Superman Versus The Ku Klux Klan
by Rick Bowers, 2012
You’ll learn some fun facts about Superman and some terrifying facts about the KKK in this book. Take, for instance, the fact that two Jewish boys from the Cleveland suburbs created Superman, and the artist was 5’2″ and 112 pounds. Or the way that Superman was kept from overpowering the Germans and ending World War II: Clark Kent took his physical to join the Army and accidentally used his X-ray vision to read the eye chart in the next room over; the Army labeled him practically blind and therefore 4F, unfit for military service. (Captain America to the rescue?) The book chronicles the early days of Superman and the three revivals of the bigoted hate group the Ku Klux Klan. Following initial success in comic books and radio programs, a run of Superman radio episodes was broadcast in 1946 in which Superman takes on the KKK. He exposes their tactics and secrets to the young audience of the program, in the hope that they will grow up without such hate in their mind and hearts.
The book is a fast read or listen. I think it was a good book to listen to on tape, about 3 hours long.
