year Daniel and I spearheaded a complete rebrand of the Daily Planet to better align with our individuality and source of inspiration. He took a sculpture I made with my grandfather and turned it into our new independent logo and added a plethora of historical context behind it.
He did the same with this banner.
“So, one of the things I was really thinking about how best to use this advertising space, especially with the audience we’ll get of customers of the Super Museum, is what you and Morgan both share – that neither of you is officially recognized by DC,” Daniel wrote to me over Messenger. “And yet you are both the best at what you do and actually better than the DC versions. So to us, you’re the real ones. So I thought, maybe we have this chance to let people know that regardless of what DC says, you are the real Daily Planet.”
This man is legitimately Clark Kent in real life, I swear. When he first told me about this space for the Planet, I suggested we use his finalized building design since it’s taller and, well, iconic.
“I took your idea of using the building, and after many black and white and color versions, decided that “real” could be visually conveyed in black and white the best by harkening back to the Donner intro.”
I knew exactly the scene he was referring to. In 1978’s “Superman: The Movie,” director Richard Donner flew audiences over the rooftop of the Daily Planet Building and into outer space while also featuring the first appearance of the globe sculpture in live action. It’s iconic and still remembered to this day.
Daniel even took a picture of the night sky and redrew every star that is displayed on the poster, including variations in the constellations to add a twinkle effect.
Over Krypton’s moons and back
I’m genuinely grateful for this. This is a major milestone in the Daily Planet’s history and, as I write this while listening to the John Williams Superman Theme off the playlist organized by Warner Bros. Discovery for the new movie, I’m feeling overwhelmed with emotions.
I’m excited for what’s to come, but I’m honored that the first public appearance for us happened in Metropolis. It’s ironically iconic.
I’ve been trying to legitimize the Daily Planet as an independent news organization for over a decade now, and being on the Super Museum thanks to Daniel and Morgan, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve accomplished that. See you in Metropolis.
