New Kid

Chapter 7 begins with a touch of humor. Before this chapter, Jordan speaks about his Gran’pa in hushed tones as if he passed away. Craft teases Gran’pa as a ghost before having him turn on the light and reveal he is still alive and living in Yonkers. Although Yonkers is just north of New York City, it takes an hour to reach by train. Gran’pa also doesn’t know how to use a smartphone, which increases the distance between the two. Chuck and Gran’pa share a power handshake that calls back to the sketchbook guide in Chapter 1. While Chuck’s advice is often concerned and protective of his son, Gran’pa offers unconditional support and easy-to-digest advice. Jordan is initially reluctant to say that he is friends with a rich white student, Gran’pa encourages him to bring his two closest friends together.

The winter holidays further expose Jordan and Drew to their financial differences as the wealthier students go on trips to ski resorts and tropical islands. In a faux news report, Ashley names the two among the “vacation losers” (168). The more pressing microaggression occurs when white students compare their tan lines to Jordan’s light-brown skin, which is a reversal from his private school days where Black students would mock him over it. Liam, however, serves as a reminder of how wealth can be isolating. He can afford anything he wants, but he rarely sees his father and only finds friendship with Jordan and Drew.

These chapters also bring Jordan’s cultural roots into focus. The Banks family hosts a full-course Thanksgiving dinner with extended family and Miss Neal. However, when Chuck sees Liam’s mansion, he worries about Jordan’s attachment to his roots; Craft depicts Chuck sitting in the dark and listening to music in a double-page panel. The “Jordan ‘Souled’ Out” sketch covers Chuck’s attempts to address this by re-emphasizing Kwanzaa, the week-long celebration of African culture, and forcing Jordan to watch the historical epic Twelve Years a Slave and listen to singer James Brown’s “Say It Loud—I’m Black and I’m Proud.” Jordan draws Chuck with a kufi hat and staff in this sequence. But this is an overcorrection; Jordan draws himself as unhappy because he sees through these attempts, and the basketball scene afterward shows he is already aware of how his education is clashing with his roots.

Although it’s a powerful movie, Twelve Years a Slave is also an example of the “escapist” narratives that Craft critiques with the gritty novel The Mean Streets of South Uptown (128). Adventure stories in beautifully illustrated fantasy realms mostly star white protagonists, while Black protagonists mainly appear in stories about escaping slavery, poverty, or gang violence. Maury receives the Mean Streets book even though his father runs a Fortune 500 company, giving him little personal connection to the book’s plot.

RAD’s female students also receive additional character development. While Ashley’s Secret Santa gifts to Jordan seem to hinge on racial stereotypes, her explanations show that, unlike Andy, her racism mainly stems from ignorance. Her confusion about Jordan’s gift is another example; she doesn’t know what a sweet potato is, while Jordan is confused about knishes, a Jewish snack with potato filling. Craft draws the two standing on different planets as he did with Maury earlier, but they combine into one planet over several panels as they come to an understanding.

While Drew is indifferent toward a romance with Ashley, Jordan is fearful of developing a romance with Alexandra. Craft develops tension and slows down the action by depicting Jordan’s meek acceptance to sit with her across four panels. At the same time, outlandish panels like Jordan joining Alexandra’s sock puppet ways and Alexandra revealing a monstrous hand add humor to the scene. But through patience and honesty, Jordan learns that Alexandra’s hyperactive antics are really a façade to hide her anxieties about her scar. His encounters with Ashley and Alexandra show Jordan’s growing confidence with talking to people.

Chapter 7’s title references The Chinese Connection, an alternate title for the martial arts movie Fist of Fury. The yellow tracksuit that Jordan wears is a homage to the film’s star, Bruce Lee, who wears the same outfit. The other titles reference the rap album and movie Straight Outta Compton, perennial holiday favorite A Christmas Story, and cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show.