REVIEW: “Superman Smashes the Klan” by Gene Luen Yang
In Yang's uplifting story, Clark Kent and the young Roberta Lee take on a powerful evil that's haunted the United States since its creation.
Introduction
While Superman in the 21st century usually takes on larger-than-life foes, the original intent behind the Man of Steel was to help Americans face the evils of everyday life. The original comic strips published in the 1940s saw Superman save people from collapsed mines, abusive husbands, and corrupt congressmen.
Superman Smashes the Klan is a beautiful return to origin for Clark Kent. The three-part series, written by Gene Luen Yang, takes Superman back to 1946. The plot is partially inspired by a story arc from the Superman radio series, “Klan of the Fiery Cross.” Much of Yang’s inspiration for the series also comes from his own upbringing as a Chinese American.
The art of the comic, done by Gurihiru Studios, is clean and endearing. It makes the comic much more attractive to children, one of Yang’s target audiences. The protagonist of the story, a young girl named Roberta Lee, gives children a latch to easily insert themselves into the comic. She, like a lot of young comic book readers, often feels alone and insecure. Her struggles are exasperated by her family’s decision to move from Chinatown to a white suburban neighborhood in Metropolis.
Yang’s story is incredibly relevant today despite taking place 80 years ago. In a political climate that is rapidly moving toward far-right extremism, Superman Smashes the Klan offers a heart-warming story of hope and belonging.
Vintage Superman
Not only are the plot and setting lifted from the Superman radio series, but so are Superman’s abilities. At the start of the comic, Lois remarks to Jimmy Olsen (in this story, a cub reporter for the Daily Planet) that Superman “leaps tall buildings in a single bound.” We learn, consequently, that Superman can’t fly at this point in time.
Additionally, Superman has not yet revealed his secret identity to Lois Lane, though the two are coworkers at the Daily Planet. Superman has a lot of respect and admiration for Lois. It’s sweet to see the basis of their relationship forming through their interactions as the two share professional (though a little flirtatious) banter.
The Klan of the Fiery Cross
Throughout the comic, we’re introduced to staunch members of the Klan, some who are sympathetic to the Klan’s beliefs, and a child Chuck Riggs who is being indoctrinated into the Klan by his uncle.
Yang gives a nuanced portrayal of the Klan in his story. While he never makes the adult members of the Klan out to be victims, he does show how many extremists are insecure, volatile people manipulated by higher forces to make a profit.
Chuck is a particularly interesting character; he is introduced as a run-of-the-mill school bully, but we soon learn that his uncle is instilling a much more sinister hatred inside him. Fortunately, Chuck’s sense of empathy (and his admiration for Superman) gives him the strength to reject his uncle’s message and come to the aid of the Lee family when they most need him.
A Story Of Belonging
As mentioned previously, this story centers around Roberta Lee and her struggles as a Chinese-American in a predominantly white neighborhood. Roberta’s journey to find a sense of belonging is paralleled by Superman’s journey of self-discovery.
At the start of the story, Clark doesn’t yet know that he’s not from Earth. We see through several flashbacks that parents have long suspected their son came from another planet, but both are too scared to tell Clark the truth. Clark, then, struggles as his powers begin to present themselves and he’s forced to recognize just how different he truly is. He, like Roberta, had a lot of trouble fitting in.
Superman and Roberta learn from each other throughout the story. While Superman teaches Roberta to have courage and faith in herself, Roberta teaches Superman how to reach his full potential as a hero. The climax of the story sees Superman take flight for the first time, something he was encouraged to do by Roberta. For her part, Roberta then comes to Superman’s rescue when he is subjected to the powerful green stone (the element fans recognize as Kryptonite).
The two protagonists of the story experience parallel story arcs; as Roberta finds a place for herself in Metropolis, Clark finds the power in himself to truly accept who he is.
Conclusion
There’s a lot more to say about Superman Smashes the Klan. It grapples with a lot of issues at once, seamlessly putting them together into one cohesive story. It touches on the pressure faced by minorities to assimilate, Clark Kent’s privileges as a white American (though he technically isn’t a human), and the role of bystanders in racial oppression, to name a few.
The comic, which began publication in 2020, came out at a perfect time. It’s a confusing, scary time to be an American. Many of us are finding ourselves falling between the cracks, feeling powerless in the grand scheme of an apathetic government.
All around the United States (and arguably around the world), there has been a troubling rise in far-right extremist ideology. Our LGBTQ friends are becoming the targets of horrific violence. Antisemitic conspiracy theories have been given new strength, forcing our Jewish friends to be reminded of just how ugly the hatred against them can be. As extremists find more and more subscribers for their viewpoints, we must realize that we’re all together in the fight against fascism.
Nowadays, writers tend to want to remove Superman from any political context. This is a grave error, especially at a time when political issues are synonymous with personal, moral issues. Superman Smashes the Klan takes Clark Kent back to what he was meant to be: a tangible, yet fantastic symbol of hope.