A social justice–minded superhero for the Black Lives Matter era.
A DEI promoter turns vigilante in Washington’s debut graphic novel.
A rash of kidnappings has rocked Dale City, and Dr. Chris Withers has noticed a double standard when it comes to working the cases: When the missing girl is white, the city often gets superheroes involved to bring them home safely, but when the missing girl is Black or brown, the police handle it themselves—which usually means not handling it at all. Chris, a former special forces soldier turned social psychologist, operates a lucrative consulting firm and gives presentations about the effects of privilege in the justice system. When his wife, a reporter who’s been investigating the police’s handling of the disappearances, is found dead of a supposed drug overdose in the neighborhood where several girls have gone missing, he knows someone murdered her to shut her up. A skilled martial artist with plenty of resources at his disposal—including the lab of his friend, science prodigy and weapons manufacturer Dr. Alicia Johnson—Chris takes to the street to find answers. He may not be an enhanced human like most of the superheroes, but his need to avenge his wife is enough to fuel his new alter ego: Black Defender. But does this vigilante really have what it takes to go up against the trafficking syndicate responsible for the kidnappings and his wife’s murder—a syndicate led by a shadowy figure known only as the Overlord? Washington succeeds in revising the classic superhero formula to highlight inequities in the justice system. (Chris complains about Hammer Jack, a superhero who was put in jail because “he selectively patrolled Black and brown communities, and operated with a sense of impunity.”) There’s nothing subtle or arch about Washington’s treatment of the topic, which actually works in the book’s favor; by the time Black Defender squares off with a clueless white superhero who has just reflexively rescued a crooked cop, the reader has totally bought in. Paired with excellent illustrations by Tasbolatov, this graphic novel more than delivers on the promise of its premise.
A social justice–minded superhero for the Black Lives Matter era.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: April 12, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
A sweet bedtime story.
A boy and his stuffed bear head into the woods.
Having captured readers’ attention with Born a Crime (2016), his bestselling memoir of growing up in South Africa, comedian and television host Noah has written a parable about decision-making. As he puts it in a brief prologue, “It’s about disagreements and difference—but it’s also about how we bridge those gaps and find what matters most, whether we’re parents or kids, neighbors, gnomes, or political adversaries. It’s a picture book, but it’s not a children’s book. Rather, it is a book for kids to share with parents and for parents to share with kids.” With plentiful illustrations by Hahn and in language aimed at young listeners, it tells the story of a small boy so impatient to start his Saturday adventures that he rebels against the rules of his household and heads out without brushing his teeth or making his bed, despite the reminders of his stuffed bear, Walter. “We can’t just run away,” protests the bear. “Your mother will miss you. And where will we sleep? And who will make us waffles?” “We’ll build our own house,” the boy responds. “And we’ll grow our own waffles!” From there, the pair go on their walkabout, encountering a garden gnome, a pair of snails, and a gang of animated coins who have lessons to offer about making choices. Though the author suggests in the introduction that adult readers might enjoy the book on their own, those looking for a follow-up to the memoir or a foray into adult fiction should be warned that this is not that book.
A sweet bedtime story.Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2024
ISBN: 9780593729960
Page Count: 128
Publisher: One World/Random House
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
A clever and timely conversation on reclaiming identity and acknowledging one’s full worth.
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)Pub Date: May 12, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-77950-421-0
Page Count: 240
Publisher: DC
Review Posted Online: Feb. 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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