Iowa’s comic book stores may be busier today as the new issue of Superman has the Man of Steel visiting the Hawkeye State. Matt Johnson, who owns a comic shop in Des Moines, says he was thrilled to open the first few pages and see the legendary hero in front of familiar backdrops.
Johnson says, “The first thing you see is Superman and bullets flying off his chest and then I see landmarks of Des Moines.” At the shop, school teacher Jeremy Jorgensen and store employee Tia Rodemeyer (TEE-ah RODE-ah-meyer) were busy pouring over the pages, picking out buildings they recognized.
“I think that you can even see Embassy Suites in there and the police station right there,” Jorgensen says. “And the capitol, you can see the capitol, they did a pretty spot on with the capitol and the capitol steps,” Rodemeyer says. The Superman comic is in its 72nd year and this issue, number 707. Johnson says Superman is doing more walking than flying lately, as it’s part of a “grounded” storyline.
“It’s Superman trying to find himself and find his place in the world,” Johnson says. “He’s going to Midwestern cities that he can then deal with normal people. He’s not dealing with big city folk.” The story arc has the hero traveling across the country, trying to reconnect with those he protects. Jorgenson says this new issue of the comic is special and may help to hook new readers in Iowa.
“If you’ve got somebody who’s just getting into the series who is from Des Moines, I would definitely say that if you told them, hey, here’s our capitol, here’s the Walnut Street Bridge,” Jorgenson says. “For an Iowan, for a fan, there is a little more of a draw to it. I’d think somebody would be interested in picking it up.”
In the storyline, Superman leaps into the air to prevent a malfunctioning helicopter from colliding with the 801 Grand building in Des Moines, the tallest structure in Iowa.