SUPERMAN: METROPOLIS GETS NEW STATUE SATURDAY

METROPOLIS, Ill. -- Superman is back. Or is he?

"The people at Metropolis are not too happy about what they're seeing in the comics," says Dan Milam. "We prefer the old Superman. Some people here are not even acknowledging the other guys."

"The other guys" are four Superman contenders who have shown up in four recent issues of D.C. Comics, including the No. 500 issue of "The Adventures of Superman."

The bizarre, new characters may or may not be Superman, who was killed off by DC Comics last November.

Little concern for Superman's demise was shown by his fans," said Milam, who serves as publicity chairman for the Superman Celebration being held here June 10-13.

"We expected him to return in the future," said Milam. "I'm not sure we were expecting four of them. And certainly not the ones who are out there now."

Meanwhile, in Metropolis a "new Superman" will make an appearance Saturday.

A giant, three-ton, 15-foot sculpture of the "Man of Steel" has been cast in bronze and will be placed in the Metropolis town square on a pedestal inscribed with a giant "S."

"The new sculpture will be set in place Saturday at 10 a.m., June 5," said Milam.

The new Superman was designed by a Highland, Utah, artist, Gary Ernest Smith, who sculpted the figure in a studio garage, out of clay. After being cast into bronze by a Lehigh, Utah, foundry, the statue is being trucked to Metropolis.

"Strict guidelines were established for the new statue by D.C. Comics, which holds the copyright on the late superhero," said Milam.

The statue was commissioned by the Massac County Illinois Chamber of Commerce at a cost of $100,000. "This has been an on-going fund-raiser," said Milam. "Much of the money is being raised by the sale of personalized bricks for the statue's base."

The old model of Superman, a fiberglass, 7-foot statue, will be placed in a new superhero museum being constructed near Interstate 24 at Metropolis.

The 20,000-square-foot museum will include a "Metropolis Room" featuring all kinds of Superman memorabilia. Also to be featured in the museum will be Spiderman, Batman and a number of other super heroes.

The museum is being built by Superman collector Jim Hambrick, formerly of California, who recently moved to the Metropolis area.

More than 60,000 people are expected to attend the annual four-day Superman Celebration. Family activities, athletic contests and entertainment will be provided throughout the celebration.

Milam attributes the expected increase in crowds to a number of developments: the publicity about the death and revival of Superman, the new statue, and the new riverboat casino.

"A year ago we had about 50,000 people here over three days," said Milam. "In the past we've had good crowds even with inclement weather."

Events during the celebration include a tennis tournament, armwrestling tournament, four-mile road race, and volleyball tournament. Other events are an arts and crafts market, parade, and live entertainment.

For those people who might not have followed the story line last fall, Superman was killed in a fight with arch-villain Doomsday. Or, was he?

The new story line implies that maybe Superman didn't die.

As the new story opens, Superman's dad, Mr. Kent, is in a coma. He sees a light at the end of the tunnel and thinks he is dying. Kent's will to live brings Superman back. But it's all kind of a mystery: Will Kent's will to live save not only him, but Superman himself.

Now there are four separate DC comics featuring contenders for the new Superman.

One contender will have none of the goodness of Superman. It doesn't bother him to kill someone. The second guy is kind of like the Terminator; he's half human and half machine.

Another contender is buried in the wreckage of the fight with Doomsday. He is a steel worker who digs himself out and fabricates a costume that transforms him into the Man of Steel.

A final contender is a teen with super powers. He believes he is the reincarnation of Superman.

No matter which one is eventually selected, the outcome will be a Superman who looks different than the one everyone knew for more than 50 years.

He's going to look different, but he will still be wearing a big red "S," said one fan.

There is a fifth option.

In the long run, maybe the original Superman will triumph.

"Who knows what DC Comics will do," said Milam. "They may decide that Clark Kent really is alive and suffering from amnesia."

Which contender will be selected?

At this point it's a comic seller's paradise. Collectors will buy all four issues to ensure they get the right one.

"The issue that introduces the new Superman will become a collectors' item, just like the death and ressurection issues."

DC Comics issued several promotional items when Superman died, including black buttons and armbands. The company has issued its own tabloid-style newspaper that listed Superman (not Elvis) sightings at McDonald's restaurants and coin laundries.