In 1938, two young Jewish kids decided they wanted to tell a story of an invincible man, who could move faster than bullets and was a hero to all. 

Superman took flight that year, first appearing in America Action Comics #1. Kal-El, Clark Kent or Superman was representation needed during the rise of fascism in Germany. 

The superhero was created to defeat The Third Reich and Nazi’s plot to take over the world. In American culture, comic books have been a way for readers of all ages to see themselves, in one way or another, as superhuman. 

From the friendly neighborhood Spiderman to the Green Hornet — which was a Detroit Radio program before appearing in comics — these stories told the hardships, joys and sorrows of life through the lens of these fantastical characters.

William Wallwinkel is the lead curator of “Heroes vs. Villains: Detroit’s Comic Book Story,” opening at Detroit Historical Museum on Saturday, May 3, which is also Free Comic Book Day. He joined The Metro along with Vault of Midnight owner Curtis Sullivan to talk about comic book culture here in Detroit and southeast Michigan. 

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Arab Detroit is constantly in flux. In the last 10 years, new communities of refugees from Syria, Iraq and Yemen have settled here. And each new community brings with them different perspectives of what it means to make it in America — to be American. 

The backdrop is that many have fled political crises that the U.S. has initiated or intensified. 

But when they arrive in the U.S., some Arabs in metro Detroit learn that speaking up about these conflicts can be a thorny matter. Still, the last 10 years have ushered in a new wave of political representation and engagement led by Arab lawmakers and residents.

The new book, “Beyond Refuge in Arab Detroit,“ explores how life is changing for Arab Americans in Detroit and what it means to thrive here during a time of intense political turmoil — both here in the U.S. and also in many of the countries Arabs have fled.

It weaves together writings from multiple contributors who delve into politics, environmental justice and sexual stigma and violence — all through the lens of Arabs in metro Detroit.

Sally Howell is one of the editors of the book, and a professor of history and Arab American studies at University of Michigan-Dearborn. She joined The Metro on one of the last days of Arab American Heritage Month to discuss the book.

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Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

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Last school year, the number of Michigan students who missed more than 10% of school days was among the highest in the nation, at nearly 30%. The rate among Detroit students was more than double that. 

Wayne State University researchers Jeremy Singer and Sarah Lenhoff argue schools alone cannot solve the problem. They say local and state leaders must enact policies that address some of the roots causes of chronic absenteeism, like poverty.

Their new book, “Rethinking Chronic Absenteeism: Why Schools Can’t Solve It Alone,” urges school and government leaders to focus less on what happens in schools and more on the many systemic factors that make getting to class tough for students and their families. 

Singer, a professor of teaching at Wayne State University and associate director of the Detroit Partnership for Education Equity and Research, joined The Metro to explain.

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More stories from The Metro on Monday, April 14:

• New series explores health care education, access for Bangladeshi women
• Detroiter tapped to lead National PAL’s youth mental health and wellness program
• New campaign demands accountability, systemic change for survivors of child abuse
• Highland Park is replacing its 115-year-old water system

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The city of Detroit has long been a hotbed for jazz. In fact, many musicians would say Motown would not be what it is if not for the musical genre. 

Jazz legends like Marcus Belgrave, Kenny Burrell and Marion Hayden are just a few of the city’s prominent jazz musicians that helped shape the city’s music scene. But while jazz is still relevant in today’s music industry, it’s not a genre that most people associate with younger generations.

Robin Wilson, owner of Vesey Lane Goods in Detroit, is hoping to change that with her new children’s book, “Jazz-A-Bet: An Original Jazz Alphabet.” 

She joined The Metro on Tuesday to share more about her book — a bilingual flip book with one side printed in English and the other printed in Portuguese — and to discuss the importance of exposing kids to music at an early age.

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More stories from The Metro on Tuesday, April 8:

• Detroit’s oldest choir has a new director
• Investigation probes unprecedented number of journalists killed in Gaza
• Fighting food waste with composting in metro Detroit

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.