Radio America

Journalist Rick Bowers has contributed to Time, The Washington Post, and USA Today, and his fascinating Spies of Mississippi—about the spy network that tried to take down the Civil Rights Movement—earned a starred review from Booklist. Here, Bowers examines how, in the late 1940s, The Adventures of Superman radio show struck a powerful blow to the Ku Klux Klan when Superman aired episodes pitting the hero against the Klan in an effort to teach young listeners to stand up to bigotry.

Clergymen rarely make good politicians. There is perhaps no better example of this than Father Charles Coughlin, a Depression-era priest-turned-demagogue who was seen as an angel by some and a devil by others. The same man who cruelly castigated the Jews also spoke eloquently on the needs and rights of the most downtrodden in society. The same orator who said, "Roosevelt or ruin", later cried, "Roosevelt and ruin." In the 1930s, his effective use of the radio revolutionized mass communications, and millions of people listened to his every word.

The arduous, often unpredictable journey to the US presidency has attracted some of the most unique characters in history. With "unusual" presidential candidates grabbing headlines for the foreseeable future, Contenders shines a welcome spotlight on individuals who felt inspired to offer their uncommon perspectives and special talents to lead the nation.

On Amazonia, succession to the throne is simple. The Queen (Barbara Harris) is simply cloned, thus avoiding all manner of complications. When the queen's first clone is found to be imperfect, it is discarded and they try again, but the first clone survives. When that clone goes to Earth to get the diamonds she needs to run the cloning machine back on Amazonia (which can repair her imperfections), she seeks out Anne Manx (Claudia Christian), the finest Private Eye in the galaxy, and enlists her help.

Wendy McCloud is ordered into Anger Management Therapy. But it's not much help when pirates murder her father, Planetary President of Chromius. Now that Anne Manx has left, Chromius still needs someone else just as smart, relentless, incorruptible...and sexy.