tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603864431194569422024-03-16T03:08:18.984-04:00secret identities: the asian american superhero blogSecret Identitieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07978640039967060639noreply@blogger.comBlogger120125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-3088253263229443862013-07-16T09:18:00.000-04:002013-07-17T13:07:18.564-04:00SDCC 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://fogsmoviereviews.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/comic-con_logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://fogsmoviereviews.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/comic-con_logo.png" width="260" /></a></div>
<b>UPDATED (<i>panel info has been added as well)</i></b><br />
All week, the city of San Diego has been battening down the hatches in preparation for the flood of fanboys and fangirls inundating the streets tomorrow in time for Comic-Con.<br />
<br />
While the SIUniverse team had hopes to be there this year (we're still listed in the program at booth #1221), schedules and circumstances have prevented us from taking part in this year's festivities (plus side? More room for <a href="http://www.bernardchang.com/" target="_blank">Bernard Chang</a> and his BLVD boys!). Also, this year marks the first time in over a decade that <a href="http://www.epicprops.com/" target="_blank">Epic Proportions</a> will miss the party in San Diego.<br />
<br />
But just because we won't be there doesn't mean the SIUniverse won't be well represented at the biggest con of the year. Check out below to find where in the exhibit hall members of the extended SIUniverse family can be found. And use <a href="http://www.comic-con.org/cci/2013/artists-alley/exhibitors" target="_blank">this link</a> to find a searchable map of the hall.<br />
<span id="goog_604344955"></span><span id="goog_604344956"></span><br />
<ul>
<li>Bernard Chang: #1223</li>
<li>Giant Robot: #1729 & 1731 </li>
<li>Erwin Haya: <span class="userContent">#D06</span> </li>
<li>Martin Hsu: #4531 </li>
<li>Benton Jew: #DD-23</li>
<li>Dustin Nguyen: #FF-04</li>
</ul>
Moreover, several SIUniverse alums can be found on panels throughout the week.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Thursday, July 18 </blockquote>
<ul><ul>
<li>2:00pm - 3:00pm: <a href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/event/1017e17250ba5cebe665de37549d486d?iframe=no&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no#.UeaNvG0ufQM" target="_blank">DC Digital</a>: <b>Dustin Nguyen</b> (<i>Li'l Gotham</i>) joins other DC Comics creators to discuss DC Entertainment's digital comics initiative. [<a href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/venue/Room+6DE?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no">Room 6DE</a>]</li>
<li>7:00pm - 8:00pm: <span class="event ev_1 ev_1_sub_4 ev_1_sub_24">
<a class="name" href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/event/6bae4f37421b4c5651283175334d8b10?iframe=no&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no#" id="6bae4f37421b4c5651283175334d8b10">Horror Comics from the Monsterverse</a></span>: <b>Benton Jew </b>and other Monsterverse comic artists discuss upcoming projects. [<a href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/venue/Room+28DE?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no">Room 28DE</a>]</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Friday, July 19 </blockquote>
<ul><ul>
<li>10:00am - 11:00am: <span class="event ev_1 ev_1_sub_4 ev_1_sub_17"><a class="name" href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/event/f277ac7432999cdfd5d3beaca6c02dd4?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no" id="f277ac7432999cdfd5d3beaca6c02dd4">DC Comics: My Secret Origin, or How I Broke into Comics</a></span><b>: Bernard Chang</b> (<i>Green Lantern Corps</i>) give you an inside look at how some of DC Entertainment's top talent made their
careers crafting the tales of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and
others.[<a href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/venue/Room+6DE?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no">Room 6DE</a>]</li>
<li>12:00pm - 1:00pm: <span class="event ev_1 ev_1_sub_30 ev_1_sub_4"><a class="name" href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/event/942fe99947cb9e163b90130be7ebef87?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no" id="942fe99947cb9e163b90130be7ebef87">CBLDF: Raising a Reader:</a> </span>An all-star panel of kids comics creators (including <i>Flight</i>'s <b>Kazu Kibuishi</b>) and educators discuss ways to
get children excited about reading, encourage creativity, and cultivate a
love of literature using great graphic novels and comics. [<a href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/venue/Room+30CDE?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no">Room 30CDE</a>]</li>
<li>4:15pm - 5:15pm: <span class="event ev_1 ev_1_sub_18 ev_1_sub_4 ev_1_sub_17"><a class="name" href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/event/53f008e21dc80d94b93b9eb584c5b078?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no" id="53f008e21dc80d94b93b9eb584c5b078">DC Comics Superman Unchained: From Concept to Page:</a>
</span>Meet the entire all-star creative team of the highly acclaimed <em>Superman: Unchained</em>, including pencilers <strong>Jim Lee</strong> and <strong>Dustin Nguyen. [</strong><a href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/venue/Room+6DE?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no">Room 6DE</a>]</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Saturday, July 20</blockquote>
<ul><ul>
<li>11:00am - 12:00pm: <span class="event ev_1 ev_1_sub_2 ev_1_sub_3 ev_1_sub_14 ev_1_sub_13 ev_1_sub_9"><a class="name" href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/event/4908331175e1f8bdd7ceafd9ff56fc48?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no" id="4908331175e1f8bdd7ceafd9ff56fc48">Avatar the Last Airbender: Beginning and Beyond:</a>
</span><strong>Gene Luen Yang</strong> and others will be on hand to share their experiences and answer questions about <i>Avatar: The Last Airbender</i>. [<a href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/venue/Room+29A?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no">Room 29A</a>]</li>
<li>12:45pm - 1:45pm: <span class="event ev_1 ev_1_sub_4 ev_1_sub_17"><a class="name" href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/event/c541f95dfb218b933a1f398f5593d940?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no" id="c541f95dfb218b933a1f398f5593d940">DC Comics Green Lantern: Recharged!: </a>
</span><strong>Bernard Chang </strong>and others offer an exclusive look at what's in store during this new and exciting time for the Green Lantern Corps. [<a href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/venue/Room+6DE?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no">Room 6DE</a>]</li>
<li>7:30pm - 8:30pm: <span class="event ev_1 ev_1_sub_19 ev_1_sub_4"><a class="name" href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/event/d3bab413050496def7dd53fcfd0bc51d?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no" id="d3bab413050496def7dd53fcfd0bc51d">Angry Asian Media Makers:</a>
</span><strong>Lela Lee</strong> (creator of <em>Angry Little Asian Girl, Angry Little Girls</em>), <strong>Phil Yu</strong> (blogger, <a href="http://www.angryasianman.com/" target="_blank">Angry Asian Man</a>), and <strong>Wesley Chan</strong> and <strong>Ted Fu</strong>
(Wong Fu productions) discuss the ways that each of them create content
and how they grow an engaged fan following. Join them for this Q&A
session moderated by fan and dedicated follower <strong>Victor Lee</strong>.[<a href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/venue/Room+8?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no">Room 8</a>] </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Sunday, July 21</blockquote>
<ul><ul>
<li>10:00am - 11:00am: <span class="event ev_1 ev_1_sub_4 ev_1_sub_8"><a class="name" href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/event/709751cd337cbfb2643b71dbc87df590?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no" id="709751cd337cbfb2643b71dbc87df590">Kids: Comics in Action!:</a>
</span><strong>Kazu Kibuishi </strong>will compete in an action-packed, high-stakes, no-holds-barred drawing championship for your approval![<a href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/venue/Room+7AB?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no">Room 7AB</a>]</li>
<li>1:30pm - 2:30pm: <span class="event ev_1 ev_1_sub_4 ev_1_sub_22">
<a class="name" href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/event/c90ad9db6cbf753a166ba934c2ae1137?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no" id="c90ad9db6cbf753a166ba934c2ae1137">
Shattering Convention in Comic Book Storytelling</a>: </span>Moderated by Racebending.com, this panel of comic book authors discuss
their experiences writing diverse and innovative work for big
franchises, indie, small press, and web comics. <strong>Gene Yang</strong> (<em>Avatar: The Last Airbender</em>) joins <strong>Brandon Thomas</strong> (<em>Miranda Mercury</em>) and <strong>Gail Simone</strong> (<em>The Movement</em>) to discuss diversity without stereotyping, creating compelling heroes and villains, and reader advocacy.
[<a href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/venue/Room+23ABC?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no">Room 23ABC</a>] </li>
<li><div class="sched-event-details-container">
<div class="sched-event-details">
<div class="tip-description">
<strong></strong> </div>
</div>
</div>
3:30pm - 4:30pm: <span class="event ev_1 ev_1_sub_4 ev_1_sub_22"><a class="name" href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/event/31d9fe88b2ac00f7d0db507ce8f31004?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no" id="31d9fe88b2ac00f7d0db507ce8f31004">First Second: Gene Yang and Paul Pope In Conversation:</a>
</span>First Second authors <strong>Paul Pope</strong> (<em>Battling Boy</em>) and <strong>Gene Luen Yang</strong> (<em>Boxers & Saints</em>)
discuss their creative process, their magical-realist storytelling
techniques, and their exciting upcoming books -- projects that each
author has been working on for the past five years.[<a href="http://comiccon2013.sched.org/venue/Room+26AB?iframe=yes&w=680&sidebar=no&bg=no">Room 26AB</a>] <br /><div class="sched-event-details-container">
<div class="sched-event-details">
<div class="tip-description">
<strong></strong> </div>
</div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
Hope everyone has fun in sunny southern Cali, and we'll see you all at New York Comic-Con this fall! <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvA9aOV9Tna6HquLUjDal_RtNyFRyyUrniEHUGsKrev_vvaS2wWXcy-FQQhWfzjFR8FjAD6CY6r324nwyjs4brky48rIuR5FVv9uwsIxq6n27sij5EH4IfcQs2ClfMszFNXX41VXFMks/s1600/DSC06220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvA9aOV9Tna6HquLUjDal_RtNyFRyyUrniEHUGsKrev_vvaS2wWXcy-FQQhWfzjFR8FjAD6CY6r324nwyjs4brky48rIuR5FVv9uwsIxq6n27sij5EH4IfcQs2ClfMszFNXX41VXFMks/s320/DSC06220.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Crew (with Kelly Hu and Cliff Chiang) at SDCC in 2009.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-54324705904017990972012-11-09T10:50:00.000-05:002012-11-09T10:50:43.717-05:00SIUniverse Blog Parade Day Twelve: Yellow Peril<b><span style="font-size: small;">Walking With Master Hare — Behind the Scenes With Shattered</span> </b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Originally posted at <a href="http://ypcomic.com/2012/11/09/walking-with-master-hare-behind-the-scenes-with-shattered/" target="_blank">Yellow Peril</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">--------------</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>by Jamie Noguch<span style="font-size: small;">i</span></i></span></span><br />
<div class="entry">
<img alt="Master Hare" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3925" height="667" src="http://ypcomic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/masterHare.jpg" title="Master Hare" width="500" /><br />
I inherited my love of comics from my dad. He was a huge Marvel fan
and when my brother and I found his old collection of Iron Man,
Spider-Man, and Thor comics, we were hooked. It never really occurred
to me as I was growing up, but as I was about college age, I noticed
that my favorite comics lacked heroes that looked like me. Though many
of my favorite titles were drawn by Asian artists, there were hardly any
Asian heroes in the pages. I was pretty disappointed, but the
revelation didn’t put me off comics. In fact, I expanded the types of
comics I collected because the super hero genre just wasn’t holding up.<br />
<br />
I figured that this was going to the be the state of things. Then a
few years ago, I heard about an anthology that would feature Asian
American super heroes, <em><a href="http://www.secretidentities.org/Site/Secret_Identities_Homepage.html">Secret Identities: The Asian American Super Hero Anthology</a></em>.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Be Careful What You Wish For</h3>
I ordered a copy of <em>Secret Identities</em> and waited with great
anticipation. Would this be the Asian American equivalent of the
Milestone Universe, a super hero universe featuring Black super heroes
created in the early 90s. Would this anthology encourage the big two to
feature more Asian American heroes? I conjured all sorts of hopeful
maybes.<br />
<br />
It arrived at my doorstep and I tore into the packaging like a mad
wolverine to get to its contents. I couldn’t wait to read about super
heroes that looked like me. But as I turned the pages, I felt my brow
furrow. These weren’t hopeful stories of heroes doing super human deeds.
These were angry stories that sought to punish the White Man for years
of oppression.<br />
<br />
To be fair, not every story came from a place of anger. But the
overall vibe of the collection was so angry and bitter that I hid the
thing in a dark place on my shelf. I couldn’t recommend this to my
non-Asian friends for fear that they’d feel like they were being
attacked. I mean, I’m a pretty angry and bitter person in general, but
even I felt put off by the overall tone.<br />
<br />
These weren’t the heroes I was looking for. These weren’t the stories I had been waiting for.<br />
<br />
<h3>
A Second Glance</h3>
Needless to say, I was a bit hesitant when the Secret Identities crew
contacted me earlier this year to contribute to their second anthology,
<em>Shattered: The Asian American Comics Anthology</em>. I nearly
declined, but I felt that maybe I’d have an opportunity to be part of
the solution, to tell a story that featured Asian characters that wasn’t
bitter or angry. After some soul searching, I agreed.<br />
I was sent a few scripts to consider and already, my fears were put
to rest. These were the kind of stories that I had been looking for. The
one that spoke to me the most was <a href="http://howard-wong.blogspot.com/">Howard Wong’s</a> <em>Master Tortoise and Master Hare</em>. As you might guess, it’s a retelling of the classic Tortoise and Hare fable set in ancient China.<br />
<br />
One of my biggest concerns was creating a unique look for Master
Hare. To me, the definitive long-eared action hero is Stan Sakai’s Usagi
Yojimbo. I was afraid that my love for Stan and Usagi would creep into
my Master Hare. I hid all my Usagi books and my Stan Sakai sketchbooks
and collected screen shots of Kung Fu villains and photos of hares.<br />
<a href="http://ypcomic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/hare_WEB.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3928" height="262" src="http://ypcomic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/hare_WEB-480x262.jpg" title="Master Hare" width="480" /></a><br />
With Master Hare somewhat settled, I went on to design Master
Tortoise. Again, I had to push out childhood favorites out of my mind. I
drew a lot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles when it first hit the
airwaves in the late 80′s. Their head shapes, body contours, hands are
all second nature to my drawing hand. I can TMNT with the best of them.
So I made a concerted effort to lean on my reference photos of actual
tortoises. Even so, you can see the TMNT influence in Master Tortoise’s
limbs.<br />
<a href="http://ypcomic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/tortoise_WEB.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3929" height="190" src="http://ypcomic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/tortoise_WEB-480x190.jpg" title="Master Tortoise" width="480" /></a><br />
I had an absolute blast drawing the story and playing with these
characters. I was pretty pleased with the work and couldn’t wait to see
how it fit into the rest of the anthology.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Shattered, A Triumph</h3>
I was absolutely elated when I read through the preview copy of <em>Shattered</em>
that we creators were sent. This anthology is exactly what I had been
looking for. Rather than spending time trying to shame the White Man
for years of oppression, this collection concentrates on telling good
stories that feature Asian leads. This is a comic I would be proud to
share with absolutely everyone I know.<br />
It’s a much more subtle statement than the first collection. It’s not
trying to shame you for ignoring the plight of Asians in America. It’s
telling good stories that are universal in relate-ability and proving
that you can do so while featuring minority leads. It’s a powerful
statement and one of the reasons I think this is such an important work.<br />
<br />
<em>Shattered</em> is on shelves now. If you’re in the DC area and haven’t yet picked up a copy, you can come on down to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/203770403089570/">Busboys and Poets</a> on Monday from 6:30pm to 8:00pm for a signing. I suggest grabbing food at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/chinatown-express-washington">Chinatown Express</a> before to stuff your face full of dumpling and noodle goodness.<br />
And if you’d like to hear from some of the other contributors, here’s a list of us who have blogged about our experiences:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.adamwarrock.com/?p=2827">Adam WarRock</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.8asians.com/2012/10/30/why-shattered-the-asian-american-comics-anthology-secret-identities-is-important/">8Asians</a></li>
<li><a href="http://angrygirlcomics.tumblr.com/post/34654916825/hi-friends-i-hope-all-my-fellow-nycers-survived">Angry Girl Comics</a></li>
<li><a href="http://reappropriate.co/?p=2582">Reappropriate</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blog.angryasianman.com/2012/11/my-very-own-superhero-in-shattered.html">Angry Asian Man</a></li>
<li><a href="http://albaroza.com/2012/11/01/shattered-the-asian-american-comics-anthology/">A.L. Baroza’s Art Blog</a></li>
<li><a href="http://nerdygal.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/shattered-working-with-larry-hama-on-the-date/">Nerdy Gal</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.baophi.com/2012/11/asian-american-comic-book-anthology-shattered-in-stores-this-week/">Bao Phi</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nataliekim.com/blog/2012/11/a-few-years-ago-httpwwwyoungjeanleeorgi.html">Natalie Kim</a></li>
<li><a href="http://secretidentitiesbook.blogspot.com/2012/11/siuniverse-blog-parade-day-eleven-kai-ma.html">Kai Ma</a></li>
<li><a href="http://secretasianmancomics.blogspot.com/2012/11/shattered-behind-scenes-by-tak-toyoshima.html">Secret Asian Man</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-3082821813643402542012-11-08T14:41:00.000-05:002012-11-09T10:51:52.331-05:00SIUniverse Blog Parade Day Eleven: Kai Ma<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">Tempest, the Child Assassin Featured in <i>Shattered, The Asian American Comics
Anthology</i>, Out Now</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>by Kai Ma</i></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXDNm6uz71X6_Z-YR3-KRZaYbxC6RXhQljOM-geD8EaCj-V0wI3_dZ-4qAN5JuFQZdWEcofvoYWVVZjfV2QYksteRdcKfEKopCOqEdPq5DhoGcX4s76SeGbUpfBuiiHs29P2WOyIKS_c/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXDNm6uz71X6_Z-YR3-KRZaYbxC6RXhQljOM-geD8EaCj-V0wI3_dZ-4qAN5JuFQZdWEcofvoYWVVZjfV2QYksteRdcKfEKopCOqEdPq5DhoGcX4s76SeGbUpfBuiiHs29P2WOyIKS_c/s320/1.jpg" width="223" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Her name
is Tempest—and no, the moniker has nothing to do with Hurricane Sandy. The
name, rather, is a nod to the storm that occurred the night she was kidnapped
from her bedroom as a child. She’s a 13-year-old assassin, trained and raised
by a covert organization that shaped her into a merciless killer. She’s also the
character I created, with <span style="font-size: small;">artist </span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://inkskratch.com/" target="_blank"><b>Eric Kim</b></a>, for<i> </i></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shattered-American-Comics-Anthology-Identities/dp/1595588248" target="_blank"><i>S<span style="font-size: small;">hattered</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"></span></span></a>, <span style="font-size: small;">the Secret Identities </span>comics anthology that dropped No<span style="font-size: small;">vember</span> 6. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What goes
into creating a comics character? This was new for me. My comics background
didn’t go far beyond thumbing through Archie and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ranma ½</i>, devouring Joe Sacco’s </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><i>Safe
Area Goražde</i> and <i>Palestine</i></span></span><span class="st">, </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">or
watching <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My Neighbor Totoro</i></span> as
a teen on acid<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">. But I had to start somewhere. I re-read some Ranma, the beloved gender-swapping
martial arts Japanese manga series, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Love
and Rockets</i>, by alt-comics pioneers </span>Los Bros Hernandez<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, as well
as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shortcomings</i> and the Optic Nerve series
by Adrian Tomine—who illustrated this week’s excellent Sandy and prez election-related
cover art for <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2012/11/cover-story-sandy-and-election.html" target="_blank"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The New Yorker</i></a>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfs9AzUMCMdBjTXxbsVUDp2beCqyig4t__SIx4FcN-x131vCFJqXvZ4z_i2S8w9PzpTuHdER3vYh1kwSnRvQ1exsvtrLVTw2w0vMc3St_loHdVXQpEeaF8-Ma2DwyTjtbm7VKbDoNO5k/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfs9AzUMCMdBjTXxbsVUDp2beCqyig4t__SIx4FcN-x131vCFJqXvZ4z_i2S8w9PzpTuHdER3vYh1kwSnRvQ1exsvtrLVTw2w0vMc3St_loHdVXQpEeaF8-Ma2DwyTjtbm7VKbDoNO5k/s200/2.jpg" width="149" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The story
began to unfold, along with Eric’s artwork. On the eve of her 13th birthday,
Tempest is nearly the perfect assassin: a killer without ties to others,
without even a sense of self. During a crucial battle, she kills her masked
opponent. Once she discovers the face behind the mask, she realizes she has
made a horrifying mistake and vows to never kill again. She escapes—as depicted
in Eric’s early sketches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span> </span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: small;">L</span>ike her namesake, Tempest is capricious,
violent—and deadly.<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"> </span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1UU5dXYeA_iCTmSJ1fHlO7rG2oGMdl-dUZ96KJCpNme76rZFRZ8hBvNpWdK7kVlwrh35jgC6sG-zFkcNiPD0wjLOI9KIK99OO1F4NLVVRJEE6-frw53U0HLOe_Wo-qv-HVES4cfYfg7U/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1UU5dXYeA_iCTmSJ1fHlO7rG2oGMdl-dUZ96KJCpNme76rZFRZ8hBvNpWdK7kVlwrh35jgC6sG-zFkcNiPD0wjLOI9KIK99OO1F4NLVVRJEE6-frw53U0HLOe_Wo-qv-HVES4cfYfg7U/s320/5.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;">Like the assassin<span style="font-size: small;">-for<span style="font-size: small;">-hire in Wong Kar-Wai's <i>Fallen A<span style="font-size: small;">ng<span style="font-size: small;">els </span></span></i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">or the real-life <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/10/15/121015fa_fact_labi" target="_blank">hit man Vincent Smothers</a>, </span></span></span></span></span></span>Tempest,
too, attempts to shed her violent roots. But her upbringing makes that
virtually impossible because the organization that trained her had wiped out
her memories and all ties to the past. </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-rl_SjT0dF2zM2o0LltQg3q67prpKBYwPdfRZRB42ggXJ_9XUnE7LoqiJrRf2By8gaZru_Rl6YvWp6Wh0hq5qIEdl8OC9nf_J-IDIOxZ45rPguOgozZisEPybT0lU5ddnk43IGpy-0U/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-rl_SjT0dF2zM2o0LltQg3q67prpKBYwPdfRZRB42ggXJ_9XUnE7LoqiJrRf2By8gaZru_Rl6YvWp6Wh0hq5qIEdl8OC9nf_J-IDIOxZ45rPguOgozZisEPybT0lU5ddnk43IGpy-0U/s320/7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Pulling
from influences that included Natalie Portman à la <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Professional</i>, manga series </span><span class="st"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Path </span>of the Assassin</i></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, and artwork
by <a href="http://www.kojimorimoto.com/" target="_blank">Koji Morimoto</a>, Eric created this near-final sketch. Tempest is “much like
the future, which is globalized, chaotic, and made up of so many disparate
elements that come together in an individual,” he explained. </span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Eric and I went
back and forth on Tempest’s weapon, mulling over a long list that included
guns, machetes, twin batons, poison darts, crossbows, samurai swords, and ninja
stars. I pored over images of <a href="http://images3.alphacoders.com/175/17525.jpg" target="_blank">Battle Angel Alita</a>, a stunning cyborg that, as my
friend <a href="http://koreanish.com/" target="_blank">Alex Chee</a> explained, eventually absorbed weapons into her body to become
her own signature weapon. We studied weapons used by The Mossad, Israel’s
intelligence agency. Here’s a sketch of Tempest with various polearms (staffs
with blades attached). </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbMIkkT-UB3UAlS9adMjJfM07ZcnPStfLmef5AQ3TwmlGSGlZZ9F1uOqMg262xCRXqkemfTQycJzZoJTS-aBsK8hzw-4dmt9qisQgo_8eUHSOQuuQORO7STAUcjeJn7oIqYwdKSjiXTAk/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbMIkkT-UB3UAlS9adMjJfM07ZcnPStfLmef5AQ3TwmlGSGlZZ9F1uOqMg262xCRXqkemfTQycJzZoJTS-aBsK8hzw-4dmt9qisQgo_8eUHSOQuuQORO7STAUcjeJn7oIqYwdKSjiXTAk/s320/8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To see the
final image of Tempest—and the weapon we chose—check out <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shattered</i>, the follow-up to the seminal
<a href="http://secretidentities.org/Site/Secret_Identities_Homepage.html" target="_blank"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology</i></a>. She’s also featured, along with several pieces by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shattered </i>contributors, at a <a href="http://www.mocanyc.org/exhibitions/current/marvels_and_monsters_and_altcomics" target="_blank">twin<i><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i>exhibit</a> called "Monsters and Marvels" and "Alt.Comics" curated by Jeff Yang, Herb Tam, and Ryan Wong at the <a href="http://www.mocanyc.org/" target="_blank">Museum of Chinese in America</a>.<span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For the
time being, Eric and I are working on a Tempest series. The first story involves
shoplifting, ping pong, graffiti, a botched kidnapping attempt, and a barn own
named Meat. Stay tuned.</span></div>
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<![endif]--><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://twitter.com/kai_ma" target="_blank">Kai Ma</a> is the editor of <a href="http://opencitymag.com/" target="_blank">Open City</a> magazine and
managing editor at the<a href="http://aaww.org/" target="_blank"> Asian American Writers’ Workshop</a>. </span></i></div>
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keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-79170541021990766432012-11-07T16:58:00.000-05:002012-11-09T10:52:15.164-05:00SIUniverse Blog Parade Day Ten: Natalie Kim<div class="asset-name entry-title" id="page-title">
<b>Chinese female pirate story I wrote is OFFICIALLY PUBLISHED!</b></div>
<div class="asset-name entry-title" id="page-title">
Originally published at <a href="http://www.nataliekim.com/blog/2012/11/a-few-years-ago-httpwwwyoungjeanleeorgi.html" target="_blank">NatalieKim.com</a><b> </b></div>
<div class="asset-name entry-title" id="page-title">
<b>--------------------------</b></div>
<div class="asset-name entry-title" id="page-title">
<i>by Natalie Kim</i><b> </b></div>
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Big thanks to Secret Identities (Follow them on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/SIUniverse">@SIUniverse</a>) for letting me write a story for their recently published anthology.</div>
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Click the image below to buy the book:</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shattered-American-Comics-Anthology-Identities/dp/1595588248"><img alt="natalie_kim_secret_identities.jpg" class="mt-image-none" height="500" src="http://www.nataliekim.com/images/natalie_kim_secret_identities.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.nataliekim.com/images/natalie_kim_robin_ha_ching_shih.jpg"><img alt="natalie_kim_robin_ha_ching_shih.jpg" class="mt-image-none" height="473" src="http://www.nataliekim.com/assets_c/2012/11/natalie_kim_robin_ha_ching_shih-thumb-550x473-351.jpg" width="550" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://robin.megaten.net/"><span style="font-size: 0.8em;">Drawn by Robin Ha</span></a></div>
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A few years ago, I was in a play called Songs of The Dragons Flying To Heaven (by the most amazing playwright, <a href="http://www.youngjeanlee.org/">Young Jean Lee</a>) and while on tour (Portland, Oregon & Rotterdam), I came across this story by <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/worklife/08/27/woman.pirate/index.html"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Maggie Koerth of CNN</span>.</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.nataliekim.com/blog/2012/11/@maggiekb1">(@MaggieKoerth</a> (She was also kind enough to give us a shout out in <a href="http://boingboing.net/">BoingBoing</a>, <a href="http://boingboing.net/2012/06/14/short-comic-about-the-life-of.html">here</a>.)</div>
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A prostitute from Canton from the 19th century married a pirate. Later
on, after her husband died, she took her husband's position as head
pirate and lead her fleet to rule the oceans of Asia. The British could
not defeat her and they finally offered her amnesty if she stopped her
pirating ways. She lived till the ripe old age of 69 and died a wealthy
lady who owned a gambling hall.</div>
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This short report resonated with me so strongly and it spoke to my soul.</div>
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I quickly forwarded it to Young Jean and she agreed that it was an amazing story.</div>
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I folded the paper I had printed it out and put it on a my messy bookshelf and forgot about it.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.5625em;">Fast Forward to 2010</span></div>
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I met cartoonist <a href="http://robin-ha.blogspot.com/">Robin Ha</a> while I was doing a reading of <a href="http://www.deanhaspiel.com/">Dean Haspiel</a>'s comic at at a Brooklyn arts festival. We said mumbled hello to each other but that was about it. </div>
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A few
months later, I found myself sitting at Robin's desk at her studio
while she wasn't there. The kind guys and gals of then cartoonist
studio Deep 6 let me do whatever it is I do (a combination of writing,
drawing and fretting over minutiae). </div>
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I saw Robin's artwork at her desk and was blown away.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a> </div>
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<img alt="rain.jpg" class="mt-image-none" height="500" src="http://www.nataliekim.com/images/rain.jpg" width="339" /></div>
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<a href="http://robin.megaten.net/"><span style="font-size: 0.8em;">Drawn by Robin Ha</span></a></div>
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<img alt="whores.jpg" class="mt-image-none" height="403" src="http://www.nataliekim.com/images/whores.jpg" width="600" /></div>
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<a href="http://robin.megaten.net/"><span style="font-size: 0.8em;">Drawn by Robin Ha</span></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<img alt="narcisa.jpg" class="mt-image-none" height="419" src="http://www.nataliekim.com/images/narcisa.jpg" width="600" /></div>
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<a href="http://robin.megaten.net/"><span style="font-size: 0.8em;">Drawn by Robin Ha</span></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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She
draws like an old dude from Disney. She is very young but she is a
master. She is also passionate about comics I would hear her rattle off
all types of comix excitedly with the other master comix creators at
the studio.</div>
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<br /></div>
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As a thank you to Robin for letting me sit at her desk, I gave her a book of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fearless-Girls-Women-Beloved-Sisters/dp/0393320464"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">empowering women fables collected from around the world</span></a>. I also gave her the story of Ching Shih. She too was blown away by it.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Later on I submitted the story to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Yang">Jeff Yang's </a>second edition of <a href="http://www.secretidentities.org/Site/Secret_Identities_Homepage.html">Secret Identities</a> comic book. Secret Identities is a compilation comics by Asian American writers and artists. </div>
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<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Jeff
Yang is one of the most talented and genius people I've ever met. He
speaks and writes with eloquence and I was totally jazzed about being
part of the project. (As an aside: He was one of the reasons I became
an actress and continues to have a profound affect on my life and the
all other Asian Americans.)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.5625em;">Writing Process and working with Robin</span> </div>
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I find that when I'm passionate about a project, the story writes itself and I just get the hell out of it's way.</div>
<br />
The
first vision that came to mind was the moon reflected in the sea and a
chopped head fell into the water shattering the placid moment.<br />
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<br /></div>
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Next Robin quickly drew character sketches:</div>
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<img alt="natalie_kim_ching3.jpg" class="mt-image-none" height="400" src="http://www.nataliekim.com/images/natalie_kim_ching3.jpg" width="291" /></div>
<br />
<br />
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<img alt="natalie_kim_ching2.jpg" class="mt-image-none" height="400" src="http://www.nataliekim.com/images/natalie_kim_ching2.jpg" width="309" /></div>
When Robin and I got together and she showed me the men, I immediately recognized who she modeled them after:<br />
<br />
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<img alt="tony_leung_natalie_kim.jpg" class="mt-image-none" height="304" src="http://www.nataliekim.com/images/tony_leung_natalie_kim.jpg" width="500" /><br />
Tony Leung</div>
<br />
<br />
<div align="center">
<img alt="takeshi_nataile_kim.jpg" class="mt-image-none" height="300" src="http://www.nataliekim.com/images/takeshi_nataile_kim.jpg" width="400" /><br />
Takeshi Kaneshriro<br />
<br />
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We giggled like schoolgirls with crushes and then discussed the pages.<br />
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I wrote the story very quickly and shared it with Robin. Luckily she liked it. </div>
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<br /></div>
We
went back and forth with Jeff on the story and hashed it out. When the
story was finally approved, Robin penciled the 6 pages in less than a
week. Then she inked them and it was done before I knew it. </div>
</div>
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<a href="http://www.nataliekim.com/images/ching_shih_natalie_kim_robin_ha_artist.jpg"><img alt="ching_shih_natalie_kim_robin_ha_artist.jpg" class="mt-image-none" height="687" src="http://www.nataliekim.com/assets_c/2012/05/ching_shih_natalie_kim_robin_ha_artist-thumb-550x687-241.jpg" width="550" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font-size: 1.5625em;">The Significance of Ching Shih For (Asian) Women</span></div>
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Why
is the story significant of Ching Shih? Because as I said in an
earlier blog post, stories like this are non-existent for Asian women.
Usually stories about Asian women talk about major sacrifice and
suffering and never ends well for the woman.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<img alt="opus_campbell.jpg" class="mt-image-none" height="300" src="http://www.nataliekim.com/images/opus_campbell.jpg" width="300" /></div>
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You may not think much of this but if you follow <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Campbell">Joseph Campbel</a>l
who believes in the hero's journey and myth, that stories are created
to be powerful guides for people, then you can see why this story is
significant. People need stories to live out their lives and express
themselves. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
In
ancient times stories were models by which people could overcome great
adversity and conquer external and internal demons and dragons.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 1.25em;">"Myths are the stories of our search through the ages for truth, for meaning, for significance..." Bill Moyers</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 1.25em;">"The very experience of being alive." Joseph Campbell.</span></i></div>
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People used these stories go beyond what hardships life had presented them.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 1.5625em;">Storyteling Now</span></div>
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Sitting around the fire sharing stories is replaced by Hulu, iPhones and sometimes (though rarely) movie theaters. </div>
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We
have corporate story tellers telling our kids stories. These are
modern story tellers sit around a table in an office, wearing suits and
driving porches. They are making merchandising deals with McDonald's.
Their goal is to make money. This is not a bad thing in and of it self
but something to be aware of. I'd rather be a aware of the stories I
allow in my consciousness and the stories I create to be beneficial and
empowering. </div>
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This is the very reason why in my comedy web series, <a href="http://www.supertwins.tv/">SuperTwins</a>,
the male Asian-American character, Kai was a masculine jock, was good
with the ladies and had faults but ultimately was a good person. </div>
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Most
stories presented to girls are not very good ones. There are no stories
of matriarchal societies, Athena or the Amazon Warrior Women are
replaced by Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Cinderella. The results can
be silently devastating. </div>
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The
above mentioned fairy tales are banned in our house. I decided that the
stories I want to present to my four year old daughter are the ones
that will lift her up. The stories and archetypes that remind her that
she can do whatever she sets her mind to, not what society dictates her
to. She can be a leader, she can be fierce, she can be independent. </div>
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I suppose I do this also to remind myself as well.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 1.25em;"><b>Has a story and/or character ever influenced your life? <br /><br />If so, drop me a line. I'd love to hear what you have to say</b>.</span><br />
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Big thanks to Secret Identities (Follow them on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/SIUniverse">@SIUniverse</a>) for letting me write a story for their recently published anthology.</div>
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Click the image below to buy the book:</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shattered-American-Comics-Anthology-Identities/dp/1595588248"><img alt="natalie_kim_secret_identities.jpg" class="mt-image-none" height="500" src="http://www.nataliekim.com/images/natalie_kim_secret_identities.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Please read the back stories from other Shattered contributors:</div>
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<a href="http://www.adamwarrock.com/?p=2827" target="_blank">Adam Warrock</a><br />
<a href="http://www.8asians.com/2012/10/30/why-shattered-the-asian-american-comics-anthology-secret-identities-is-important/" target="_blank">8Asians</a> <br />
<a href="http://angrygirlcomics.tumblr.com/post/34654916825/hi-friends-i-hope-all-my-fellow-nycers-survived" target="_blank">Wendy M. Xu (Angry Girl Comics)</a><br />
<a href="http://albaroza.com/2012/11/01/shattered-the-asian-american-comics-anthology/" target="_blank">A.L. Baroza</a><br />
<a href="http://reappropriate.co/?p=2582" target="_blank">Jenn Fang (Reappropriate) and Ace Continuado</a><br />
<a href="http://blog.angryasianman.com/2012/11/my-very-own-superhero-in-shattered.html" target="_blank">Phil Yu (Angry Asian Man) and Jerry Ma (Epic Proportions)</a><br />
<a href="http://secretidentitiesbook.blogspot.com/2012/11/blog-parade-day-eight-bao-phi.html" target="_blank">Bao Phi and G.B. Tran</a><br />
<a href="http://secretidentitiesbook.blogspot.com/2012/11/siuniverse-blog-parade-day-seven-nerdy.html" target="_blank">Amy Chu and Larry Hama</a><br />
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keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-342532194364518722012-11-06T17:03:00.000-05:002012-11-09T10:52:28.712-05:00SIUniverse Blog Parade Day Nine: Secret Asian Man<div class="post-title entry-title">
<b>Shattered: Behind the Scenes</b></div>
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Originally posted at <a href="http://secretasianmancomics.blogspot.com/2012/11/shattered-behind-scenes-by-tak-toyoshima.html" target="_blank">Secret Asian Man</a><b><a href="http://secretasianmancomics.blogspot.com/2012/11/shattered-behind-scenes-by-tak-toyoshima.html" target="_blank"> </a></b></div>
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<i>by Tak Toyoshima</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1Ween1Wo5xm3FuAEBT3X4pGGuOzJnAHgKaHcurwGM7nEA-BVhuhyphenhyphenaHiD3NlgVmzZL2HSDtwd5Lifm7EoB9ljEICy1Ymor5mJDvJfoVLuoc5NACLJ1q0Uq-m6UKEohHI18HaUOofpPo5l/s1600/Occupy_500px.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1Ween1Wo5xm3FuAEBT3X4pGGuOzJnAHgKaHcurwGM7nEA-BVhuhyphenhyphenaHiD3NlgVmzZL2HSDtwd5Lifm7EoB9ljEICy1Ymor5mJDvJfoVLuoc5NACLJ1q0Uq-m6UKEohHI18HaUOofpPo5l/s320/Occupy_500px.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
When I was contacted by the <a href="http://www.secretidentities.org/Site/Secret_Identities_Homepage.html" target="_blank">Secret Identities</a> crew to contribute a story to their second graphic anthology, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/siu.niverse.5" target="_blank">Shattered</a>,
I jumped at the chance. Then when they sent out a call to help with
some inking chores I again jumped at the chance and got to ink a 10 page
Shaolin monk vs. zombies story called <i>Qi Lai!</i>, pencilled by <a href="http://www.dheerajverma.com/" target="_blank">Dheeraj Verma</a> and written by <a href="http://zombiecombatclub.com/" target="_blank">Roger Ma (Zombie Combat Manual)</a>.
Then when the SI guys reached out to see if someone could help with the
tail end production of the book to assist prepping files, paginating,
tracking edits and sending it off to <a href="http://thenewpress.com/index.php?option=com_title&task=view_title&metaproductid=1866" target="_blank">The New Press</a> for final proofing I was all in. <br />
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Now, I don't write this to make you think, "Boy, those guys sure needed a
lot of help! What a bunch of lazy drunks!" No, I wrote it to point out
what a massive and coordinated undertaking it was to put this book
together. To make a point that ALL the people who took part in this book
did so on top of their already busy schedules and found the time to
contribute because they understood the importance of this project and
have a passion for not only sequential art but of the overall mission of
Secret Identities. All this despite the fact that they actually are a
bunch of drunks. Just not lazy ones.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
My story, <i>Occupy the Ethnic Food Aisle</i>, is the touching story of a
jar of Ah-So Chinese barbeque sauce struggling with its segregation
from the rest of the "normal" food in the supermarket. As it questions
why it can't be shelved next to other sauces and condiments like ketchup
and mustard, it is challenged by the manipulative and opportunistic
Nissin Cup-o-Noodles who holds a secret to Ah-So's past that ... well,
you'll just have to <a href="http://thenewpress.com/index.php?option=com_title&task=view_title&metaproductid=1866" target="_blank">pick up a copy of <i>Shattered</i></a> to find out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHfNPaKTtCBVWbSFf5iAKryJ4Mc-M6ZLjo4xVM1zUvnyuTEmZMMS6HGBqKvOeAxogO-eava8FGzx9HEu58dZkbjWcwczMsBmELuDd_ZtA1FWAQr_B2E82tltce0EWo3EUugt1-gVa_IVSs/s1600/OccupyEthnicPg1Sample.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHfNPaKTtCBVWbSFf5iAKryJ4Mc-M6ZLjo4xVM1zUvnyuTEmZMMS6HGBqKvOeAxogO-eava8FGzx9HEu58dZkbjWcwczMsBmELuDd_ZtA1FWAQr_B2E82tltce0EWo3EUugt1-gVa_IVSs/s320/OccupyEthnicPg1Sample.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Please read the back stories from other Shattered contributors:<br />
<a href="http://www.adamwarrock.com/?p=2827" target="_blank">Adam Warrock</a><br />
<a href="http://www.8asians.com/2012/10/30/why-shattered-the-asian-american-comics-anthology-secret-identities-is-important/" target="_blank">8Asians</a> <br />
<a href="http://angrygirlcomics.tumblr.com/post/34654916825/hi-friends-i-hope-all-my-fellow-nycers-survived" target="_blank">Wendy M. Xu (Angry Girl Comics)</a><br />
<a href="http://albaroza.com/2012/11/01/shattered-the-asian-american-comics-anthology/" target="_blank">A.L. Baroza</a><br />
<a href="http://reappropriate.co/?p=2582" target="_blank">Jenn Fang (Reappropriate) and Ace Continuado</a><br />
<a href="http://blog.angryasianman.com/2012/11/my-very-own-superhero-in-shattered.html" target="_blank">Phil Yu (Angry Asian Man) and Jerry Ma (Epic Proportions)</a><br />
<a href="http://secretidentitiesbook.blogspot.com/2012/11/blog-parade-day-eight-bao-phi.html" target="_blank">Bao Phi and G.B. Tran</a><br />
<a href="http://secretidentitiesbook.blogspot.com/2012/11/siuniverse-blog-parade-day-seven-nerdy.html" target="_blank">Amy Chu and Larry Hama</a><br />
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keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-82509202531252677012012-11-05T22:54:00.000-05:002012-11-09T11:02:56.155-05:00SIUniverse Blog Parade Day Eight: Bao Phi<b>Asian American comic book anthology “Shattered”, in stores this week!</b><br />
Originally posted at <a href="http://www.baophi.com/2012/11/asian-american-comic-book-anthology-shattered-in-stores-this-week/" target="_blank">baophi.com</a><br />
<b>-----------------------------</b><br />
<i>by Bao Phi and G.B. Tran</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.baophi.com/2012/11/asian-american-comic-book-anthology-shattered-in-stores-this-week/gbtran1_sketches-2/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="GBTran1_sketches"><img alt="GBTran1_sketches" class="attachment-thumbnail" height="150" src="http://baophi.com/wp02/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/GBTran1_sketches1-150x150.jpg" title="GBTran1_sketches" width="150" /></a><b>The Asian American comic book anthology “Shattered” is in
stores this week, and widely available for order. Added to my bucket
list: a character concept of mine is included in it, illustrated by
acclaimed graphic novelist G.B. Tran, author of <i>Vietnamerica.</i></b><br />
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</b>
<b>A bunch of us are doing special posts about
Shattered. Here are some notes regarding the genesis of this project,
from me and G.B., as well as an exclusive look at some sketches and
early process that G.B. was gracious enough to send to me.</b><br />
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I was asked by my friend Walidah Imarisha, a fellow geek writer of
color, to submit work to a radical sci fi anthology she was putting
together. The opportunity lit a fire under me, to write out a concept I
had stewing in my brain for quite a while: an apocalyptic tale where
Asia and the Middle East are blamed for a mysterious zombie outbreak
that devastates middle America, causing the East and West coasts, and
Canada and Mexico, to wall off Middle America.<br />
<br />
Though no one knows or claims credit for the outrbreak, Asian
Americans and Arab Americans are put into hard labor camps in the middle
of the country, to both incarcerate them on suspicion of being
traitors, and also to draw the zombie hordes away from the surviving
populations on the coasts. <br />
I had been meaning to explore these themes for some time. As a
lifelong fan of sci fi, cyberpunk, and fictions involving
utopia/dystopia, I often encountered work written by Western writers
that envisioned China or Japan as a dominant global superpower, or the
ones responsible for causing some type of apocalypse. However, race was
often unexplored in those fictions, and while there was no shortage of
Asian cultural appropriations, there was always a lack of actual Asian
and Asian American characters.<br />
<br />
If history has taught us anything, it’s this: if Asia becomes a
superpower, or causes some catastrophe, the ones who will suffer the
most from it especially in America, is Asian Americans. We would
receive none of the benefits, and all of the blame.<br />
<br />
The good news: Walidah accepted my submission. The bad: the
publisher fell through. The good news: fine fellows Keith Chow and
Jerry Ma contacted me and asked me to submit a character concept for
their new Asian American comic book superhero anthology, Shattered.
Even better: they paired me up with G.B. Tran, the artist and author of a
book I deeply love and respect, Vietnamerica. Imagine you’re me: a
spoken word poet raised in the hood who grew up addicted to Chris
Claremont’s run of X-men, grew up wanting to see more substantial Asian
American characters in comics, then I get to be included in an anthology
– *and* my concept is illustrated by G.B. Tran? It’s a dream come
true.<br />
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Here are some concept sketches and thoughts from the man himself: G.B.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<i>From G.B. Tran</i><br />
When pal Jerry Ma, art director of SHATTERED, asked me to contribute to
their next volume, my wife and I had just welcomed into the world our
first child. Consequently, my immediate answer was, “Hell no, I’ve got
diapers to change!” But ever persistent, Jerry kept asking and told me
more and more about the writer he wanted to pair me with and his
concept.<br />
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Whether it was because of immense lack of sleep, learning more about
Bao’s great work, or more that his idea was a fun twist on your typical
post-apocalyptic zombie survival story, I quickly realized this was
something I wanted to be part of. Besides, when else would I get a
chance to draw a zombie getting its head blown off by pho-lovin’ freedom
fighters?<br />
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(click on a thumbnail to view the larger image)<br />
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<br />keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-61122341491288555452012-11-04T09:21:00.003-05:002012-11-09T10:55:36.818-05:00SIUniverse Blog Parade Day Seven: Nerdy Gal<div class="title">
<b>SHATTERED: Working with Larry Hama on ‘The Date’</b></div>
Originally posted at <a href="http://nerdygal.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/shattered-working-with-larry-hama-on-the-date/">NerdyGal.com</a><br />
-------------------<br />
<i>by Amy Chu</i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://nerdygal.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/20121103-221320.jpg"><img alt="20121103-221320.jpg" class="alignnone size-full" src="http://nerdygal.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/20121103-221320.jpg?w=490" /></a><br />
I’ve been asked how a newcomer such as myself ended up collaborating
with the legendary creator Larry Hama, a respected veteran of the
industry for the new Asian American comics anthology SHATTERED. Here’s
the actual story:<br />
<br />
It was exactly two years ago from today, funnily enough. My very
first encounter with the writer/artist and former DC and Marvel editor
wasn’t at a convention or store signing. It was at a very crowded
cocktail fundraiser at a Manhattan art gallery for the Asian American
Arts Alliance, a nonprofit community organization. I happened to be
invited at the last minute by Ken Chen, the Executive Director of the
Asian American Writers Workshop and a lifelong comics nut ( I believe he
did his masters thesis on Chris Ware). Larry was good naturedly
circulating anonymously in the crowd until Ken spotted him and
introduced us. It came out in the conversation that in the ’70s young
Larry had been part of the Basement Workshop, an arts activist and
social justice group which spawned many of the New York City Asian
American arts nonprofit organizations you see today. As someone who
worked in the Asian American non profit sector for years, I was tickled
to death to find we had several friends in common because of this.<br />
<br />
Larry, who is known for his work on GI Joe, Bucky O’Hare, Elektra,
Wolverine, is a pioneer for fighting racial and gender stereotyping in
comics characters. He has a long history of creating unapologetically
strong female characters like G.I. Joe’s Scarlett and pushing characters
like the ninja Storm Shadow beyond the typical villainous Asian
caricatures of the time. A genial and charismatic guy, he had a
neverending stockpile of amazing and entertaining stories of those days.
We had a terrific conversation.<br />
<br />
Fast forward several months. My original pitch in collaboration with
the very talented Toronto based artist Craig Yeung had been accepted by
the folks at SHATTERED but I was told there was another story with some
similar themes. Could I change the setting somehow? I didn’t really
have any good ideas.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
In the meantime the New York University Asian Pacific American
Institute selected Larry as their Artist-in-Residence and in January of
this year I was invited along with others like Greg Pak (Hulk, Vision
Machine), long time letterer letterer Janice Chiang (Archie, Smurfs) and
SHATTERED Editor in Chief and Wall Street Journal columnist Jeff Yang
to participate in a blog session about the Asian American experience.
Over dinner several ideas and personal anecdotes were thrown around. <br />
Larry started talking about something that sparked an idea in my
mind. His parents had been incarcerated in the infamous Japanese
American internment camps in California during World War II. I knew
SHATTERED would be distributed to schools and public libraries and that
this subject should be in the Anthology somehow. It was perfect. I
quickly rewrote the story and emailed Larry to thank him for the
inspiration. His response was pretty short and immediate: Who’s drawing
it? My heart stopped a little reading that. I’m not sure of the last
time anyone has seen Larry pencil a story. I immediately sent him the
script and held my breath. His next email said he thought he might me
able to do it in collaboration with Craig. Craig has inked quite a bit
including Runaways for Marvel. And with Janice Chiang on board to do
the lettering, it worked out perfectly. Craig ended up doing the
pencils for my original story which became the title story for my own
first short story anthology Girls Night Out through Alpha Girl Comics.
And Larry was the easiest guy ever to work with – even offering to redo
any panels if I wanted.<br />
<br />
SHATTERED: The Asian American Comics Anthology published by The New
Press is available Nov. 6 through Amazon, bookstores and comic stores
and also features the work of longtime creators like Cliff Chiang, Sean
Chen, and Bernard Chang.<br />
<br />
Other articles by fellow Shattered contributors<br />
<a href="http://www.adamwarrock.com/?p=2827" target="_blank">Adam WarRock</a><br />
<a href="http://www.8asians.com/2012/10/30/why-shattered-the-asian-american-comics-anthology-secret-identities-is-important/" target="_blank">8Asians</a><br />
<a href="http://angrygirlcomics.tumblr.com/post/34654916825/hi-friends-i-hope-all-my-fellow-nycers-survived" target="_blank">Angry Girl Comics</a><br />
<a href="http://reappropriate.co/?p=2582" target="_blank">Reappropriate</a> <br />
<a href="http://blog.angryasianman.com/2012/11/my-very-own-superhero-in-shattered.html" target="_blank">Angry Asian Man</a><br />
<br />keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-20034291229394157232012-11-03T18:19:00.000-04:002012-11-03T18:22:31.329-04:00SIUniverse Blog Parade Day Six: A. L. BarozaOriginally posted at <a href="http://albaroza.com/2012/11/01/shattered-the-asian-american-comics-anthology/" target="_blank">ALBaroza.com</a><br />
-------------------<br />
<i>by A.L. Baroza</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="entry-content">
Volume Two in the <i>Secret Identities</i> comics anthology series <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shattered-American-Comics-Anthology-Identities/dp/1595588248/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351830497&sr=8-1&keywords=secret+identities+shattered">has finally dropped and is now available</a>.
I contribute a few pages, illustrating writer Jamie Ford’s EC Comics
pastiches. Here’s one of my mock covers that appear in the book, done
in classic <i>Tales From The Crypt</i> style, or as close to it as I can get, at least.<br />
<a href="http://albaroza.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/CLEAN1-FINAL-6-7-12-copy.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-291" height="640" src="http://albaroza.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/CLEAN1-FINAL-6-7-12-copy.jpg" title="CLEAN1 FINAL 6-7-12 copy" width="518" /></a><br />
I get a kick out of the idea of “Chuckie Chan”. Created with Sketchbook Pro and Photoshop.</div>
keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-13040303899582267652012-11-02T12:27:00.004-04:002012-11-09T10:54:09.093-05:00SIUniverse Blog Parade Day Five: Angry Asian Man<b>my very own superhero in shattered: the asian american comics anthology</b><br />
Originally published at <a href="http://blog.angryasianman.com/2012/11/my-very-own-superhero-in-shattered.htmlhttp://blog.angryasianman.com/2012/11/my-very-own-superhero-in-shattered.html">Angry Asian Man</a><br />
-------------------<br />
<i>by Phil Yu</i><br />
<br />
My fellow comic book geeks! Next week marks the official launch of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1595588248/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1595588248&linkCode=as2&tag=angryasianman-20">Shattered</a>, follow-up to the groundbreaking Asian American comics anthology <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/159558398X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=159558398X&linkCode=as2&tag=angryasianman-20">Secret Identities</a>, from editors Jeff Yang, Parry Shen, Keith Chow and Jerry Ma. <br />
<br />
While the first collection focused on the conventions of traditional superhero comics, this new volume explores some darker and edgier genres to subvert and shatter Asian stereotypes. <br />
<br />
The book features an impressive lineup of contributors, including leading comics creators Bernard Chang, Sean Chen, Cliff Chiang, Larry Hama, Sonny Liew, Takeshi Miyazawa, Christine Norrie, Greg Pak, G.B. Tran, Gene Yang and more, as well as folks from the film and literary world like Tanuj Chopra, Michael Kang, Jamie Ford, Gary Jackson and Bao Phi.<br />
<br />
I managed to slip something in the book too.<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=760386443119456942" name="more"></a><img border="0" height="600" src="http://www.angryasianman.com/images/angry/shattered_aam01.jpg" vspace="6" width="450" /></span></span></i></span></b><span style="color: black;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></i></span></span></span></span>I had the great privilege of contributing a short piece for Shattered's character gallery, with the visuals supplied by the artist/editor Jerry Ma. My character: Angry Asian Man, of course. I actually have to thank Jerry, who had been bugging me since the first anthology to contribute a character.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
So I relented and went with the obvious, drawing a few traits from my own life and throwing a wink at what I do here. The trick was to create a compelling superhero out of a dude who basically sits in front of a computer all day. Yup, that's me. Here's the finished version of Jerry's awesome art: <span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span><i><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
<img border="0" height="600" src="http://www.angryasianman.com/images/angry/shattered_aam02.jpg" vspace="6" width="450" /><br /><br />
</span></span></i></span></b></span></span></span>You'll have to pick up the book to read the full text explaining this character, as well as all the other great Asian American comic stories in the anthology.<br />
<br />
Some of my fellow Shattered contributors have also blogged this week about working on the book (yes, this is coordinated). Check out their posts:<br />
<br />
Adam WarRock: <span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
<a href="http://www.adamwarrock.com/?p=2827">http://www.adamwarrock.com/?p=2827</a><br />
<br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span>8Asians: <span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
<a href="http://www.8asians.com/2012/10/30/why-shattered-the-asian-american-comics-anthology-secret-identities-is-important/">Why Shattered: The Asian American Comics Anthology (Secret Identities) is Important</a><br />
<br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span>Angry Girl Comics: <span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
<a href="http://angrygirlcomics.tumblr.com/post/34654916825/hi-friends-i-hope-all-my-fellow-nycers-survived">http://angrygirlcomics.tumblr.com/post/34654916825/hi-friends-i-hope-all-my-fellow-nycers-survived</a><br />
<br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span>Reappropriate<span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small;">: <br />
<a href="http://reappropriate.co/?p=2582">Secret Identities, Shattered: My Relationship with Comic Books, and the Genesis of PUSH</a>.<br />
<br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span>Order your copy of Shattered: The Asian American Comics Anthology from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1595588248/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1595588248&linkCode=as2&tag=angryasianman-20">Amazon</a>. For further information and updates about Shattered, go to the Secret Identities website <a href="http://www.secretidentities.org/Site/Secret_Identities_Homepage.html">here</a> and the Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SIUniverse?fref=ts">here</a>.<span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><i> </i></span><b><span style="color: black;"><i><br /></i></span></b></span></span></span>keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-62404587748130420602012-11-01T10:10:00.000-04:002012-11-09T10:56:50.583-05:00SIUniverse Blog Parade Day Four: Reappropriate<b>Secret Identities, Shattered: My Relationship with Comic Books, and the Genesis of PUSH</b><br />
<br />
Originally published at <a href="http://reappropriate.co/?p=2582">Reappropriate.co</a><br />
---------------------------<br />
<i>by Jenn Fang</i><br />
<br />
<div class="entry">
For me, comic books aren’t mere entertainment.<br />
<br />
As a kid (and still today), I was fascinated by superheroes and their
stories. I was a fan of Superman, Batman, and the X-men. Although some
of it was basic glee at following the tales of men and women fighting
crime in brightly-coloured tights, I think part of my fascination with
comic books was my identification with the superheroes in their pages.
To me, that is the strength of the comic book medium: they aren’t just
childish fantasy. Comic books tell stories of characters that serve as
archetypes of human emotion and experience, and when comic books are
considered in that context, one can find them capable of highly nuanced,
fascinating, and overwhelmingly mature commentary on humanity and human
nature.<br />
<br />
Thus, I think the best comic book characters are those that speak to
universal experiences. Superman isn’t just a Man of Steel; he is an
immigrant whom I find most compelling as Clark Kent, an adopted alien
trying to fit in among men. Batman isn’t merely a man dressed in a giant
Bat-suit; his story speaks to the fragility of life, the relationship
between grief and madness, and how the human mind can (or cannot) walk
the tightrope between sanity and sociopathy. The X-men are, and were
conceived as, a commentary on the civil rights movement. While most
comic book characters maintain their popularity because of some
ill-defined “cool factor” that render them little more than “good guys
in tights”, the most enduring characters are those who have transcended
to become a symbol that speaks to particular facets of the human
experience.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://reappropriate.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/aquaman-posters_288x216.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-2583" height="216" src="http://reappropriate.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/aquaman-posters_288x216.jpg" title="aquaman-posters_288x216" width="288" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">… although I struggle to explain Aquaman. Who’s neither cool, nor archetypal. He’s a fish-man in green tights.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2583" style="width: 298px;">
<div class="wp-caption-text">
</div>
</div>
The one weakness of comic books is that, for so long, they have been
written by White men for predominantly White male readers, and thus
there is a lack a diversity in characters that speak to the experiences
of non-White, non-male readers. Many female characters suffer from what
feminist writer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Mulvey" target="_blank">Laura Mulvey</a>
coined as “to-be-looked-at-ness”; that is, they are primarily written
in a voyeuristic, rather than a narrative or humanized, light. Female
characters are rarely written in a manner that encourages the reader to
identify with them, or to perceive the story through their eyes; instead
female superheroes (particularly those in the Golden and Silver Age of
comics) are typically mere props to satisfy the male gaze — and often
stereotypical ones, at that.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
A similar problem (though without a catchy air-quote term) occurs
with characters of colour: when Black, Latino, Native or Asian American
characters are included at all, they are typically written from a
superficial, foreign, almost tokenized place that rarely feels authentic
to the actual experiences of the community they purport to represent.
That is why, I think, that the few characters that do manage to, even
marginally, “get it right” become noticeably popular in communities of
colour: for example, Jubilee who was among the first purely Asian-<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>American</b></span> female character
to be incorporated as a head-lining superhero; or John Stewart, the
“Black Green Lantern” whose recent repopularization (credited in large
part to the efforts by Dwayne McDuffy on the <i>Justice League Unlimited</i> cartoon
show) as a multi-faceted African American superhero transcends his
earlier roots as a stand-in for 1970′s urban America. We — comic book
readers of colour — identify with these characters because they both
symbolize (and thereby acknowledge), as well as contribute to, the
collective discussion of our unique experiences as minorities in
America. And even in these cases, these characters often still feel
strangely inauthentic because they are typically (at least in the case
of characters like Jubilee) still written from the perspective of White
writers with limited experience.<br />
Several years ago, I had a chance to think more carefully on this
subject when I wrote about DC’s decision to have Korean American
character Ryan Choi, assume the mantle of The Atom. At the time, this
was a remarkable move because this was the first time in recent memory
that a bonafide Asian American character was assuming such a
high-profile (<i>Justice League</i> affiliated) superhero identity, and receiving his own dedicated title, to boot.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://reappropriate.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/250px-AllNewAtom.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-2584" height="269" src="http://reappropriate.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/250px-AllNewAtom.jpg" title="250px-AllNewAtom" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In
truth, Ryan Choi should have been a compelling character for Asian
American readers. Choi was a young, 1.5-generation Korean American
scientist with a unique take on the classic Atom powers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2584" style="width: 260px;">
<div class="wp-caption-text">
</div>
</div>
I reviewed the first issue of ”<i>All-New Atom</i>” which
introduced Ryan Choi and a cast of secondary characters, but noted that
the book (which was written by the prolific Gail Simone) suffered from
the same cultural inauthenticity that plagued other Asian American
superhero characters. There was something off about Ryan Choi — the way
he spoke about his Asian-ness in tokenism rather than from a place of
membership, the way his speech was too conspicuously peppered with Asian
cultural references that fail to represent how most Asian Americans
actually relate with our racial and cultural identity — that resulted in
Choi falling far short of the iconic mark he could have set for Asian
American fanboys and fangirls. I remember, in particular, one joke that
Ryan Choi made about fortune cookies in his inaugural issue that almost
screamed “I look Asian American, yet I speaks words that were not
written by an Asian American”. In the end, I felt Ryan Choi was more
caricature than character, albeit unintentionally.<br />
<br />
To my surprise, Gail Simone came to my blog in defense of her writing
of Ryan Choi. After a busy (and heated) public exchange in my blog’s
comments section, Simone later contacted me privately, asking me to
collaborate with her by email to conceive of an authentic-feeling Asian
American female character and colleague for Ryan, who might serve as a
professional rival and maybe eventually as a love interest.<br />
<br />
As you can expect, I was excited and floored by the offer. Simone and
I exchanged some very brief ideas about an Asian American female
character that Simone might bring to life in the world of Ryan Choi’s
Ivy University. In the meanwhile, I was asked not to say anything
publicly (for obvious reasons). However, shortly thereafter, Simone
contacted me to let me know that there wasn’t going to be a future for
the <i>All-New Atom</i> title, and anyways, she was moving on to <i>Secret Six</i>;
and so, any possibility of fleshing out Ryan Choi as more Asian
American, and to include a multi-dimensional Asian American female
pro-/antagonist fell by the wayside.<br />
Nonetheless, this brief experience was enough to get my mental gears
whirring on ideas for how to write comic books from an Asian American
perspective, and I was more than ever disappointed that there weren’t
more opportunities for people of colour to translate our experiences
into the pages of comic books in the form of compelling, and
interesting, superheroes of colour.<br />
<br />
And then, enter <i>Secret Identities</i>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://reappropriate.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Secret-identities.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-2591" height="300" src="http://reappropriate.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Secret-identities.jpg" title="Secret-identities" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To
their credit, the editors of Secret Identities put in the hard work to
actually create an outlet for the creative energy that the Asian
American community has to offer the comic book medium.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2591" style="width: 251px;">
<div class="wp-caption-text">
</div>
</div>
Unfortunately, I missed the submission deadline to participate in the first volume of <i>Secret Identities. </i> However,
when I got a chance to interview the editors — the unstoppable force
that is Jeff Yang, Keith Chow, Parry Shen and, Jerry Ma — I confessed
that I was already putting together my submission package for volume two
(and that there had <i>better</i> be a sequel!). A couple of years
later, when the editors were able to finalize the magic that is involved
in getting a book like this greenlit (and by “magic”, I mean
“indescribable headache, heartache, and grief”), I was probably one of
the first story pitch submissions that they received for volume 2 of <i>Secret Identities</i>,
now minimalist-ly named “SHATTERED” — a book that delves into the Asian
American experience specifically as it relates to the comic book
supervillain.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://reappropriate.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/419nkKNYB+L._SL500_AA300_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-2592" height="300" src="http://reappropriate.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/419nkKNYB+L._SL500_AA300_.jpg" title="419nkKNYB+L._SL500_AA300_" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don’t
be fooled by the rather calming shade of blue chosen for the cover: the
early pre-release draft I saw of this book is full of some intense,
heavy stuff.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2592" style="width: 310px;">
<div class="wp-caption-text">
</div>
</div>
The story I’ve written for SHATTERED is called “Push”. It documents
the events following the arrest of Leland Hei, a former college student
whose rage has twisted him into a brilliant and manipulative villain who
has pitted himself against the popular, musclebound superhero, the
Standard.<br />
<br />
In truth, Leland — or more specifically, his superpower — was an idea
I’d been playing with since my e-mail exchanges with Gail Simone. I had
even originally envisioned adapting Leland as my superhero submission
for the first volume of <i>Secret Identities</i>. I thought he might
make a pretty cool superhero. However, as I further developed the
character around what I felt his superpower really symbolized, I
realized that Leland could really only be a supervillain. More
specifically, I realized that Leland was a character who might (I hoped)
personify some of the anger and bitterness that I think might reside
deep down in many of us (albeit far better controlled), but which has
bubbled to the surface in this character. Writing Leland was interesting
for me, because as much as he is a villain, I felt like I deeply
identified with him and his motivations.<br />
<br />
I can’t, and don’t want to, give away more about Leland and the story
“Push”. But, it was a particular thrill when Leland, who had been
little more than an idea kicking around in my head for the last several
years, was brought to life by the incredible, breathtaking pencils of <a href="http://ace-continuado.daportfolio.com/" target="_blank">Ace Continuado</a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://reappropriate.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Push-pin-up.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-2148" height="667" src="http://reappropriate.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Push-pin-up-690x1024.jpg" title="Push pin up" width="450" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pin-up art for “Push” of SHATTERED (Secret Identities, volume 2)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_2148" style="width: 460px;">
<div class="wp-caption-text">
</div>
</div>
In short, the experience of writing for “SHATTERED” has been
incredibly gratifying for me. Already a diehard fangirl, I’ve developed a
new appreciation for comic book writers and for the artform that is
comic books. Writing for the comic book page is not easy. In fact, it’s
almost completely foreign relative to the prose-writing most of us are
used to (in comics, you have to think about the visuals in storyboard
form as you are writing). Further, I came to realize that comic book
writers are at their best when coupled with a good editor (which, to his
credit, Jeff Yang performed beautifully as for all of the stories
collected together in this gigantic anthology); comics must convey dense
story-telling in what amounts to a very tiny amount of space shared by
both art and dialogue, and an editor’s red pen is almost essential to
accomplish this. But I think going through this experience really helped
solidify my appreciation for this genre and what it’s capable of.<br />
<br />
As I said above, the early draft of “SHATTERED” that I was privileged
to take a peek at was breath-taking in both the quality of its writing
and its art. I’m almost loathe to say it (because I don’t want it taken
the wrong way) but this book is head and shoulders above volume 1 of <i>Secret Identities</i> in
terms of ambition, execution and sophistication. I can basically
summarize my experience participating in this book with the following
sentiment: I am deeply honoured and thankful to have had the opportunity
to be involved. There are so many Asian American stories that have
already been told through the <i>Secret Identities</i> anthologies, and yet, I think there are still so many that are still waiting to be told.<br />
<br />
Even if you’re not Asian American, or a fanboy/fangirl of the comic book medium, I think “<i>SHATTERED”</i> is
going to be a worthy addition to your bookcase. And I don’t just say
that because I’m in it; I say it despite the fact that I’m in it.<br />
<br />
The book drops November 6th in a bookstore or comic book store near you. Be there or be Aquaman.<br />
And, hey, editors: when’s Volume 3?<br />
<br />
<b>Related:</b> <a href="http://reappropriate.co/?p=2596">SHATTERED Blog Carnival Round-Up</a></div>
<br />
<br />keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-3119216685727246892012-10-31T10:33:00.000-04:002012-11-09T10:56:59.853-05:00SIUniverse Blog Parade Day Three: Angry Girl ComicsOriginally posted at <a href="http://angrygirlcomics.tumblr.com/post/34654916825/hi-friends-i-hope-all-my-fellow-nycers-survived" target="_blank">Angry Girl Comics</a><br />
---------------------<br />
<i>by Wendy Xu</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<section>hi friends! I hope all my fellow NYCers survived the
hurricane safe and sound. my area of BK was thankfully untouched; I am
so freaking grateful to have had power through this whole ordeal.<br />
<a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mcq52eBkeb1qlf40eo2_250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mcq52eBkeb1qlf40eo2_250.jpg" width="224" /></a>so the official launch date of <i>Secret Identities</i> is rapidly
coming upon us (remember, remember, the 5th of November, woooo!)
although you can still pick up an early copy if you’re in the NYC area
and get to visit the Museum of Chinese in America, which I highly
suggest doing. Right now through February they have an amazing API
comics exhibit up featuring work by fine folks like my dear friend <a href="http://alicemeichi.tumblr.com/">Alice Meichi Li</a>
and people I have had the great pleasure and privilege of paneling
with, like Larry Hama and GB Tran, all of whom also contributed to SI!<br />
<br />
I was approached by <a href="https://twitter.com/the_real_chow">Keith</a> at
the beginning of the summer and asked to contribute to the book. I
almost could not believe that I was going to be in a real published
anthology and consequently sat on the news for months, although I was
dying to tell everyone (and now all of you have to get flooded with news
about this, muwahaha). but I cannot even begin to describe how huge of
an honor this is for me.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mcq52eBkeb1qlf40eo3_250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mcq52eBkeb1qlf40eo3_250.jpg" /></a>I’ve been drawing since I was a kid. actually, when I started at NYU
I’d started out in the psychology program with the goal of becoming a
therapist (L O L HOW MINDS CHANGE) and then realized it was really not
for me. but by then it was too late to change majors since I’d dived
right in, so I just rode out the program, which I finished early, and
turned my goal elsewhere, and in my sophomore year of college really got
into drawing comics. I started Angry Girl in a very transitional and
turbulent summer between my junior year and the start of my last
semester and it has taken me further than I ever could have imagined.<br />
<br />
for the anthology I drew a two-page thank-you comic for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilcek">Dr. Jan and Marica Vilcek</a>, founders of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vilcek_Foundation">the Vilcek Foundation</a>,
an organization that gives grants to immigrants working in the arts and
sciences. The Vilceks themselves are immigrants, having left
Czechoslovakia for the States in the sixties and becoming superstars in
their respective fields of medical research and art history. The comic
was written by <a href="https://twitter.com/originalspin">Jeff Yang</a>, one of our editors for the anthology.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
with that, here are the two pages I’ve done,<strike> as well as some preliminary sketches</strike>!
(edit: okay Tumblr is being stupid, no preliminary sketches. BUT
FINISHED ART YAY) They’re lettered in the anthology, but not by myself!<br />
<br />
I am insanely pleased and proud to be able to contribute to SI and to
be a part of this continually expanding API American comics community.
Big thanks to Jeff, Keith, Parry, and everyone else who made publication
possible!<br />
<br />
Here are some other fine folks who were included in <i>Shattered</i> and wrote about it:<br />
<a href="http://www.8asians.com/2012/10/30/why-shattered-the-asian-american-comics-anthology-secret-identities-is-important/">Koji Sakai of 8Asians</a><br />
<a href="http://www.adamwarrock.com/?p=2827">Adam WarRock</a><br />
<a href="http://reappropriate.co/">Jenn Fang of Reappropriate.co</a>, whose post will go up Thursday (but in the meantime, check out all of her other cool articles!)</section>keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-25093418876024143512012-10-30T11:09:00.001-04:002012-11-09T10:57:09.381-05:00SIUniverse Blog Parade Day Two: 8Asians<b>Why Shattered: The Asian American Comics Anthology (Secret Identities) is Important</b><br />
<br />
Originally posted at <a href="http://www.8asians.com/2012/10/30/why-shattered-the-asian-american-comics-anthology-secret-identities-is-important/" target="_blank">8Asians.com</a><br />
<i>----------------------------------</i><br />
<i>by Koji Steven Sakai</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://eightasians.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Sunfirex-300x315.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://eightasians.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Sunfirex-300x315.png" width="190" /></a>When I was a kid, I LOVED comic books. I bought every <i>X-Men</i>
comic I could get my hands on. I was obsessed. This was a long time ago
and back then the idea of Asian American superheroes was pretty much
unheard of. This is not to say that Asian/Asian Americans weren’t in
comic books. The one prominent one I remember reading was Sunfire.<br />
<br />
Here is the<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunfire_%28comics%29" target="_blank"> Wikipedia description</a> of him:<br />
<blockquote>
Sunfire is a temperamental and arrogant Japanese mutant
who can generate superheated plasma and fly. Not suited for teamwork,
Sunfire was only briefly a member of the X-Men and has kept limited ties
to the team since. He has had some presence in the greater Marvel
Universe.</blockquote>
<a href="http://eightasians.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/storm-shadows-and-quick-kick-300x212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="storm shadows and quick kick 300x212 Why Shattered: The Asian American Comics Anthology (Secret Identities) is Important" border="0" class="alignleft" height="141" src="http://eightasians.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/storm-shadows-and-quick-kick-300x212.jpg" title="storm shadows and quick kick" width="200" /></a>Not someone I could get behind.<br />
<br />
<span id="more-13866"></span><br />
The
only time I really felt the lack of Asian American representation was
when I watched/read G.I. Joe. I rooted for the two Asian/Asian American
guys, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quick_Kick_%28G.I._Joe%29" target="_blank">Quick Kick</a> (Right) and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storm_Shadow_%28G.I._Joe%29" target="_blank">Storm Shadow</a> (Left).<br />
<br />
You might recognize Quick Kick as Angry Asian Man’s logo but I
vaguely remembered him as a child. The character I always rooted for and
played with was Storm Shadow. And even though he was a bad guy, when I
played with him he always became a good guy. And I secretly imagined the
guy under the mask actually looked exactly like me.<br />
<br />
Now that I think about it, that’s kind of depressing.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://eightasians.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/secret-identities-asian-american-superhero-anthology-jeff-yang-paperback-cover-art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="secret identities asian american superhero anthology jeff yang paperback cover art Why Shattered: The Asian American Comics Anthology (Secret Identities) is Important" border="0" class="alignright" height="200" src="http://eightasians.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/secret-identities-asian-american-superhero-anthology-jeff-yang-paperback-cover-art.jpg" title="secret-identities-asian-american-superhero-anthology-jeff-yang-paperback-cover-art" width="160" /></a>This is why when I first heard about <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Identities-American-Superhero-Anthology/dp/159558398X" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Secret Identities: The Asian American Superheroes Anthology</span></a></i>,
the first anthology of Asian American superheroes created/drawn by
Asian Americans, way back in 2009 I was super excited. I submitted a
story (“Meet Joe”) and was honored to be included in the first book.<br />
<a href="http://eightasians.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/419nkKNYB+L._SL500_AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="419nkKNYB+L. SL500 AA300 Why Shattered: The Asian American Comics Anthology (Secret Identities) is Important" border="0" class="alignleft" height="320" src="http://eightasians.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/419nkKNYB+L._SL500_AA300_.jpg" title="419nkKNYB+L._SL500_AA300_" width="320" /></a><br />
Three years later, the second book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shattered-American-Comics-Anthology-Identities/dp/1595588248" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Shattered: The Asian American Comics Anthology (Secret Identities)</span></a></i>, is coming out next week. This book features villains. Not just any villain, but Asian American ones!<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
When I found out about the subject, I was super excited. Superheroes
are fun but villains are way way way way more interesting to think
about. I created this character and the amazingly talented artist
Deodato Pangandoyon made it come to life:<img alt="Alien kid 41 463x600 Why Shattered: The Asian American Comics Anthology (Secret Identities) is Important" class="aligncenter wp-image-13869" height="640" src="http://eightasians.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Alien-kid-41-463x600.jpg" title="Alien kid 4(1)" width="492" /><br />
You’ll have to buy the book to find out who this character is but I’ll give you a hint. It’s based off my 8Asians article: <a href="http://www.8asians.com/2010/11/08/series-of-web-pages-convinced-asians-are-aliens-from-outer-space/" target="_blank">Series of Web Pages Convinced Asians are Aliens from Outer Space</a>.<br />
<br />
I’m glad my son has been born at a time when books like this can come
out. As Asian Americans it is important that we support these kinds of
projects. And when I say support, I mean buy it, like it, post it, and
tell your friends about it. And I’m not just saying that because I’m in
it (I don’t make any money off the book sales).<br />
<br />
For more information about the book and to find out where you can see them on tour, go to the<a href="http://www.secretidentities.org/Site/Secret_Identities_Homepage.html" target="_blank"> Secret Identities home page</a>.<br />
<br />
To read more behind the scenes info about <i>Shattered,</i> visit Jenn Fang at <a href="http://reappropriate.co/" target="_blank">reappropriate.co</a>, who will be posting an article tomorrow (Wednesday).<br />
<br />
Finally, <a href="http://www.adamwarrock.com/?p=2827" target="_blank">Adam Warrock </a>wrote about working on <i>Shattered</i> as well.<br />
<br />
What are you waiting for? Buy the book already.keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-90712544611449009102012-10-29T11:50:00.000-04:002012-11-09T10:57:16.545-05:00SIUniverse Blog Parade Day One: Adam WarRock<b>Shattered – Secret Identities & some news updates</b><br />
Originally posted at <a href="http://www.adamwarrock.com/?p=2827" target="_blank">AdamWarRock.com</a><br />
<br />
-----------------<br />
<br />
I was lucky enough to be included in the recent publication <a href="http://secretidentities.org/Site/Secret_Identities_Homepage.html" target="_blank">Shattered: Secret Identities Vol. 2.</a>
Shattered is the second in a line of anthologies that seek to bring
multicultural voices and perspectives through the medium of comics. It’s
a book full of amazing, original art and stories by creators like Fred
Chao (<i>Johnny Hiro</i>), Greg Pak (<i>The Incredible Hulk</i>), Larry Hama (<i>GI Joe</i>), and tons more.<br />
<br />
I got to work with <a href="http://mingdoyle.com/" target="_blank">Ming Doyle</a> (<i>Future Foundation, Loneliest Astronauts, Girl Comics</i>),
who’s not only an amazing illustrator, but without a doubt, one of my
favorite comic artists in the world. We contributed a gallery piece that
basically made me into a superhero. Here’s what I look like, in a nice
sepia tone:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.adamwarrock.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/secretidentities_warrock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.adamwarrock.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/secretidentities_warrock.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<a name='more'></a>There’s definitely a need for multicultural perspectives in all
artforms, but there’s no question that comics lack the kind of diversity
for all races and ethnicities. And in a medium that’s so often read by
younger kids, there’s a need to seeing all kinds of people being able to
anchor stories, to be heroes, and to be strong role models for children
growing up. Take it from someone who grew up as a minority in the
South; feeling different, feeling in the minority, and growing up in
that environment can be damaging in ways you don’t even know it. I
grasped on to Asian American characters in any comic (see: Jubilee being
honestly my favorite X-Man [X-person?]). I think Secret Identities does
a great service, and produces some amazing art in the process, and I’m
honored to be a part of it.<br />
<br />
Anyway, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shattered-American-Comics-Anthology-Identities/dp/1595588248" target="_blank">you should order a copy</a>,
or look for it in your bookstore. Shattered will be available wide
release on November 6, 2012. And check out more behind the scenes stuff
from the book tomorrow at <a href="http://www.8asians.com/" target="_blank">8Asians.com</a> – also run by some friends of AdamWarRock.com!keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-61827086057977810772012-10-26T12:09:00.000-04:002012-10-26T12:28:08.950-04:00Jubilee's Texts #3Apparently, there's a <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cloud-atlas-asian-actors-yellow-face-MANAA-383070">movie opening today</a> featuring a bunch of Asian characters!<br />
<br />
We
found <a href="https://twitter.com/SIUniverse/status/261866067830386688">Jubilee texting</a> her friends about the possibilities of Hollywood
turning the stories from SHATTERED into potential movies.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
If a story from <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23SHATTERED">#SHATTERED</a> was turned into a movie, would Asian actors play the roles? Jubilee's txts have the answer. <a href="http://t.co/P6IB4i4W" title="http://twitter.com/SIUniverse/status/261866067830386688/photo/1">twitter.com/SIUniverse/sta…</a><br />
— Secret Identities (@SIUniverse) <a data-datetime="2012-10-26T16:25:11+00:00" href="https://twitter.com/SIUniverse/status/261866067830386688">October 26, 2012</a></blockquote>
<br /><script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-80217862608867791242012-10-08T09:12:00.003-04:002012-10-08T09:13:58.907-04:00The SIUniverse at New York Comic Con!<a href="http://sidebmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/nycc_2012_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="http://sidebmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/nycc_2012_logo.jpg" width="320" /></a>Come by Epic Props booth 1113 and get a copy of SHATTERED before it’s in stores.<br />
<br />
Also, stop by the booths of other members of the SIU family:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bernardchang.com/">Bernard Chang</a> will be in Artist Alley at C8!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.cliffchiang.com/">Cliff Chiang</a> will be in Artist Alley at N1!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.gregpak.com/">Greg Pak</a> will be in Artist Alley at K18!<br />
<br />
Larry Hama will be at Epic Proportions Booth 1113!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mingdoyle.com/">Ming Doyle</a> will be in Artist Alley at B2!<br />
<br />
Sean Chen will be in Artist Alley at C9!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sonny-Liew/37519295672" target="_blank">Sonny Liew</a> wil be in booth U12!<br />
<br />
Billy Tan will be in booth P2!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dustin-Nguyen/192535517477411" target="_blank">Dustin Nguyen</a> will be in booth H1!<br />
<br />
Greg LaRocque will be in booth O5! (Saturday only)<br />
<br />
Louie Chin will be in booth 448!keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-15045001231638054762012-07-01T12:00:00.000-04:002012-08-28T08:29:54.288-04:00Shattered Sneak Peek: Hibakusha: Secrets<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnliAUBmuMwzEuKS222k6on_jBBit7beydDgmKaazudZPyCNA0pv8F32heEm7_T8hJDgpQwuTlgchLy68TTJQqtrdDCizZrNbflLIpl6YSgHxC9roM-GMCu-SKXHaBlCHIxYJpn6Hm-zk/s1600/SECRETS_PG11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnliAUBmuMwzEuKS222k6on_jBBit7beydDgmKaazudZPyCNA0pv8F32heEm7_T8hJDgpQwuTlgchLy68TTJQqtrdDCizZrNbflLIpl6YSgHxC9roM-GMCu-SKXHaBlCHIxYJpn6Hm-zk/s320/SECRETS_PG11.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hibakusha: Secrets from <i>Shattered</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="Body">
In this scene from <b>SHATTERED</b>, we re-meet: <b>Ryan Suda</b> (<i>Power: </i>Body produces steroid-grade epinephrine allowing him to access to the upper limits of human strength and endurance), <b>Kat Nagano</b> (<i>Power: </i>Psi ability to excite atoms within any object), and <b>Daisuke “Dice” Kim</b> (<i>Power</i>: Ability to manipulate any object’s density) in <b><i>THE HIBAKUSHA: Secrets</i></b>. </div>
<div class="Body">
Beautifully
rendered by Sean Chen, Kat is meltin’ helmets while Dice stops a hail
of bullets with a wave of his hand and Ryan kicks some serious tail (a
baddie with 9 of ‘em no less!)</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXhsVw2BwN-DFQ3aFzXU9oJ-XByTJI36kyNHjTLT8v8Qf0RF_Yn2DmrYOftL6Oy8GJWSwZYzhc76DxstRDeS7FgpsajBKDrhNHYtsc1CefjJXxIJRSdWB1SB89u0p_F5pg8-feDzVz0M/s1600/pg-052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXhsVw2BwN-DFQ3aFzXU9oJ-XByTJI36kyNHjTLT8v8Qf0RF_Yn2DmrYOftL6Oy8GJWSwZYzhc76DxstRDeS7FgpsajBKDrhNHYtsc1CefjJXxIJRSdWB1SB89u0p_F5pg8-feDzVz0M/s320/pg-052.jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hibakusha from <i>Secret Identities</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="Body">
<br />
But as you can see from their first outing in <b><i>THE HIBAKUSHA </i></b>from Volume 1, they weren’t very… experienced. Drawn
here by Glenn Urieta, Ryan is crumpled on the ground near-unconscious,
as his blood vessels have constricted from too much adrenaline. Dice
has instinctively activated his density abilities only to sadly embed
himself into the ground while Kat stands protectively over Ryan heating…
the surrounding air.</div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
So check out this story to see how they became so adept at using their abilities when <b>SHATTERED: The Asian American Comics Anthology</b> hits stores in Fall 2012!! </div>
keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-49765903530459756242012-05-15T15:08:00.001-04:002012-05-15T15:08:23.996-04:00SIUniverse is now on tumblrWe've added another notch on our social media utility belt. After staking our claim on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SIUniverse">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/SIUniverse">twitter</a>, and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/SecretIdentAnthology">YouTube</a>, we've decided to add <a href="http://siuniverse.tumblr.com/">tumblr </a>to the mix. (We have a <a href="http://pinterest.com/siuniverse/">Pinterest board</a> too, but, uh, I don't know how it works.)<br />
<br />
The official <a href="http://siuniverse.tumblr.com/">SIUniverse tumblr </a>has been around for a few weeks now, but this past Saturday was the official launch of what we're calling SHATTEREDay<span><span class="Unicode">™</span></span> 'round these parts. Basically, every Saturday from now until the foreseeable future, we'll feature a sneak peek at the stuff we're getting in from artists and writers. And it's <i>good </i>stuff. Stuff we can't wait to share with the rest of you!<br />
<br />
Last week on the tumblr, <a href="http://siuniverse.tumblr.com/post/22907312158/starting-today-were-gonna-be-posting-our-sneak">we unveiled character designs</a> of Jimson Fo and John Henry from Jeff's "Driving Steel" sequel "The Breaking" by artist <a href="http://www.sivamstudios.com/">Krishna Sadasivam</a>. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIqO671WELp1pN0bgdMf5it5iba1dv2TUGz41_xttYR4c1KNKWyVIVEXSthMM3-5fw6fSxTz_XyPP1YJX2RPQ1lLjLvBmmvePQWUQzmAUPnWewlAYbf3kAmezeHj0c18T7iX6xrZ_3IjQ/s1600/faces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIqO671WELp1pN0bgdMf5it5iba1dv2TUGz41_xttYR4c1KNKWyVIVEXSthMM3-5fw6fSxTz_XyPP1YJX2RPQ1lLjLvBmmvePQWUQzmAUPnWewlAYbf3kAmezeHj0c18T7iX6xrZ_3IjQ/s320/faces.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Good stuff, right?<br />
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So bookmark the <a href="http://siuniverse.tumblr.com/">SIUniverse tumblr</a>, and check it out every Satur... SHATTEREDay<span><span class="Unicode">™ for new updates!</span></span><br />
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<br />keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-55819603002887782752012-04-11T11:03:00.000-04:002012-04-11T11:03:48.381-04:00Secret Identities Volume 2, BURN…Originally posted on the <a href="http://epicprops.com/">Epic Proportions</a> blog <a href="http://epicprops.com/blog/?p=2254"><i>For What It's Worth</i></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPux00jklJymOdrdemGq8Kvmp9XTa8EVgTwTQBhlJt0ugjTmSSuu5JXAWSQxoSBmjIMXCulNGTrF4RU1aDYj4hi3bZ4g3iXac_s2geQIAPnN2SfW_jokiYHwpxp7DgCFY7EVkl6ROuW3E/s1600/PG-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPux00jklJymOdrdemGq8Kvmp9XTa8EVgTwTQBhlJt0ugjTmSSuu5JXAWSQxoSBmjIMXCulNGTrF4RU1aDYj4hi3bZ4g3iXac_s2geQIAPnN2SfW_jokiYHwpxp7DgCFY7EVkl6ROuW3E/s320/PG-01.jpg" width="243" /></a></div><br />
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So It’s finally begun. Or rather….I’ve finally begun to do some drawing on the BURN story I’m working on with my brother for Secret Identities Volume 2. Just thought I’d post the pencils I’ve done for page 1.<br />
These are semi tight pencils for me. I’m leaving a lot of the detail work to be done when I ink it. I didn’t want to waste any time penciling in the different textures and stuff.<br />
The original for this is an odd size. It stands at 10×12.5″ due to the 8×10″ page size of the graphic novel.<br />
So I had a little trouble adjusting to that as it through off my whole “scale” in terms of close ups and far shots on the page.<br />
But am hoping it came out alright.<br />
I also did not use a ruler to do any of the drawing besides the panel borders. For some reason, I just wanted to keep this loose and just kinda “wing” it.<br />
Just the pencils for this page took me about….5 and a half hours to draw. As pathetic as this sounds, inking generally takes me a little longer.<br />
Yeah….I’m pretty slow.<br />
Anyway, I won’t be posting every page I draw here, but thought it’d be fun to post the first one.<br />
I’ll definitely post the ink and grey tones of this page when I finish each stage just so you can see how much more detail I intend on adding.<br />
-jerrykeith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-44923356679450625032011-03-31T12:35:00.011-04:002011-04-15T12:00:56.597-04:00SIUniverse For Japan: The Swag<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPzbFjob9llIUibLLd3b6jS69DYmr1VXMcrJk_wGj7mYHeKhw6_uWRSTEJM45AkXijHqhTqkvt3UwfgkpDFMno28HtAqCQCheuIkTAJsjLrnV5VHUxzuRCJkIq01Y5E3fSxbq3SZu3ogg/s1600/SIU4JAPAN-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPzbFjob9llIUibLLd3b6jS69DYmr1VXMcrJk_wGj7mYHeKhw6_uWRSTEJM45AkXijHqhTqkvt3UwfgkpDFMno28HtAqCQCheuIkTAJsjLrnV5VHUxzuRCJkIq01Y5E3fSxbq3SZu3ogg/s200/SIU4JAPAN-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>So rather than constantly updating the <a href="http://secretidentitiesbook.blogspot.com/2011/03/announcing-siuniverseforjapan-online.html">original announcement</a> of the auction, I figured I'd give the items for bid their own place on the blog. So here it is.<br />
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Check this space often to see what cool and unique items are currently for bid as we try to raise some money for the ongoing relief efforts in Japan. You can also keep track with the SIUniverse For Japan auction at our main eBay page for <a href="http://myworld.ebay.com/siuniverseforjapan"><b>siuniverseforjapan</b></a> or check the hashtag <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/search/siu4japan">#SIU4Japan</a> on <a href="http://twitter.com/SIUniverse">twitter</a>. <br />
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After the jump, check out the items that are available now.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strike><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/SECRET-IDENTITIES-SIGNED-BOOKPLATE-VOLTRON-SKETCH-/180645876177?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a0f5551d1"><b>3/28/11: </b>Secret Identities + Signed Bookplate & Voltron Sketch</a></span></span><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></strike></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><strike>sketch by Jerry Ma</strike> <b style="color: red;">ENDED: $36.00</b> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAR00O7U_yZ69Cl39neB1ji-WybkSnD95lUZmliLxnadLx4TT-gr3ZmUWPJ3ntyKBgJwM_4M__9YrdFgHrKJcWmVj3QCWtu_nqc6cT7-4Ou6bX66eTbCtYLVy6rSAvwAx9eu9N2z5ANlw/s1600/voltron.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAR00O7U_yZ69Cl39neB1ji-WybkSnD95lUZmliLxnadLx4TT-gr3ZmUWPJ3ntyKBgJwM_4M__9YrdFgHrKJcWmVj3QCWtu_nqc6cT7-4Ou6bX66eTbCtYLVy6rSAvwAx9eu9N2z5ANlw/s200/voltron.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strike><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180646123451"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>3/29/11: </b>Ultimate "Better Luck Tomorrow" Fan Package</span></span></a></strike></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><strike>donated by Parry Shen</strike> </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>ENDED: $71.00</b></span></span> </div><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia63UPP-zT44-YfcQbB74iicNa5aJOX5z34r3Es3JJp1Gngo19Vh4vs6V1iDBWHWRCv63PjB4rrZqv5yjFQqA8dYim7LHeaPTmvPZYZjm7K00Dktmmfqyp7cuPg9gQIYc60XRK1r-tPNg/s1600/BLT+swag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia63UPP-zT44-YfcQbB74iicNa5aJOX5z34r3Es3JJp1Gngo19Vh4vs6V1iDBWHWRCv63PjB4rrZqv5yjFQqA8dYim7LHeaPTmvPZYZjm7K00Dktmmfqyp7cuPg9gQIYc60XRK1r-tPNg/s200/BLT+swag.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strike><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180646755732"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>3/30/11:</b> "The Motel" DVD </span></span></a></strike></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><strike>signed by writer/director Michael Kang</strike> <b><span style="color: red;">ENDED: $27.00</span></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrfytgN_vnhREiWleHMD0hYj__VXDyjc3kSd5k43y9yS4SqrKZ3AkGH9qBSEkvJuP_tlVesuV3dGF0Yy2yR9eSYywCw3a7qVsB9rZLtELTT1iVEoPSiQ7NgpNAZvdeeZzzUbH9nhhTIQ/s1600/DSC00646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrfytgN_vnhREiWleHMD0hYj__VXDyjc3kSd5k43y9yS4SqrKZ3AkGH9qBSEkvJuP_tlVesuV3dGF0Yy2yR9eSYywCw3a7qVsB9rZLtELTT1iVEoPSiQ7NgpNAZvdeeZzzUbH9nhhTIQ/s200/DSC00646.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><strike><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180647238808"><b>3/31/11:</b><i> Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet</i> 1st edition Hardcover </a></span></span></strike></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strike><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">signed by author Jamie Ford</span></span></strike><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> ENDED: $26.00</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZY_eJ0SqXPHDgXtz8IujyeIOIkbGuaO_YXlZGl0rXVc2v7rW_1FokTqKkYf71JVY3jMWaJZSt3JVjkel05r8yIALSnU4elseYaDfHnpQEHq6A9YJkHzcZyCY8v50Db0GgBwjBDWW2uc/s1600/Hotel+on+the+Corner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZY_eJ0SqXPHDgXtz8IujyeIOIkbGuaO_YXlZGl0rXVc2v7rW_1FokTqKkYf71JVY3jMWaJZSt3JVjkel05r8yIALSnU4elseYaDfHnpQEHq6A9YJkHzcZyCY8v50Db0GgBwjBDWW2uc/s200/Hotel+on+the+Corner.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><strike><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/SURROGATE-VALENTINE-HD-DIGITAL-DOWNLOAD_W0QQitemZ180647656380QQihZ008QQcategoryZ41676QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"><b>4/1/11:</b> "Surrogate Valentine" HD Digital Download </a></span></span></strike></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><strike>donated by Lynn Chen</strike> <b><span style="color: red;">ENDED: $25.00</span></b></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LIMkXbHacUhT8ZX6zTzBKkKwyYG1LZiQTYvMTwTbvyh8wi0_vS5YSDKCRiQgUpTrSEM-MhNIYMFVNTE9zQcOK_xSRSDQuLsUoZnv_wD6nnIyk6OU2coSaU9LkpQxNpmwbFLA-aiwWDs/s1600/surrogatevalentine.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LIMkXbHacUhT8ZX6zTzBKkKwyYG1LZiQTYvMTwTbvyh8wi0_vS5YSDKCRiQgUpTrSEM-MhNIYMFVNTE9zQcOK_xSRSDQuLsUoZnv_wD6nnIyk6OU2coSaU9LkpQxNpmwbFLA-aiwWDs/s200/surrogatevalentine.png" width="135" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strike><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180649273762"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>4/4/11: </b>Secret Identities + Signed Bookplate & M.U.S.C.L.E. Sketch</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></strike></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><strike>sketch by Jerry Ma</strike> </span></span><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red;">ENDED: $35.88</span></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibiqIsZN3qZwvx59caaIbg6hcfYiLpvIcGQEEcNszHMXMmCUWxceo2bMSPonAkRNHwr6SbCKGHlNuKHBw1VcU_GWVu_AvC8hbpTB2y5m8FdAB9fgz6a9-BI2rz4xw7EXtKXb2zL33ewpg/s1600/muscle-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibiqIsZN3qZwvx59caaIbg6hcfYiLpvIcGQEEcNszHMXMmCUWxceo2bMSPonAkRNHwr6SbCKGHlNuKHBw1VcU_GWVu_AvC8hbpTB2y5m8FdAB9fgz6a9-BI2rz4xw7EXtKXb2zL33ewpg/s200/muscle-web.jpg" width="151" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180649727973&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>4/5/11:</b> Exclusive Miyazaki Club T-shirt for Women </span></span></a><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">by Martin Hsu </span></span><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red;">STILL AVAILABLE!</span></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.martinhsu.com/images/products/martin_hsu_hayao_miyazaki_tshirts_womens6.jpg?osCsid=df8a09a28e09f8b8c9c3c94a9587a197" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.martinhsu.com/images/products/martin_hsu_hayao_miyazaki_tshirts_womens6.jpg?osCsid=df8a09a28e09f8b8c9c3c94a9587a197" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strike><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180649729647&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>4/5/11:</b> Exclusive Miyazaki Club T-shirt for Men </span></span></a><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <br />
</span></span></strike></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><strike>by Martin Hsu</strike> </span></span><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red;">ENDED: $24.00</span></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.martinhsu.com/images/products/martin_hsu_hayao_miyazaki_tshirt_mens3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.martinhsu.com/images/products/martin_hsu_hayao_miyazaki_tshirt_mens3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strike><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180650144699&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>4/6/11:</b> Haruko from FLCL Original Art</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></strike></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strike><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">by A.L. Baroza</span></span></strike><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red;"> ENDED: $30.00</span></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjzbL7GqAIozP-xe1jTWLciDXaJU0oE6xkH4kGFh65hyJXjsca0vwC275nz5bl8E4dElVJ9J03-afRJwDjKh-QGMuf2pkGGVWad2gbbM6WmJQKMftSYPFUyVKEVn8bvsLIT2w_WDCnDg/s1600/haruko2+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjzbL7GqAIozP-xe1jTWLciDXaJU0oE6xkH4kGFh65hyJXjsca0vwC275nz5bl8E4dElVJ9J03-afRJwDjKh-QGMuf2pkGGVWad2gbbM6WmJQKMftSYPFUyVKEVn8bvsLIT2w_WDCnDg/s200/haruko2+copy.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strike><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180650486655"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>4/7/11:</b> Dawnstar from Legion of Super-Heroes Original Sketch</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <br />
</span></span></strike></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><strike>by Greg LaRocque</strike> </span></span><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red;">ENDED: $51.00</span></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljYu7rvQ4Q7jgborXX8V2UUGbON17XItCpRrgr7NgcCoDKLLj2bHQCTcbo0wRtXLnsd3s6JCOnFzrmuwWCZH6kUs-K-B-NcexC_-egNyn8DKiRD5B-ngntwuu5GDhtmAi46PdvtcBhgc/s1600/DawnStar+Japan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljYu7rvQ4Q7jgborXX8V2UUGbON17XItCpRrgr7NgcCoDKLLj2bHQCTcbo0wRtXLnsd3s6JCOnFzrmuwWCZH6kUs-K-B-NcexC_-egNyn8DKiRD5B-ngntwuu5GDhtmAi46PdvtcBhgc/s200/DawnStar+Japan.jpg" width="165" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strike><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180651041418&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>4/8/11:</b> Hideaki Akaiwa: Real Life Superhero Original Color Drawing</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <br />
</span></span></strike></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><strike>by Jimmy J. Aquino</strike> </span></span><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red;">ENDED: $30.00</span></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjygl-ROZiFrpnr98KAnP4b7MpYQyyqSDIgHJPFcg-CYjOepvV5tuF_q1g5EaIBJ0ssOH65szna0Yv4jgoGPLPAzwP2g8d9GqBEhZwB2-fUR1yH_9qFH54tIgRmmkDdRA3qYqgcWII3y1g/s1600/hideaki-akaiwa-with-zero-kazama-reference-by-jimmy-j-aquino-1539x1859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjygl-ROZiFrpnr98KAnP4b7MpYQyyqSDIgHJPFcg-CYjOepvV5tuF_q1g5EaIBJ0ssOH65szna0Yv4jgoGPLPAzwP2g8d9GqBEhZwB2-fUR1yH_9qFH54tIgRmmkDdRA3qYqgcWII3y1g/s200/hideaki-akaiwa-with-zero-kazama-reference-by-jimmy-j-aquino-1539x1859.jpg" width="154" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1140671365"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>4/11/11:</b> Exclusive Monkey King T-shirt</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180652569627&var=&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT"> </a> <br />
</span></span></div><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">by Gene Yang </span></span><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red;">FOUR MORE AVAILABLE</span></b></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjITedHwnTzEgpMbbbFzSmKY5VGIAlTDZ7xMJueSr-QOevZW73iJFTjpfVUg_taPa8OBjZHqVXFF3UuYsc-iVcXRvxYwsCzbPSqJU2mE0XvBT8r7I3c7eFQlduBuOwtW76TcqbG6Ee45v4/s1600/MKTee.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjITedHwnTzEgpMbbbFzSmKY5VGIAlTDZ7xMJueSr-QOevZW73iJFTjpfVUg_taPa8OBjZHqVXFF3UuYsc-iVcXRvxYwsCzbPSqJU2mE0XvBT8r7I3c7eFQlduBuOwtW76TcqbG6Ee45v4/s200/MKTee.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180653003131&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">4/12/11: "West 32nd" DVD</span></span></a></b></div><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">signed by writer/director Michael Kang</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqXqVfI12TmgV27cmyLjwbOBS839l3VG0XbVZoKgjpO3lHJpYUlcShV33qdIbdkCJ8o_2hPtZ_rzUdHGMn8JhwpocEoG1PafIpVZm06Wfj5Rove3P57qopDCXekZ0vRQ9N6jGIH54X2Q/s1600/DSC00650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqXqVfI12TmgV27cmyLjwbOBS839l3VG0XbVZoKgjpO3lHJpYUlcShV33qdIbdkCJ8o_2hPtZ_rzUdHGMn8JhwpocEoG1PafIpVZm06Wfj5Rove3P57qopDCXekZ0vRQ9N6jGIH54X2Q/s200/DSC00650.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red;"></span></b></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>4/13-14/11: "Sense & Sensibility" (Marvel Comics) Original Pages</b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">by Sonny Liew</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180653482539&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT"><b>Issue 4, Page One</b></a> <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180653838302&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT"><b></b></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYTc21ucxzlT_bmgKoj2PLizDescfZAQjbeeU1goh2etBgfG4HwggeanmpdpMf0k3mJjMLhelRPTdyU8nFdeTRPSRgOasoYblejLwB8Bhe48F3J_v0s187VYq-L6fI8qQ7YIzkG3MxxEk/s1600/Sonny+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYTc21ucxzlT_bmgKoj2PLizDescfZAQjbeeU1goh2etBgfG4HwggeanmpdpMf0k3mJjMLhelRPTdyU8nFdeTRPSRgOasoYblejLwB8Bhe48F3J_v0s187VYq-L6fI8qQ7YIzkG3MxxEk/s200/Sonny+01.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180653838302&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT"><b>Issue 5, Page 2 </b></a></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwAI04hDvQ5xQysd1FnBw9lpAMQWjossSwKn1-OifVnpqbc0pJifTaNy5b6euUDxyJmF0AelwrF1hyphenhyphenVvvyfqFzogyP5PrKzU9LBKNK-ugHxkgZjSUPYxJ1cDMBisM5xvXwDm0n_2Itcn8/s1600/Sonny+02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwAI04hDvQ5xQysd1FnBw9lpAMQWjossSwKn1-OifVnpqbc0pJifTaNy5b6euUDxyJmF0AelwrF1hyphenhyphenVvvyfqFzogyP5PrKzU9LBKNK-ugHxkgZjSUPYxJ1cDMBisM5xvXwDm0n_2Itcn8/s200/Sonny+02.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjITedHwnTzEgpMbbbFzSmKY5VGIAlTDZ7xMJueSr-QOevZW73iJFTjpfVUg_taPa8OBjZHqVXFF3UuYsc-iVcXRvxYwsCzbPSqJU2mE0XvBT8r7I3c7eFQlduBuOwtW76TcqbG6Ee45v4/s1600/MKTee.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180654386871&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT"><b>4/15/11: Six-Pack of Mango Pop Greeting Cards</b></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">by Keiko Agena</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWkEfiocxpruqAP9LecDd2EWL8UZHDRgJhAWUTgp1OBVYJ4PdTk2OuCGBHyC6BjN3iHWlIe0ZNGJkc6SIwC-yccN_i1vZttjPtbRt3Lx3zb9Fu8PIHh1SUbI5cv5x4WVXSOjZxiAHfuaI/s1600/Keiko+Mango+Pop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWkEfiocxpruqAP9LecDd2EWL8UZHDRgJhAWUTgp1OBVYJ4PdTk2OuCGBHyC6BjN3iHWlIe0ZNGJkc6SIwC-yccN_i1vZttjPtbRt3Lx3zb9Fu8PIHh1SUbI5cv5x4WVXSOjZxiAHfuaI/s200/Keiko+Mango+Pop.jpg" width="152" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-12779192515270903542011-03-25T14:49:00.021-04:002011-04-15T11:45:33.826-04:00Announcing SIUniverse For Japan: Online Auction to Support Relief Efforts in Japan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9EIKjbYA7K_yRYHyAXpP80AjuxWQrxD9RyDAXSsHLOseTpIQIFljYBX6N3chMstwr9l59v308ZjU30gRqXg5ykZT6NkvosTvE-VvJpjxZzDv2cXrJAZqe6jqg8L9oHw2TCnsQfD4w-Bk/s1600/SIU4JAPAN-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9EIKjbYA7K_yRYHyAXpP80AjuxWQrxD9RyDAXSsHLOseTpIQIFljYBX6N3chMstwr9l59v308ZjU30gRqXg5ykZT6NkvosTvE-VvJpjxZzDv2cXrJAZqe6jqg8L9oHw2TCnsQfD4w-Bk/s200/SIU4JAPAN-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://epicprops.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/bookplate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Help the people of Japan by bidding on items donated by members of the SIUniverse family. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Two weeks ago, the world was stunned by the devastating earthquake and tsunami that ravaged northern Japan. Though the aftermath of the natural disaster and resulting nuclear crisis is no longer front page news, the people of northern Japan still need our help. This is why SIUniverse Media is announcing </span><a href="http://shop.ebay.com/siuniverseforjapan/m.html"><b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SIUniverse For Japan</b></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, an online auction to raise money for ongoing relief efforts in Japan. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div class="Section1" style="font-family: arial;"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Through <a href="http://donations.ebay.com/charity/event.jsp?NP_ID=-61&id=45328#buynp">ebay Giving Works</a>, 100% of the final sale of any item sold through <i>SIUniverse For Japan</i> will go toward <a href="http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/japan-earthquake-tsunami-relief/">GlobalGiving’s Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund</a>. Search for eBay seller ID “<b>siuniverseforjapan</b>” or follow SIUniverse on <a href="http://twitter.com/SIUniverse">twitter</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/SIUniverse">Facebook</a> for regular updates on the auction. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><a name='more'></a><br />
</span><a href="http://epicprops.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/bookplate.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://epicprops.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/bookplate.jpg" width="164" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">Over the next several weeks, fans will be able to bid on everything from original artwork, action figures, t-shirts, DVDs, CDs, comics, books, and other unique items donated by some of the creative talent behind <i>Secret Identities</i> and know that all proceeds will go towards rebuilding the lives of the people affected by the disasters. The first item, a copy of <a href="http://www.secretidentities.org/"><b><i>Secret Identities</i></b></a><i> </i>plus a <b>bookplate</b> <b>signed</b> by <b>Jeff Yang</b>, <b>Parry Shen</b>, <b>Keith Chow </b>and <b>Jerry Ma</b>, will be up for bid beginning on Monday, March 28.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">The following <i>SI</i>-affiliated artists and creators will also have items available for bid in the coming weeks:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal">Keiko Agena</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Jimmy J. Aquino</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">A.L. Baroza</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Blacklava</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Jef Castro</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Bernard Chang</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Lynn Chen</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Tanuj Chopra</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Keith Chow</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Jamie Ford</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Martin Hsu</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Michael Kang </li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Shin Kawasaki</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Kazu Kibuishi</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Greg LaRocque</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Sonny Liew </li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Jerry Ma</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Greg Pak</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Koji Steven Sakai</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Alexander Shen</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Parry Shen</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Tak Toyoshima</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Glenn Urieta</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Gene Yang</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Jeff Yang</li>
</ul></b></span><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 11pt; font-size: small;">And while you're at it, head on over to <a href="http://www.epicprops.com/">Epic Proportions</a> where Jerry is donating 100% of every sale to relief efforts in Japan as well! </span>keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-53207344455806437492010-12-15T10:30:00.002-05:002010-12-15T10:37:33.129-05:00Doughboy Needs Your Help!Jason Lee, the founder of <a href="http://www.turtlistmedia.com/">TurtlistMedia.com</a> and one of <span style="font-style: italic;">Secret Identities</span>' earliest supporters, is in the process of producing a short film called "Doughboy."<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-size:130%;"><i>Doughboy</i>, is a short film dark comedy about Felix, a superfan of Data (the Asian American kid from The Goonies), who decides to pursue his late father’s American Dream of making funnel cakes as easy to find as the hot dog. He designs and builds a mobile funnel cake-making suit inspired by Data and begins to sell them on the streets of Little Tokyo. It’s a million dollar idea, but there is one fatal flaw that he is forced to realize when he is confronted by a militant activist group protesting the name of his business: Data’s Funnel Cakes.</span></blockquote><br />Check out the trailer below:<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/turtlist/the-doughboy-inventor-entrepreneur-funnel-cake-her/widget/video.html" width="480px" frameborder="0" height="410px"></iframe><br /><br />Unfortunately, Jason needs to raise some more money to get this project off the ground! This is where you come in. Just visit <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1242429525/the-doughboy-inventor-entrepreneur-funnel-cake-her"><span style="font-style: italic;">Doughboy</span>'s Kickstarter page</a> and pledge to donate as little as $1 to help support a young Asian American filmmaker bring Doughboy to life. The world could use another Asian American hero. And more funnel cakes.<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/turtlist/the-doughboy-inventor-entrepreneur-funnel-cake-her/widget/card.html" width="220px" frameborder="0" height="380px"></iframe>keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-39157321288111707182010-10-25T17:58:00.003-04:002010-10-25T18:09:39.477-04:00Make Your Own "Evil Chinese Professor!"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.angryasianman.com/images/angry/chineseprofessor02.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 450px; height: 300px;" src="http://www.angryasianman.com/images/angry/chineseprofessor02.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Since we recently announced Volume 2 would be dedicated to <a href="http://secretidentitiesbook.blogspot.com/2010/10/announcing-secret-identities-volume-2.html">shattering</a> Asian stereotypes, it only makes sense to point you all to a brand new Asian stereotype just in time for the midterm elections, thanks to the right-wing "think" tank Citizens Against Government Waste: the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/22/cagw-china-future-ad_n_772623.html">Evil Chinese Professor</a>!<br /><br /><object width="640" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OTSQozWP-rM&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OTSQozWP-rM&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="640" height="390"></embed></object><br /><br />Well, now it's our turn to reclaim Professor Evil. A few Asian Am blogs--<a href="http://blog.angryasianman.com/2010/10/contest-make-your-own-evil-chinese.html">Angry Asian Man</a>, <a href="http://www.8asians.com/2010/10/25/announcing-the-%e2%80%9cevil-chinese-professor%e2%80%9d-meme-off/">8Asians</a>, <a href="http://disgrasian.com/2010/10/make-your-own-evil-chinese-professor-parody-contest/">Disgrasian</a>, <a href="http://www.reappropriate.com/2010/10/25/announcing-the-evil-chinese-professor-meme-off/">Reappropriate</a>, <a href="http://www.channelapa.com/">channelAPA</a>, and <a href="http://www.hyphenmagazine.com/blog/archive">Hyphen</a>--have gotten together to sponsor this contest.<br /><br />Basically:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:arial;" ><span style=";font-family:helvetica,arial;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://bit.ly/evilchineseprofessorstuff"><b>Download</b></a> the .ZIP archive, including the subtitle-stripped .MOV file and .RTF text file transcript of the original "Chinese Professor" video.<br /><br />Get the video file, write a hilarious alternate monologue for the Evil Chinese Professor, re-subtitle the footage, add a call-to-action voiceover at the end, and upload your parody to a video sharing service like YouTube or Vimeo (Heck, upload wherever you can. CAGW is apparently cracking down on all parodies).<br /><br />Then send the link to <a href="mailto:evilchineseprofessor@angryasianman.com"><b>evilchineseprofessor@angryasianman.com</b></a>. The best three videos as judged by the sponsoring bloggers will win some fabulous as-yet-undetermined prizes. The deadline to submit is November 27, which happens to be Bruce Lee's birthday.</span></span>keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-7013635448910814742010-10-11T12:31:00.006-04:002010-10-11T14:39:20.519-04:00ANNOUNCING SECRET IDENTITIES VOLUME 2: SHATTERED!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.secretidentities.org/Site/Secret_Identities_Homepage_files/sishatteredbanner.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 306px; height: 140px;" src="http://www.secretidentities.org/Site/Secret_Identities_Homepage_files/sishatteredbanner.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >The creators of the pioneering anthology of Asian American comics, </span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >SECRET IDENTITIES</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >, are excited to announce that work is now underway on a second volume of all-new tales set in the grand tradition of heroic graphical fiction: </span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >SECRET IDENTITIES VOLUME 2: SHATTERED</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >, targeting a 2012 publication date. </span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >"Sales of the first volume have been far beyond what we could have possibly expected," says </span><i style=""><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Italic;font-size:10pt;" >Secret Identities</span></i><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" > (<b style=""><a href="http://www.secretidentities.org/">www.secretidentities.org</a></b>) Editor-in-Chief </span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >Jeff Yang</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >. "And the reaction from readers has continued to pour in: </span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >We want more</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >. And we wanted more too."</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >DEVELOPMENTAL SUPPORT</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >The first volume was one of the year's best-selling books for independent publisher </span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >The New Press</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >, which quickly expressed interest in continuing the series. But it was a generous development grant from the </span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >Vilcek Foundation</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" > that has ultimately made the new volume possible. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >"Putting together the first book was a monumental task," says </span><i style=""><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Italic;font-size:10pt;" >Secret Identities</span></i><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" > Managing Editor </span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >Parry Shen</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >. "And the more we thought about doing a sequel, the more we realized we had to figure out a way to make it even bigger, better and more boundary-breaking than the original." </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >The Vilcek Foundation, whose mission is to honor and celebrate the outstanding artistic and scientific contributions of immigrant innovators and creators in the United States, profiled the unique role of immigrants in comic books in their Summer 2010 Newsletter (</span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:10pt;" ><a href="http://orsp.in/cBv9oT">http://orsp.in/cBv9oT</a></span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >) — and chose to showcase </span><i style=""><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Italic;font-size:10pt;" >Secret Identities</span></i><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >, whose 66 contributors include creators born in Taiwan, Korea, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and the Philippines among their number, as a unique example of the graphic novel art. Upon hearing that the </span><i style=""><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Italic;font-size:10pt;" >Secret Identities</span></i><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" > team was thinking of doing a sequel, they offered to support the lengthy editorial and artistic process necessary to make it happen.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >ON THE DARK SIDE</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >"We already had an idea of where we wanted to go," says Education Director and Editor at Large </span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >Keith Chow</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >. "In the first volume, we focused on using superheroes as a lens through which to expose and celebrate Asian American history and culture. This time, we wanted to expand our perspective to the darker side of the </span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Italic;font-size:10pt;" >SI </span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >Universe, while also incorporating a broader range of comic genres — from hard-boiled pulp to martial arts, adventure and science fiction."</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >The idea was originally seeded when, at a 2009 </span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >New York Comic Con panel</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" > on </span><i style=""><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Italic;font-size:10pt;" >Secret Identities</span></i><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >, an audience member noted that as exciting as the project sounded, it was easy to tell stories about heroes — the real challenge is to tell stories about villains. It was then that the </span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Italic;font-size:10pt;" >SI </span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >team began to consider the possibility of exploring the nefarious, sinister and menacing side of the good guy/bad guy equation in order to upend, reenvision, reimagine — to shatter — distorted or negative images that have shadowed Asian Americans since the earliest days of our arrival in this country.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >"The idea of putting a focus on stories that showcased strong and vivid interactions between heroes and villains — even stories with the 'villain' as protagonist — opens up so many interesting ways to question the power of perception to shape reality," says Yang. "It also inspired us to conceive of a narrative that will serve as the framing story for the book — a single long tale whose multiple episodes will introduce each book's chapter, while allowing us to continue the stories of some of our favorite characters from Volume One." </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >THE “LONG ARC”</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >The framing story will follow the aftereffects of an unfortunate mystical accident perpetrated by the protagonists of Volume One's "</span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >Driving Steel</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >" — Jimson Fo and his young friend (and future American legend) John Henry — which releases a quintet of archfiends into the world, each with the power to reshape reality to conform to its image: The Manipulator, The Temptress, The Brute, The Brain and The Alien. The immortal Fo then takes it upon himself to pursue the demons across the ages, collaborating with heroes of each time period to defeat and destroy these infernal nemeses. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >"The two things people told us they wanted most in a second volume were longer arcs and continuations of the stories of some of the characters they loved in the first book," says Art Director </span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >Jerry Ma</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >. "This framing story gives us a way to make that possible. But there'll be plenty of original stories and characters in Volume Two — including characters imagined by readers and audiences at the many places where we've brought </span><i style=""><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Italic;font-size:10pt;" >Secret Identities</span></i><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Italic;font-size:10pt;" > </span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >in the past few years."</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >SEEKING CONTRIBUTORS</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >Since the publication of </span><i style=""><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Italic;font-size:10pt;" >Secret Identities</span></i><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Italic;font-size:10pt;" > </span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >in 2009, the </span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Italic;font-size:10pt;" >SI</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" > Team has presented a unique workshop at schools, colleges and community institutions across the nation — a session called “</span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >Build a Hero</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >,” in which they work with audiences to create original superhero characters on the spot, with editors guiding the crowd to collaboratively weave an identity, origin and backstory while an artist sketches and inks the hero on the fly. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >"We think bringing the audience into the book is one of the most important things we've been able to do with </span><i style=""><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Italic;font-size:10pt;" >Secret Identities</span></i><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Italic;font-size:10pt;" >,</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >" says Shen. "Some of the most interesting stories and characters in Volume One came from people who'd never even tried to write for comics before — but had a brilliant vision of something they wanted to bring to life. We just helped them do it!"<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >In that spirit, the </span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Italic;font-size:10pt;" >SI</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" > Team is once again soliciting contributions — in the form of brief pitches for story ideas and characters (both heroes and villains) emailed to </span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:10pt;" ><a href="mailto:submit@secretidentities.org">submit@secretidentities.org</a></span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >. Artists are also invited to submit samples of their work or links to their online portfolios for the editors to evaluate.<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >These stories/characters will be featured alongside already confirmed contributors such as Cliff Chiang (<i style="">Justice League: Generation Lost),</i> Greg Pak (<i style="">Incredible Hercules, World War Hulk</i>) and Bernard Chang (<i style="">Superman, Wonder Woman</i>). </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none; padding: 0in;"><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >More details on what the team is looking for can be found at </span><a href="http://www.secretidentities.org/site/v2"><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >http://www.secretidentities.org/site/v2</span></a><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:10pt;" >, including a downloadable contributors' guide.</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:9pt;" ><br /></span></p><div style="border-width: medium medium 1pt; border-style: none none solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;"> </div><br /><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:9pt;" >To </span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:9pt;" >schedule interviews</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:9pt;" > with </span><i style=""><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Caps;font-size:9pt;" >SECRET IDENTITIES</span></i><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:9pt;" >’ editors and contributors or to </span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:9pt;" >request further information</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:9pt;" > on </span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:9pt;" >Volume Two</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:9pt;" >, please email </span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:9pt;" >Jeff Yang</span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:9pt;" > at </span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:9pt;" ><a href="mailto:jeff@secretidentities.org">jeff@secretidentities.org</a> </span><span style=";font-family:MetaNormal-Roman;font-size:9pt;" >or Keith Chow at </span><span style=";font-family:MetaBold-Roman;font-size:9pt;" ><a href="mailto:keith@secretidentities.org">keith@secretidentities.org</a>. </span>keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-1891810019495203682010-07-19T21:26:00.004-04:002010-07-21T10:57:36.552-04:00The SIU Invades Comic-Con. Again.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.comic-con.org/cci/layout/ccihdr_r1_c1.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 173px; height: 168px;" src="http://www.comic-con.org/cci/layout/ccihdr_r1_c1.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a>Well, it's that time of year when all of fandom descends on sunny southern California for a sensory overload of lights, sound and sweat. Yes, people, it's Comic-Con time. And just like last year, you can find the diverse members of the SECRET IDENTITIES fam throughout the San Diego Convention Center.<br /><br />In addition to Jerry Ma and Parry Shen (Fri. and Sat.) at the Epic Props booth #1737, be sure to seek out the rest of the SIUniverse<br /><br /><a href="http://www.bernardchang.com/">Bernard Chang</a>: booth #1223<br /><a href="http://www.cliffchiang.com/">Cliff Chiang</a>: booth #1320<br /><a href="http://www.mingdoyle.com/">Ming Doyle</a>: booth #N11 & DD10<br />Larry Hama: booth #2307<br /><a href="http://onesickindividual.blogspot.com/">Erwin Haya</a>: booth #D06<br /><a href="http://www.martinhsu.com/">Martin Hsu</a>: booth #G02<br /><a href="http://bentonjewart.blogspot.com/">Benton Jew</a>: booth #DD-23<br /><a href="http://www.boltcity.com/">Kazu Kibuish</a>i: booth #2235<br /><a href="http://duss005.com/">Dustin Nguyen</a>: booth #FF-04<br /><a href="http://djkrunchie.blogspot.com/">Jonathan Tsuei</a>: booth #DD-10<br /><a href="http://blacklava.net">Blacklava</a>: booth #4929keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760386443119456942.post-60597590427433087642010-06-29T10:56:00.003-04:002010-07-02T13:07:26.459-04:00SI at the SI! Talkstory at the 2010 Folklife Fest<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://apa.si.edu/img/2010/folklifeSecret3.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 467px; height: 311px;" src="http://apa.si.edu/img/2010/folklifeSecret3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>This past Sunday, the SI crew (Secret Identities, that is) got a chance to talk about the book and "build a hero" with a volunteer from the audience at the Smithsonian Institute's (the <span style="font-style: italic;">other </span>SI, natch) 2010 Folklife Festival.<br /><br />It was definitely an awesome experience to get a chance to be a part of such a great tradition. Big thanks to Phil Nash, Terry Hong, Chloe Ith, Kozue Tsunoda, and the rest of the Smithsonian staff and volunteers that made this happen!<br /><br />To read more about our adventures in the D.C. heat, read Jerry's recap <a href="http://epicprops.com/blog/?p=1004">For What It's Worth</a> and the Smithsonian's Asian Pacific American Program's <a href="http://apanews.si.edu/2010/06/28/talkstory-apa-superheroes/">official blog</a>.keith chowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463122964757985868noreply@blogger.com1