Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s the new “Supergirl” movie, coming to Cleveland theaters this Friday, June 26.

The Comic PoseHere in Cleveland, the birthplace of Superman, two Siegel & Shuster Society events are planned this weekend to celebrate the new film.

The nonprofit Siegel & Shuster Society is dedicated to commemorating the works of Cleveland’s own Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster—two Glenville High School students who created Superman in 1938. The society celebrates the legacy of the creative team through celebratory events, movie screenings, statue unveilings, podcasts, and more.

This Friday, June 26 at 7:20 p.m., the Siegel & Shuster Society will host a special screening of “Supergirl” at the Capitol Theatre in the Detroit Shoreway. After the movie, “Supergirl” writer Mariko Tamaki will talk about her work and share her thoughts on the new movie.

The Siegel & Shuster Society is also a part of the Maltz Museum’s exhibit, “Icons in Ink: The Jewish Comics Experience.”

The cover of Mariko Tamaki’s “Supergirl: Being Super.”The exhibit, which runs through Sunday, Aug. 23, showcases Jewish creators who have shaped the comics industry. Cleveland's role in the history of the comic book industry runs deep. The Maltz Museum highlights Cleveland creatives like Siegel, Shuster, Harvey Pekar, Peter Kuper, Terri Libenson, and Brian Michael Bendis.

Additionally, on Sunday, June 28 at the Matz Museum’s “Icons in Ink,” Tamaki will be the featured speaker in a conversation from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. with Kent State University emeritus English professor Vera Camden and Ursuline College assistant English professor and Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards Fellow Dr. Valentino Zullo as facilitators.

Zullo, a Siegel & Shuster Society board member, says he’s enthusiastic about “Supergirl” and how its story fits into the Siegel and Shuster world.

“It continues the story that [co-chair and CEO of DC Studios] James Gunn is building, and we're really excited to see where he takes it,” says Zullo. “He's expanding the universe. The more super family movies we have, the more chances there'll be for [Gunn] to do some filming in Cleveland in the future films.”

The newest role model
Naturally, the new movie is creating a lot of buzz at the Siegel & Shuster Society. “Supergirl” is based on an eight-issue comics series titled “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.” The 2021–2022 limited series by Tom King and Bilquis Evely follows the story of Kara Zor-El (Supergirl) and her unlikely companion named Ruthye, a young intergalactic warrior from a faraway planet.

The movie plot follows the comics series. Kara’s superhero dog, Krypto, was injured by an assassin from outer space and she must find the antidote in time before it is too late to save him. Kara travels with her new alien sidekick in search of the cure for her furry friend. Amid the chaos, the duo must decide if vengeance is the right path to take.

Ursuline’s Zullo says it is important to have a superhero like Supergirl who dominates the big screen. In a world where superheroes are primarily male figures, Zullo says he is excited to see on-screen female icons break away from the typical representation of heroes.

“Seeing that a character like Supergirl can be just as strong and just as powerful does a lot for expanding our vision of who can hold power and save the world,” he explains.

‘Supergirl’ at the Capitol Theatre
The screening for the “Supergirl” new release takes place on Friday at Cleveland’s historic Capitol Theatre, 1390 W. 65th Street.

The “Supergirl” screening is Friday, June 26 at Capitol Theatre.Last year, the Siegel & Shuster Society held a similar premiere party at the theater for the “Superman” release—which was primarily filmed in Cleveland. The Capitol sold out all 422 seats.

Tickets for the screening are selling quickly and can be ordered online. All attendees will get a free poster by local illustrator Dan Gorman. After the screening, Tamaki will take the stage to talk to the audience.

“All of it will be filtered through her comics work, but the attention will be on the movie,” explains Zullo. “If people haven't read the comics, that's fine, but she'll definitely come with that expertise.”

Tamaki will share the two Supergirl comic books she has written: “Supergirl: Being Super” and “Supergirl: Universe Ends.”

Although the stories did not inspire the new movie, Tamaki will share what it’s like to see a character who she has developed in her writing represented on the big screen.

Another character
Tamaki has also written a series about Lobo, who appears in the new “Supergirl.”

Lobo is an alien bounty hunter who is an antihero in many DC Comics. He was set to be a character in the comic “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow," but DC Comics decided to focus solely on Supergirl instead.

In the new “Supergirl” movie, the writers choose to add Lobo to tie two cosmic narratives together for fans. In “Supergirl,” Lobo, played by Jason Momoa, reluctantly teams up with Supergirl to defeat the antagonist.

With her experience writing the “Supergirl” characters, Tamaki likely had some input on Lobo’s character, especially because she wrote an eight-issue limited series called “Crush and Lobo,” focusing on the relationship of Lobo and his daughter Crush.

Tamaki's experience also allows viewers to see her perspective on the new film.

Icons in Ink
The partnership between Siegel & Shuster Society and the Maltz Museum’s “Icons in Ink” exhibit is what Ursuline’s Zullo describes as a “love letter to Cleveland”—especially with an exhibition section called “Cleveland: Home of Heroes!” that highlights influential comic creators who have come from Cleveland.

Icons in Ink: The Jewish Comics Experience at Maltz Museum/Sunday’s discussion with Camden and Zullo will foster a more in-depth conversation about Tamaki’s works and her creative processes. She will touch on her Supergirl comic books, but will also highlight some of the other superheroes she's written—such as Batman, Wonder Woman, She-Hulk, and Spider-Man.

Tamaki is Japanese and of Jewish descent. Zullo is facilitating the conversation and says Tamaki is a perfect representation of the comic industry and the “Icons in Ink” exhibit.

“We want to talk about her work in comics and what it's been like shepherding the legacy of these icons,” he says, noting that he would also like to discuss the deep impact Cleveland has on the superhero comics industry—where the genre was born.

All attendees will receive an original Supergirl poster by Sina Grace after the event.

Tickets for Sunday’s Tamaki conversation range from $5 for children aged five to 11 to $10 for students aged 12 through college age, to $12 for adults. Admission is free for Maltz members and children under age four.