First Second will be publishing Gene Luen Yang and Sonny Liew’s new book, The Shadow Hero, as a monthly digital comic starting this week. The full graphic novel, collecting all six issues, will be released on July 15. The serialization is appropriate: The Shadow Hero creates an origin story for The Green Turtle, the first Asian-American superhero, who had his own comic back in the 1940s.

Writer and artist Jon Proudstar is bringing back his Native American superhero comic Tribal Force with an explicit message of empowerment for Native American children:

I think Native children need to know who they are. They forget why we fought so hard in the beginning, and why we continue to fight: to fulfill the promise we made with our God to protect this land and take care of it. When you have that strength of knowing where you come from, the greatness your people once had, it’s like you’re Superman. You feel the power.

Still, he says, “But for the most part, it’s a comic book. There’s action and aliens, and weird stuff.”

Should ALSC have a separate graphic novel award? Travis Jonker has a debate inside his own head.

Johanna Draper Carlson posts a short preview of Scooby-Doo Team-Up #2, which is super-cute.

Reviews

Johanna Draper Carlson on vols. 1-3 of The Dreamer (Comics Worth Reading)
Lesley Aeschliman on vol. 20 of Pokemon Adventures (Lesley’s Musings… on Manga)
Johanna Draper Carlson on vol. 2 of Sweet Rein (Comics Worth Reading)
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