Secret Identities

This anthology about Asian superheroes drawn exclusively by Asian comic artists is a noble concept, but the submissions very greatly in tone, concept, length and overall quality. The book is broken down into sections by theme—historical concepts, one-page hero pitches, a section on “girl power” and another focusing on “ordinary heroes” (some of whom happen to have supernatural powers). Many works in the book, such as “The Hibakusha”—Japanese children born after Hiroshima who gain superpowers—take themselves very seriously. The highlight is “The Blue Scorpion & Chung” by Yang (American Born Chinese ) and Sonny Liew. In a thinly veiled parody of the Green Hornet, the Blue Scorpion's chauffeur is a talented Korean man doing most of the work for his alcoholic employer. The 12-page short effectively confronts race with just the right amount of humor and cynicism, while simultaneously telling a satisfying story. The fake comic cover “The Y-Men” says everything many of the short stories are trying to, but does so with more effective humor in just one page. (Apr.)