[[{“value”:”
Superman is set to have a massive year in 2025, especially with James Gunn’s movie out in July and DC Comics announcing the Summer of Superman in honor of it. With Superman’s film on the horizon, there are plenty of comics starring the Man of Steel to check out before the premiere of the highly anticipated movie, including plenty of classics, as well as some newer titles – like Superman Smashes the Klan.
Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru is one of the best Superman comics in history, and the inspiration for this story goes beyond the comic medium. Starring Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen, Superman Smashes the Klan #1 debuted in 2019, but it takes place in 1946 as Superman fights the Ku Klux Klan, a story inspired by the massively successful radio series in the 1940s, Adventures of Superman.
On top of building up Superman’s lore, the original radio show also collaborated with a human rights activist to expose the KKK, and from this real life story, the basis of Superman Smashes the Klan was born.
Before Superman Smashes The Klan, the Man of Steel’s Radio Series Targeted the Hate Group
Adventures of Superman Exposed the Truth About the KKK in the 1940s
Superman Smashes the Klan is based on Adventures of Superman’s 16-part serial, “Clan of the Fiery Cross.” The three-issue comic book – now collected in a graphic novel – adapts this radio series and is about the Lee family moving to Metropolis and becoming the latest targets of the Ku Klux Klan. The Lees are not alone, though, with the Man of Steel going up against the KKK while Lois Lane and Clark Kent investigate this story for the Daily Planet.
Those behind Adventures of Superman followed in the Man of Steel’s footsteps by standing up for what’s right…
Along with being based on the fictionalized events of Adventures of Superman, Superman Smashes the Klan is based on a true story. The inspiration for “Clan of the FIery Cross” came from Stetson Kennedy, an activist who infiltrated the KKK for almost a decade. After gathering intel on the Klan, Kennedy partnered with Superman’s radio show in hopes of exposing the Klan on the airways, as Adventures of Superman had millions of listeners and aired five times a week nationwide by 1946 (via Scan Journal of Media Arts Culture).
The producers agreed to work with Kennedy, incorporating his research and discoveries into the show, thus exposing the Klan’s true beliefs and practices to the public. Kennedy and those behind Adventures of Superman followed in the Man of Steel’s footsteps by standing up for what’s right and exposing the KKK as the bigoted, dangerous hate group they are.
Superman Smashes the Klan Updates Its Remarkable Origins for Modern Readers
Superman Smashes the Klan Is a Great Immigrant Story That Happens to Star Superman
Superman Smashes the Klan is not just based off the remarkable work Kennedy and Adventures of Superman did to expose the KKK. It is also an essential Superman comic that is easy to dive into for new comic readers. For those looking for a good starting place for Superman, look no further than Superman Smashes the Klan. As it takes place outside DC’s main continuity, readers don’t need to know anything about Superman prior to picking up this book. Plus, Superman Smashes the Klan captures what makes Clark Kent a role model and a relatable hero.
Looking for another kid-friendly comic about the Superman Family’s other greatest hero? Check out Girl Taking Over: A Lois Lane Story by Sarah Kuhn and Arielle Jovellanos, available now from DC Comics.
On top of standing up for what is right, saving children from the clutches of the KKK, and punching Nazis, Superman also comes to terms with his own differences in Superman Smashes the Klan. While he is from another world, Clark Kent passes as a human. After seeing how the Lee family is treated so horribly because of their race and background, Superman can’t help but wonder how humanity would treat him if they knew about his Kryptonian background, making this comic a compelling immigrant story on top of being one of the best Superman comics of the past decade.
Clark Kent’s fear – as well as his attempt to better understand his cultural background – grounds him, making him feel all the more human despite being a “super” man. Along with Clark’s struggles, readers see how Lois Lane and the rest of the Daily Planet can fight against the KKK as humans, while Superman fights them as a literal superhero. Superman Smashes the Klan is about standing against hate and how anyone can do so, with or without superpowers.
Superman Has Always Stood Against Bigotry and Hate
The Man of Steel Has Always Been and Will Always Stand Against Hate
Along with Adventures of Superman actively going up against the KKK, Superman has always stood up against hate. His creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, for instance, originally called Superman the Champion of the Oppressed, and a huge goal of the character was to give the world a hero who stood up against Nazism. “Back in those days, Nazism was rising up, and a lot of innocent people were being killed, and countries were being invaded. A lot of innocents slaughtered,” Siegel told the BBC in the documentary The Comic Strip Hero. “I felt that the world desperately needed a crusader, if only a fictional one.“
Related
10 Superman Moments That Prove Clark Kent Is DC’s Greatest Hero
Superman has been a shining example of justice for nearly a decade, but only a few moments showcase who he is and why he’s DC’s greatest superhero.
Siegel and Shuster delivered on this goal, creating one of the most iconic comic characters to date – one who has fought against hate and bigotry since his debut in 1938. Superman was even the first hero to beat up Hitler, months before Captain America famously did so on the cover of his first issue. Fighting hate and bigotry is baked into Superman’s character. Adventures of Superman and Kennedy understood this well in 1946. Decades later, Yang and Gurihiru carry on this heroic legacy with Superman Smashes the Klan.
Superman Smashes the Klan is available now from DC Comics.
Source: DC YouTube, stetsonkennedy.com, Scan Journal of Media Arts Culture, Batmitey
“}]] Superman literally fought against the hate group. Read More