The Green Turtle Chronicles by Gene Luen Yang

No one remembers the Green Turtle, nor is Hing spoken with the same reverence as Stan Lee or Jack Kirby. “I felt like it was a good metaphor for how Asian-Americans and minorities feel. Supporting this theory is how Hing obscured his protagonist’s face with deep shadows and masks, which Yang finds resonant. “We don’t know if it’s true or not, but it’s so interesting to me,” Yang says of the rumor. Legend has it that Hing was forbidden to portray his creation as a Chinese-American like himself. Hing, a Chinese-American who studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, created the superhero, the Green Turtle, for now-defunct publisher Blazing Comics. Panda Expressīut Yang was faced with a challenge: Without assistance from either Marvel or DC, what comic book could Panda Express possibly publish? As it happened, inspiration would come from more than 70 years ago. So to give away a comic book that encourages kids to read fit.”Ĭover of Gene Luen Yang's 'Shadow Hero Comics' #1, available at Panda Express for a limited time. They’re not about food, they’re about promoting social good. “As I got to know as an organization, it made sense to me.

But the fact that it’s something you read is astounding,” says Yang, which is unlike the toys usually released by other major fast food joints. After several ideas, the company decided a comic book with Yang was the way to go. To celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, the restaurant wanted to do a giveaway for its kid’s meals - the first in its entire history. The restaurant began eyeing May 2017 as another opportunity to contribute to the culture. As an organization, I was really impressed.” “They’re starting to get involved with Asian-American issues. “That was the first time I got to hang with the folks at Panda,” Yang tells Inverse, who said the festival was eye-opening to him about the restaurant franchise. Yang, who is best known as the comics writer of American Born Chinese and DC’s Action Comics and New Super-Man, was invited to join a panel of Chinese-Americans in other industries. It all began last summer at Chinatown Summer Nights, an annual festival held in Los Angeles by Panda Express. But since the Green Turtle was one of the first Asian-American superheroes in pop culture, the acclaimed author and MacArthur Genius recipient jumped at the chance to introduce kids to a heroic part of Asian-American history. Upon first glance, the comic, which features a new adventure with the obscure pulp hero the Green Turtle, seems like an odd choice to excite kids about fast food. This past May, to commemorate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, kids who ate at Panda Express enjoyed a special issue of Gene Luen Yang’s Shadow Hero Comics.

The Green Turtle Chronicles by Gene Luen Yang