This Squad Has Made 60,000 Masks for Vulnerable People

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



A comedian’s tour was canceled. So she started the Auntie Sewing Squad.
Los Angeles comedian Kristina Wong was planning to take her new one-woman show on tour in the spring when it was suddenly canceled because of the swiftly spreading novel coronavirus. Wanting to put her time to good use, she reached out to the homeless population in her community and donated tents and air mattresses, and also paid to have two washing stations installed so people could keep their hands clean. Then a friend showed her a news story in March about Los Angeles-area hospitals pleading for face masks. Wong knew it was time to pull out her Hello Kitty sewing machine and leftover fabric scraps.

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Trump administration rescinds foreign students rule
The Trump administration on Tuesday rescinded a policy that would have stripped visas from international students whose courses move exclusively online amid the coronavirus pandemic. The move comes after the policy announcement last week sparked a flurry of litigation, beginning with a suit brought by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, followed by California's public colleges and later a coalition of 17 states, among other challenges.

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💥Shang-Chi

Marvel's intro of an Asian superhero couldn’t come at a better time (although postponed due to COVID).
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“Let’s show them the beauty of our culture” - Bruce Lee#shangchi #marvelstudios #marvel #imcharliewen #brucelee #great #asiansuperhero #mcu pic.twitter.com/vvqZV7oC4g

— Charlie Wen (@imcharliewen) July 11, 2020

Shang-Chi Concept Art
This is totally unofficial, but still kind of interesting. As we all know, Shang-Chi will make his cinematic debut in next year's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. While we've nearly nothing of what Simu Liu will look like as the Master of Kung Fu, Marvel Studios' co-founder and former Co-Head of Visual Development Charlie Wen recently shared his own unofficial fan design for Shang Chi. I'm not crazy about the head gear.

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Kelly Marie Tran Boards 'Monsterland' Anthology Series at Hulu
Kelly Marie Tran, best known for playing Rose Tico in Star Wars, has signed on to appear on Hulu's upcoming anthology series Monsterland. Based on the collection of stories from Nathan Ballingrud, the eight-episode series will feature encounters with mermaids, fallen angels, and other strange beasts which drive broken people to desperate acts. According to Variety, Tran will play the character of Lauren in an episode titled "Iron River, MI." Her character has just returned to her small hometown to be married. Lauren managed to build a new life for herself after her best friend, Elena, went missing when they were 16.

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'Ravi Patel's Pursuit of Happiness' Moves To HBO Max, Gets Premiere Date
The CNN Original Series Ravi Patel's Pursuit of Happiness is a four-part buddy comedy docuseries that follows actor/documentarian/philanthropist Ravi Patel as he travels the world seeking answers surrounding life's universal questions. At each stop throughout his journey, Patel is joined by a friend or family member, with whom he shares a big conflict or question about life. Driven by an obsession to constantly learn and grow, the series offers an unfiltered look at Ravi's personal struggles with each topic and the earnest comparison of social norms domestic and abroad. Ravi Patel's Pursuit of Happiness premieres August 27 on HBO Max.

I Guess "Coronavirus-Inspired Hate Crime" is Now a Thing

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



Asian Man Assaulted, Told "Fuck You, Chinese Coronavirus"
In New York, police have released surveillance footage of a teen who is wanted for attacking an Asian man in the Upper East Side in a coronavirus-inspired hate crime. The 59-year-old victim was walking in East Harlem on Tuesday evening when a teenager approached the him from behind and kicked him the back, knocking him to the ground. The teen reportedly told the man to go back to his country and yelled "Fuck you, Chinese coronavirus."

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'Mulan' Release Delayed in Wake of Coronavirus
In a move I'm surprised wasn't announced sooner, Disney has postponed the theatrical release of Mulan amid growing concerns over coronavirus. The live-action remake -- starring Liu Yifei and directed by Niki Caro -- was slated to debut in North American theaters on March 27. Now it's delayed indefinitely.

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'Fast & Furious 9' Release Pushed Back a Year Due to Coronavirus
It looks like we'll have to wait a lot longer for Justice for Han. In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, Universal has pushed back the theatrical release of Fast 9 to next year. The latest installment of the auto action franchise, directed by Justin Lin, will now open globally in April 2021 and in the U.S. on April 2.

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Meet the Cast of Netflix's "The Baby-Sitters Club"
Meet Momona Tamada, who is playing Claudia Kishi in Netflix's upcoming new Baby-Sitters Club series.

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A Shang-Chi Comic for Summer, Ahead of the Hero's Marvel Film
Next February, the superhero Shang-Chi will become part of the extended Marvel Studios film universe when Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings arrives in theaters. Before that, though, the character, a martial arts expert, will have a five-issue comic book series beginning in June from Marvel Entertainment, written by award-winning graphic novelist and cartoonist Gene Luen Yang.

Simu Liu was "in his underwear, eating shrimp crackers" when he got the call to play Shang-Chi

'Kim's Convenience' star will play the title role in Marvel's 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.'



Unless you've been phone-less and sequestered away at summer camp, you've probably heard that Simu Liu is Shang-Chi. Last weekend at Comic-Con, it was officially announced that the Canadian actor would play the title role of Marvel's Master of Kung Fu in the upcoming Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Not bad for a former accountant. Liu, who stars as Jung in the hit Canadian sitcom Kim's Convenience, has always dreamed of playing a superhero -- as a kid, he wanted to be a Power Ranger -- and had been dropping not-so-subtle shirtless hints at Marvel for years, via social media, about wanting play Shang-Chi. All that campaigning worked. At least, it didn't hurt. Last week, his lifelong dream became a reality.

Two days after Liu screen-tested for the role of Shang-Chi, he was "at home in his underwear, eating shrimp crackers" when received a call from Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige with the big news: not only had he gotten the part, but he would have to be in San Diego in four days for the big announcement in Hall H.

They Call Us Bruce - Episode 71: We Call Us Simu Liu's Shang-Chi Audition

Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.



What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.

On this episode, we debrief the big announcement out of Comic-Con: Simu Liu is Shang-Chi, Marvel's Master of Kung Fu! We also pour one out for the recent death of the live-action Akira remake (again).

Simu Liu to star as Marvel's 'Shang-Chi'

'Kim's Convenience' actor will play the Master of Kung Fu in 'Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings.'



It's official. We have a Shang-Chi. Simu Liu will star as Marvel's Master of Kung-Fu in Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

The casting was announced Saturday afternoon at Marvel's highly anticipated Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con, in which the studio announced continuing plans for Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The cast of Shang Chi will also include Awkwafina and Tony Leung. Exclamation points!

Liu, who hails from Toronto, is best known for playing Jung on the hit Canadian sitcom Kim's Convenience, which recently wrapped its fourth season. He's also had various guest starring and recurring roles on Taken, The Expanse, Blood and Water, Fresh Off The Boat, and several Wong Fu films, among others.

And if you're wondering if Simu's got the moves to play Shang Chi, yeah, he's got the moves.

Shang-Chi will be Marvel's first Asian superhero movie

The studio has hired Dave Callaham to write the screenplay.



At long last, an Asian superhero is getting their own Marvel movie. Marvel Studios is fast-tracking Shang-Chi, aka The Master of Kung Fu, to be its first superhero movie tentpole franchise with an Asian protagonist.

The studio has reportedly set Dave Callaham, who is Chinese American, to write the screenplay, and is looking for an Asian or Asian American director to helm the potential blockbuster.

According to Deadline, they're looking to give Shang-Chi the Black Panther treatment: "introduce a new hero who blends Asian and Asian American themes, crafted by Asian and Asian American filmmakers."

More here: 'Shang-Chi' Marvel's First Asian Film Superhero Franchise; Dave Callaham Scripting, Search On For Director Of Asian Descent

Marvel's Asian American superheroes team up... for karaoke?

Totally Awesome Hulk #15 is Marvel's most unapologetically Asian American comic book issue of all time.



This is a dire situation that needs the attention of Marvel Comics' greatest Asian American superheroes! Amadeus Cho -- aka The Totally Awesome Hulk -- Ms. Marvel, Silk, Shang Chi, Jimmy Woo and Jake Oh have answered the call to action and assembled... at a bone marrow donor registration drive?

That's the opening scene of Totally Awesome Hulk #15, which is not only totally awesome, but quite possibly the most unapologetically Asian American issue of a comic book that Marvel Comics has ever published.

Starting with that bone marrow donor drive. As you may know, ethnicity matters when searching for a life-saving bone marrow match, and unfortunately, Asian Americans are seriously underrepresented on the National Marrow Donor Registry. And now you know. You can thank writer Greg Pak for that.

Marvel's Most Epic Asian American Superhero Team-Up Ever

Greg Pak assembles Amadeus Cho, Ms. Marvel, Shang Chi, Silk and more in Totally Awesome Hulk #15.



Ms. Marvel! Shang Chi! Silk! Amadeus Cho! Has there ever been such an awesome assemblage of Asian American superheroes under the banner of Marvel Comics? Possibly probably not... until now.

Writer Greg Pak recently teased the upcoming cover of Totally Awesome Hulk #15, suggesting that this is the most significant grouping of Asian American superheroes that has ever starred in a mainstream comic book.

In Totally Awesome Hulk #15, kid genius Amadeus Cho -- aka The Hulk -- is slowly learning how to become a team player, but has to learn fast when Ms. Marvel, Shang Chi, Silk and a host of other heroes come to town.