In recognition of the exceptional talent showcased by dailyplanetdc.com contributors and collaborators in 2025, we are excited to announce the winners of the 2025 Siegel & Shuster Award of Excellence!
Established in 2020, the Siegel & Shuster Award of Excellence is a unique accolade created by the Daily Planet. It is named after Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the co-creators of Superman and Lois Lane. The award features authentic digitally composited autographs from Noel Neill’s Lois Lane, Jackie Cooper’s Perry White, and Clark Kent’s signature as featured in a 1940s fan club newsletter. I also penned my name on the awards.
I’m honored to feature everything that gets published on the Daily Planet. It was my dream to make this a platform for people everywhere, from every walk of life. 2025 was the biggest year yet for our budding publication, and much of that success is due to the content showcased here. Most of the awards were determined by reader votes, but everyone is a winner in my eyes. See all nominees here.
Article of the Year
The “top story” award was based on the number of views an article received in 2025, and it was the only award not influenced by public voting. Jainam Turakhia is one of our top reviewers based in India. His work resonates with me on many levels, and I appreciate him for introducing me to a broader scope of cinema and film. I’ve also appreciated his dedication to the Daily Planet. This is Turakhia’s second consecutive year winning this achievement.
Best original art & design
I achieved a major milestone in late 2024 thanks to Daniel Sanchez, the rebranding of this real-world interpretation of the Daily Planet. His original artwork for our publication took top honors last year, and he’s won the award again for the 2025 Siegel & Shuster Awards. Thanks to this artwork, which is prominently displayed on the world’s largest Superman Museum, I have marked another significant achievement off my list. I’m so happy Sanchez’s artwork won.
Best Breaking News Story
This article was unexpected at the time, but it really made me feel like Perry White when it all unfolded. I don’t remember where I was when Sanchez first messaged me about this event taking place in New York City. Still, I recall feeling like Clark Kent was sending me debriefs in real-time as the news unfolded, and he was only blocks away from the Daily News Building, which was used as the Daily Planet in “Superman: The Movie” (1978).
Best News Feature
I can not say enough about this piece. I don’t even know how to do a justifiable homage to the greatness of this article. Sanchez went up, up, and away with “Braver than a speeding bullet,” and I don’t think this award is enough for his efforts. It was a great read, and an even greater listen.
Best Entertainment Feature
This article is a prime example of why I love our contribution channel. I would’ve never known about this incredible artist if it weren’t for Jimmy Reno’s write-up. His indelible way of connecting with his interview subjects brings a personal twist to the read. I appreciate this article earning top honors.
Best Feature from The Planet
Sanchez wins again with this incredible memorial to one of Hollywood’s greatest icons. When Gene Hackman died, I was heartbroken. Not only was he a great Lex Luthor, but he was a great person to match. His passing was tragic, and I wanted to see appropriate coverage of his legendary life. Thus, I pinged our resident Clark Kent, Daniel Sanchez, who was happy to take on the feature. Sanchez has mentioned how influential “Superman: The Movie” (1978) has been on his life, and I knew he’d knock the ball out of the park on this one. Congrats on the recognition.
Best Voices Feature
Sanchez wins his second consecutive award in this category with “My Super Dad.” A heroic tale of legendary Superman collector Jim Hambrick, as told by his daughter Morgan Siebert. Hambrick founded the world’s largest collection of Superman artifacts in Metropolis, Illinois, and passed away in late 2024. His daughter has since taken up the reins and shared her father’s super-secret origins. This piece was so heartfelt, and I couldn’t help but feel connected to the Super Museum in such an awe-inspiring way. I’m glad this won.
Best Culture Feature
We’ve really stepped up our coverage of the Twin Cities this year. We’ve covered rallies, politics, current events, and culture in this fine Metropolis. I’m glad the effort was recognized.
Best Comics Feature
Podcaster Jonathan Tyler Patrick invited me to his Krypton Report podcast to talk about the greatest fictional character of all time. I admit, I have a bias toward Lois Lane, but I was thrilled to join him to discuss the Daily Planet’s star reporter. Patrick asked insightful questions, keeping the conversation engaging and sharing facts that helped me explain why I believe Lois Lane is the best. I’m very glad this won.
Awesome Audio
Digging for Kryptonite wins for the second time with this achievement! This podcast welcomes Superman nerds from across the planet to sit down and talk about, well, Superman. Host Anthony Desiato does a great job of organizing the podcast into different threads throughout the year. Each episode is educational and equally entertaining, and I’m really excited to see what his 2026 coverage will bring.
Best Multimedia Story
I’m going to be perfectly honest, I wrote this article. I was captivated by the trailer for this film and wanted to cover it. However, I was in a funk and was trying to separate myself from the Daily Planet for a bit. I wanted this to be under a pen name of sorts. Anyway, I’m glad it resonated with people.
Best Superman Feature
There would be no Daily Planet without Superman. This award is the crowning achievement of each year, and I’m honored to have a real-life Superman earn the achievement. Sanchez’s work on this article was articulate. I’ve mentioned that previously (because this is the second award for this piece). However,I failed to mention that this piece deeply moved me in a way that it caused me to mourn the death of Christopher Reeve all over again. That’s writing. Well done, Daniel.
2025 was a turbulent year for the Daily Planet, but it’s award-winning work like the ones above that kept the globe on the roof. I’m honored to have each nominated piece on this site. I can’t express how inspiring the passion and love poured into these projects is. It motivates me to continue this publication. Thank you.
