Episode 187 – American Born Chinese

On this episode, just in time for the May 24 debut of American Born Chinese on Disney+, we take a look at, well, American Born Chinese, written and drawn by Gene Luen Yang, published by First Second!

This award-winning graphic novel moves between three characters: The Monkey King, a deity who chafes at being called a monkey; Jin Wang, a child of Chinese immigrants who sees his heritage as an obstacle as he falls in love with an American classmate; and Danny, a typical American teenager whose efforts to fit in at a new school are thwarted by his visiting cousin, a horrible Chinese stereotype named Chin-Kee!

How do these stories eventually come together? Can our protagonists learn to accept themselves as they are? And can American Born Chinese gain entrance to that heavenly dinner party known as ... The Comics Canon?

In This Episode:

·         Is it okay to laugh at Chin-Kee?

·         Peeing in Coke cans: the continuing crisis

·         Hugonauts: The Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time

·         Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

·         American Barbarian by Tom Scioli

Join us in two weeks as we visit one of the most pivotal stories in superhero comics history—The Flash of Two Worlds!

Until then:
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And as always, thanks for listening!