Yang, Gene Luen and Sonny Liew. The Shadow Hero. New York: First Second, 2014. 978-1-59643-697-8. $17.99. Gr. 7-12.

Distinguished graphic storyteller Gene Luen Yang teams up with master illustrator Sonny Liew to give readers a glimpse into the origins story of The Green Turtle, who may be the first Asian American superhero. Based on the short lived, five-volume comic by cartoonist Chu Hing for Blazing Comics, Yang creates his own fascinating and significant tale about one man’s quest to become a superhero and fight crime in Chinatown during the 1940s. When the Ch’ing Dynasty collapses in China, four shadow spirits come to council to decide the best way to protect their homeland. Unable to reach an agreement, the turtle spirit hides in the shadow of a drunk man he discovers asleep in the cargo hold of a ship bound for America. Years later, in Chinatown, nineteen-year-old Hank works alongside his father in the family grocery store. His mother, convinced that there is a better life out there for her son, attempts to make Hank into a superhero. At first, Hank resists, but when tragedy strikes his family, he realizes that fighting crime- and ending the many injustices in Chinatown- may be his true calling. With the help of the turtle spirit, Hank’s journey is inspiring and culturally significant as traditional Chinese and Cantonese traditions are infused with the comic book world of super heroes. Yang smartly uses humor and wit throughout the story, and Liew’s illustrations are relevant to the time period explored while remaining faithful to comic culture. This is an absolute must for any graphic novel collection.

Graphic Novel     Vicki Schwoebel, Friends’ Central School

This book was wonderful; I knew I’d enjoy it, but it certainly exceeded expectations. The story and artwork compliment one another beautifully, and I was completely engaged. Normally I glance over the imagery in graphic novels and find myself focusing on the words, but Liew’s artwork is incredible, and the spirit shadow’s presence is woven into the frames in a way that makes you slow down and really appreciate the artwork. Yang’s storytelling is fulfilling and funny, in a way that both kids and adults can enjoy, which makes it so great to recommend. This one has been flying off the shelves, and I’m glad that we could add a diverse title to our graphic novel collection!