Top 10 Asian American Comic Book Characters

Okay, say what you will about the comic book movie genre, but we still need our heroes, maybe now more than ever. Whether done up in spandex, body armor, capes or cowls, seeing people who only do good is important and surprisingly rare. Supers of Asian descent are even rarer still. So, let’s celebrate the top Asian American crime fighters lifted straight from the pulp pages of our youth. Mutants, martial arts masters, and vigilantes, oh my! And yes, we’ve even got a Hulk, too.

1. Shang-Chi

First appearance Special Marvel Edition #15, December 1973. Created by writer Steve Englehart and artist Jim Starlin Known as the Master of Kung Fu, Shang-Chi was created in the early 1970s during a period of rising interest in martial arts in pop culture. Initially a character of his time, he’s been reinvented for a modern audience, becoming a major hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a leading figure in the comics.

2. Jubilee

First appearance Uncanny X-Men #244, May 1989. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Marc Silvestri Jubilation Lee is a Chinese American mutant who became a central character in the X-Men comics and, most notably, the beloved 1990s animated series. Her fun-loving, rebellious personality and “fireworks” powers have made her a breakout star and a fan favorite.

3. Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan)

First appearance All-New Marvel NOW! Point One #1, January 2014. Created by editors Sana Amanat and Stephen Wacker, writer G. Willow Wilson, and artists Adrian Alphona and Jamie McKelvie

This Pakistani American teenager hailing from Jersey City is Marvel's first Muslim character to headline her own comic series. Khan’s stories focus on her identity as a young hero and her struggles to balance her superpowers with her family's expectations. Teenage angst abounds.

4. Amadeus Cho

First appearance Amazing Fantasy Vol. 2 #15, January 2005. Created by writer Greg Pak and artist Takeshi Miyazawa

A Korean American boy genius, Amadeus Cho is considered one of the smartest people in the Marvel Universe, and that’s saying something (looking at you Tony Stark and Reed Richards). He even took the mantle of the Hulk for a time, a significant moment of representation for an Asian American character in a traditionally non-Asian hero role.

5. Silk (Cindy Moon)

First appearance The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 3 #4, July 2014.

Created by Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos

A Korean American who was bitten by the same pesky radioactive spider that gave Peter Parker his Spidey powers, Cindy Moon is a powerful and complex character starring in her own solo comic series and fits right in to the ever-expanding Spider-verse.

6. Cassandra Cain (Batgirl)

First appearance Batman #567, July 1999.

Created by Kelley Puckett and Damion Scott

A Chinese American character and prominent figure in the Batman family, Cain was raised as a weapon by her assassin parents, and her journey from a nonverbal killing machine to a hero is one of the most compelling in comics. She’s considered one of the best martial artists in the DC Universe.

7. Ryan Choi (The Atom)

First appearance DCU: Brave New World #1, August 2006.

Created by Gail Simone and Grant Morrison

A brilliant physicist from Hong Kong, Ryan Choi succeeded Ray Palmer as the Atom and is a legacy hero who’s been a member of the Justice League. A popular character in his own right, he’s often featured in DC’s animated and live-action projects.

8. Colleen Wing

First appearance Marvel Premier #19, November 1974.

Created by writer Doug Moench and artist Larry Hama

A Japanese American martial artist and expert swordsman, Colleen Wing is best known as a co-founder of "Daughters of the Dragon" and a key ally to Iron Fist, as seen in the streaming series of the same name.

9. Quake (Daisy Johnson)

First appearance Secret War #2, July 2004.

Created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Gabriele Dell'Otto

A Chinese American character, Quake has the power to generate seismic waves. She was the central character on Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. television series, which made her one of the most recognizable Asian American characters in a live-action show.

10. The Green Turtle First appearance Blazing Comics #1, June 1944.

Created by Chinese-American cartoonist Chu F. Hing

A historical figure in comic book history, the Green Turtle’s considered one of the first Asian American superheroes. Created in the 1940s, his identity was purposefully obscured by his creators to avoid stereotyping, a fascinating historical detail that has been explored in a modern re-imagining by Gene Luen Yang.

Illustrations by DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Rural Home Publications