How Superman Smashes the Klan and Fights for a Better Tomorrow
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ก.ค. 2024
- ▶Join this channel to get access to perks:
th-cam.com/users/steveshivesjoin
▶Watch my conversation with Dana about Superman Smashes the Klan on Dana's channel: • Books I Love: Superman...
▶Patreon: / steveshives
▶PayPal: www.paypal.me/SteveShives
▶Venmo: venmo.com/thatguysteveshives
▶Twitter: / steve_shives
▶Facebook: / thatguysteveshives
▶Instagram: / steve.shives
Listen to the Late Seating podcast:
▶RSS: / sounds.rss
▶Soundcloud: / late-seating
Listen to The Ensign's Log podcast:
▶RSS: / sounds.rss
▶Soundcloud: / the-ensigns-log-podcast
▶Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
01:17 - Superman Smashes the Klan plot summary
11:30 - Superman Is for the Children
13:13 - Well Drawn Characters
18:18 - Examining Racism Through Inspector Henderson
21:53 - Superman the Immigrant and Anti-Racist
25:59 - A Plug, and an Announcement
#superman #comics - บันเทิง
![[ไฮไลต์] ฟุตบอลหญิง เยอรมนี vs ออสเตรเลีย รอบแบ่งกลุ่ม | โอลิมปิก 2024](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/i_8UO61YqO8/mqdefault.jpg)
The very first "villain" in the very first Superman comic was a wife-beater. Superman catches him beating his wife and he slaps him a round a bit telling him "Let's see how you like it."
based ngl
The slow face turn of Chuck is an important lesson of its own. People don't typically change at a moment's notice, even if they may want to change. It's important not to reject the imperfect people who want to be better, but rather to encourage them and guide them in the right direction. Rejection only makes it more likely that they'll fail in any attempt to change, or worse, affirm their original beliefs so that they no longer want to change.
I feel like that's one of the big failings of our side of things, writing off mostly decent people as all bad just because they aren't perfect. Not saying people should get a free pass, but angrily dogpiling on someone trying to be an ally, or at least trying not to be an enemy, when they make a mistake is just self defeating.
while this is entirely true, i feel it's important to warn against extreme versions of this! too many times elsewhere, i've seen people actively shame victims of racism, homophobia, transphobia, or whatever bigotry you please for not working harder to change people who throw that bigotry at them. not everyone has the mental or emotional energy to both weather bigotry, and at the same time save those who aren't too deep in the bigot pool yet, and it's important not to add to their baggage by making that out to be their fault. it is no one person's job to educate and redeem someone, and if a victim of bigotry says they're not personally going to invest their time and energy into it, please respect that instead of accusing them of being in the wrong! no one has limitless energy to pour into these things, and - especially for victims of any form of abuse - sometimes they need to focus that energy on themselves, instead of others.
*as is this the internet, and thus meaning is a swirling pit of confusion and assumption, a quick clarification that i'm not accusing the comment i'm replying to, or anyone else in this video, of doing this. this comment is entirely inspired by things seen elsewhere, over years of observation and interaction. nonetheless, it's important to always be vigilant that in pursuing the greatest good, you don't step on the very people you're supposed to be helping! thank you for reading.
Very respectful, positive and nuanced discussion in the responses! That's why I love Steve's audience ❤
Well Said
Can I just say how much I adore this artstyle? Most DC comics have the same semi-realistic style, which great, but stuff like this is refreshing and helps give the comic its own distinct identity
Same, it's so pleasing to the eyes.
I agree and I also love the art of Dan Mora for the current Baman/Superman: World's Finest ongoing, although he's not the interior artist for issue 12(though it is still good). My favorites are also Alex Ross' painted art and Bruce Timm's artstyle for the DCAU. His was greatly inspired by Jack "The King" Kirby's.
If you like the art style and want more great all ages comics check out the Marvel “Power Pack” comic with Gurihiru’s art. They’re a sibling team of young superheroes that have been around for a few decades, but this is probably my favorite version. My favorite is the one where they travel to Asgard to get a mystical apple to heal their sick Grandma and meet Thor and Beta Ray Bill. You should probably still find these easily digital, they also did the art on a lot of Avatar the Last Airbender comics that are also quite good.
Synder's Superman would've killed the Klan, but he would've monologued Ayn Rand quotes about racism just being a form of collectivism while standing in the rain with a desaturated colour pallette.
And then talked about how morally ambiguous he is.
And then find some dude so they can say 'Martha?' at each other over and over again
Snyder’s “edgelord fanfic” style just needs to be banished forever.
@@bradleywest4870”WHY DID YOU SAY THAT NAME?”
😂
Snyder understands Batman just as JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson understand Star Wars.
One of my favorite superman comics. I teared up at the line "I wish it were ok for you to fly." Yang's explanation as to why superman jumps from place to place and never tried to fly before was brilliant.plenty of people have talked about how Superman is an immigrant but Yang is the first superman writer who I feel actually explored that aspect of the character in depth.
It just ties so beautifully into Superman's true character, as well. It's not that he suddenly figured out how to fly in later decades, he genuinely was torn between his Kryptonian-heritage self and his Earthling-raised self. It's the same struggle as many outcasts and rejected loners, who feel torn between who they _want to be_ and who they _know they truly are_ deep down. Superman gets a lot of flak for supposedly being absurd or unrealistic, when his journey (when writers actually do their homework) is actually immensely relatable and profound.
People who call Superman boring are the same ignorant folk who never read through a full decent Superman comic in their life.
Fuck, we'd never see this get made into a movie. And we really need to have it made into a movie.
dude this would be fucking amazing as either a movie or a mini series
I'd settle for it being made into an animated direct-to-video feature but, yeah, it'd make a great movie!
Its also worth noting, with the original radio play this was inspired by, the KKK wasn't seen as evil by white people back then. Superman helped to bring to light the crimes of the klan at a time many were ignorant of (willfully or otherwise)
This incident is what I thought the video would be about.
You mean superman was able to actually do that good not only in fiction, but in real life as well? holy shit, that's neat.
@@costelinha1867 Superman objectively caused more long term damage to the KKK then the police
It’s a bit more complicated the klan basically started as a militia of disenfranchised confederates after the confederates lost the war. So their main goal was essentially stop southern reconstruction and essentially keep black people as slaves mostly through sharecropping preventing the advancement of black people gaining any social mobility through violence and intimidation. Sad to say but in that regard the kkk won, and their popularity grew until their were governors/senators and hundreds of thousands of Americans who were secretly members. So much so that the movie which in large part inspired the kkk’s second revival was admired by the us president Andrew Wilson and the democrats had so many kkk members their convention was nicknamed the klanbake. In 1920’s they held a large demonstration of tens of thousands in parade and attracted hundreds of thousands of on lookers. After this giant parade membership started to decrease mostly because everything the klan wanted to achieve was already achieved black people were oppressed nation wide because of Jim Crow laws and segregation. However, Superman was created by two Jewish comic book authors, and the radio show being in new york which being northern weren’t fans of the kkk. The Superman radio broadcast was contacted by a human rights activist who showed recordings from a clan meeting. Which 1. Revealed the klan to be completely racist idiots, and 2. Revealed secret code words the kkk used which meant their identities were known to children all across the United States. The kkk were so embarrassed they actually tried to ban Kelloggs cereal who were advertising the radio show.
Indeed. It's also worth pointing out that while the first and third Klans were primarily rural whites in the South against black people, the second Klan (the one Superman goes against) was made up in the Midwestern and Western states in response to the influx of Catholic and Jewish immigration and the prohibition of alcohol. It's also where we start seeing cross burnings which was never a thing with the first Klan
Also, one of the images the Klan projected was that it was a group in support of law and order, but one of the real-life events that triggered the 2nd Klan's collapse was after the Grand Dragon of Indiana was convicted of the rape and murder of a white schoolteacher. This case destroyed the Indiana chapter of the KKK and damaged their reputation nationwide
What makes the character so impactful and what the movies have lost sight of is that it's not the super part that matters its the MAN part
Superman and Batman in film tend to miss the mark of what the character is really about (other thab the original dick donner stuff). Thats not to say i don't like any batman films but i don't know whats up with this insistance on him being a loner. Especially given a dick or tim story done right could be really really good
@@danielgertler5976 Agreed. My dream Batman movie is about Bruce and Dick having a falling out over the role of Robin, and Dick leaving to become Nightwing.
Hah, exactly. Henry Cavill seems like he genuinely wants to show that. But what Christopher Reeves and Richard Donner just innately knew, and what Tyler Hoechlin does so well is making it so that you realize that the best parts of Superman are not from Kal-El alone....but from Clark Kent. Superman is humble, empathetic, and unquestioningly kind to a fault. He sees the good in everyone--heck, he could probably find something good to say about Darkseid if pressed. He has limitless compassion, and holds himself to such a high standard that those times where he doesn't meet it, you can see how much it hurts him.
One of the best panels to typify Superman I have ever seen isn't him facing off against Doomsday or Darkseid, or himself in the Injustice universe, it's one that is totally human. It's from All-Star Superman, and it's simply him showing up for a girl who's debating about committing suicide. He simply shows up and is there for her. He takes time to be there for her when she needs it. It's not his superiority, it's his humanity and compassion that makes him a hero,
@@danielgertler5976 One good thing about the "Batman and Robin" movie was the father-son dynamic between Batman and Robin (and I suppose, eventually the horrible version of Batgirl). The rest of the movie was bad, other than the usual decent villain work, but they did a decent job of showing that dynamic really having to develop and grow.
@@ryanedwards7487 I think one of the reasons Tyler Hoechlin's Clark shines is because they've moved him on from his reporting career. Now he works at the high school as a coach, it's now his job to work with the kids, so it's easier for him to connect with other people as Clark or "dad."
This makes me think of an old friend I knew since high school. He was Jewish, and half Chinese. When faced With hateful words he used Derogatory terms about himself that combined both. It would set up some imbalance in the asshole bully most of the time. Basically a Musashi move as he would call it, but it always hurt, and still does that people have to develop those survival skills.
rip Moish
Many hugs.
Reading this one for a class currently. Best book I've ever been assigned for school bar none
you're so lucky dude 🤣
Yeah you're lucky.
I love everything about this. I love how overt it is, I love the art, I love that it's set in the 40s...It's all so good.
I never expected to see a modern superman story set in the 1940's.... but granted, I'm not a comic book fan and I don't know much about superman.
Superman long fought for tolerance.
From the Superman radio show in the 1940s…
“Remember this for as long as you live, whenever you meet up with anyone who is trying to cause trouble between people: anyone who tries to tell you that anyone can’t be a good American because he’s a Catholic, a Jew, a Protestant or whatever, you can be pretty sure he’s a pretty rotten American himself. Not only a rotten American, but a rotten human being. Don’t ever forget that.”
In 1946, the Superman radio show took on the KKK in a 16-part episode story-arc called "Clan of the Fiery Cross.” From Wikipedia, In the radio serial, ‘Superman exposed Ku Klux Klan codewords, rituals, and its bigotry-all based on intel collected by activist Stetson Kennedy-before a national audience. The show damaged the group’s reputation and led to a steep decline in membership from which the KKK never recovered.”
There was a similar message of tolerance in the 1951 feature film “Superman and the Mole Men” (the first feature movie based on a DC Comics character, starring George Reeves as Superman) which helped launch the “Adventures of Superman” television series that same year. “Superman and the Mole Men” is considered to be a commentary against the kind of ‘Red Scare’ paranoia that lead to the formation of the House Committee on Un-American Activities.
Later, when one of the characters on the “Adventures of Superman” series was targeted by the House Committee on Un-American Activities for being a communist (Robert Shaen Dawe, who played Inspector Henderson), George Reeves (Superman), Phyllis Coates (Lois Lane), and producer Robert Maxwell all successfully stood up for him against both the committee and the sponsor of the show.
“In Superman we’re all concerned with giving kids the right kind of show. The writers and the sponsors have children and they are all very careful about doing things on the show that will have no adverse effects on the young audience. We even try in our scripts to give gentle messages of tolerance and to stress that a man’s color, race, and religious beliefs should be respected. “ - George Reeves
If Superman is fighting you, that means you must be doing SOMETHING wrong
@@loadeddice4696 "Am I out of touch? Nah it's this superhero seen as the living emodiement of virtue who's wrong!"
Lex Luthor.... probably....
I, too, have become more than a little sick of the too-cool-for-school, "I'M AN ADUUUUULLLLT," pretentious bullshit that DC Comics has become. In that vein, "Superman Smashes the Klan" is the best breath of fresh air I've had in a long time. I was nearly in tears at how hopeful this story is.
I'm really looking forward to seeing what you have to say about the source material.
I haven’t read a lot of DC comics yet, but one of my biggest interests in the DC canon is Superman, and I had heard about this story not too long ago and gave it a read. It deserves every bit of praise it gets. The story is well told, the characters are well developed, the art is GORGEOUS, and the message is on point. It’s everything I like about comics in a neat little bundle, and another example of why Superman is one of our greatest heroes who just doesn’t get enough credit these days! ❤
I'd also recommend Superman: Secret Identity by Kurt Busiek & Stuart Immonen
One of the few Smallville episodes to take any risks explicitly says Clark is an illegal immigrant with a fake birth certificate and everything.
That bit with the pen is awesome.
The reveal that the pen is initialed for Lan-Shin Lee evoked a misty-eyed response out of me. Great stuff here, thank you for the video.
This was really sweet. I want to read the book. Also, Henderson is great but this story still shows ACAB. I like that.
To be fair, we /really/ need to stop the ACAB nonsense. Because not all cops are bad. Not even a majority of cops are bad. The ones that are are protected by a system and a union, and they exploit those. But please stop with the ACAB nonsense. All that spouting that crap does is make it so nitwits like Youngkin can use that and CRT to win elections and further hurt our country.
Later, when Superman finally unpacks this trauma and his hallucination with the rest of the Justice League:
J'onn: Um. Dude.
This story has managed to find an ideal way to introduce a new Lois Lane archetype, a passing of the torch of her role. I could see this being picked up later, with Ling being a reporter, perhaps even involved (whether good friends, or as a love interest) with a new Superman, or Superwoman.
...God I'd love her to be like... the counterpart to Jon's Superman.
Wasn't it hinted they Jimmy Olsen liked her? And that she liked him?
@@henryreed4697 She was a little too young, for that sort of “liking.” I think he just liked her because she was a cool kid. As is Jimmy.
Grand Scorpion Matt is one of the most stupid name I have ever heard for a villain and I find it very fitting. I think it highlights how a lot of bigotry spawns from a desire to feel cool and important and powerful when you're not. So they give themselves names and rituals and hierarchies so make some semblance of an idea of superiority. Recognizing that there's something wrong in the world and your own life doesn't make it less easy to blame those lower than you on the social ladder.
I think this story is excellent is how it chooses to explore this painful topic with kids. It makes it understandable in such a unique way that doesn't demonize the kids who may have been sucked into harmful rhetoric by friends or family. All the while it still makes clear how cruel and ridiculous the bigotry is and that sometimes you have to take a stand against the people you love in order to do the right thing. It's a hard lesson, but an important one. Bravo to the creative team behind this comic
The real-life Klan of that era was stuffed full of grown men giving themselves incredibly silly-sounding titles (they literally had a book called "the Kloran"), so that's appropriate. In fact, part of the power of radio Superman fighting the Klan in the 50s was that the stories showed that deep silliness accurately - these were bad men, but also silly men. And who would want to be like them?
Yup, that's the entire point of Superman. He's one of the most powerful beings there is - able to shatter stars, reshape worlds, define reality itself - and he chooses NOT to impose his will on "lesser" mortals, because he refuses to descend down into depravity like most people expect.
Inspector Henderson was also in the 1988-1992 live-action Superboy tv series. He's great.
"These Wontons don't fry up that easily" is a good joke tho 😂 And smart too; taking a negative, owning it and using it to show your resilience - and winning over your audience too 👌🏾
I can't wait for your to report on the original radio serial that this is based on and the impact it had on Clan membership.
A good read on the subject is the book by Rick Bowers "Superman Versus the Ku Klux Klan: The True Story of How the Iconic Superhero Battled the Men of Hate". It has a long title but worth checking out
The DCAU was appropriately hopeful AND serious when needed. And it's good to see that is the case of this Superman comic.
I don't remember where I saw this, but I saw an episode of a tv animated DC show that features Superman taking down a villain without the use of his powers (they were deactivated), opting to use his boyscout skills. One of the coolest and most inspirational things he did.
I think this is one of my favorite Superman stories of all time. It’s not just Superman punching some racists, which I’d have loved in and of itself, but it ties in his own immigrant story that, let’s be real, Siegel and Shuster DID most likely intend, and ties THAT in to his evolving power set and...it’s so good.
There’s other aspects this thing touches on of course. I think a standout for me is said white friends, particularly Alexandra and Joan. They’re all too happy to welcome the Lees in and hear about made up quotes about Confucius, but they still see them as an oddity, as fundamentally different from them. They don’t know how to react when Lan-Shin points out that, yeah their cultures are different, but they’re just…people. The biggest lie that racists like to tell themselves is that it requires intent, that if they don’t MEAN to be racist, then they aren’t. I think the white friends help demonstrate how not only is that categorically untrue, but how even “benign” forms of racism can hurt. They’re relived that the Lees aren’t Japanese and they see absolutely no issue with the Yellow Peril villain of Genghis Ahkim in their Captain Desmo serials. Of course, the white friends aren’t terrible people, just ignorant, and to their credit they seem to learn. They’re kids, you know how it is
There’s other examples too, of how Mr. Lee is still racist against black people and instinctively feared Superman too. There’s Chuck’s mother, who of course condemns the Klan’s actions, but…is it REALLY so bad to want to “stick with your own kind”, she wonders? Mr. Lee’s attitude of trying to assimilate is, rightfully, portrayed as misguided and useless and I think it’s an important thing to point out in anti-racism stories: The goal isn’t to become “colorblind” and pretend that differences aren’t there, because there ARE differences…but rather that being different isn’t a bad thing. You can both integrate AND respect other cultures, who knew?
A lot of people who don’t get Superman, I feel, are kinda like Uncle Matt: They, on some level, can’t understand that someone with that kind of power would care about “lesser” people. Why do you think there’s been SO many Evil Superman stories? And while I think many of those work (Injustice is admittedly something of a guilty pleasure) and pastiches like Homelander (in the show) work as deconstructions of what others have turned Superman into, ultimately THIS is what Superman is: An immigrant from another world, who uses his incredible powers to help people and inspire hope because he truly believes in doing the right thing for it’s own sake and building a better tomorrow. He’ll always be human, he was raised like that. But he’ll always be Kryptonian too. Obviously the author has personal experience with these things and I think that can help. It didn’t delve as deeply as it maybe could have (as due to that experience it mostly focuses on Chinese-Americans and not the people who’s ancestors were brought here against their will as slaves. Not blaming the author as, well, personal experiences, and Henderson does things to mitigate this as you pointed out, but even so), but it’s pretty damn good even so.
Sorry if that didn’t make sense, I’m bad at communicating and I’m white. I do TRY to pay attention, tho
Seriously, the explanation of why Superman only had those powers at first and grew into his later ones was both brilliant from a meta standpoint AND thematically perfect. Bellisimo
Oh, and Wilson, while not fanatically racist like his followers and only in it for the cash, IS still causally racist too: “They’re fine if they know their place”. Nice touch. Just because he finds his organization’s whole thing to be stupid doesn’t mean he isn’t a bit racist himself. And of course, by giving people like Matt Riggs platforms…
@@convoy9145 Agreed. At first I thought that Wilson wasn't really racist (with the line "Wait a minute, is it possible you actually believe all that "one race, one religion, one color" rot?" that he says) but it turns out that Wilson really isn't much different than Matt Riggs with the quote that you referenced. It just happens that Wilson directs it in a slightly different way. Racists draw divisions between even their fellow racists, which is just EVEN MORE proof for how contradictory and self-defeating their bogus beliefs really are.
This is without a doubt one of my favourite Superman stories. The art is great, the story is fantastic, the characters are great, the message is important and when it was all over, it left me wanting more. I wanted to see more of the Lee family, I wanted to see other stories of superheroes fighting prejudice, I just wanted more.
This needs to be adapted in an animated feature film
Lan-Shin Lee. Nice job highlighting this story, Steve. We need Superman’s ethics, now more than ever.
this is my favorite graphic novel. i’m asian (filipino) and this really hit home for me. after reading this, i love superman even more now. i don’t like reading, but this book managed to keep me hooked. i loved it
It definitely sounds like an interesting Superman story during a time of intolerance. It even has Superman discover his alien origins in a way that deals with his possible insecurities about being an alien. I actually find it interesting that Superman didn't have flight and heat vision at the start of the story, but gains those powers when he discovered his alien origins. The people become fearful of Superman for being an alien, but it doesn't stop him from trying to help. Superman does win people over, but the problems aren't fully resolved, which is good because problems like racial intolerance does take time to overcome, but it can be overcome. I like how this story touches on Superman being an immigrant because him being an immigrant is a way in which he is relatable to people, immigrants in particular which is a large number of people.
When my son, whose name is Kent (yes, after you-know-who), turned me onto this graphic novel, I knew it would be perfect for my intermediate ESL students. We read it together, and we loved it. It was especially exciting that this comic was based on a radio show that actually helped vastly reduce the influence of the actual Klan. And I am so grateful that Gene added Roberta as a character as I don’t think she existed in the radio show. I would recommend this incredible graphic novel to parents as a way of explaining racism, especially now during these times of increased anti-Asian hate.
Another deep theme - accepting who you are - reigns over this story. And the art is terrific. Thank you for highlighting this book. And thank you for your wonderful channel. I just covered it recently and truly love it.
BTW - The authors, other popular graphic novel, American Born Chinese, is also a must-read and soon to become a live action offering on Disney Plus.
Wow, I really like the art style in these comics. It's very pleasing to look at, with great colouring and line work. It looks very anime-esque, and I like it.
Also, I think this is one of your best videos, Steve! Well done. 😀
This is my favourite Superman story
Gurihiru also had an all-too short run of "all-ages" Power Pack books for Marvel about a decade, decade and a half ago that are also worth a read, though they don't get as message-y as this. They're simply fun comics.
I love the ART!! Thanks for bringing this to my attention. High quality content for ALL races (and species.)
"scabius scorpus" 😂 🤣💀
I guess I really liked the one in which Rob got to explain to Richie The meaning of his Middle name given to him and as a compilation of each of the relatives' suggestions for Richie's Middle name too.
You’re a gem! Dana’s a gem! I’m going to order this right now for my 8 yo and me.
I feel that this story would make a good fit with My Adventures with Superman if they ever adapt it in animation.
I loved this story and was thrilled when they put it into comic form. It's my 2nd favorite story of his next to A Life Less Ordinary. It hits hard and completely grasps Superman. The part where a huge part of the Klan is all about money.
Ah yes, the Man of Steel. Frankly always thought both him and Star Trek went hand in hand. Stories of people who boldly go out to make their world a finer place for its own sake, because they are free of the fear that holds us back. And of course both intended to be models of the better world if we were able to overcome that fear.
Superman fought the KKK, and Captain Kirk kissed a black woman on national television. In the Federation of Planets, the only question of race is "Human, or Vulcan?"
"Superman vs the Klaa of the Firey Cross" was broadcast in 1946 on his Radio adventures.
I love the manga inspired visuals. Also not just making the kkk the villains but very specifically bringing back the same Klan of the firey cross from the radio show.
“Some of those that work forces, are the same who burn crosses.”
I love your scorpion jokes 🦂
I am surprised they haven't turn this into one of their animated movies.
It's times like this that I regret not having time or money for comic books any more. ❤️
This comic book story was inspired by a series of superman radio Aventures where he takes on the klan.
A really powerful story!
I want to thank you so much for putting this book on my radar. I'm definitely going to have to grab a copy. Great episode, Steve!
Thank you for this great video - I haven't read too much Superman of late, but this sounds like a fantastic comic. Admittedly, I became a fan of Gurihiru's work a while back so I know I'd love it just for that, but this sounds like a perfect Supes story. Thank you for highlighting it.
I will definitely be looking this series up, it looks and sounds really good and the artwork is awesome!
This video is entertaining and informative, like all your videos. I loved this comic. The radio serial from the 1940s it's based oh had much of the voice cast from the Fleischer cartoons. I reviewed both this comic and radio show at Superman Homepage.
Thanks for sharing. This does look like a good comic.
God this an amazing video based off of one of the best comics I've read from the big two. Really shows how Superman very much is an immagrant. It's a very inspiring comic, and this is a very inspiring video, by a very inspiring hero!
Thanks for telling us about this story!
Thank you, Steve.
No mention at all that the premise and at least half the story was written contemporary with the setting, lifted from the 1946 Superman radio show? The art is great and the story is expanded and trimmed well (no weird alien that Perry White keeps as a servant and seems to not treat well here, thank goodness), so great credit to the comic makers. But the base story is 70 years old.
Also, the original story, the grand master of the clan isn't a scientist trying to hurt Superman with kryptonite, he's just a con man out to swindle the racist saps. He's even incredulous that Uncle Matt has worked his way up in the organization that far without realizing how baloney their whole schtick is. That's one of the most important takeaways I think of the radio drama, trying to speak to the racists in the audience not by only trying them they're wrong, but that they're suckers being taken advantage of by people who don't even believe the nonsense they spew.
I mean, imagine if there existed today large organizations and companies with charismatic people who spew hate not because they actually believe it, but because it gains them profit and power. I'm glad a significant portion of today's modern people aren't being duped into blaming minorities and oppressed people as a distraction from the real source of problems they're having, caused by those same duplicitous hatemangers for profit. Yes sirree, I'm happy we live in a functional society where events depicted in this comic are purely fictional.
(brb going to have a nervous cry)
Whoops, looks like I spoke too soon, if I had just kept watching Steve's Best Superman Ever playlist I would see he covered this radio series months ago. th-cam.com/video/hjxsEke8uk4/w-d-xo.html
Love this video. I'll have to get my hands on the book. I also needed to say uiu have excellent taste in supermen. Lol.
The Fleisher Cartoons are my favorite animated S shields and George Reves S shield is my favorite for live action.
Been waiting to watch this video for a while. We just read it in my ELA class and I wanted to wait to watch this until then
I love this comic so much
There was some tweet awhile back where someone was wondering how it would be possible to make a good, modern Superman movie and I was like, simple, just make this.
Bonus, if this were made into a movie, the internet meltdown by... certain people, properly contained, could power the county for a decade.
Eh, who am I kidding, crypto miners would burn it all in a week.
That was fantastic
Not only is the story good but I really love the art and I thinks its beautiful and charming and very superman
Shouldn't the grand wizard be able to take down supes? I thought he was vulnerable to magic 😝😝.
Because he was only a grand scorpion.
Nice joke.🤣
Hate magic is the one magic Superman can fight
Bravo sir, bravo
The radio version of this story is on TH-cam for anyone who cares to listen to it: th-cam.com/play/PLx7nFNCVfZF_VmWhA9h6NxSdbZM2hkWAN.html
Really like this story.
Thanks for this video, Steve. As soon as you mentioned the title, it gave me a reason to fire up my DCUI subscription. I’ll be back to watch once I’ve read all 3 issues.
At the 3:20 mark where superman is running on the powerlines, the artist snuck in the trans pride flag. Only reason is I am trans and I think it is cool that it is in there.
The hallucinatory aliens would make for a nice rendition of Golden Age Martians a la J'onn J'onzz.
I remember one episode of the 50s TV show heavily implying that Inspector Henderson beat up suspect during an interrogation with Superman's knowledge, although he was not present. It was long ago so I could be wrong. But then I only remember that because it stood out compared to the rest of the series.
It was a typical interrogation scene in a small dark room with an industrial table, a small chair and a bright light on the suspect. They needed information and he was being stubborn. We see Henderson roll up his shirt sleeves and close the door ominously in our faces. When the door opens again Henderson has the information and the suspect is sitting back exhausted and panting on the chair. He's in the background so we can't see any bruising.
I'm not sure about that one. I do recall that in "The Unknown People" (Superman and the Mole Men) Superman confronts a lynch mob and admonishes them to "Stop acting like a bunch of Nazi Stormtroopers!"
Wonderful video; great comic. Can't wait for the next episode. I listened to the radio series as a college kid and loved it. And it blew my mind with the arc that inspired this comic (Clan of the White Carnation? Clan ofthe Fieey Cross? Unless they had an actual KKK referencing one.) The idea that they had tackled suck a story back in the '40s. Up until then I always said well they couldn't have handled such topics back then because the backlash from bigots and whatever that type is that seems to be willing to support the loudest most forceful people even though they dont believe their reteric. It made me give everything back then a pass saying 'well it was the times; terrible, they had no choice if they wanted to stay in business.' After that I began to be less forgiving about it. Certainly reprisals are to feared. But it was possible. And its nice to see it was Superman.
I'll look for your response to the next episode, because the original radio show's history is WAY WAY more interesting than being brave enough to tackle the topic. :-)
First?
Good to know Superman has always been woak.
Love this. ❤
We need more heroes like Superman, He-Man, and Captain America. Who show an example to all of us on how to be better. They guide the way to create a better tomorrow. Today we don't see many heroes like them anymore.
I wonder if Florida comic book stores are allowed to carry this issue.
The Grand Scorpion and his ilk focus on ties that bind and consider these points of likeness as defining. But they miss the other aspect. Those ties bind in another sense as well. They are not just links, but also limits. As Superman kind of points out here, the choice to "bind" oneself to those not like you is linking but not limiting. Those choices open up endless vistas of possibility. To borrow a phrase from another franchise that I know you are also deeply interested in: infinite diversity in infinite combinations.
It’s cool comparing this to the original radio show,
The more sublet racist moments like when the cop Roberta talks to when her brother gets kidnapped says “nothing bad happens in metropolis, especially to people like you”
Been meaning to get around to reading this one for a while.
All DC needs to do is turn over the live action films to the people who make the animated ones. Then you'd have something.
Was this comic adapted from the superman radio program?? There are a lot of similarities to that one episode about the klan.
And the question is answered 20 minutes later
. . . *_Scabeus Scorpus . . . ?_*
Harry Potter type of name
So first of all - hell yeah Steve been waiting for this one since you started this series, Hell yeah Steve you go Steve. Second - I think *this* is my "best" Superman. I love Supes in mooost of his incarnations and I think he's an excellent character, but this story really touched me in a way a lot of others haven't.
I am mixed race, and I have spent a significant part of my life not really fitting in. Too white for the brown kids and too brown for the white kids, that sorta thing. People felt comfortable calling me racial slurs - and then telling me I'm not allowed to be offended by them because I'm "Basically white anyway". So when I got older, I leaned more into homogenising myself as the thing people primarily identified me as when they saw me, that being - Indian. The thing is, India is not a place I've been to nor is it a place that is directly relevant to me personally - I wasn't raised culturally Indian and everything I know about my family from there is completely Academic. Aside from my Dad and Uncles, i don't actually know ANY of my Indian family members. I am far more connected to my Mother's side, specifically the Nigerian half of her side of the family. But I *look* Indian and I *don't* look Black, so I don't participate in that part of my culture as much.
This story puts so much emphasis on how we can lose our culture to fit in, both directly and indirectly - and the ways in which it limits us tremendously. We shape ourselves to meet an expectation handed down by other people even if it means participating in our own oppression or limiting what we're capable of, for the benefit of making other people feel comfortable - in as much as, not making other people change their perspectives or grow. And it's not just about Race! History repeated itself when I initially realised I was a Trans Woman. I didn't correct people on my pronouns for a long time despite how miserable it made me, because I'd created this idea in my head that discomfort was almost a currency I was using to *buy* acceptance.
Seeing Superman do the same thing and overcome it by being himself, by being amazing really hit me. I won't pretend it fixed all my issues or made me more confident, this story had come out long after I'd worked through a lot of it - but I kinda wish it had come out sooner. It was profoundly touching, and I love this version of Clark for it.
....Now make a "The Best Batgirl" series about Cassandra Cain cuz Shadow of the Batgirl was the tits and no one talks about it ever 🤣🤣
The entire radio serial this is based on is available at the Internet Archive and it's pretty great. A search by title turns it up. I was actually expecting this to be about that original story. Never knew there was a comic book based on it.
One thing I think the radio show did better was that they made the head guy of the Clan just an ordinary grifter whose main motivation was bilking the members out of as much money as he could by not only getting their membership dues but selling them the robes and trinkets and anything he could think of that could be branded and sold to them at a premium. MAGA hats, t-shirts, bumper stickers, etc, etc, anyone? By making him a wannabe supervillain it loses that connection to evil in the real world.
Definitely my favorite Superman story of the past five years. And one you can bet Tucker Carlson would lose his shit over, despite being inspired by a radio serial from the 40s. About exposing the fucking Klan.
7:45 The one cop who is a klansman. Wow
Ok. Glad I watched this, cause based on the cover art, I thought the artist had gone all lolita petite with Lois. Nope, just a teen who looks similar.
And if no one has heard the radio show story it is based on I suggest you do. Same thing in this story, no worries that it was too much for kids
Great video, but I can't wait until I hear you talk about the radio show, because while this superman fights the Klan in fiction, the radio show helped fight the real life Klu Klux Klan. Amazing history.
I think adults need hope too.
Lore of How Superman Smashes the Klan and Fights for a Better Tomorrow momentum 100
It's nice to see Superman fight the klan in the past but I can't help but feel like it would be nicer to see him fight them today, since they are making a comeback with the MAGA crowd today.
Knowing Superman was created by the children of immigrants too is just another cherry on top!
Go Superman, go!
8 months ago? Too late to point out this storys roots in the 40s radio show, dammit
I really never liked Superman, but I do own Superman Smashes the Klan cuz it is awesome.