I suppose I should address the fact that the first issue of Superman Smashes the Klan, a comic I’ve wanted for years, has come out.

It’s unsurprising: I loved it. It seems like we’re getting the basic beats of the radio show’s Clan of the Fiery Cross arc, but expanded and abridged to make it work in the new medium. There’s also the fact that we’re getting a Superman who is unaware of his origins and will presumably learn them during this story.

On the one hand, the changes made to the radio story seem great. Cutting a lot of the chaff and fleshing out elements that were lacking. It’s ideal. Yang is the perfect choice to write this story and the Gurihiru art is astounding.

I admit, I could do without another retelling of Superman’s origin. It’s a story I’ve heard more than enough times and I really wish we had more Superman stories that weren’t about where Superman came from. But it’s simply true that it makes sense why those details work thematically for the story being told here. Ultimately, I feel like it’ll work out.

So, in the unlikely event anyone actually sees this post, I recommend checking out the book.

Some other random thoughts:

• Little references to greater Superman mythos stuff is obviously a hit with me. Pete Ross and Kenny Braverman and a Metropolis Monarchs penant. All good stuff. If the girl that Roberta tried to reach out to turns out to be Mary Hennig from other episodes of the radio show, I’ll be unaccountably pleased.
• God I hope we don’t get a reference to Batman. I really want this book to prove that Superman doesn’t need references to other DC stuff to work.
• I could (and maybe someday will) do a post about Inspector Henderson’s depictions as a white or black man. They make good use of him as a black guy here. It doesn’t feel like an arbitrary choice.
• I was surprised to learn that the Atom-Man’s appearance (with his Kryptonite being in his chest Metallo-style rather than being in his blood) is not just a fun cameo. Actually important to the plot.

So, yes, I am eagerly awaiting the next issues.