Another Bad Creation

A friend called me up this weekend to ask if I was somehow related to a Gene Yang, author of American Born Chinese. The answer is "No" because any male cousins I have aren't on this side of the ocean, much less capable of and responsible for publishing a graphic novel about growing up Asian-American.

Gene's newest work, collected and colorized, was released in the Fall of 2006 and has since blown up big time. The comic is presented in three sections, the first of which focuses on the legend of the Monkey King. I'm a sucker for anything Monkey King related, I admit it.

I haven't fully read the entire book but the art is clean and serviceable and the moral of the story is one I'm always supportive of: "Yellow is right." Just kidding. The moral of the story is "Be Yourself." Or maybe there's no moral to the book at all; just a story.

I've seen American Born Chinese prominently featured at Borders, in the wait line aisle at Frye's Electronics, at little indie book stores, just about everywhere. It's even a finalist for the prestigious National Book Award (the first graphic novel to be awarded such an honor). Check out ABC when you get a chance, you won't regret it.

Bonus: New York Magazine presents "The Everything Guide to Chinatown".