As the MCU’s first film with an Asian protagonist, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings still relies on some age-old tropes and stereotypes. However, I also found some solace, empowerment, and escapism in how it spoke to being part of a Chinese diaspora. In particular, the film’s representation of women was noteworthy because…
REVIEW: Carmina #1 Lays the Groundwork for Diwata Komiks
Still dealing with the sudden, horrifying loss of her father as a child, Carmina tries to make the best of her situation despite being stuck in an unhappy relationship and living in a trailer park. But after being riddled by strange nightmares that put her up against monstrous creatures all the way on the Philippine…
Diwata Komiks Hopes to Bring Forward More Filipino Stories That Resonate From Home
Interest in ongoing komiks series like Trese has shown a growing enthusiasm for wider, global accessibility to consume Philippine-produced media. In recent years, especially accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic’s limitations of conventions and art shows, platforms like Penlab have given komiks creators more opportunities to expand their reach online while broadening the channels potential readers…
REVIEW: Weeaboo is a Love Letter to Weebs Everywhere
Weeaboo traces the stories of three high school students. As Maya, James, and Dani survive senior year, they struggle to find themselves and each other in Alissa Sallah’s heartwarming graphic novel.
Comic-Con@Home: API and AAPI Creators Say Sit Down, Be Humble
API & AAPI Creators: The Original Comics Pioneers: Comics creators from the API/AAPI community talk about their deeply rooted history in the comics medium, how they are changing the industry in the modern era, and discuss upcoming projects guaranteed to enthrall comics fans. An audience Q&A session will make time for questions from librarians and educators…
Seen But Not Satisfied: The Logic of Prejudice in Shadow and Bone
I didn’t know I was going to fall for Shadow and Bone as hard as I did. The luscious world, the characters, and the mythology all nestled their way into my heart. There was so much to love in the series. And yet, my love was uneasy.
The Re-re-invention of Psylocke
In 1989, Chris Claremont and Jim Lee did a thing to Betsy Braddock, aka Psylocke. The white, British, purple-haired model, turned agent, turned X-Man, sister of Captain Britain, stepped through the Siege Perilous and was discovered by the Hand, who reshaped her into a Japanese woman. In 1993 on the pages of X-Men, Fabian Nicieza…
Gunblast Girls Review: A Distressingly Problematic Space Romp
Gunblast Girls Volume 1: In Your Face, Loser! Crisse (Writer and Artist), Besson (Colours) Le Lombard April 18, 2018 Mercenary Zdenka has a job to finish which will leave her wealthy beyond her imagination. But to complete her mission she needs help and not just from the Gunblast Girls, her crew. Zdenka already has the…
Green Hornet #1: Good Story, Terrible Art
Green Hornet #1 Amy Chu (Writer), German Erramouspe (Artist), Brittany Pezzillo (Colours), Tom Napolitano (Letters) Dynamite Comics March 2018 The Green Hornet has gone missing. The public may know and fear him as a master criminal but, within the offices of Daily Sentinel Publishing, one man remembers him as so much more.
CB Cebulski’s Asian Mask: Why the Anger?
UPDATE: The Dark Horse statement below has been updated to the correct version. In 2004 a white man named CB Cebulski pretended to be a Japanese one named Akira Yoshida. “Yoshida” wrote comics for Marvel while Cebulski worked as an Editor at Marvel. Cebulski was recently instated as Editor in Chief at Marvel, and with…
Finding the Hidden Stories in New Frontiers: The Many Worlds of George Takei
New Frontiers: The Many Worlds of George Takei Edited by Jeff Yang and Keith Chow SI Universe Media, LLC August 2017 Growing up with only a very casual knowledge of Star Trek, I did not know who George Takei was until around a decade ago. Certainly, I had seen his face, passing TV sets, and had…
NBC Canceled Mail Order Family and That’s a Good Thing
Well, that was fast: NBC will not be moving forward with Mail Order Family, a sitcom by three white creators about a widowed white man who buys a Filipina mail order bride to help raise his daughters. The show lasted about three days after it’s announcement before it was shelved amidst concerns that the premise…