The Green Turtle is a superhero originally published by Rural Home Publications. He first appeared in Blazing Comics (1944), and was created by Chinese-American cartoonist Chu F. Hing.[2] While the original run of the character lasted only five issues, the Green Turtle is notable for three factors. First, during WWII, the stories represented the Chinese in U.S. popular media as heroic partners fighting the Axis. One issue begins with the banner 美國及中華民國 (the United States united with the Chinese Republic), and features a U.S. general joining Chinese guerrillas in battle.[3] During the war, U.S. depictions of the Pacific theatre were typically racialized; the "Yellow Peril" stereotypes applied to the Japanese were originally anti-Chinese[4] and portrayed Asians as racial enemies of Western civilization.[5][6] Second, the character is often identified as the first Asian-American comic book hero. These factors inspired a contemporary graphic novel on the Green Turtle, Shadow Hero, by Gene Luen Yang, whose American Born Chinese was the first work in a comics format to be nominated for the National Book Award.[3]
The Green Turtle aided the Chinese in guerrilla warfare against the Japanese invaders in World War II. He wore a green cowl and a cloak with a turtle-shell design.[7] Most origin stories around the comic say that Hing initially wanted to make him an overtly Chinese hero, but his publisher would not allow this, believing there would not be a sufficient market for an Asian superhero, so Hing never drew the character without his mask. He had a sidekick, Burma Boy, a young beggar whom the Green Turtle rescued from execution by the Japanese army.[8] He also had a manservant, Wun Too.[2]
The Green Turtle's secret identity was never revealed, and readers never saw the character's face without a mask,[9] until a reboot presented Hank Chu's face, identity, and origin story.
Powers and abilities
The Green Turtle as originally written has no special powers but is a skilled fighter and flies a high-tech Turtle Plane.[10] He wears a large, flowing cape with a green turtle emblem, and is occasionally depicted with a huge, shadowy, black turtle silhouette rearing behind him. Though the significance of this is never established in the original series, it could be a visual reference to the Black Tortoise of Chinese mythology.
Reboot
In 2014, Gene Luen Yang and Sonny Liew created a six-issue miniseries The Shadow Hero to revive the Green Turtle, with a retcon explaining the turtle silhouette as a spirit who keeps the Green Turtle from getting shot. A trade paperback collecting all six issues was published by First Second Books in 2014.[11]
^Chu is the family name: see Gene Luen Yang, A Mistake in The Shadow Hero, Diversity in YA (2015)
^ abMitchell, Kurt; Thomas, Roy (2019). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1940-1944. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 245. ISBN978-1605490892.
^ ab"Was The Green Turtle The First Asian-American Superhero?". NPR.org. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
^"Asian Immigration: The "Yellow Peril" · Race in the United States, 1880-1940 · Student Digital Gallery · BGSU Libraries". digitalgallery.bgsu.edu. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
^"Racism in the war in the Pacific > Professor Geoffrey Wawro > WW2History.com". ww2history.com. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
^Shim, Doobo (October 1998). "From Yellow Peril through Model Minority to Renewed Yellow Peril". Journal of Communication Inquiry. 22 (4): 385–409. doi:10.1177/0196859998022004004. ISSN 0196-8599. S2CID 145395286.
^Yoe, Craig (2016). Super Weird Heroes:Outrageous But Real!. Yoe Books/IDW. p. 154. ISBN978-1631407451.
^Nevins, Jess (2013). Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes. High Rock Press. p. 42. ISBN978-1-61318-023-5.
^Benton, Mike (1992). Superhero Comics of the Golden Age: The Illustrated History. Dallas: Taylor Publishing Company. p. 153. ISBN0-87833-808-X. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
^Nevins, Jess (2013). Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes. High Rock Press. p. 118. ISBN978-1-61318-023-5.
^ Yu, Phil (2014-02-20). "The Heroic Return of the Green Turtle". Retrieved 2014-03-14.
green, turtle, comics, green, turtle, superhero, originally, published, rural, home, publications, first, appeared, blazing, comics, 1944, created, chinese, american, cartoonist, hing, while, original, character, lasted, only, five, issues, green, turtle, nota. The Green Turtle is a superhero originally published by Rural Home Publications He first appeared in Blazing Comics 1944 and was created by Chinese American cartoonist Chu F Hing 2 While the original run of the character lasted only five issues the Green Turtle is notable for three factors First during WWII the stories represented the Chinese in U S popular media as heroic partners fighting the Axis One issue begins with the banner 美國及中華民國 the United States united with the Chinese Republic and features a U S general joining Chinese guerrillas in battle 3 During the war U S depictions of the Pacific theatre were typically racialized the Yellow Peril stereotypes applied to the Japanese were originally anti Chinese 4 and portrayed Asians as racial enemies of Western civilization 5 6 Second the character is often identified as the first Asian American comic book hero These factors inspired a contemporary graphic novel on the Green Turtle Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang whose American Born Chinese was the first work in a comics format to be nominated for the National Book Award 3 Green TurtlePublication informationPublisherRural Home PublicationsFirst appearanceBlazing Comics 1 1944 Created byChu F Hing 1 In story informationFull nameHank ChuPartnershipsBurma BoyAbilitiesNone Contents 1 Character history 2 Powers and abilities 3 Reboot 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksCharacter history EditThe Green Turtle aided the Chinese in guerrilla warfare against the Japanese invaders in World War II He wore a green cowl and a cloak with a turtle shell design 7 Most origin stories around the comic say that Hing initially wanted to make him an overtly Chinese hero but his publisher would not allow this believing there would not be a sufficient market for an Asian superhero so Hing never drew the character without his mask He had a sidekick Burma Boy a young beggar whom the Green Turtle rescued from execution by the Japanese army 8 He also had a manservant Wun Too 2 The Green Turtle s secret identity was never revealed and readers never saw the character s face without a mask 9 until a reboot presented Hank Chu s face identity and origin story Powers and abilities EditThe Green Turtle as originally written has no special powers but is a skilled fighter and flies a high tech Turtle Plane 10 He wears a large flowing cape with a green turtle emblem and is occasionally depicted with a huge shadowy black turtle silhouette rearing behind him Though the significance of this is never established in the original series it could be a visual reference to the Black Tortoise of Chinese mythology Reboot EditIn 2014 Gene Luen Yang and Sonny Liew created a six issue miniseries The Shadow Hero to revive the Green Turtle with a retcon explaining the turtle silhouette as a spirit who keeps the Green Turtle from getting shot A trade paperback collecting all six issues was published by First Second Books in 2014 11 See also EditSecret Identities The Asian American Superhero AnthologyReferences Edit Chu is the family name see Gene Luen Yang A Mistake in The Shadow Hero Diversity in YA 2015 a b Mitchell Kurt Thomas Roy 2019 American Comic Book Chronicles 1940 1944 TwoMorrows Publishing p 245 ISBN 978 1605490892 a b Was The Green Turtle The First Asian American Superhero NPR org Retrieved 2022 05 03 Asian Immigration The Yellow Peril Race in the United States 1880 1940 Student Digital Gallery BGSU Libraries digitalgallery bgsu edu Retrieved 2022 05 03 Racism in the war in the Pacific gt Professor Geoffrey Wawro gt WW2History com ww2history com Retrieved 2022 05 03 Shim Doobo October 1998 From Yellow Peril through Model Minority to Renewed Yellow Peril Journal of Communication Inquiry 22 4 385 409 doi 10 1177 0196859998022004004 ISSN 0196 8599 S2CID 145395286 Yoe Craig 2016 Super Weird Heroes Outrageous But Real Yoe Books IDW p 154 ISBN 978 1631407451 Nevins Jess 2013 Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes High Rock Press p 42 ISBN 978 1 61318 023 5 Benton Mike 1992 Superhero Comics of the Golden Age The Illustrated History Dallas Taylor Publishing Company p 153 ISBN 0 87833 808 X Retrieved 15 January 2020 Nevins Jess 2013 Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes High Rock Press p 118 ISBN 978 1 61318 023 5 Yu Phil 2014 02 20 The Heroic Return of the Green Turtle Retrieved 2014 03 14 External links EditComic Vine The Green Turtle Digital Comic Museum Blazing Comics collection Portals Comics Biography Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Green Turtle comics amp oldid 1157975599, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
