Naoko (as Gurihiru) KawanoReseñas

Gr 7 Up—Roberta and Tommy Lee's family moves from Chinatown to Metropolis only to encounter threats from the
Klan of the Fiery Kross. The Lees have a friend in Superman, who grapples with his own sense of belonging, but
they'll need more than superpowers to prevent their community from falling under the sway of xenophobia. Nuanced
writing and fluid artwork sell the bombastic moments as well as the heartfelt ones.

Based on an actual Superman radioplay that really did have Superman smashing a (fictionalized) Klan to dampen recruiting efforts for yet another revival, Superman Smashes the Klan is both fun and informative and while set in the late 1940s post-WWII, it still rings timeless to today, with the palpable feeling of being perceived as a Perpetual Foreigner when moving into or occupying spaces that don't typically have people like yourself. The Klan in Metropolis plot weaves beautifully with a younger Superman trying to determine his origins and how trying to fit in (aka assimilate) really limits your whole self and abilities. I don't really read DC, so I'm less familiar with the early versions who couldn't fly or how he figured out his abilities, but they're explored well here.

This version gives a name and a story to Tommy Lee's sister Lee-shin (who goes by Roberta) Lee. She isn't as comfortable he is moving out of Chinatown, but makes fast friends with across-the-street neighbor Jimmy and bravely confronts the adult bullies trying to intimidate her family.

There's a kid who struggles with recognizing that his family members have evil beliefs and wonders if they're still good people, if they've been nice to him which is complex relationship that many youth (and especially adults) STILL avoid confronting and considering today. While he doesn't explicitly speak on it further, he sides with our protagonists in the next attack, showing actions speak louder than lip service.

Great combination of super hero graphic novel and historical fiction!

Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru’s Superman Smashes the Klan adapts the 1946 episode “The Clan of the Fiery Cross” from The Adventures of Superman radio show, focusing on the Lee family moving to Metropolis and facing racist attacks from a group of bigots in bedsheets. Yang sets the story in 1946 with the Golden Age Superman, incorporating elements of the character’s changes during the radio show. For instance, this graphic novel introduces Kryptonite as well as showing Superman learn to use more of his alien powers rather than seem like an extension of the circus strongman. Yang uses these changes in Superman’s powers to parallel the Man of Tomorrow’s narrative with the immigrant experience in America. Just as he expands the story of the Lee family from the radio drama, Yang brings in other elements from the immediate postwar Superman comics. The result is a great Superman story that gets to the heart of the character’s message while showing the lasting importance of the 1946 radio show nearly 80 years later.

Between the excellent artwork by Gurihiru and the re-imagining (and redraw) of an older comic story this book has basically everything I love in it. Story's a bit abrupt in places, but it largely flows really well. The characters are great, the themes are great, and it's just an overall enjoyable book.

A comic adaptation of one of the storylines of The Adventures of Superman radio show where Superman battles the Klan. The radio show is credited with tarnishing the Klan's image such that their post-war comeback attempt was thwarted (to a degree).

Really enjoyed seeing the story's adaptation by a Chinese-American author and Japanese illustration team.

(The original radio show can be heard here: https://archive.org/details/TheAdventuresOfSuperman_201805/1946-06-10-1308ClanOf... )

There were so many levels to this comic that a review cannot do it justice. It's a story full of heart, written by a writer who has lived what the characters have experienced, who has heard tales from his parents about the exact same things that the Lees go through in this comic. How do we know this; it's included in one of the after stories. The after material is just as important as the comic itself. It takes the story out of the realm of fiction and plants it firmly back into reality, it forces us to look at it and recognise that this actually happened. That these fictional characters are avatars for so many people who were victims of the KKK and still are because it's not gone, the organisation is still alive.

What this comic also does is remind us that Superman, one of the most beloved superheroes of all time, is an alien immigrant. At one point in the story, a KKK member turns to him and asks him why he's standing with the Lees because he's a white American. As you can imagine it's a statement that Superman blanches at because at this point in history he hasn't revealed himself as an alien. He, however, knows the truth.

There are racists out there who love Superman, who don't realise that he was originally created by two Jewish young men to be someone from another world, to be an immigrant in America. I didn't know this, and I learned a lot about Superman and the KKK (I'm British so I knew nothing of its history). It's really important for that message to never be forgotten, especially now when the world just seems to be filling with more hate every single day.

So if you do read this comic please take the time to read the information at the end of the comic. Learn new things because as one of my favourite authors says "All knowledge is worth having".

I would recommend this book for readers who enjoyed Ms. Marvel (2014) by G. Willow Wilson or those who want a longer read than the Teen Titans (2019) series by Kami Garcia. Also a great option for students who may be reluctant readers, but enjoy anime and superhero movies.

This book is also appropriate as a class novel or independent reading book in both middle school and high school classrooms. There are great moments for close-reading and discussion (ex. pg 50 when Roberta's dad put on his lab coat as a status symbol in the middle of a crisis, or pg 180 when Uncle Matt is attempting to explain the Klan's message of "unity", lot to draw on here!)

This is the kind of Superman story I love. The artwork is gorgeous. It is just perfect in every way.

With earnest writing and slick art, Superman Smashes the Klan exemplifies what we already know about the Man of Steel; Superman at his best represents America at its best.

I’ve never been a big Superman fan, but I liked this a lot. It’s based on a 16-episode radio series that aired in 1946 that featured Superman fighting a fictionalized version of the KKK. I loved the artwork, and the supplemental historical notes at the end were really interesting. I don’t know if the author plans on any more Superman books, but I’d for sure pick them up if he wrote more.

Conceptually I liked this and appreciated the historical notes at the end but the plot felt a bit laboured to me.

Read in serialized form. This was surprisingly compelling and interesting - the essays at the back by Yang were especially so.½

I think Gene Luen Yang does a good job with his comic books talking about race. Superman is from an immigrant back ground, so this made sense to me. And who doesn't want to see Superman smash the KKK or Nazis.

This was obviously for all types of reads (well except people who can't handle reading about race issues). However, almost all of Gene Luen Yang's books are about that and I think that's a good thing. We saw a lot of racism during COVID.

This is or all ages too. The art is super kid friendly and it's an easy read, with a heavy topic. Kind of hope to see this turned into a cartoon movie or something.

There's nothing more satisfying than watching Superman kick the s--t out of some klansmen.

I don't read superhero comics very often. When one of my favorite comic writers publishes one, I read it. I have loved all of Gene Luen Yang's books. Previously he published the Boxers and Saints volumes, American Born Chinese and last year's Dragon Hoops. With this Superman volume Yang takes on the Klan of the Fiery Kross, a pseudonym for the Ku Klux Klan.

The story takes place in 1946 when teenagers Roberta and Tommy Lee move with their parents from Chinatown to Metropolis, the home of Superman. Tommy makes friends easily but Roberta wants to go back to Chinatown where she was comfortable. One night the Lee family awakens to find that their house is surrounded by the Klan of the Fiery Kross and see a burning cross in their yard. Superman leaps into action but his exposure to a mysterious green rock leaves him feeling nauseous and weak. He is only able to defeat the Klan later with the help of Roberta and Tommy. During this conquest, Superman sees visions of his deceased parents asking why he is only using half of the powers he was born with. Superman works through his memory to figure out what is holding him back.

While this was an enjoyable story of good versus evil, the poisonous remarks of the Klan members against this Chinese family gave it a bad tone. I found it difficult to overcome the hate that sprung from its pages. I presume that this was the effect that Yang was going for and that he presented an Asian family as the victims due to the AAPI discrimination that has been ongoing since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The comic is advertised for young adult reading and I would agree with that. It would be helpful to present the realities of hate to youths, but not those too young for the message.

"though our yesterdays may be different, we all share the same tomorrow." -- Gene Luen Yang

Gene Luen Yang has written a graphic novel retelling the story of a popular 16-episode Superman radio show from the 1940s, where Superman battled the Klan, which was terrorizing Chinese families in California. This is the story of the Lee family, who have moved to Metropolis from Chinatown, where they have trouble fitting in. Tommy makes friends because he can play baseball, but the pitcher he replaced is vengeful and joins his crazy uncle in burning a cross in the Lees' yard. Dr. Lee is struggling to fit in the hospital, where evil hides. Young Roberta is a true loner, but really the star of the show, with brains and resolve, but easy to overlook. Even Superman is struggling to fit in, trying to be true to his birth parents from Krypton and his foster parents from Earth, by not realizing his potential. While the themes of battling racism and hatred are important, especially now, I was underwhelmed by the art and dialogue, both of which I found to be unnecessarily childish.

Superman Smashes the Klan was a great read. It has an old-school feel to it, while bringing an interesting perspective to the character through his relationships with others and through the POV character, Roberta. I really enjoyed the way Roberta's struggles to feel at home in her new surroundings mirror Superman's fears of standing out too much. The plot was more meaningful and the stakes higher because Superman is holding back and a lot of it was coming from the Lees' points of view as targets of the racist Klan. The combination of the classic storyline and upbeat message mixed with the internal struggles and character growth was a nice combination. It's definitely worth checking out. Also, as always, the art by Gurihiru is excellent.

I'd definitely recommend this to Superman fans and fans of comics in general looking for a positive story.

After a slow start this settles into a decent tale about Superman coming to terms with his alien origins while dealing with a racist group called Klan of the Fiery Kross, a stand-in for the Ku Klux Klan. For the younger readers to relate to, there is a young Chinese American girl who struggles to fit into her new neighborhood and school and whose family is targeted by the Klan.

The actual story is a bit generic on the surface, but I appreciated the themes of self-hatred, conformity, and acceptance that Yang threads into it.

And bonus day! Superman punches Nazis and Klansmen all under one cover!

Set in the 1946, this is a loose adaptation of the "Clan of the Fiery Cross" episodes from the classic Adventures of Superman radio serial. Background about that original story can be found in Superman versus the Ku Klux Klan: The True Story of How the Iconic Superhero Battled the Men of Hate. The two books together might make for an interesting gift set.

So very timely! The title instantly caught my eye and I knew I had to read this. This was based on a 16 episode story ark from the forties that showcased Superman taking down the "Clan of the Fiery Cross" on the radio show. It was immensely popular at the time and is credited with stopping a third wave of KKK "power." The story is about a Chinese family who moves to Metropolis and are instantly targeted by the Klan and get a burning cross in their yard. The children are dejected but with the help of Lois Lane, some neighborhood kids, and Superman - they begin to feel their confidence return. Really well done and addresses lots of key racist ideologies. I really liked that at the end of the graphic novel there is a little essay with pictures talking about the origins of the comic and the history. Really well done!

Superman Smashes the Klan is an awesome graphic novel based on a 1940’s radio series. Gene Luen Yang, a wonderful author, covers the Klan treating a new Chinese family as outsiders in the town rather than offering a warm welcome. Superman, also an immigrant, aids the family as the superhero he is! Throughout the story, Roberta and Superman are struggling with where they belong. Chuck struggles with integrity as his uncle believes in Klan principles and wants his nephew to join in the hate. Will Chuck realize he must do what is right? Could Superman and Roberta learn from each other?

Excellent read for middle school and up.

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher (DC Comics) in exchange for an honest review.

This book was SO GOOD! I loved it.

So first off, the artwork is adorable. It worked really well.

I love that the story did not shy away from depicting racism. It shows both the hard core racism of the Klan and the more casual racism of Tommy and Roberta’s friends.

I also liked that the book had an even blend of Tommy and Roberta’s story and Superman’s story. Both storylines were well developed and engaging. They also paralleled each other nicely. What I really loved about Superman’s story was how human he was. Like yes he is a superhero with powers, but at his core he is just like us.

One of my favorite parts of the book happens in the beginning after the Klan burns a cross in the Lee’s front yard. 3 African American men come to help but Mr. Lee doesn’t want it. One of the men says, “They don’t want us around, not even when their house is on fire.” The other African American man (who is the police inspector) replies, “They got a burning cross on their lawn, don’t they? For tonight, at least, they are us. Even if they don’t want to admit it” (pg 48). This small part left a big impact on me because it shows a hint of the anti-blackness that is sometimes seen in the Asian American community. But it also shows a solidarity. That even though they are different races, they still face similar struggles. They are not as different as they may think.

At the end of the book, there is an essay by the author, “Superman and Me.” The essay gives the historical background behind the story. I really loved it. It not only explained the history of the KKK and racism in the America, but also the story of Superman and how he came to be.

Overall, I really recommend this graphic novel. Its message is an important one, especially in today’s times.

This was amazing. It's set in the 50s (I think, it's definitely set after World War II). It's mostly an old style Superman style suit (although the S is more modern) and at the beginning of the story it is the old type of superpowers as well.

The Lees, Roberta, Tommy, and their parents, move from Chinatown to the main part of Metropolis. It's not an easy move for any of them. And then the stand in group for the KKK starts to try and force the family out of their new neighborhood. But, even that isn't all the story.

It was a typically amazingly written Gene Luen Yang book. He hits the balance of the important underlying issues vs. the story itself perfectly (as usual). Oh, and Superman's growth in this TPB was cool (but Roberta's was better).

It was a fun read (and such a wicked quick read). Go Lan-Shin!!

I was given this ARC by Netgalley on behalf of DC Entertainment.

The Hero We Need

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through NetGalley. Obvious trigger warning for racist violence.)

The year is 1946, and the Lee family - mom, dad, Roberta, and Tommy - has just moved from Chinatown to Metropolis, so that Mr. Lee can begin a new job as Chief Bacteriologist of the Health Department. Gregarious and handsome, Tommy fits right in, easily slipping into the spot of star pitcher at the Unity House. An aspiring journalist with a stomach made of jelly,* Roberta - birth name Lan-Shin - is immediately homesick for Chinatown, where she didn't feel like such a "weirdo".

http://www.easyvegan.info/img/superman-smashes-the-klan-01.jpg

And then her family is targeted by the local chapter of the Clan of the Fiery Red Cross, which lights a cross on the Lee's front lawn and attempts to fire bomb their house. The Allies may have won World War II, and Superman literally just crushed the Nazi supersoldier Atom Man, but racism is still alive and thriving - and firmly entrenched in Metropolis's social institutions.

Luckily, the Lees live right across the street from cub reporter Jimmy Olsen (who is obviously and adorably smitten with Roberta), and Superman and Lois Lane are pursuing the case, each in their own ways.

I've really been enjoying DC's YA imprint, but Superman Smashes The Klan takes things to the next level. Based on a sixteen-part radio show that aired in 1946 called "The Clan of the Fiery Cross"**, the story expertly dovetails Roberta's journey with that of her idol, Superman. At this point in his story, Clark Kent is thirty-something and has only been superheroing for ten years. As a kid growing up in Smallville, his differences were a source of shame: they marked him as different, a freak, nonhuman. Demonic, even. And so he learned to suppress and ignore his powers. It wasn't until a circus tent that he, the Kents, and Lana Lang were sitting under caught fire that Clark used his super strength for good. After that, Mrs. Kent sewed Clark his iconic red cape and Superman was born.

http://www.easyvegan.info/img/superman-smashes-the-klan-04.jpg

Yet, even as Superman, Clark hides pieces of himself: he has super strength and super speed, yes, but he runs along phone lines rather than flying, because defying gravity would give him away as not entirely of this world. And his ruse works, a little too well: the story's big bad, a grand Scorpion of the Klan, proudly claims Superman as the best of what the white race has to offer; irrefutable evidence of white superiority.

An honest-to-goodness alien from another world, created by two first-generation Jewish immigrants, Superman has always functioned as a stand-in for marginalized groups: refugees and immigrants of various races, religions, and ethnicities (depending on which group is currently being scapegoated). Superman is as American as apple pie and AK-47s, and he's a legit alien. Yang masterfully underscores this aspect of Superman's identity by enmeshing his story with Roberta's. Both of these "weirdos" learn to embrace their differences, because it's what makes them - and, indeed, the world - so damn special.

Yang's story is also deeply steeped in history, in ways I wouldn't have fully appreciated without reading his essay "Superman and Me" (it appears in pieces in the single issues, and as a whole in the TP). I especially loved the showdown between the scorpion and grand wizard, as the two clashed over the Clan's true purpose.

http://www.easyvegan.info/img/superman-smashes-the-klan-05.jpg

This piece, in particular, seems especially relevant today.

* Roberta's "gurgly stomach" is a mood.

** "To avoid getting sued by an organization that was legally recognized in several states, the show's writers created a stand-in organization called The Clan of the Fiery Cross," Yang explains in "Superman and Me."

http://www.easyvegan.info/2020/05/19/superman-smashes-the-klan-by-gene-luen-yang...½