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Superman Smashes the Klan
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
21 posts | 13 read | 17 to read
The year is 1946, and the Lee family has moved from Chinatown to Downtown Metropolis. While Dr. Lee is eager to begin his new position at the Metropolis Health Department, his two kids, Roberta and Tommy, are more excited about being closer to the famous superhero Superman! Tommy adjusts quickly to the fast pace of their new neighborhood, befriending Jimmy Olsen and joining the club baseball team, while his younger sister Roberta feels out of place when she fails to fit in with the neighborhood kids. She's awkward, quiet, and self-conscious of how she looks different from the kids around her, so she sticks to watching people instead of talking to them. While the Lees try to adjust to their new lives, an evil is stirring in Metropolis: the Ku Klux Klan. The Klan targets the Lee family, beginning a string of terrorist attacks. They kidnap Tommy, attack the Daily Planet, and even threaten the local YMCA. But with the help of Roberta's keen skills of observation, Superman is able to fight the Klan's terror, while exposing those in power who support them--and Roberta and Superman learn to embrace their own unique features that set them apart. From multi-award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Gene Luen Yang comes an exciting middle grade tale featuring Superman.
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cottagelantern
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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3 ⭐️s
This graphic novel centering around the American classic superhero demonstrates through parallel of Superman, originally from another planet, with a Chinese American family that racism is pointless as well as dangerous. Again, graphic novels aren't really my jam, but I loved the message of this book and the fantastical elements of Superman's backstory.

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Robotswithpersonality
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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I'm not sure I have the words to explain how good this is. It makes the list of books I hope young people pick up. Don't sleep on the non-fiction article in the back by the graphic novel's author, 'Superman and Me', it's also beautifully written, incredibly important. Between this and American Born Chinese, I will definitely be looking for more written by Gene Luen Yang. Also, I think it's made me more interested in Superman?!

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Lindy
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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An outstanding graphic novel set in 1946 America, with lively action, surprising nuance, and important themes of identity, belonging and anti-Asian racism. This is a stand-alone Superman story & you don‘t need to know any superhero backstory to get the full benefit. Ages 11-adult. #comics #OwnVoices #YA

39 likes1 stack add
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Lindy
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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“Is it really all that bad to want to live among ONLY your own kind?”
Gene Luen Yang subverts the good versus evil binary with a character who changes his behaviour for the better, and also showing the pervasiveness of banal racist ideology among the general population.

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Lindy
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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Using a fictional version of the KKK, Gene Yuen makes sure that young readers are aware of the imperialist and capitalist economic underpinnings of racist ideology.

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Lindy
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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Superman‘s costume origin story has been slipped in. 😁
Young Superman: You like his costume?! He‘s wearing his underwear on the outside!
Lana: Yeah, but he makes it work somehow.

27 likes1 stack add
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Jobridge
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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I‘m not crying you‘re crying 😭

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Jobridge
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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Aw yiss, go get ‘em Superman!!!!!

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Bookish_Gal
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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Pickpick

The books origins lie in “Clan of the Fiery Cross,” a radio episode series from the 1940s Adventures of Superman, where he exposed KKK in front of the nation-causing a decrease in membership
The novel itself is well paced, with colors so vibrant. I really liked the connection between Roberta and Superman in their attempts to be seen as more human. Less alien, in their own rights. It clearly happens as his origin story; is he holding back to fit in

5 likes1 stack add
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Bookish_Gal
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang

Klannsman: A nation bound by nothing cannot last!!!
Superman: But we are bound together
The Lee‘s and I... our friends at the Daily Planet and the Unity House and the police department... everyone down there, really...
We are bound together by the future. We all share the same tomorrow.
That includes even you, once you‘ve renounced your hate and paid for what you‘ve done

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Bookish_Gal
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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Superman, an alien immigrant, punching a nazi?? What else but Awesome
This is a hefty sized graphic novel, usually they don‘t feel this big. So I‘m hoping this doesn‘t drag. Superman is such a beacon of hope so it better not. It‘s seems like it will follow a new moving Chinese family from ChinaTown into Metropolis in 1946 and how that parallels a story with Superman

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Branwen
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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I nabbed a bunch of graphic novels from the library to read this weekend! 😀 I barely read any during quarantine so now I'm catching up on lots of great stuff that just recently came in! I don't like Superman at all really, but absolutely HAD to read the tagged book because it's about him beating up the kkk and that's wholesome entertainment! 🤣😂👍 My two tiny dragons, Strawberry and Kiwi, approve! 🐉💕📚 #librarylove #librarybookhaul

Sweetkokoro Oh I love Witch Hat Atelier that manga is the most adorable thing I have ever read! I loved every inch of it and I can‘t wait to get ahold of more volumes! 4y
Branwen @Sweetkokoro Oooh that's awesome to hear! I'm even more excited to read it! I'll be honest, I totally picked it up because of how adorable the covers are! 😁 4y
43 likes2 comments
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EclecticBookLover
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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#doublespin down! Everyone should read this book. This should be incorporated into school curriculums. I cant say enough good things about it. The artwork is incredible, the story is thoughtful and layered. A very timely story.

@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Wow so fast!! Great progress!! 4y
16 likes1 stack add1 comment
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TracyReadsBooks
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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Brought home some more ARCs to read. The tagged book is already out, the other three are out next year. I have no idea what November and December are going to look like but at least I have plenty of good books to keep me company!😅

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TieDyeDude
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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An absolute delight. An updated adaptation of an old radio serial, it lives in the 40s/50s, but absolutely touches on today's world. The highlight for me, though, was Yang's essay in the back, relating the Chinese American experience to the more widely discussed African American experience. It pairs well with George Takei's graphic novel. It is also quite hefty, taking longer than expected to read through.

24 likes2 stack adds
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oddandbookish
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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Overall, I really recommend this graphic novel. Its message is an important one, especially in today‘s times.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2020/06/05/review-superman-smashes-the-klan/

29 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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comics_librarian
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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With earnest writing and slick art, Superman Smashes the Klan exemplifies what we already know about the Man of Steel; Superman at his best represents America at its best.

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TheBookKeepers
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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Omg this graphic novel was simply amazing!! The plot was there, and even a subplot. Illustrations were bright and beautiful. The transitions flawless. Humor amidst an ugly part of history. And phenomenal messages. My favorite part is the 10pages at the end that provide a historical lesson over Superman & WWII & the important stance this comic originally took against racism and bigotry. 5 stars from me & my 11 yo! (9 yo reading it next!) #DCPartner

TheBookKeepers Full review & images now live on the blog! Link in my profile! 4y
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Daisey
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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I watched Gene Luen Yang speak recently as part of the Everywhere Book Fest (video link in comments) and he talked about this graphic novel coming out in May. It is based on a radio play from the 1940s and tells the story of Superman and a Chinese American family dealing with the Klan of the Fiery Cross. It was a wonderful story of acceptance and understanding of self. An essay at the end also provides factual background.

#NetGalley #graphicnovel

Daisey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4BpV-XjY9E - Gene Luen Yang discusses SuperMan Smashes the Klan and 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa Sounds great! Stacked 4y
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MaggieCarr
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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#ARC | May 2020
Inspired by the 1940s Superman radio serial "Clan of the Fiery Cross" this retelling incorporates a Chinese-American family who moves to Metropolis amidst a rising from the KKK. Roberta Lee, pushes Superman to understand that he is still trying to humanize his abilities. By the end of this incredible story, Superman realizes he can fly instead of just leap, along with embracing his heritage both Kryptonian and human.

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silentrequiem
Superman Smashes the Klan | Gene Luen Yang
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Book 1 of 3. Super (pun intended!) good! Can't wait to get Book 2. The essay in the back about the history of the KKK out West and their activities against Chinese immigrants was fascinating, horrifying, and rage-inducing. #catsoflitsy