My fellow comic book geeks! Next week marks the official launch of Shattered, follow-up to the groundbreaking Asian American comics anthology Secret Identities, from editors Jeff Yang, Parry Shen, Keith Chow and Jerry Ma.
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.
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.
I managed to slip something in the book too.
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.
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 on the blog. 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:
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.
Some of my fellow Shattered contributors have also blogged this week about working on the book (yes, this is coordinated). Check out their posts:
Adam WarRock:
http://www.adamwarrock.com/?p=2827
8Asians:
Why Shattered: The Asian American Comics Anthology (Secret Identities) is Important
Angry Girl Comics:
http://angrygirlcomics.tumblr.com/post/34654916825/hi-friends-i-hope-all-my-fellow-nycers-survived
Reappropriate:
Secret Identities, Shattered: My Relationship with Comic Books, and the Genesis of PUSH.
Order your copy of Shattered: The Asian American Comics Anthology from Amazon. For further information and updates about Shattered, go to the Secret Identities website here and the Facebook page here.