Superman vs. the KKK Podcast Details History of Iconic Radio Storyline With a Twist

The Eisner-award winning Superman Smashes the Klan graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru brought a new dimension to a decades old story, taking inspiration from The Adventures of Superman radio show storyline that featured a similar premise back in the 1940s. In a new podcast from Fandom, the why and how of the classic radio serial that was the basis for the comic is explored in depth with some surprising twists and turns. Available now wherever you listen to podcasts, Fandom Presents: Superman vs. the KKK is a five-episode series hosted by writer-producer Marc Bernardin (Star Trek: Picard, Castle Rock) and film critic and director-producer Roth Cornet (Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary).

Partially inspired by the Richard Bowers book Superman versus the KKK: The True Story of How the Iconic Superhero Battled the Men of Hate, Fandom Presents: Superman vs. the KKK not only explores the rise and influence of Superman as a media character but how a similar rise in popularity occurred at the same time with the KKK, eventually leading to their collision in the 1946 radio show. By looking at how the media at the time created two different versions of “The American Way,” the series takes a look at the past with a clear eye toward how these powerful tools remain influential even today.

“This story is an incredible mix of journalism, brand activism, and the power of pop culture to change the world,” Cornet said. “We live in an era where fans identify themselves by the things they love, so there is incredible power in harnessing this passion to make an impact.”  

Fandom Presents: Superman vs. the KKK features interviews with a host of notable experts and creators including Marvel’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier executive producer Malcolm Spellman, “Inventing the American Way” author Wendy Wall, Professor of History at Michigan State University and comic expert Julian C. Chambliss, “Up, Up, and Oy Vey” author Simcha Weinstein, Associate Professor of History at Duke University and senior fellow at the Kenan Institute for Ethics Adriane Lentz-Smith, “White Robes, “Silver Screens: Movies and the Making of the Ku Klux Klan” author Tom Rice, and more.

Listeners can subscribe to Fandom Presents: Superman vs the KKK wherever they get podcasts to listen to all episodes now.