DC Comics recently announced three new limited series featuring Asian superheroes set to be released for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May.
The three series include Spirit World, The Vigil and City Boy under the banner of We Are Legends as part of their initiative for AAPI representation.
Spirit World focuses on Xanthe, a non-binary Chinese hero that is able to travel between the realms of the dead and living. They are able to burn items folded from ceremonial joss paper to turn them into real objects, which DC states is based on the East Asian custom of burning joss paper at worship and funeral ceremonies.
South Asian representation surfaces in The Vigil, where a team of Indian metahumans seek to stop metahuman research and technology used for military reasons.
Finally, City Boy introduces Korean superhero Cameron Kim, who is able to speak with cities and learn the histories and truths behind them.
DC editor Jessica Chen, who led the project, emphasized the importance of the We Are Legends project in AAPI representation.
“Representation matters!” Chen said on Twitter. “… and it matters to me for that Asian kid to realize through these books in We Are Legends that not only are our stories worth being told (and by us), but our stories are also worth being told on mainstream media like DC Comics!”
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