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rnbhargava's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is a fantastic tale of Superman fighting against the racism of the Klan alongside two young Chinese American kids. Fantastic!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Bullying, Misogyny, Hate crime, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Racial slurs, Toxic friendship, Violence, Gaslighting, Blood, Racism, and Sexism
asourceoffiction's review
challenging
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I went into this sceptically. I love a graphic novel but the superhero genre isn't really for me. So I expected to be interested in this, but not overly gripped.
Well, I was wrong.
Clan of the Fiery Cross was a Superman radio series broadcast in the '40s, that seems to genuinely have contributed to dismantling the KKK in America at the time. This comic adaptation was created from that series and is really powerful. The racism is incredibly uncomfortable to read, but it's an accurate portrayal of the treatment Chinese Americans were so often subjected to. And of course, Superman triumphs over bigotry and helps to change a good few minds along the way.
What I wasn't expecting was for the story to resonate so much with Superman himself. He develops as a character so much because of hiding his full power in an effort to seem "normal" and anything but alien. Embracing his own identity is ultimately what saves the day, with a lot of help from wonderful characters like Lan-Shin Lee (who I adored all the more once she embraced her weirdness in turn).
This is such a complex issue that is still so relevant today, and is really sensitively handled in an engaging story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Violence
morainjay's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Violence and Gun violence
scarroll178's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Racial slurs, and Fire/Fire injury
billyjepma's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
I knew I would like this, but I'm surprised by how much it moved me. It's a wonderful, heroic, and surprisingly upfront condemnation of bigotry and racism wrapped in a vibrant, kid-friendly package. Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru—who have done great work together on the Avatar: The Last Airbender comics—are at the top of their game here, from the first page to the last. Yang's script is thoughtful and empathetic but doesn't shy away from the ugliness it's interrogating, and Gurihiru gives the story a classic, colorful visual style that perfectly balances the charm of the era it takes place in with modern flourishes. It's a gorgeous comic.
That said, I was initially frustrated by the story's inability or unwillingness to name the Ku Klux Klan, especially considering how blunt Gene Luen Yang's script frames the Klan as villains. Why work so hard to portray the Klan's ideals, actions, aesthetics, and language as evil, just to give them a fictional name like the "Klan of the Fiery Kross"? I know the 1946 radio drama the comic is based on used the "Klan of the Fiery Kross" to avoid getting sued by the KKK, who were a real organization at the time, but it feels like that's one aspect that would've benefited from a change. Yang's script updates the original in plenty of ways, so why not go further? Maybe the risk of legal action is still an issue today, which is sobering in its own way, but either way, the story's decision to draw that distinction between its world and ours took me out of it a bit.
Thankfully, Yang's (excellent) essay at the back of the book helped me accept the decision more, as it gives him the space to explain the original story's role in history and how it helped shift public opinion against the bigotry of its time. I also appreciated how the story does tie its version of the Klan to the world of superheroes a bit more, which helped me accept the decision not to name the real-world Klan, as the two groups are different. It also draws an interesting connection between the stance of the KKK and someone like Lex Luthor (who is not mentioned in the comic), which is probably an obvious parallel but never occurred to me. I would love to see that explored more in the comics.
I could (and probably will) talk about this comic for hours, which is honestly as positive an endorsement as I can give. It's not the exact story I hoped it would be, but it hits on so many levels that it had me near tears multiple times. Yang's ability to capture racism and hate in overt, passive, and "small" ways is one thing, but to do so while still spotlighting the hope found in "radical" empathy and compassion is a real feat. In less confident hands, this could've become a "pat on the back," but thankfully, Yang ensures that its displays of heroism and justice are a call to action to readers of all ages and backgrounds.
That said, I was initially frustrated by the story's inability or unwillingness to name the Ku Klux Klan, especially considering how blunt Gene Luen Yang's script frames the Klan as villains. Why work so hard to portray the Klan's ideals, actions, aesthetics, and language as evil, just to give them a fictional name like the "Klan of the Fiery Kross"? I know the 1946 radio drama the comic is based on used the "Klan of the Fiery Kross" to avoid getting sued by the KKK, who were a real organization at the time, but it feels like that's one aspect that would've benefited from a change. Yang's script updates the original in plenty of ways, so why not go further? Maybe the risk of legal action is still an issue today, which is sobering in its own way, but either way, the story's decision to draw that distinction between its world and ours took me out of it a bit.
Thankfully, Yang's (excellent) essay at the back of the book helped me accept the decision more, as it gives him the space to explain the original story's role in history and how it helped shift public opinion against the bigotry of its time. I also appreciated how the story does tie its version of the Klan to the world of superheroes a bit more, which helped me accept the decision not to name the real-world Klan, as the two groups are different. It also draws an interesting connection between the stance of the KKK and someone like Lex Luthor (who is not mentioned in the comic), which is probably an obvious parallel but never occurred to me. I would love to see that explored more in the comics.
I could (and probably will) talk about this comic for hours, which is honestly as positive an endorsement as I can give. It's not the exact story I hoped it would be, but it hits on so many levels that it had me near tears multiple times. Yang's ability to capture racism and hate in overt, passive, and "small" ways is one thing, but to do so while still spotlighting the hope found in "radical" empathy and compassion is a real feat. In less confident hands, this could've become a "pat on the back," but thankfully, Yang ensures that its displays of heroism and justice are a call to action to readers of all ages and backgrounds.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia and Racism
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Hate crime, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Violence, Bullying, Religious bigotry, Classism, Suicide attempt, and Kidnapping
greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Kidnapping, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Violence, Vomit, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, and Hate crime
peachani's review
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Death of parent, Gun violence, and Toxic friendship
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