Starred Review Though inspired by a 74-year-old radio serial, this old-fashioned tale of derring-do still packs a hefty punch of contemporary social commentary. It's 1946, and when the Lee family moves from Chinatown into central Metropolis, they soon run afoul of the cross-burning Klan of the Fiery Kross. Luckily, the ever-intrepid siblings Roberta and Tommy Lee cross paths with none other than Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane, which means Superman isn't far behind. This, however, is a Superman at the beginning of his career, still learning about his powers and, crucially, discovering that he himself is the quintessential American immigrant. Moving at the breakneck pace of a movie serial and filled with spunky kid protagonists and blistering punch-'em-ups, Yang's story feels like a slice of rollicking, old-time adventure. The layered handling of characters rticularly the quick-witted but uncertain Roberta Lee and the righteous-but-searching Superman as sophisticated as any of Yang's award-winning work. Likewise, his handling of racism is sharp with nuance, showing how it works on many levels, in many forms, and how it gets into the head of everyone, regardless of where they come from or what they look like. Gurihiru envisions the work in bold lines and striking angles that capture the energy and look of manga as much as classic Fleischer Superman cartoons.

Superman confronts racism and learns to accept himself with the help of new friends.In this graphic-novel adaptation of the 1940s storyline entitled "The Clan of the Fiery Cross" from The Adventures of Superman radio show, readers are reintroduced to the hero who regularly saves the day but is unsure of himself and his origins. The story also focuses on Roberta Lee, a young Chinese girl. She and her family have just moved from Chinatown to Metropolis proper, and mixed feelings abound. Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane's colleague from the Daily Planet, takes a larger role here, befriending his new neighbors, the Lees. An altercation following racial slurs directed at Roberta's brother after he joins the local baseball team escalates into an act of terrorism by the Klan of the Fiery Kross. What starts off as a run-of-the-mill superhero story then becomes a nuanced and personal exploration of the immigrant experience and blatant and internalized racism. Other main characters are white, but black police inspector William Henderson fights his own battles against prejudice. Clean lines, less-saturated coloring, and character designs reminiscent of vintage comics help set the tone of this period piece while the varied panel cuts and action scenes give it a more modern sensibility. Cantonese dialogue is indicated through red speech bubbles; alien speech is in green.A clever and timely conversation on reclaiming identity and acknowledging one's full worth. (author's note, bibliography) (Graphic fiction. 13-adult)

When the Chinese Lee family moves from Chinatown to the Metropolis suburbs in 1946, siblings Roberta and Tommy face overt and subtle racism as they settle into their new community. While Tommy joins a local baseball team and uses self-deprecating remarks to make friends (referring to his family as -wontons- to his white peers), Roberta struggles to fit in. Yang (Dragon Hoops) manifests racism variably and authentically-one of their father-s colleagues implies that the family eats dog, and things escalate: the Klan of the Fiery Kross (a KKK analog -motivated by love-love of our nation-) sets a cross ablaze in the Lees- front yard and threatens to drive the family away. Adapted from a 1940s radio drama, the story draws clear parallels between the Lee-s Chinese family and Superman-s interstellar one; as Superman discovers his heritage, he gives Roberta the confidence to embrace her identity. Japanese artist duo Gurihiru-s style blends manga-esque features with