Gene Luen Yang

## **Biographical Information**

Yang was born in either Alameda or Fremont, California. He is from an immigrant family and his parents are an electrical engineer from Taiwan and a programmer who grew up in Hong Kong and Taiwan, both of whom emigrated to the United States. His parents instilled in him a strong work ethic and reinforced their Asian culture. Yang was a part of an Asian-American minority in his elementary school, and he grew up wanting to be an animator for Disney. In third grade, he did a biographical report on Walt Disney, which is where he says his obsession started. In fifth grade, his mother took him to their local bookstore where she bought him his first comic book, issue 57 of the Superman series DC Comics Presents, which changed his life.

Yang got his undergraduate degree in the University of California at Berkeley. He wanted to major in art but his father encouraged him to pursue a more "practical" field so Yang majored in computer science with a minor in creative writing. In college Yang found himself much less of a minority. During this time, he began to question his faith, and then he made Jesus his life's focus.

Yang worked as a computer engineer for two years after graduating in 1995. However, after a five-day silent retreat, he felt he was meant to teach, and left his job as an engineer to teach computer science at a high school. In 1997, Yang began self-publishing his own comics under the imprint Humble Comics. From then on, Yang went on to be published with First Second Books (an imprint of Macmillan Publishers), Marvel Comics, SLG Publishing, Dark Horse Comics, Harper teen, The New Press, and Pauline Books & Media. In January 2016, the Library of Congress, Every Child A Reader, and the Children’s Book Council appointed him the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Now in addition cartooning, he also teaches creative writing through Hamline University’s MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults.

## **Themes**

### **Identity**

Yang grew up within two cultures: the Chinese culture that his family was affected by and the American culture that he interacted with everyday. His characters are influenced by his background largely. For example, Jin Wang of his book American Born Chinese is a character like himself, and the Monkey king of this book is a Chinese deity too. Yang and his characters are all looking for the balance.

**“When I move here to America, I was afraid nobody wants to be my friend. I come from a different place. Much, much different. But my first day in school here I meet Jin. From then I know everything’s okay. He treat me like a little brother, show me how things work in America. He help me with my English [...] I think sometimes my accent embarrass him, but Jin still willing to be my friend.”**

**“To find your true identity...within the will of Tze-Yo-Tzuh...that is the highest of all freedoms.”**

### **Racial stereotypes and racism**

American Born Chinese possesses strong themes of racial stereotypes, particularly American stereotypes of the Chinese and other East Asian ethnicities. For example, Chin-Kee is a startling caricature of negative Chinese stereotypes in the book American Born Chinese. He is Danny’s who is a white "average" American boy larger-than-life Chinese cousin who, to Danny's embarrassment, comes to visit every year. Chin-Kee wears antiquated Chinese clothing, the traditional queue hairstyle, and literally has yellow skin, buck teeth, and eyes squinting so tightly that the pupils cannot be seen. He loudly speaks extraordinary "Chinglish" at all times, likes to play tricks on people, and possesses a frightening sexual appetite. Chin-Kee's name sounds like the ethnic insult "chinky" when said aloud. Chin-Kee does not only represent a version of nineteenth-century racial stereotypes, but also of the more contemporary stereotype that all Asians make exceptional students.

**“My momma says Chinese people eat dogs.”**

### **Pride and humility**

In the book American Born Chinese, the Monkey King and Jin’s shifts from violence and stubbornness to a state of humility represent a reorientation toward individuals who genuinely care about who the Monkey King and Jin truly are—that is, people who can help Jin and the Monkey King develop stronger, more meaningful communities in their respective worlds that simply don’t have room for the bullies. Through this, American Born Chinese suggests that being humble, generous, and helpful to others doesn’t just make someone a better person morally: it sets them up to find community and camaraderie, and in doing so, paves the way for bringing others to this better way of life.

**“This ‘Monkey King’ it speaks of no longer exists, for I have mastered twelve major disciplines of kung-fu and transcended my former title! I shall now be called—The Great Sage, Equal of Heaven!”**

## **Style**

**“After all, our job as writers is to step out of ourselves,” Yang said in his National Book Festival speech, “and to encourage our readers to do the same.”**

**Extreme**-Monkey King is an extreme personality. He can go from super-mellow (like when he's at home, chilling with his monkeys, at the beginning of the book) to super-violent (like when he decides to beat up a bunch of those racist deities who exclude him from the party in the heavens). Yang's drawing style matches Monkey's dramatic mood swings.

**Realistic**-Not that this comic book necessarily looks realistic (everything is still a cartoon), but characters’ world is simply drawn. Nothing gets exaggerated except when dramatic moments occur.

**Cartoonish**-Through some exaggerated characters to express feelings. For example, when Chin-Kee first enters Danny's story, he doesn't even have to appear yet to turn Danny's face into an  exaggerated mess. Danny goes from being simply drawn to comically anxious, with super-round eyes and huge, gritted teeth. It's like all of a sudden we've walked onto a TV-comedy set. Also using exaggerated characters to represent stereotypes.

## **Bibliography and Awards**

1997 - Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks (Humble Comics)

2003 - The Rosary Comic Book (Pauline Books & Media)

2004 - Animal Crackers (SLG Publishing)

2006 - American Born Chinese (First Second Books)(The first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award and the first to win the American Library Association’s Printz Award of 2006) (It also won the 2007 Michael L. Printz Award, the 2007 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New, the Publishers Weekly Comics Week Best Comic of the Year, the San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year, the 2006/2007 Best Book Award from The Chinese American Librarians Association, and Amazon.com Best Graphic Novel/Comic of the Year)

2009 - The Eternal Smile (First Second Books)

2010 - Prime Baby (First Second Books)

2011 - Level Up (First Second Books, 2011)

2012-2017 - Avatar: The Last Airbender, illustrated by Gurihiru (Dark Horse Comics)

2013 - Boxers and Saints (First Second Books) (This book was nominated for a National Book Award and won the L.A. Times Book Prize of 2013)

2014 - The Shadow Hero, illustrated by Sonny Liew (First Second Books)

2015-2016 - Superman Vol.3 #41–50, illustrated by John Romita Jr. and Klaus Janson (DC Comics)

2015-2018 - Secret Coders, illustrated by Mike Holmes (First Second)

2016-2018 - New Super-Man #1-18, series about a Chinese Superman, Kong Kenan (DC Comics)

2017 - Free Comic Book Day: Fresh Off the Boat #1 (Boom! Comics)

2018 - New Super-Man and the Justice League of China, the series concludes the adventures of Kong Kenan and the other Chinese heroes (DC Comics)

2019 - 2020-The Terrifics #15-30 (DC Comics)

2020 - Dragon Hoops (First Second Books)(2020 Harvey Awards for book of the year)

2020 - Shang-Chi (Marvel Comics)

## **Criticism**

Most criticism for Yang are positive. The followings are some examples.

**Comments for Yang’s THE TERRIFICS**

“I'm just happy that one of DC's best books looks like it's going to stay strong under a new hand.” -by Ray Goldfield, Apr 24, 2019

A new creative team takes over THE TERRIFICS! Writer Gene Luen Yang offers a new challenge to the team, and nails all the character interactions that Lemire had established. Segovia's artwork is excellent, particular in the action sequences. -by Raphael Soohoo, Apr 24, 2019

**Comments for Yang’s New Superman**

“Not many Rebirth books attempt to break too much away from the typical superhero mold, which is understandable, but New Super-Man is playing just a bit more to a younger crowd and I think that sort of effort should always be welcomed, especially when done in an entertaining fashion.” -by Kyle Pinion, Jan 11, 2017

**Comments for Yang's American Born Chinese**

“‘American Born Chinese’ is sometimes needlessly crass — it opens with a joke about breasts and peaches — and it is hampered by a confusing ending that stretches to resolve the three tales. But with Chin-Kee’s striking embodiment of ethnic confusion and self-betrayal, Gene Luen Yang has created that rare article: a youthful tale with something new to say about American youth.” -by The New York Times

“‘American Born Chinese’ blends Chinese and American cultures in inventive, unexpected ways. Structurally, its interwoven stories form a trilogy — a familiar Western construction — but the tale of the Monkey King is dominated by groups of four: four Major Heavenly Disciplines of kung fu; four emissaries of Tze-Yo-Tzuh, creator of all existence (an invention of Yang’s). Thus four, a cursed number in Chinese numerology, dogs the Monkey King until he comes to terms with his identity. At the end of his story, in the book’s most clever ethnic synthesis, he turns four to his favor, becoming one of four emissaries to the West who replace the wise men in their pilgrimage to see Jesus.” -by The New York Times

## **Comics and Classrooms**

Yang believes that Comics belong in the classroom.

“I really like those comics, Mr. Yang. Better than when you are here in person, even!”

Check this following website for more information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz4JqAJbxj0&feature=youtu.be

## **Nine takeaways about Yang**

* He’s the current National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.

* His comic obsession started with Disney as a kid.

* He started out as a computer engineer.

* He published his own comics under Humble Comics.

* American Born Chinese was the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award.

* He uses comics to teach math and coding.

* He also teaches creative writing.

* He’s the writer of New Super-Man.

* He runs the cutest video podcast in the whole world.

## **Reference**

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene\_Luen\_Yang

2. https://geneyang.com/about-gene

3. https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/american-born-chinese/analysis/writing-style

4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz4JqAJbxj0&feature=youtu.be

5.https://www.litcharts.com/lit/american-born-chinese/themes

6.https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2016/01/04/just-in-gene-luen-yang-named-national-ambassador-for-young-peoples-literature/

7.https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/writer-artist/gene-luen-yang

8.https://www.bustle.com/articles/185568-who-is-gene-luen-yang-9-things-to-know-about-the-genius-grant-winning-graphic-novelist