Superman Days 2017

Hey - long time no post! Had a lot going on...

A few years ago we were in Paducah for the night - it was Fathers Day weekend and we just wanted to get away (I had recently lost my dad). We got up Sunday and drove over into Metropolis to see the Superman Statue and we had seen on a Sunday night drive home from Kyle's house. We had never been 'during the day' and wanted to see the little gift shop, etc.

So we got up and drove over and it was the annual Superman Days Celebration! Wow, how fortuitous! Billy Dee Williams was there and we sat in on the Q&A, saw LOTS of cosplayers, bought a Green Lantern pint glass - just had a good old time.

Ever since then, I've wanted to go back but it just didn't work out. This year this was our last weekend before Vanessa's surgery, so as a Fathers Day gift she took me to Paducah for the night and we went to Superman Days for Sunday. She offered to go more days, but I looked and the reason for all the cosplay on Sunday is that's the day of the contest and the parade. Since that's a big thing for me, that's the day I picked to go. :-)

I won't go into Saturday night, other than to say it was beautiful weather and we had a great evening out and at the Hotel.

Following are pictures Vanessa took of and for me. I wanted to get with all the cosplayers I could. I realized after the fact that I wasn't standing nearly close enough. I was trying not to get into people's 'bubbles,' but it looks like I'm standing off. I will not make that mistake next time. :-) Or at Gencon. :-)

For some reason the pics did not upload in the order they were taken... Too many to try and reorganzie. :-)

This first one is a cosplaying Aquaman. He brought up the end of the parade. I had a chance to get my pic with him before the parade but dind't care to. Not one of my favorite heroes. :-)

These next three are part of the parade as well. There were several Batman cosplayers, but only one Doctor Octopus! There are some closer pics later. His suit was VERY detailed!

At the end of the parade, everyone gathered around the giant Superman statue for people to get pictures of. The Imperial guy in white was cosplaying as Director Krennic and he had, um, let's say an attitude. :-) I wasn't sure I wanted to get a pic WITH him, but later on I do. I'll explain more then. :-)

Harley Quinn is one of my favorite DC characters. I don't read Suicide Squad, haven't seen the movie, and it's not the same "Haliquinn" that I grew up with, but I really like the style. This girl was pulling it off very good with the hair, the bat AND a pistol (you usually see a bat, but not usually the pistol). She had the smile and laughter to go with it too.

I spotted this Supergirl while we were in the trivia tent and caught up with her after the parade.

(By the way, Vanessa finally got me to join into the trivia and I won a five movie pack - All four Christopher Reeve movies plus Superman Returns.)

Anyway, back to Supergirl. This was a cool one and she struck a pose too.

Here's a couple from the parade. Nothing special to point out.

Another parade photo - I don't know who the hero is front is, but the guy in the superman cape was making baloon animals for the kiddies earlier in the day.

Here's Krennic with a couple of Stormtroopers. The first one he's trying to pose. The guy said smile and he said he only smiles when "my Emporer is here." In the second one he was turning back to show that he didn't like what was going on.

Another Doctor Octopus. Never was able to get in a shot with him.

And yes, that's one of the Spy vs. Spy guys back there. There was a white and a black one and they went around together.

A modern Batman on the ground and a vintage Batman with his son Robin on the right.

This was a vintage Superman. I saw this as a take on the George Reeves outfit, had it been in color, and the guy had the slicked hair and everything.

The lady beside him was with him the whole time. I assume it's his wife or SO. I think she's Hawkgirl, but the outfit is the color of X-Men. I'll admit I'm no Hawkgirl fan, but I did like her incarnation on Flash.

This was another Aquaman. He had a fan in his 'pants' and was probably one of the 'coolest' cosplayers there. :-)

Again, not an Aquaman fan, but this was so over the top I wanted a pic with him.

I'm not a Deadpool fan, but this was a cute shot. They posed for someone else and Vanessa snapped a pic. I think that's Punisher that has him at gunpoint.

I had seen him do this "George Reeves" pose by the statue, so I asked him to do it for our pic.

She got her wings expanded for this one.

Okay - this was one of the best ones of the day! I saw Mary Marvel while in the trivia tent, but couldn't find her for a pic. Finally spotted her so we went down the street to find her. Her friend had a great Robin outfit too! Look at that utility belt! But the Mary Marvel! Wow! Not something I've ever seen before and HAD to have a pic with her.

Here's one with Krennic. He was actually a SUPER nice guy and had no attitude at all. I walked up to him and said, "Krennic, right?" He said, "YES!" I said, I thought so, but the white armor stormtroopers threw me. He said they weren't with him, but when the parade was ready to start he saw them and asked them to walk with him. It was cool. :-) It was also the last pic of the day before we left.

And this was the first pic of the day... Batman and Huntress were cool, but what really caught my eye was this suit like the Flash television show.

Next one is just cropped down to us (again, wish I had stood closer - I learned).

Right after them we saw this Wonder Woman. Her outfit was VERY authenic! Sword, golden lasso, boots, arm bands. All of it. This was BEFORE I had seen the new movie. Now that I have this all makes a little more sense to me.

Outside the museum they have a phone booth. Vanessa got a shot of me in it - laer there's one of her.

They also have plywood standups you can stand behind. This is the 'bronze age' look of Superman. One of the Batman cosplayers was posing for his wife and Vanessa got a shot.

They also have a Supergirl you can stand behind. This is MY Supergirl!

Some guys from Memphis brought this up. I talked to them about the base car. It's a Corvette that was cut and stretched. You can tell the back wheels are farther apart than the front - not sure how easy it would drive, but like cosplayers and their outfits, it's the look, not the functionality. :-)

This was in the museum. It's from one of Vanessa's favorite shows. You old folks like us will know exactly what it was. :-)

They have a statue inside the museum. I decided to use my own Superman pose - the one I use when catching a frisbee.

This was in the museum as well. I read Batman as a kid, but not so much lately.

 A smaller statue in the museum.

My hero beside the statue.

Vanessa as Lois Lane, the intrepid reporter.

This caught my eye and Vanessa snaped a pic. Notice the "Luthor's" label, but notice the computer at the top. It's an actual TRS-80.

A booth IN the museum. I don't remember what caught my eye when she snapped the pic. The next one is Vanessa in the same booth. She doesn't fill it up like I do. :-)

Batman again - the one from the Superman plywood standup. That's a spear with Kryponite on the end. There's another story to do with this guy. He was having some serious heat exhaustion going on and Vanessa helped him out. You can take the EMT out of the Ambulance but you can't take the EMT out of the girl. :-)

He and his wife were nice people too - was good to talk to them for a bit, even if it was under medical  circumstances. She usually cosplays as Batman 66's Catwoman.

An old car like from the George Reeves television show - parked outside the museum. Not sure if it was in the show or just one like it, but cool to see. I like old stuff.

Steel - one of the temporary Superman replacements during the Death of Superman storyline, IIRC.

This was another cool one. This guy had a cool outfit - Optimus Prime - and he had a voice changer he spoke through.

Another cool Batman and a cool Joker. Note the 'banana' he's holding on me. Another case where I wasn't close enough - next time I'll get between them.

The start of the parade. That's the Superman that was doing pics at the statue earlier in the day. There was a line so I didn't get in on it, but we caught him on the street too. He had the look as well.

Krennic with his stormtroopers, following another Wonder Woman and in front of Harley.

Harley followed by Swamp Thing and Scarecrow.

This is a crop of the previous pic.

More of the parade - a younger Harley.

I think that might be Jason, from Friday the 13th, but I'm not sure. That's Joker, of course, and I'm not sure who the guy in the tophat is. This was part of the parade too.

More parade. STEEL, Punisher and Cool Pants Aquaman.

Minion followed by Spy vs. Spy guys.

Vintage Superman and Hawkgirl again - from the Parade.

Batman and his son Robin followed by a GI Joe maybe? Not sure who they are following though...

I don't know who the Indian woman is supposed to be, but she fits the part.

These next two are from inside the museum. These are shots of a TON of actual memorbelia from the show. Actual radio props, hats, etc.

Remember the closeups of the 'building' by showing the plaque? There it is!

They had a full size Superman pinball machine in the museum. Those of you that know I'm a Pinball fan as well as a Superman fan know I'd love to play this one. :-)

These next three were full of memorbelia from the first Christopher Reeve movie. The centerpiece is the actual harness he wore for filming.

More shots at the end of the parade, at the big statue.

Two more shots of Doctor Octupus. These really show the detail he put into this!

Thanks for hanging around this long. :-) Hope you enjoyed seeing this little look into Metropolis and Superman Days. Next year is the big 40th Anniversary!