The Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang

Gene Luen Yang wrote The Shadow Hero, a look at the origins of the Green Turtle super hero. The graphic noble starts with a meeting between the four elemental spirits of China. The turtle makes a deal with a Chinese man seeking to enter America. Mahnaz Dar from the School Library Journal says “A detail about the four spirits of China, one of whom allies himself with Hank’s father and then Hank, injects an element of magic and of Chinese history and mythology that made Yang’s American Born Chinese (First Second, 2001)) such a layered and complex work” (2014).

In this gripping and gritty super hero graphic novel, Lang presents clichés and stereotypes in an entertaining, humorous way. The actor hired to play the casino king appears to be an inspiration in Marvel’s portrayal of Mandarin in Iron Man 3. This character is one that is shown with the bright yellow skin that non-culturally sensitive and relevant works are sometimes shown. This is not the only way that Lang breaks the stereotypes. When Hank choses to be a hero, he finds a master to teach him to toughen up and fight. This master is not a martial artist but more of a street brawler which makes the Green Turtle different from the other enemies he faces – those with guns and some with martial arts.

The story unfolds following Hank who only wants to be a grocer like his father but succumbs to the machinations of his mother that wants him to be a super hero because she was saved by a man that could fly. She pushes him, but in the end,  Hank embraces the Green Turtle he becomes because his father is killed by the mob-like hitmen because Hank foiled one of their plans. The turtle spirit comes to Hank and grants him the ability to resist harm, such as the bullets that killed his father. With this power, Hank can now track down those that killed his father and rule the underbelly in his city.

Kirkus reviews felt that “Liew’s (the artists) playful illustrations, especially his characters’ cartoonishly exaggerated expressions, complement the story’s humor. The first issue of the original 1940 comic book is included in the backmatter. An entertaining and intelligent response to classic superhero stories” (2014).

Awards for The Shadow Hero taken from Ingram (2018):

Cyblis – Finalist – Graphic Novel YA – 2014

Black-Eyed Susan Award – Nominee – High School – 2015

Indies Choice Book Wards – Honor Book – Young Adult – 2014

 

Yang, Gene Luen (2014). The Shadow Hero. First Second.

Ingram (2018). [Awards – The Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang]. Retrieved on November 13, 2018 from https://ipage.ingramcontent.com/ipage/servlet/ibg.common.titledetail.pd1000?queryString=H4sIAAAAAAAAABXKsQqDQBCE4VeRqS203VICIsGQQiuRINzKBQ9Wbk8kiu-etfv-YU6oA81TUM6hIqAUN-OaQKhEFpj1AJVFYQq2Nq-6xX02v_vq0d2xgoahzGF-8m-X6D7dNwW2Tp4z9ZOTPfMcBeN4_QHnL4bvdgAAAA&R=25489343&dNo=14

Ingram (2018). [Book Review – Kirkus Reviews – The Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang]. Retrieved on November 13, 2018 from https://ipage.ingramcontent.com/ipage/servlet/ibg.common.titledetail.pd1000?queryString=H4sIAAAAAAAAABXKsQqDQBCE4VeRqS203VICIsGQQiuRINzKBQ9Wbk8kiu-etfv-YU6oA81TUM6hIqAUN-OaQKhEFpj1AJVFYQq2Nq-6xX02v_vq0d2xgoahzGF-8m-X6D7dNwW2Tp4z9ZOTPfMcBeN4_QHnL4bvdgAAAA&R=25489343&dNo=14

 

Dar, Mahnaz (2014) . [Book Review – School Library Journal – The Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang]. Ingram. Retrieved on November 13, 2018 from https://ipage.ingramcontent.com/ipage/servlet/ibg.common.titledetail.pd1000?queryString=H4sIAAAAAAAAABXKsQqDQBCE4VeRqS203VICIsGQQiuRINzKBQ9Wbk8kiu-etfv-YU6oA81TUM6hIqAUN-OaQKhEFpj1AJVFYQq2Nq-6xX02v_vq0d2xgoahzGF-8m-X6D7dNwW2Tp4z9ZOTPfMcBeN4_QHnL4bvdgAAAA&R=25489343&dNo=14

 

Ingram (2018). [Digital Image – The Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang]. Retrieved on November 13, 2018 from https://ipage.ingramcontent.com/ipage/servlet/ibg.common.titledetail.pd1000?queryString=H4sIAAAAAAAAABXKsQqDQBCE4VeRqS203VICIsGQQiuRINzKBQ9Wbk8kiu-etfv-YU6oA81TUM6hIqAUN-OaQKhEFpj1AJVFYQq2Nq-6xX02v_vq0d2xgoahzGF-8m-X6D7dNwW2Tp4z9ZOTPfMcBeN4_QHnL4bvdgAAAA&R=25489343&dNo=14

Drawing from Memory by Allan Say

Drawing from Memory is an autobiographical graphic novel by Allan Say, a celebrated author and illustrator for kids Asian literature. The story follows Allan from birth to fleeing the World War II bombings in Japan. His father separates from his family and Allen moves to Tokyo to an apartment of his own when he is only 12. His mother and grandmother, neither of which support his love for art and drawings, believe it will give Allan the chance to study. For him, however, the apartment is an artist’s studio and he apprentices himself to celebrated comic artist, Noro Shinpei.  The book follows Allan’s journey learning how to ink comics and studying other art forms under other artist’s. When Allan is a teenager, he chooses to move to America with his absent father where he continues to pursue his journey to become an artist and a writer.

The book is filled with black and white photos of Allan Say throughout his life, starting when he an infant, with his family and siblings, with Noro and his other apprentices. There are beautiful illustrations of Japan and recreations of Noro Shinpei’s comics and some originals that Allan gathered from Noro’s family. The illustrations are honest and beautifully rendered, giving glimpses of one young man’s fantasy and the work he did for a man that inspired him.

When looking at culturally appropriate books to offer children, this is an honest and true autobiographical recounting by a writer and artist. Getting glimpses of the family dynamics and their expectations blended with culture and the fallout of war will educate children on what the children of Japan lived through and how they sought their dreams despite cultural norms.

The Bulletin of the Center of  Children Books reflected “Caldecott-winning artist Allen Say has often drawn on his own family history in his books, but here for the first time he recounts his story directly, chronicling his youth in Japan and especially his artistic education both at school and in his apprenticeship with the noted cartoonist Noro Shinpei” (2011). And a reviewer from Kirkus felt “Shinpei’s original comics are reproduced here, harmonizing with Say’s own art from that time and the graphic-novel–style panels, drawings and paintings created for this book.

Aesthetically superb; this will fascinate comics readers and budding artists while creating new Say fans” (2011).

The list of awards won by Drawing from Memory were taken from Ingram and listed below:

 

Awards: Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award | Honor Book | Children’s Book | 2012 – 2012 ; Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens | Recommended | Ten to Fourteen | 2012 – 2012 ; Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award | Nominee | Children’s | 2013 – 2013 ; Keystone to Reading Book Award | Nominee | Middle School | 2013 – 2013 ; Oregon Book Awards | Winner | Children’s Literature | 2013 – 2013 ; William Allen White Childens Book Award | Nominee | Grades 6-8 | 2014 – 2014

 

Say, Allan (2011). Drawing from Memory. New York: Scholastic Press.

Ingram (2011). [Awards – Drawing from Memory]. Retrieved on November 13, 2018 from https://ipage.ingramcontent.com/ipage/servlet/ibg.common.titledetail.pd1000?queryString=H4sIAAAAAAAAABXKsQqDQBCE4VeRqS203VICIqKk0EpEhDtFvMvK3gUxIe-etfv-Yb4IBrTMLtgUgRkU5a08IggF8w51-IDyLFM5Xau2bHCf1c–eHR3HKBhyFOoa3udLGbqtuistpH53F5rsgj7xFvPcmEcf39xUgq3egAAAA&R=16285038&dNo=17

 

Ingram (2011). [Book Review – Bulletin of Center for Children’s Books – Drawing from Memory]. Retrieved on November 13, 2018 from https://ipage.ingramcontent.com/ipage/servlet/ibg.common.titledetail.pd1000?queryString=H4sIAAAAAAAAABXKsQqDQBCE4VeRqS203VICIqKk0EpEhDtFvMvK3gUxIe-etfv-Yb4IBrTMLtgUgRkU5a08IggF8w51-IDyLFM5Xau2bHCf1c–eHR3HKBhyFOoa3udLGbqtuistpH53F5rsgj7xFvPcmEcf39xUgq3egAAAA&R=16285038&dNo=17

 

Ingram (2011). [Book Review – Kirkus – Drawing from Memory]. Retrieved on November 13, 2018 from https://ipage.ingramcontent.com/ipage/servlet/ibg.common.titledetail.pd1000?queryString=H4sIAAAAAAAAABXKsQqDQBCE4VeRqS203VICIqKk0EpEhDtFvMvK3gUxIe-etfv-Yb4IBrTMLtgUgRkU5a08IggF8w51-IDyLFM5Xau2bHCf1c–eHR3HKBhyFOoa3udLGbqtuistpH53F5rsgj7xFvPcmEcf39xUgq3egAAAA&R=16285038&dNo=17

 

Ingram (2011). [Digital Image – Drawing from Memory]. Retrieved on November 13, 2018 from https://ipage.ingramcontent.com/ipage/servlet/ibg.common.titledetail.pd1000?queryString=H4sIAAAAAAAAABXKsQqDQBCE4VeRqS203VICIqKk0EpEhDtFvMvK3gUxIe-etfv-Yb4IBrTMLtgUgRkU5a08IggF8w51-IDyLFM5Xau2bHCf1c–eHR3HKBhyFOoa3udLGbqtuistpH53F5rsgj7xFvPcmEcf39xUgq3egAAAA&R=16285038&dNo=17