In 1938, two young Jewish kids decided they wanted to tell a story of an invincible man, who could move faster than bullets and was a hero to all. 

Superman took flight that year, first appearing in America Action Comics #1. Kal-El, Clark Kent or Superman was representation needed during the rise of fascism in Germany. 

The superhero was created to defeat The Third Reich and Nazi’s plot to take over the world. In American culture, comic books have been a way for readers of all ages to see themselves, in one way or another, as superhuman. 

From the friendly neighborhood Spiderman to the Green Hornet — which was a Detroit Radio program before appearing in comics — these stories told the hardships, joys and sorrows of life through the lens of these fantastical characters.

William Wallwinkel is the lead curator of “Heroes vs. Villains: Detroit’s Comic Book Story,” opening at Detroit Historical Museum on Saturday, May 3, which is also Free Comic Book Day. He joined The Metro along with Vault of Midnight owner Curtis Sullivan to talk about comic book culture here in Detroit and southeast Michigan. 

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

More stories from The Metro

Arab Detroit is constantly in flux. In the last 10 years, new communities of refugees from Syria, Iraq and Yemen have settled here. And each new community brings with them different perspectives of what it means to make it in America — to be American. 

The backdrop is that many have fled political crises that the U.S. has initiated or intensified. 

But when they arrive in the U.S., some Arabs in metro Detroit learn that speaking up about these conflicts can be a thorny matter. Still, the last 10 years have ushered in a new wave of political representation and engagement led by Arab lawmakers and residents.

The new book, “Beyond Refuge in Arab Detroit,“ explores how life is changing for Arab Americans in Detroit and what it means to thrive here during a time of intense political turmoil — both here in the U.S. and also in many of the countries Arabs have fled.

It weaves together writings from multiple contributors who delve into politics, environmental justice and sexual stigma and violence — all through the lens of Arabs in metro Detroit.

Sally Howell is one of the editors of the book, and a professor of history and Arab American studies at University of Michigan-Dearborn. She joined The Metro on one of the last days of Arab American Heritage Month to discuss the book.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

More stories from The Metro

WDET’s CuriosiD series answers your questions about everything Detroit. Subscribe to CuriosiD on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode of CuriosiD, we answer the question:

“What happens to old fire trucks in Detroit?”

Fire trucks are among the most recognizable vehicles on the road. They’re big, red, loud, and built to respond when lives are on the line. But what happens when these machines are retired from service?

WDET listener and Detroit Fire Department cadet Kevin Snook reached out to CuriosiD to find out.

“I have family that are first responders,” Snook told WDET. “My dad was a cop for many years, but I decided to take a different route right out of high school, and that led me to the fire service. I’ve been seeing a lot of different trucks at the stations and started wondering — where do they all go when they’re retired?”

The short answer

There’s no single answer, but the journey of a fire truck after its last alarm can take a few surprising turns.

Fire trucks have deep roots in Michigan’s automotive past

Detroit has long been home to some of the most well-known fire truck brands in the country. That includes Spartan Motors, based in Charlotte, Michigan, and Seagrave Fire Apparatus, which started in Rochester in the 1800s.

“Fredrick Seagrave originally made ladders for apple picking,” said David Egeler, director of operations at the Michigan Firehouse Museum in Ypsilanti. “His equipment became popular, and his business grew so much that he moved into the city in 1881.”

Seagrave later moved to Columbus, Ohio, and now operates out of Wisconsin. It’s the oldest continuously operating fire apparatus manufacturer in the country, and many older rigs in metro Detroit still bear the Seagrave name.

The Michigan Firehouse Museum maintains 15 vintage fire trucks, all in running condition. Some of them still roll out for local parades and events.

“When Michigan won the national football championship and had their parade in Ann Arbor, we took three of our fire trucks,” Egeler says. “Coach Harbaugh, team captains, and staff rode on them.”

Some end up in collections, others are scrapped

There’s a collector’s market for fire trucks, much like classic cars. Egeler says some retired firefighters buy trucks they once worked with, while others look for specific models or brands.

A second life in service of remembrance

One notable exception is a restored 1937 Seagrave safety sedan used by the Detroit Firemen’s Fund Association.

“Traditionally, we’d place a firefighter’s casket on top of a fire engine during funeral processions,” says John Bozich, a trustee with the association. “But modern trucks are too large for that.”

To honor fallen firefighters in a more fitting way, the group restored the 1937 sedan. It looks original from the outside, but inside, it’s a complete rebuild —new engine, wheels, transmission, and frame.

“There were less than 100 made and Detroit bought 93 of them,” says Arnie Nowicki — a retired Detroit fire chief who helped lead the restoration project. “Those apparatus became known world-wide as the Detroit safety sedan.”

The $300,000 restoration, funded through donations and volunteer work, now allows the vehicle to be used for funerals throughout the region.

“Where the hoses used to go in the back, that’s where the casket is placed,” Bozich said. “There’s also room for pallbearers inside.”

Mark Bilancetti, a machinist with the Detroit Fire Department, was one of the first volunteers to help with the restoration and has maintained the vehicle ever since.

“It’s been a labor of love,” Bilancetti said. “We let the firefighter’s children or grandchildren ride up front, ring the bell, step on the siren. It means a lot to families.”

So where do fire trucks go when they retire?

Most are scrapped or sold off, but some live on for decades as museum pieces, collector items, or tools of remembrance.

“It’s easier to celebrate a firefighter’s life when you can take them to their final resting place in something that meant so much,” Bilancetti said.

We want to hear from you! 

Have a question about southeast Michigan’s history or culture?
Send it our way at wdet.org/curiosid, or fill out the form below. You ask, we answer.

More from CuriosiD:

• How did Ann Arbor get its name?
• Does Gen Z know who Bob Seger is?
• What is the oldest bar in Detroit?

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