Scan barcode
rnbhargava's review
- 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
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
kana__'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Xenophobia, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Antisemitism
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Vomit
livlamentloathe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Me, reading Gene Luen Yang’s short afterward about Superman’s history: oh.
It makes me bananas that today’s right-wing comic readers are always whining about comics “going woke” when they feature queer or racially diverse characters, but Superman’s first two foes were literally bigots: first nazis, then the KKK. Superman has always BEEN woke, dummies.
Anyway, I thought this was a great book! I loved Roberta and her little jacket. I loved that she never stopped criticizing her brother for his overly tolerant jokes and quips. And I loved Kal and his cute little crush on Lois. 🥰🥰 What a cutie. OH! And the Flying Grayson’s cameo??? I died.
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, and Hate crime
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Police brutality and Antisemitism
happy_ness_honey's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Racism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Hate crime
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
queenkath32's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Xenophobia, Racism, and Racial slurs
bookbuyingwithkatie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Xenophobia, Hate crime, Racism, and Racial slurs
whatwentwrong1177's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, Vomit, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, and Bullying
Minor: Religious bigotry
billyjepma's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
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.
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
- 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
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Kidnapping, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Violence, Vomit, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, and Hate crime
peachani's review
- 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
Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Death of parent, Gun violence, and Toxic friendship