Asian American Superheroes in Comics
GLAS Colloquium
April 8, 2019
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Location
1050 University Hall
Address
601 S. Morgan St., Chicago, IL 60607
Calendar
Download iCal FileSince the birth of superhero comics in 1938, Asian American representation in comics have either been missing, limited, or stereotypical. Only in the recent decades have positive representations of Asian American superheroes populated comics. In this talk, Martell describes U.S. history events that impacted this racial population and led to early, unfavorable representations. Martell also introduces what he calls the “Trojan Horse Formula,” which he asserts has assisted in the development of successful, modern Asian American superheroes. He closes with possible solutions to further diversify comics and future considerations for researchers.
Dr. Mark R. Martell is an alumnus of the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he obtained a Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies. He is the director of the UIC Asian American Resource and Cultural Center and affiliated faculty in Global Asian Studies, Honors College, and College of Education. His research interests include race, gender, sexuality, pop culture, comics, and Asian American issues. This talk is drawn from a submission piece for the Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics.
Date posted
Feb 7, 2019
Date updated
Sep 7, 2022