Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.55 AVERAGE
4.55 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Racial slurs
Gene Luen Yang has never written a comic I didn't like. This one is no exception. Taking place in the post-WW2 forties, it follows a Chinese-American family who moves to Metropolis and the many different attitudes their white neighbors display towards them, most notably the Klan of the Fiery Cross. What I thought most interesting about this comic though is not just the outright hate the Klan displays to Roberta Lee and her brother Tommy, but the more subtle racism that kid's their own age display, thinking its okay to counteract arguments over their "impurity" by saying things like "I heard all Chinese are brave and strong". Tommy is also shown to lean into stereotypes and make fun of his heritage in an attempt to get himself in good graces with the white kids. Yang does a really good job displaying the many different attitudes that a 1940s town would display towards non-whites.
Of course this is all set in a Superman story where Clark Kent is trying to discover who he is. These are the stories where Superman shines though, as being himself an alien immigrant, he and Roberta have a shared connection over trying to fit in and why it's not okay to hide their strengths. The best Superman stories are and always will be the ones where he isn't some dark brooding superhero, but the ones where he simply tries to be the best man he can be, and this is one of those examples. Also Superman beats up the KKK which is just rad as hell
Of course this is all set in a Superman story where Clark Kent is trying to discover who he is. These are the stories where Superman shines though, as being himself an alien immigrant, he and Roberta have a shared connection over trying to fit in and why it's not okay to hide their strengths. The best Superman stories are and always will be the ones where he isn't some dark brooding superhero, but the ones where he simply tries to be the best man he can be, and this is one of those examples. Also Superman beats up the KKK which is just rad as hell
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
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
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
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:
No
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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:
No
This is a really great, fun (but also upsetting because of racism) Superman story with a fascinating and important historical backstory that I didn't know very much about. Gene Luen Yang is one of my favorite comics creators, which is why I picked this up, and I'm glad I did. I'd recommend it to anyone, even if they're not really a superhero person.
Com um roteiro afiado do aclamado Gene Luen Yang e excelente arte da dupla Gurihiru, esta novela gráfica infanto-juvenil não se afasta de seus temas difíceis e mostra o quão a luta contra o ódio é um dever coletivo, em uma história pessoal sobre pertencimento, imigração e superação. Mesmo que ainda seja algo destinado aos mais jovens, os temas complexos estão aqui e criam uma obra poderosa, engraçada, engajante e divertida, sem deixar de ser séria e emocionante quando precisa ser. Um trabalho excepcional para a DC Comics.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
slow-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
"We are bound together by the future. We all share the same tomorrow."
This book was an absolutely lovely read that found a perfect balance between wholesome and sweet moments, thrilling and tense action, and a Superman that we deserve to read of in modern day stories.
The comic does an amazing job on informing the readers of the horrors of racism and bigotry in the USA, while also serving a hopeful story of how this past can be overturned and changed for the better. The overarching theme of the comic, to be oneself and fight for what's right, is pleasantly taught to you through the developing plot of the Lee family mixed with Clark's growth in understanding where he came from.
The concept of Superman only learning of his true potential as an adult due to the fact he spends so much of the book longing to "fit in" with humanity is a new take on the character which makes scenes including him feel fresh, delivering new ways that Clark approaches heroism which were new and inventive for the beloved character.
Lan-Shin Lee was anything I could expect from a protagonist to a Superman comic: adorably sweet, slightly awkward, but charging into dangerous situations with a big heart. Moments between her and her family in the comic feel wholesome and sweet to peer into.
Additionally, seeing Chuck's character arc throughout the story felt incredibly rewarding, and Leun Yang did an incredible job of demonstrating the struggle of a young boy that views his father as a good man being forced to learn that he might have been wrong about such a prominent figure in his life.
A truly delightful read that left me feeling fuzzy at the end; Luen Yang's comic may be viewed as idealic, but hope is something that is expected of stories, both about Superman and about people generally. I greatly recommend it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Blood, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Deportation
Minor: Police brutality, Stalking, War
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Vomit
Moderate: Bullying