Superman Now in Sedona
This is the first recycle bin from Sedona Recycles adorned with original artwork. The art, a copy from an original from Sedona artist Jack Proctor is visible to the public from the side of Saddlerock Circle, with the help from Combs Construction who provided a road covering. The expansion and banner came from Marc Jacobson of Sun Signs of Sedona from the photography of Proctor’s art by Miguel Guzman. Sedona Recycles plans to add art to as many bins as possible in the near future. Two more bins are slated for art on Saddlerock Circle. Sedona Recycles hopes that by combining art with recycling, more people will reduce, reuse and recycle to keep the red rocks green.
SEDONA, AZ. It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a UFO, it’s a vortex–no–it’s Superman. The DC Comics super hero was rumored to have recently been spotted in the skies over Sedona, Arizona. While soaring in between the contrails over Sedona, he must have decided to drop in on his good friend, Sir William Randolph, World Famous Publisher of the Sedona Excentric. We tracked down Sir William at an event at the Sedona Arts Center to learn the truth of the story.
As if Superman himself magically appeared, Sir William summoned a hastily called press conference. Reporters, art enthusiasts and onlookers gathered to hear the constant words of wisdom from Sedona’s own super-man.
“I have gathered you together at this hastily called press conference to put to rest the rumor of a visitation from the Man of Steel,” Sir William declared, holding his arms in the air to hush the anxious crowd. “The streak you saw across Sedona skies last week was indeed Superman, who landed after spotting the Art In Public Spaces recycle bin pictured above.:”
According to Superman writers, Clark Kent, Superman’s not so secret alter ego, has quit the Daily Planet in search of a position at a paper with integrity, seeking journalistic truth and justice. That’s where the World Famous Sedona Excentric comes in.
“One day, while flying around, Superman descended on Sedona, grabbed a cup of coffee (as Clark Kent) and sat down to read a copy of my famous paper. He laughed so hard, he spilled his java, but, being Superman, he didn’t feel a thing. Knowing he had to return to Metropolis to face his tyrant of an editor, Perry White and Morgan Edge of Galaxy Broadcasting, he called the number in the paper and asked for an interview. That’s where I come in.”
“Are you saying you interviewed Clark Kent for a job?” asked a reporter from Sedona’s small, other paper.
“Quick, aren’t you, sonny,” laughed Sir William. “This mild-mannered guy named Clark met with me to discuss his future and the future of the Sedona Excentric. I explained to him that we were building a brand new online campaign called ExcentricWorld.com. The way he described his working conditions, his editor and corporate takeover, I thought he was talking about Rupert Murdoch. I mean, the things they were asking him to do–like eaves-dropping on phone calls and hacking emails. If any of my people got caught doing that, there would be hell to pay.”
“So, Sir William, are you saying that Superman is moving to Sedona?” asked a reporter from an art magazine.
“No,” Sir William replied. “I’m saying that some guy named Clark, who recently had divorced his wife Lois, called me for an interview. As you know, the newspaper industry has been hit harder than most industries from the recession. Advertisers are finally calling for space and we seem to be over the hump, but that doesn’t mean we can afford to add a reporter–even with his experience.”
“But he’s your friend,” shouted someone from the back of the room.
“Hey,” shouted back Sir William, “I don’t play favorites–just ask my nephew. He thinks he’s Batman. A Halloween costume does not make you a super hero.”
“But this is Sedona,” the back of the room shouter fired back. “A place where UFOs, vortexes, channeling, pixies and fairies and the like are real, so, Superman can be real.”
“Look, for years people have called me Superman because of all the things I got done that seemed impossible. I put a restaurant on Bell Rock, hollowed out Coffee Pot Rock for a casino, found a nuclear submarine in Oak Creek and built the Sedona Hydraulic Interpenetrative Transit System. Of course, I took some flack for the acronym for that one,” Sir William unabashedly confessed. “I built Polo Grounds, a Super Slide Water Park, a Castle, a Nuclear Power Plant–all in Sedona. And you want me to be impressed by a guy in tights and a cape flying around fighting crime?” Sir William chuckled.
“What do you mean Clark Kent and Lois Lane got divorced?” cried some distraught, sensitive art lover.
Sir William seemed baffled by the question, “Don’t you read the comics? They were married in 1996 and went to divorce court June of 2011. Fortunately, there were no children and little property involved.”
“Golly, gee willickers, why Sedona of all places?” asked some guy.
“Well, remember Kent was an orphan raised in Smallville. Sedona was like Smallville until about fifteen years ago when the real estate moguls set their eyes on this tiny hamlet,” Sir William explained. “Also, mild-mannered reporters with bad suits and reading glasses stand a good chance of getting a date here without having to scout the Internet and troll the classifieds.”
“Is there enough crime here to keep Superman busy? With his talents, isn’t he better suited to live in a place like Metropolis or Chicago or Miami?” asked some other guy.
Sir William paused. “Perhaps, but his character was created by two Jewish kids from Cleveland, Ohio and first appeared in print in June 1938. That’s a long time to be fighting for ‘truth, justice and the American way!’ Since the Sedona Excentric epitomizes that famous phrase, it would seem fitting that Superman would choose Sedona as a place to retire.”
We are left wondering if Sir William did indeed hire Clark Kent, as he left abruptly, gesturing to the crowd and ascending into his waiting limousine.
