The Shadow Hero - by Gene Luen Yang (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Before capes ruled comics, there was the Green Turtle -- the first Asian American superhero.

In 1940s Chinatown, Hank Chu doesn't dream of becoming a hero. He just wants a normal life. Unfortunately, his fearless mother has other plans. She's determined to turn her son into a legendary crimefighter, whether he likes it or not.

When gangsters, corruption, and dark forces threaten the city, Hank reluctantly steps into the role of the Shadow Hero, discovering that being a hero is far more dangerous -- and far more personal -- than he ever imagined.

Created by bestselling author Gene Luen Yang and acclaimed artist Sonny Liew, Shadow Hero reimagines the little-known Golden Age character with thrilling action, heartfelt family dynamics, and sharp humor.

Perfect for fans of:
- superhero origin stories
- DC and Marvel comics
- pulp crime adventures
- coming-of-age heroes

Review Quotes

"What America needs is for people to shed the expectation of translation and immerse themselves in other worlds . . . America has to start somewhere, and I'd recommend The Shadow Hero."
--New York Times

"Gene Luen Yang uses his Chinese heritage to create engaging comics that are deeply personal yet rooted in centuries of stories, fictional and true." --LA Times

"Yang and Liew reinvent this character in a brilliant homage that finally allows the Green Turtle to get his long overdue face time." --BCCB, STARRED REVIEW on The Shadow Hero

"There's plenty of humor in this lively, entertaining adventure story . . . At its heart, though, this book is a subtle comment on China's changing cultural landscape and growing multiculturalism in America. A lovingly tongue-in-cheek homage." --Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

"The insight into Chinese mafia and 1940s American superhero comic book culture is wonderful." --VOYA

"Award-winning author Yang and artist Liew tackle a lesser-known aspect of history, breathing new life into the Green Turtle, a 1940s comic book hero . . . A creative take on the superhero genre." --School Library Journal

"Abundant humor, strong characters and cracking good action." --The Horn Book

"A golden-age comic superhero returns with a brand new Asian-American origin story . . . An entertaining and intelligent response to classic superhero stories." --Kirkus Reviews

"Racism, romance, humor, and identity all play important roles in Yang and Liew's evocation of Hank's life in pre-WWII San Francisco as they create an origin story that blends classic comics conventions with a distinctly Chinese perspective." --Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

"Masterful." --Dave Eggers on Boxers & Saints

"Remarkable." --The New York Times on Boxers & Saints

"At once humorous and heartbreaking." --The LA Times on Boxers & Saints

"Epic." --The Washington Post on Boxers & Saints

About the Author

Gene Luen Yang writes, and sometimes draws, comic books and graphic novels. As the Library of Congress's fifth National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, he advocates for the importance of reading, especially reading diversely. His graphic novel American Born Chinese, a National Book Award finalist and Printz Award winner, has been adapted into a streaming series on Disney+. His two-volume graphic novel Boxers & Saints won the LA Times Book Prize and was a National Book Award finalist. His nonfiction graphic novel Dragon Hoops received an Eisner Award and a Printz honor. His other comics works include Secret Coders (with Mike Holmes), The Shadow Hero (with Sonny Liew), as well as Superman Smashes the Klan and the Avatar: The Last Airbender series (both with Gurihiru). In 2016, he was named a MacArthur Foundation Fellow.

Sonny Liew is a Malaysian-born comic artist and illustrator based in Singapore. He is the author of The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, a New York Times bestseller and the first graphic novel to win the Singapore Literature Prize. His other comics include titles for Marvel, DC, and Image. He spearheaded Liquid City, a comics anthology series featuring creators from Southeast Asia.