Discussion & Reflection

Lucia Lopez

The Shadow Hero, a graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang and Sonny Lieu, follows an Asian-American young man named Hank as he develops into a superhero, trying to fulfill the wishes of success his immigrant parents had for him. He had originally lived a calm life and wished to follow his father’s footsteps and become a grocer, but his mother’s encounter with a superhero throws off his once-solid plan. On his journey to becoming the Green Turtle, he and other characters throughout the novel defy stereotypes that are often presented about Asian people.

One of the stereotypes addressed in the novel is that of Asian people being very stoic and lacking of compassion. This is first shown in Hank’s mother, who is seems very uninterested in the lives of Hank and his father at first. However, as the narrative progresses she is seen as more caring and shows a funny side to her personality.

Another Asian stereotype that is challenged in The Shadow Hero is that Asian men are weak or submissive compared to American men. This may come from the fact that Asian men had typically held occupations that were seen as feminine, such as chefs or launderers. In Hank’s father’s case, he works as a grocer and is shown as a very gentle man. Hank is also portrayed as weak at first, wanting to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a grocer himself. He is also very skinny and awkward at the beginning of the novel, especially in comparison to the American superhero. He defies these stereotypes by training and getting stronger to fight his enemies as well as standing up to Detective Lawful when he wants to find Mock Beak.