Superman Smashes the Klan

[Soubhagya]

It has been a while since i read the book. I haven't posted my thoughts yet.

I loved it. Its probably the second best Superman story from this decade. I liked the first issue. But i was a bit annoyed by the emphasis on the kids. I thought these kids are good. But i have come to see Superman. Later on, all of this came together in a very satisfying way. This is the story which i have been searching for a while. I love the Golden Age stories. I love the Silver Age stories. But where was the missing story which connects the two?

I love the first arc from Morrison's Action run. That story is almost perfect. This story managed to do one thing better. I absolutely love it when Superman jumps into space to fight Braniac. That scene connects the Superman who flys to the Superman who jumps. Arguably, this story made it even better. Key to unlocking his potential was in accepting himself for who he is . That's reminiscent to scenes like 'Let it Go' from Frozen, 'What's up danger' from Into the Spiderverse or even 'No Man's Land' from Wonder Woman.

From now on it shall be a written edict in DC, that any writer coming up with Superman's origin for the next reboot/remake/retelling should read Morrison's origin as well as Superman Smashes the Klan. You can read more if you want. But ideas like this, especially Smashes the Klan shouldn't be wasted if you want the origin to feel more universal. Something like Superman's regret of being unable to save Pa Kent in the first movie. Pretty much everyone appreciates that. This story feels so simple and obvious that i am wondering how nobody thought of that before?

I am curious if this sort of story can work if its set in the present day. If they plan to reboot Superman in films, this is a very solid choice to be the basis of a movie. Superman has a wonderful character arc. If the action seems a bit less maybe a combination with 'World Against Superman' by Morrison would do the trick. If this was made the basis of the first film you can have a great foundation to make a trilogy of Superman films if you want. First one based on this. Second one from 'Superman and the Legion of Superheroes'. And third one from 'The United Planets' saga. I think a lot more about Superman films then i ought to.

Loved the story. It has something important to say too. Characters were nice. Even characters like Lois whom i felt was a bit underused was fine. Last but not the least, i loved the artwork. Nice break from the usual superhero fare.

[Electricmastro]

Nice break from the usual superhero fare.

It did feel nice, which feels like quite a contrast from recent superhero comics like Captain America: Sam Wilson, which also addressed racism, but ultimately ended up feeling as if it meant to say the world is crap and isn’t worth living in. How the story is done in Superman Smashes the Klan, however felt more reassuring and bright overall, in spite of all the racist-based terrorism and problems that go on in the world in general, and that good-intentioned people exist like Superman in doing as much as they can to help out, and that life is indeed worth living.

[Vordan]

I would love to see a period piece movie/TV series adapt this or a cartoon.

[Soubhagya]

No really .Its a question. Maybe it was lost in my long post. I would love a straight up adaptation. Preferably animated with the same art style.

But what if we take away the period piece elements and set the story in modern times?

The reason why i am curious is i can see potential for a solid comic book movie. Those who study films must have heard about 'Hero with a thousand faces'. Hero's journey. I might be wrong as i am no film student but its something like this. In the beginning of the movie the protagonist believes in a lie about oneself or the world. Going through the heroic journey during the course of the film, the hero confronts the lie that changes him or her. So, there's a character arc. The hero isn't the same as when he or she started.

This structure is followed in most stories, and helps an audience feel satisfied. The character has grown or changed over the course of the movie. Its present in Man of Steel. Clark thinks that if he comes out, world would reject him. Thanks to Pa Kent. But his good nature means he keeps helping others. By the end of the movie he has come out in the open and intends to continue helping out. Another example is Dorothy in Wizard of Oz. In the beginning she wants to go off in an adventure in some far off place. But by the end she realizes that there is no place like home.

In this story Superman starts out rejecting his alien identity. He wishes to fit in. This holds him back. He has to accept his true identity to unleash his true potential. That's a solid character arc. My question is if the story itself can fit in a modern setting.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

No really .Its a question. Maybe it was lost in my long post. I would love a straight up adaptation. Preferably animated with the same art style.

But what if we take away the period piece elements and set the story in modern times?

The reason why i am curious is i can see potential for a solid comic book movie. Those who study films must have heard about 'Hero with a thousand faces'. Hero's journey. I might be wrong as i am no film student but its something like this. In the beginning of the movie the protagonist believes in a lie about oneself or the world. Going through the heroic journey during the course of the film, the hero confronts the lie that changes him or her. So, there's a character arc. The hero isn't the same as when he or she started.

This structure is followed in most stories, and helps an audience feel satisfied. The character has grown or changed over the course of the movie. Its present in Man of Steel. Clark thinks that if he comes out, world would reject him. Thanks to Pa Kent. But his good nature means he keeps helping others. By the end of the movie he has come out in the open and intends to continue helping out. Another example is Dorothy in Wizard of Oz. In the beginning she wants to go off in an adventure in some far off place. But by the end she realizes that there is no place like home.

In this story Superman starts out rejecting his alien identity. He wishes to fit in. This holds him back. He has to accept his true identity to unleash his true potential. That's a solid character arc. My question is if the story itself can fit in a modern setting.

I think the story works best as a period piece

[kjn]

I think the story works best as a period piece

On the other hand, I think making a story like Superman Smashes the Klan a period piece serves to neuter and make the political content of the story "safer", just as the messages about class, gender, and racism were in the first Wonder Woman movie.

Making the story present-day would make it sharper and its political message more "real". It would likely be harder to write and likely more divisive, but also more powerful.

[Ascended]

Smash could very much work as a modern day story, and be just as poignant and on-the-nose.

But I don't actually think that's a good idea. At least not right now.

Setting the story in the present is only going to turn it into a partisan issue. Those on the right will assume it's an attack directed at them and scream and bitch about Superman abandoning American values (even though nothing like that happens), those on the left will champion the work and call it a return to greatness and claim Superman himself is on "their" side (even though Clark never takes a political stance like that). And the work itself will just be buried under all that noise. Our....darling....president will tweet about it at 3am instead of running the country, Pelosi will wear a little Superman pin instead of an American flag, and all of them will just drag the character into the mud with them.

I'd rather avoid all that. The people who fall into these "us v them" arguments lack the maturity to see that Smash isn't about the left or the right, donald trump or anything else, but they'll drag the Man of Tomorrow down with them in their endless rage-fests. Superman has enough problems right now without this particular story being turned into a campaign slogan. If we want a story where Superman calls d-bag politicians to task for their complete lack of humanity (and I'd support such a story), let it be a different tale than this one. Smash is too special to let those people waste it by turning it into a talking point.

[Adekis]

Frankly, it's set in the '40s, but I don't think anybody thinks it's not about right now.

[Vordan]

Frankly, it's set in the '40s, but I don't think anybody thinks it's not about right now.

I saw plenty of people getting angry about it being made at all, so it’s not like it being set in the last means people can’t make connections with the present day.

[Ascended]

Of course the parallels are easy to see. And of course people will bitch about it. It's not about "hiding the message from those dumb bigots who ain't smart enough to know better." It's about optics, and marketing.

Tell the exact same story set in 2020 and the reaction will be worse. No, that doesn't make sense, I know. It doesn't have to; people don't make sense. But a story in 2020 about Superman fighting racists will immediately be viewed as an attack on a particular political party and that party's leadership. And not just by a few random morons on Youtube.

This isn't a perfect example, but remember last year when Superman saved some illegal aliens (Mexicans, I think, not Daxamites) from getting killed? People jumped all over it, Fox News ran the story for days, it hit the national circuit. And that was just one small scene in a random comic. Imagine what the reaction would've been if that had been a dedicated miniseries set in 2019 all about Clark protecting Mexicans? The reaction would've been far worse.

Yet Smash is exactly that; a dedicated miniseries about protecting minorities, and it goes much farther than that one random scene I just mentioned did. And Smash has had some negative reviews, but as far as I know it hasn't garnered nearly as much hate as that one random scene. Part of that is because it's so far removed from our regular day-to-day. It's the same sensibility that allows Star Trek to make commentary, sometimes scathing, and avoid massive blow back; everyone knows the story isn't *really* about blue aliens, but about brown people, yet it's removed enough to make bitching about it look silly and pointless, so most people don't bother and are easily shut down when they do. Smash being set in the 40's accomplishes the same thing; it removes the narrative from the real, current day world, and thus can avoid a lot of negativity.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

I think you certainly could set the story today, but it would be a different kind of story. That's not the story that they told. Now, if they wanted to do a sequel set today, I think that would be a great idea.

[kjn]

Smash could very much work as a modern day story, and be just as poignant and on-the-nose.

But I don't actually think that's a good idea. At least not right now.

Remember that "Clan of the Fiery Cross" was first published in the 40s, as the KKK was in decline but still very much an active force.

Some anvils need to be dropped once or twice. And there are few superheroes for which "Hier stehe ich. Ich kann nicht anders." is more true than for Superman.

[Vampire Savior]

I took a look at this because a lot of people seem to like it. It's not bad. I did stop reading it, however. From what I read, it seems to me the writer is more interested in writing about a Chinese American experience in the 1940s than he is about writing Superman. That said, it wasn't badly done, but I'm concerned about the focus of the story. Even though I stopped that doesn't mean I won't pick it up again. Pretty decent comic, though, if you're looking for that and you know what you're getting into.

[Ascended]

Remember that "Clan of the Fiery Cross" was first published in the 40s, as the KKK was in decline but still very much an active force.

Some anvils need to be dropped once or twice. And there are few superheroes for which "Hier stehe ich. Ich kann nicht anders." is more true than for Superman.

You got a point.

I don't know if Superman is in the best position to be the one dropping that anvil right now, but you got a point.

Sh*t, now you're appealing to my sense of social responsibility and I'm thinking they should make it controversial and grab those angry Fox News headlines, just on the hope that it makes some people sit back and consider why they're on the opposite side of an issue from Superman.

[kjn]

To be more exact, at least for me, I don't think Superman should be a controversial figure, as in seeking out controversy for controversy's sake. But at the same time he should not be afraid of controversy, if the story demands it.

After all, if there is one American iconic phrase that should be dear to Superman, it's "give me your tired, your poor".