Category: Luke Heine

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Luke Heine

Shang-Chi: From the 1970’s Comic Page to 2021’s Silver Screen

Written by Luke Heine
SDSU History Major / Weber Honors College, 2021

The latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, has hit theaters to widespread critical and financial success. Already, it’s the highest grossing movie during the 2020-21 pandemic to date, and has scored above 90% for critics and fans alike on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s also a success in presenting the MCU with its first Asian-American protagonist, a sign of a growing commitment to diversity and representation in the coming phase of the cinematic universe. With SDSU recently becoming a certified AANAPISI institution, the film’s focus aligns with the vision of our campus and Comics@SDSU. Like all MCU heroes, Shang-Chi has his origins on the comic book page – but how much has changed about the character since he first debuted in 1973 in “Special Marvel Edition Vol 1 #15”? 

Top: Bolo Yeung and Bruce Lee. Enter the Dragon. Warner Bros., 1973. Bottom: Shang-Chi vs. Tak. Englehart, Steve, and Jim Starlin. Special Marvel Edition Vol 1 #15. Marvel Comics, 1973, pg. 17. 

In August of 1973, Bruce Lee’s landmark martial arts film “Enter the Dragon” was making waves with US audiences. Eager to cash in on the new enthusiasm with their own Kung Fu star, Marvel writer Steve Englehart and Penciler Jim Starlin created Shang-Chi in December of the same year. The debuting issue follows martial arts master Shang-Chi confronting his mixed feelings towards his villainous father and his own dark past as a trained assassin. In this way, it is similar to the film, portraying a hero’s journey in which he comes to terms with his lineage and chooses to use his skills for good. However, how Shang-Chi and his father are portrayed has changed significantly across the decades; quite considerably, in fact, for the better.

Cover of Shang-Chi’s Debut Issue. Englehart, Steve, and Jim Starlin. Special Marvel Edition Vol 1 #15. Marvel Comics, 1973. 

The origin of Shang-Chi himself bears several similarities between the original comic and the 2021 film. In his debut issue, Shang is an adult man who has lived his life in China under the control and tutelage of his father, and his living American mother. In the film, in contrast, a 14 year old Shang-Chi immigrated to America, adopted the name Shaun, and only returned to China to confront his father a decade later. Both versions of the character hold a Chinese-American heritage: one by birth, the other by immigration. In this way, continuity across time is presented in the character, as well as the background he represents. His father, however, is a far different story. In the film, Wenwu is an ageless warlord who has lived a centuries long life, using that time to establish the Ten Rings organization which puppets world events from the shadows. He is approached with nuance and compassion, a loving yet troubled father struggling with the loss of love and the burdens of his cruel past. In contrast, Wenwu’s comic book counterpart is Fu-Manchu, likewise ageless and powerful but depicted in a far less flattering (and often overtly racist) fashion. Englehart and Starlin did not create Fu-Manchu, but rather adapted a crime-pulp novel character of the same name which debuted in 1913. The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu, written by novelist Sax Rohmer, presented the titular antagonist as an emblem of prominent attitudes towards Asia of the time: Fu-Manchu is characterized by what Rohmer describes as “Eastern devilry” and “the unemotional cruelty of the Chinese” (Rohmer, Sax. The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu, ch. 7, 10.). Regrettably, these hateful sentiments sold, with 20 million copies sold in his lifetime, a clear reflection of the fearful and xenophobic perspecitve towards Asians held by many of an invasion from the East (Seshagiri, Urmila (2006). “Modernity’s (Yellow) Perils: Dr. Fu-Manchu and English Race Paranoia”. Cultural Critique. 62 (62): 162–194.).  

Sax Rohmer’s “The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu”. Rohmer, Sax. The Mystery of Dr. Fu Manchu. London: Methuen Publishing Ltd, 1989. Cover image from pulpcovers.com

By the 1970s, one might have hoped that this depiction would have changed to one less marred by damaging stereotypes, but unfortunately this is not the case. Fu-Manchu continues to hold ambitions of world domination, an Eastern menace who has plagued the “heroic” Western colonial authorities. Written amidst the Vietnam War and growing concerns towards Communist China, the cultural backdrop which influenced this characterization is clear. Likewise, racist adjectives persist, with Fu-Manchu referred to as an “inhuman yellow fiend” and other derogatory descriptors (Special Marvel Edition Vol 1 #15, pg. 10.). Negative characterization of some nature is expected for the portrayal of any villain; clearly, however, these negatives were rooted in bigotry. Even Shang-Chi’s birth itself has a basis in white supremacy, with his white American mother selected as the “scientifically perfect mother” to bear Fu-Manchu’s child (Special Marvel Edition Vol 1 #15, pg. 16.).

Shang-Chi and Fu-Manchu. These panels blend the two characters together, using imagery to highlight their similarities and differences. Englehart, Steve, and Jim Starlin. Special Marvel Edition Vol 1 #15. Marvel Comics, 1973, pg. 3.

This brings us to 2021 – have depictions of these characters changed for the better? Thankfully, the answer is yes. The film captures a respectful and open-minded perspective on its characters and their cultural origins; the characters are first and foremost human, relatable, and free from stereotypical depiction. Fu-Manchu, now Wenwu, is still a significant threat for Shang-Chi to overcome, but not for the xenophobic reasons of the 1913 novel or the 1970s comics. Both Chinese and Chinese-American culture is respected and are woven into the story such that they encourage inclusivity rather than inspire fear, and allow for storytelling that will doubtless better stand the test of time than its predecessors. Perhaps this might be attributed to its director and screenwriter, Destin Daniel Cretton (SDSU Alumnus, Film ‘11) and David Callaham respectively, both of Asian American descent. However it came to be, the story of the character of Shang-Chi lends an optimistic message: that we can learn from our mistakes, learn about each other, and overcome the biases of our past for a more diverse and inclusive future. 

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Luke Heine

Comic-Con@Home: Comics Take Center Stage!

Written by Luke Heine
SDSU History Major / Weber Honors College, 2021

Comic-Con is a staple of San Diego, but if there’s one thing anyone trying to get tickets for the first time knows, it’s that the world-famous convention is very hard to get into. Despair no longer comics fans! This year, the convention is coming to you with Comic-Con@Home. Comics enthusiasts everywhere can tune in to watch a myriad of exciting programs, panels, and more. The virtual setting does mean the convention will be missing a lot of the spectacle from the big names that it has come to be known for in recent years. But there’s a silver lining for those who are fans of the ‘ol printed page: a focus on comic books themselves, and also their value to education and social justice. Let’s preview a bit of what this virtual convention has to offer. 

One panel which may interest professors and social advocates alike is Teaching and Learning with Comics, a panel on July 22nd bringing together university professors and comics creators. As the listed description states, their goal is to “connect the dots between comic books and civic action” through their discussion; those of you familiar with Comics@SDSU might recognize a similarity  to one of our initiative’s goals! For anyone looking for some professional insight on how comics and social justice can work together, this panel is a must see.

Another panel which might catch the attention of faculty is Content through Comics: Teaching STEM and Humanities with Graphic Novels, which will also take place on July 22nd. A diverse panel of educators has come together for this panel to discuss the ways in which graphic novels can increase interest and engagement in the sciences and humanities for students who might not “see themselves as scientists, engineers, or historians.” As a student myself, I have to agree; graphic novels like Speigelman’s Maus and Takei’s They Called Us Enemy connected me to the material in a way few other mediums can. Finding new ways to use comics to spark interest in new subjects certainly has exciting potential, and for faculty wanting to explore it this panel is for you.

These are only a few of the programs which the event has to offer, with well over 100 different options to watch and learn from. ‘Variety’ is an understatement; you’d be hard pressed to find a more diverse assortment of discussions on comics. Here’s a few more panel names to give you an idea: Hip-Hop And Comics: Cultures Combining; The Science of Art; Afrofuturism, Funk, and the Black Imagination; What’s New in Independent Comics; Graphic Novels Lost and Found… the list really does go on and on! And the diversity of topics doesn’t end there: there are panels for film, videogame, and anime enthusiasts as well.

In total, while Comic-Con@Home might not have the goodies and giveaways, cosplaying convention-goers, and stunning spectacle of the in-person event, it makes up for it in the wide variety of thought provoking and entertaining panels which highlight the value of the medium which started it all. So wherever you are, consider swinging by – tickets are as cheap as they come (free!) and getting there is as easy as opening your laptop (sure beats finding parking!). There’s sure to be something for everyone.

Programming for Comic-Con@Home will take place from July 21st to the 25th. For the full programing schedule, and the video links once the event goes live, go to https://www.comic-con.org/cci/programming-schedule.

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Luke Heine

Comics, Students, and a Collaborative Timeline

Written by Luke Heine
SDSU History Major / Weber Honors College, 2021

Comics are making big waves in academia, and students are beginning to see exciting new opportunities opened to them to interact with comics in original ways. One of these avenues is through HIST 157 – Comics and History, a course dedicated to understanding what comics are, the historical role they’ve played, and the ways in which they have been used as a vehicle for examining themes of social justice. In HIST 157, students become more and more proficient at analyzing the techniques used by comics writers and artists to convey their themes in an impactful manner. And, HIST 157 students learn to produce a graphic presentation of their findings: annotated comic pages. If you’ve had the opportunity to check out Comics@SDSU on Twitter, you may have already seen some examples of these annotations created by myself and fellow student researcher Fawaz Qashat. If not, here’s an example of what these annotations look like:

Also, check out my blog “The Bayeux Tapestry – A Medieval Comics” (June 1, 2021) and Fawaz’s blog “Comics and History Annotation Process” (June 1, 2021) for more discussion about annotating comics.

Annotations such as these, however, were only a foundation for a class-wide collaboration: a timeline following social justice themes in comics across the medium’s history. To create this timeline, students found representative or significant works from the various eras of the medium (from “Stone and Thread” Age to the Modern Era), dividing up both themes and time periods among themselves. Using the knowledge about comics they had built up across ten weeks of the course, and the annotation skills they had honed, each student created a single annotation which encapsulated the key aspects of their chosen work. From there, the collaboration continued, as students submitted their creations to be brought together in a cohesive timeline. The annotations all focused on observing the depiction of specific social justice-related themes, which were grouped together on the timeline. These themes included wealth inequality, gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, immigration, and other topics of the students’ choice. Through these students’ work, trends in the contents of comics spanning thousands of years were charted, and the past century examined in greater detail. It’s clear that the timeline is an impressive undertaking, one which sheds light on the long and storied history of comics. You can check out the completed timeline here: https://tinyurl.com/hist157-03-timeline or check out the embedded version below.

The timeline was made possible through the research materials shared with the class by Pamela Jackson (SDSU Pop Culture Librarian and Comic Arts Curator) and the timeline tutorial and work-flow set up by Dr. Pam Lach (Digital Humanities Librarian), both of whom visited with our class and collaborated with the professor to make the assignment work for the students. With collaborations like this among SDSU faculty and between CSU faculty occurring across our many campuses (see my earlier blog post, “Comics in the CSUs: Cooperation and Collaboration to Come!” April 22, 2021) and students on those campuses working together to create products of graphic history with skills and knowledge newly acquired, it is clear that a new appreciation and understanding of comics as an academic tool and scholarly medium is being reached. As a student myself who was lucky enough to have the opportunity to participate in the timeline project, I’m excited to see how this trend continues, and proud of the accomplishment we achieved as a class. As each semester passes, new students will come together to experience comics in a new and collaborative way, and create their own visual depictions of the history of comics and the themes they cover. Needless to say, go check out the timeline yourself, and see what we’ve been up to – you’re sure to see comics in a way you haven’t before. 

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Luke Heine

The Bayeux Tapestry – A Medieval Comic?

Written by Luke Heine
SDSU History Major / Weber Honors College, 2021

It might surprise you that some of the same techniques used in comics today were employed in centuries-old works. An example of this is the Bayeux Tapestry, a 70-meter long embroidered masterpiece telling the story of William of Normandy’s conquest of England in 1066. The tapestry was crafted in the 11th century (probably by women!). Despite the materials used and its medieval conception, it may very well be considered a comic. Let’s take a closer look. 

On a basic level, comics are a storytelling medium which use sequential art, often accompanied by text. While this definition is far from comprehensive, it provides a solid baseline for looking at the Bayeux Tapestry as a comic. Take, for example, this section here:


Image from Lindybeige, “The Bayeux Tapestry – all of it, from start to finish,” Timestamp 2:14; available on Youtube @ https://youtu.be/KnieUa2-22o  (Posted October 18, 2017); accessed May 27, 2021.

In this section alone, many elements of comics are present. To begin, throughout the tapestry, text is integrated as an explanation for what the images depict. This is common practice in comics; imagine, for example, that a text box encompasses the lettering:

Or word balloons:

Right out of a comic book page, isn’t it? Perhaps not quite, but the similarities are quite clear. However, there are even more parallels to be drawn between the Bayeux Tapestry and modern comics. Look to the tree at the edge of the image:

Trees such as these create breaks between scenes, and combined with the borders framing the scene they divide the tapestry into panels. Using this format, the tapestry tells a long and complex story with clear delineation between its parts, just as comics would. 

 Organizational methods are not the only similarities that the Bayeux Tapestry holds to comics, however. There are also parallels to be drawn on an artistic level, in regards to the comics technique of graphic weight. Graphic weight refers to the quality of drawing the viewers’ eyes, commanding their attention towards a particular aspect of the work through various techniques. One of the primary ways that the tapestry creates this graphic weight is through color. Out of all the figures in this section, the figures who draw the most attention are the central characters, clad in vibrant orange and blue. These bright colors make the two stand out, and intentionally so; they are nobility and notable figures in the story the tapestry tells. This technique is one seen throughout modern comics, and is perhaps one of its hallmarks. Would Spider-Man, Superman, and the myriad other characters the medium is known for stand out quite as much without their vibrant costumes of bright reds, blues, and other colors? Because of this aspect of their design, they draw the eye to them, lending them graphic weight; the Bayeux Tapestry does the same. 

Whether one considers the Bayeux Tapestry a historic comic or not, it uses many of the techniques employed today in the graphic medium. Additionally, the terms for talking about modern comics help us see in the Bayeux Tapestry what we might otherwise miss. Through the integration of text and image to tell a story, the division of time through the usage of a panel-like structure, and the graphic weight attributed to important figures in the work, a strong case can be made to say that the tapestry is, in fact, a comic. If that’s so, it certainly goes to show how impactful the medium has been, how it stood the test of time, and how the formal vocabulary helps us to more fully read the work. 

Fully annotated panel from Bayeux Tapestry submitted for Prof. Pollard’s HIST 157 in Fall 2020
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Luke Heine

Comics in the CSUs: Cooperation and Collaboration to Come!

Written by Luke Heine
SDSU History Major / Weber Honors College, 2021

One of the most exciting developments in recent years for comics enthusiasts is the growing acceptance of, and acclaim for, graphic works in academia. Institutions of higher learning have begun to recognize the significance and potential of the medium, which is at last poised to take its place among the fine arts and literature. On Monday, April 19th, in my role as Comics@SDSU student researcher in Spring 2021, I had the pleasure of attending a gathering of faculty from across the CSUs, assembled to discuss the role of comics at their campuses and to collaborate on new ways to advance the role of these works in education. As the minute-taker for this event, I can happily affirm that this gathering marks a bright future to come for Comics in the CSUs, and I am excited to convey some of the meeting’s take-aways from my perspective as a CSU student and comics fan.

The meeting kicked off with introductions and an overview of what the CSUs have been doing with comics to date. In attendance were representatives from ten CSUs — Chico, Dominguez Hills, Fresno, Los Angeles, Northridge, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Marcos, and San José – quite the gathering!  From the presentations by these passionate faculty, it was clear to see that comics are already taking center stage on these campuses, from CSULA’s Eagle-Con, SFSU’s Interdisciplinary Comics Studies Minor, Comics @ CSUN, and of course our own Comics@SDSU initiative. Indeed, the achievements of these universities are too exhaustive to list in full here, but they include initiatives such as a faculty person taking students to Japan to study manga, comic arts exhibitions, curriculum development, academic conferences (for faculty and students), comic creation by students, and research about comic-book reading. 

All in all, it’s clear that Comics in the CSUs is off to a great start on the individual campuses, but the meeting’s goal was cultivating collaboration across campuses, as well. To that end, following introductions the enthusiastic representatives began brainstorming how they might work together to take the initiatives they have started at their individual universities to the next step together. Exciting ideas for future collaborations included a touring exhibition, sharing of comics collections, CSU-wide internships and research, and ways to connect with each other in the future. By the meeting’s conclusion, it was clear to see that the future for a collaborative comics community across the CSUs is bright; the initiative is off to a promising start, and I for one can’t wait to see what the coming years will bring for comics-loving students like myself! 

Jamboard showing post-it notes with brainstorm ideas for future collaboration within the CSUs
Having listened to 5-minute introductions of what’s happening with comics at each of the campuses, Comics in the CSUs participants brainstormed opportunities for future collaborations
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Luke Heine

Spider Man, Spider-Man, Spiderman?

Written by Luke Heine
SDSU History Major / Honors College, 2021

Every fan of comics knows Peter Parker, that friendly neighborhood wall-crawler who brought the teen hero from sidekick to center stage. Bitten by a radioactive spider, he gained new powers and hard lessons on responsibility since his debut in 1962’s Amazing Fantasy #15. Since then, he’s leaped from the comic book page to stardom on the silver screen, with recent entries including “ Far From Home” and “Into the Spider-Verse.” Long story short, you probably are pretty familiar with the guy. Let’s take a look at the cover of his first issue where it all began. 

“Introducing Spider Man.” 

Cover of Spider-Man comic book
Amazing Fantasy (Marvel Comics) #15 (Aug. 1962)

What a cover! But wait, something’s strange; it’s spelled “Spider Man” not “Spider-Man” – isn’t it spelled with a hyphen? Maybe the first page of the issue can help us out a bit. 

There it is. Maybe just a misprint? But wait (there’s more)! Check out the bolded name of our web-slingin’ star in that big yellow text box. How’s it spelled? Spiderman – one word, no hyphen. So which one is it? Well, I think our next move is to look to the late great Stan Lee, co-creator of the hero with artist Steve Ditko. In a 2010 tweet, Stan Lee puts an end to the debate once and for all: “Spidey’s official name has a hyphen — “Spider-Man.” Know why? When I first dreamed him up I didn’t want anyone confusing him with Superman!” 

So there you have it folks: “Spider-Man” is the correct spelling. That’s sure to be a fun bit of trivia to pull out at the next party you attend; I’m sure it’ll make you as popular as Peter Parker! Or, better yet, swing by Special Collections at the SDSU Library and browse through some of the web-slinger’s adventures yourself. For more information about SDSU’s Comic Arts Collection, check out this research guide.

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Luke Heine

Why the Graphic Matters: Insights from Scott McCloud

Written by Luke Heine
SDSU History Major / Honors College, 2021

Images are everywhere: street signs, safety warnings, and of course, comic books. Many early forms of writing were pictorial in nature, from Egyptian hieroglyphics to ancient Chinese characters. What’s more, images have a unique and powerful ability to communicate in a way  that is nearly universal. It’s clear that graphic media have been, and continue to be, central to how ideas are conveyed. But sit down, and think for a moment – name five works of fiction of high prestige. For written works, it’s easy: The Great Gatsby, Moby Dick, Crime and Punishment, To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men… the list could go on and on. Many of these you’ve doubtless read in English class, or in an institute of higher learning. But can you say the same about comic books? For your average person, the answer is likely no, but as I mentioned earlier, images are everywhere, and integral to the human experience. So why is this the case?

Recently, I had the pleasure of attending a lecture by Scout McCloud, hosted by SDSU’s Arts and Culture Club. For those of you unfamiliar with McCloud, he is a comics artist, writer, and theorist best known for Understanding Comics (1993), Reinventing Comics (2000), and Making Comics (2006). According to McCloud, every picture says something, yet academia and society at large generally haven’t trusted graphic forms of communication. Picture books, comic books, and the like are often labeled children’s media, and thus shut off from the prestige of their textual counterparts. In McCloud’s words, “at a certain point, we learn words have a multiplicity of uses, but leave art alone as impractical.” Now to those of you who do not number among the ranks of comics enthusiasts, it’s pretty easy to simply say “so what?” Well, according to McCloud, our perception of the prestige of graphic media is quite a big deal.

Let’s start simple, with a common form of graphic communication you’ve doubtless seen before: safety warnings. In his presentation, McCloud referenced the following image:

Image from http://www.scottmccloud.com/talkimages/

Text aside (which has its own slew of issues), you’d be hard pressed to decipher the meaning of the image without prior knowledge that you shouldn’t use elevators during a fire. While this example might seem funny, when one considers what its purpose is – saving lives in the event of a fire – it’s a little harder to laugh at the jumbled mess above. To prove this isn’t an isolated incident, McCloud provides more examples, such as this pregnant woman broadcasting wifi:

Image from http://www.scottmccloud.com/talkimages/

Or whatever horrors this sign hopes to warn against:

Image from http://www.scottmccloud.com/talkimages/

McCloud’s message is clear: “bad visual communication is inevitable in society which does not value pictures.” It leads to safety signs which fail at their life-saving purpose, allows advertisers to exploit those unaware of an image’s power, and devalues an entire medium that is fundamentally powerful. So the next time you pick up a comic book over one of the masterworks of literary canon, don’t be ashamed; a picture can go a long way, and we could all stand to appreciate the power of the image a bit more.

For more information on the power of comics, view the SDSU Library Catalog for McCloud’s works.