Yes, I had a Superman costume when I was a kid. In my case, it was the Ben Cooper design that was featured in Sears catalog throughout most of the '60's. The photo shows me hamming it up on the night that I received it as a gift, which was Christmas Eve, 1963. The dog's name was Peanuts, and I fondly remember him to this day. That guy on the left was my Dad, who was the real Superman in my life.

Dad always supported my childhood interests, even if he couldn't always directly identify with them. In the case of the Adventures of Superman, he often watched the episodes with me, no doubt with the attitude that the show and its star, George Reeves, were a decent influence on an impressionable young boy. He put up with me nearly every week as I sat with in front of the TV screen with pencil and paper in hand, trying my best to capture the essence of George's "S" insignia. This, of course, was for the purpose of designing my own custom Superman shirt, which I finally managed to accomplish with the help of construction paper, cardboard, and Elmer's glue. I finally retired the project on that magical Christmas Eve night in 1963 when I received the "real deal" as a gift.

But this article is actually less about the triumph of my little costume that it is about the guy who gave it to me. You see, I lost my dear Dad to a rare blood disorder called Myelofibrosis earlier this year. He was able to maintain a decent quality of life for two years after the diagnosis, but the increasing frequency of transfusions, along with his lowered defenses, meant that it was simply not possible to get him through this past Winter season. The week before he passed, we were able to share many memories, which included my individual childhood interests, as well as those that caught our attention equally. The latter would have included the Chicago Cubs, and the great team that they eventually built in the late 1960's.

I realize that everyone should be so lucky as to have had a father such as mine. His name was Bart Gross, and he was employed as a General Foreman at All Steel Equipment, Inc. for nearly 30 years. His management style was casual yet very effective, somewhat reminiscent of the original Andy Griffith character on TV. He also served his country with pride and honor during World War II, and was the recipient of full military honors upon his passing. I guess I just wanted the world to know what a great guy he really was. My personal Superman had a good, long, and decent life, and now he is in a better place.

Ron Gross, April, 2010.

Ron: Although in a different chair compared with the 1963 costume photo, Dad occupied the same spot in the same house for over 50 years.

More of Ron Gross can be found in the pages of TAC when in 2006 he showcased his artistic abilities with a fine rendering of George Reeves. FROM THE OUTER REACHES OF OTHER UNIVERSES

If you're a fan of 60's TV show Lost and Space then chances are you heard of Ron Gross. Visit this website for a look at his Lost in Space boxart interest.

Thanks for Watching.

Lou (April 25, 2010)