The Shadow Hero
written by Gene Luen Yang; illustrated by Sonny Liew
First Second
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First Second
On Sale: 07/15/2014
ISBN: 9781596436978
176 Pages, Ages 12-18
Gene Luen Yang is the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature and is a MacArthur Fellow, a recipient of what's popularly known as the MacArthur "Genius" Grant.
A New York Times bestseller
In the comics boom of the 1940s, a legend was born: the Green Turtle. He solved crimes and fought injustice just like the other comics characters. But this mysterious masked crusader was hiding something more than your run-of-the-mill secret identity... The Green Turtle was the first Asian American super hero.
The comic had a short run before lapsing into obscurity, but Gene Luen Yang, the acclaimed author of American Born Chinese, and Sonny Liew, the author of the New York Times-bestseller The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, have finally revived this character in Shadow Hero, a new graphic novel that creates an origin story for the Green Turtle.
This gorgeous, funny comics adventure for teens is a new spin on the long, rich tradition of American comics lore.
YALSA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award ML, Booklist Editors' Choice, YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens, NPR Best Book of the Year, Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year, Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award, Chinese American Librarians Association Best Book Award, Apple iBooks Best of the Year, Eisner Award Nominee, CCBC Choice (Univ. of WI), ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adults
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The Shadow Hero - Book Trailer
In the comics boom of the 1940s, a legend was born: the Green Turtle. But this mysterious masked crusader was hiding something more than your run-of-the-mill secret identity . . . The Green Turtle was the first Asian American superhero. The original Green Turtle comic only had a short run, but now Gene Luen Yang and Sonny Liew revived the character, creating an origin story for a forgotten hero.
Share ThisPraise for The Shadow Hero
"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… More…
"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
- Less…Reviews from Goodreads
Gene Luen Yang
Gene Luen Yang
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Sonny Liew
Sonny Liew
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