The Shadow Hero
By Michael Berry,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Exciting take on a forgotten Asian American superhero.
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What's the Story?
In Chinatown in the 1930s, teenager Hank Chu wants nothing more than to help his mild-mannered father in the family grocery story and keep his disgruntled mother happy. Hank's mother, however, has bigger plans for him, wanting to turn him into a famous superhero. But when real-life tragedy strikes and Hank is imbued with the ancient spirit of the Tortoise, the boy finally dons the costume of the Green Turtle and vows revenge on the gangsters who secretly rule Chinatown.
Is It Any Good?
THE SHADOW HERO is a clever, heartfelt ode to -- and send-up of -- books from the golden age of comics. Author Gene Luen Yang invents a complex backstory for an obscure comics character from the 1940s, the Green Turtle. He and artist Donny Liew spin an exciting tale of costumed derring-do that plays with the conventions of superhero comics and comments on how Asian Americans were viewed by popular culture in decades past. It's not deep, but it is fun, and enriched by the explanatory essay that concludes the volume.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why comics and graphic novels are so popular with young readers. Why are superhero titles in particular so popular?
How were Asian characters portrayed in popular culture in the 1940s? Do any stereotypes continue to the present day?
How did World War II affect the lives of Asian immigrants living in the United States?
Book Details
- Author: Gene Luen Yang
- Illustrator: Sonny Liew
- Genre: Adventure
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts, Superheroes, Holidays
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: First Second
- Publication date: July 15, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 18
- Number of pages: 176
- Available on: Paperback, Nook, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: February 6, 2020
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