As a kid, Gene Luen Yang’s mom bought him a Superman comic book. As an adult, Yang turned the whole game on its head with his graphic novel American Born Chinese.
Instead of kryptonite and spandex, Gene wrote about growing up in America with immigrant parents and trying to find himself within a bicultural identity that has elements of his parents’ traditions and his own modern youth.
“I’m really excited by the diversity of comics right now, not only terms of representation but in terms of format, of genre, of artistic style,” Yang said in an interview for Newsarama. “(…) I think you’re going to see more and more cartoonists receiving recognition – it just shows the literary value of the medium.”
The MacArthur Foundation – you know, the ones who give out the Genius Grant – liked what Yang was doing enough to make him a fellow.
You’d think that would give him a chance to rest a little, but at 43, Gene’s not just changing the landscape of comics and culture, he’s also teaching computer science and creative writing, and being a really great dad.
Here’s to superheroes like Yang – one of many showing us that our diversity is something to be proud of.
Love comics? You may also enjoy our piece on Sailor Moon.
