#maws- take notes. this is how you write a character with replacement theory fears. u cowards.

[jesncin]

You listened to the Superman radio show? Cool! :D I must ask, what did you think of the original Clan of the Fiery Cross arc? How do you think it compares to Superman Smashes the Klan?

Yes! I believe that Superman Smashes the Klan improves on the original Clan of the Fiery Cross radio show arc in just about every possible way! Still, I was pleasantly delighted by how biting the original radio arc was (I listened to it in anticipation for the graphic novel)- it's no wonder that some of the lines were lifted directly into Smashes the Klan.

The main difference between Clan of the Fiery Cross and Smashes the Klan is who is centered in the narrative. In the radio show, while it did tackle anti-Asian racism directly, it was still focused on the white characters' feelings and opinions about it. Superman teams up with Chuck Riggs while Tommy Lee and his family are essentially anecdotes, narratively. I think they barely had speaking lines. The white characters are characterized as either "good eggs or bad eggs": the Clan are deplorable people and all the other white characters are critical of them. Chuck's mom does a raving condemnation of them to make this clear.

Meanwhile in Smashes the Klan, the story centers the Chinese American family. Roberta- a character who was only mentioned once is now the main character and heart of the story! All the characters are complex- Tommy makes racist jokes in order to fit in, their dad desperately wants to assimilate through anti-Blackness, etc. Racism is shown as a systemic issue that affects everyone. Instead of white people being either racist or not, it's shown regardless of their opinion that they all benefit from a racist system. Chuck's mom still criticizes the Clan "but is it really all that bad to want to live among only your kind?" and Chuck repeats this notion when talking to Tommy. All in a very accessible language for kids to understand. And of course, Superman relating directly to Roberta's family as a character instead of being just A Force Of Good Who Fixes Things. The climax in Smashes the Klan is a lot stronger too.

Still, the Clan of the Fiery Cross arc is absolutely worth a listen. It's an important piece of history! It has a lot of misinformation spread about it that's so easily debunked by just listening to it. Great performances, I can see why it was so popular! It's still way more political than most Superman media nowadays. Very fun to compare the graphic novel to it.