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Russian Graffiti from the Boxer Rebellion

By | September 2nd, 2013|Categories: Gene's Blog|Tags: , |

Librarian Jennie Rothschild told me about Russian graffiti that was left on Beijing City Wall at the end of the Boxer Rebellion.  Check it out: More here!

Pre-Order Boxers & Saints from Green Apple!

By | June 24th, 2013|Categories: Gene's Blog|Tags: , , , |

If you pre-order Boxers, Saints, or both from Green Apple Books before September 1, I will sign and do a sketch in your book(s)!  That's right!  A drawing just for YOU, from the bottom of my heart.    

Boxers & Saints Trailer

By | May 30th, 2013|Categories: Gene's Blog|Tags: , |

Check out the official trailer for Boxers & Saints! Both volumes are written and drawn by me, and colored by Lark Pien. Available on September 10, 2013 by First Second Books! Trailer was created by the unbelievably talented Denver Jackson.

Sketchbook: Joan of Arc

By | April 25th, 2013|Categories: Gene's Blog|Tags: , , , |

This seems to be a week of making art for auctions. A couple days ago, I posted a drawing of Guan Yu that I did for an upcoming auction at ALA Chicago.  Here's one for BEA 2013 in New York. St. Joan of Arc also shows up in Boxers & Saints, my two graphic novels about [...]

Sketchbook: Guan Yu

By | April 23rd, 2013|Categories: Gene's Blog|Tags: , , , , |

Just finished this pen and ink drawing of Guan Yu, the Chinese God of War, for an auction at ALA Chicago this summer. Guan Yu is one of the gods featured in my upcoming graphic novels Boxers & Saints, out from First Second Books this September!

Chinese Opera Hulk

By | April 3rd, 2013|Categories: Gene's Blog|Tags: , , , , |

In September 2013, First Second Books will release Boxers & Saints, my graphic novels about the Boxer Rebellion. In previous posts, I've argued that the Boxers were a lot like today's pop culture geeks and that the Chinese opera they watched was a lot like today's comic books. I've done some artwork inspired by that idea. Here's the latest: Chinese [...]

Chinese Opera Thor

By | March 27th, 2013|Categories: Gene's Blog|Tags: , , , , |

In September 2013, First Second Books will release Boxers & Saints, my graphic novels about the Boxer Rebellion. In previous posts, I’ve argued that the Boxers were a lot like today’s pop culture geeks and thatthe Chinese opera they watched was a lot like today’s comic books. I’ve done some artwork inspired by that idea. Here’s this week's: Chinese [...]

Chinese Opera Iron Man

By | March 20th, 2013|Categories: Gene's Blog|Tags: , , , , |

In September 2013, First Second Books will release Boxers & Saints, my graphic novels about the Boxer Rebellion. In previous posts, I’ve argued that the Boxers were a lot like today’s pop culture geeks and thatthe Chinese opera they watched was a lot like today’s comic books. I’ve done some artwork inspired by that idea. Here’s this week's: Chinese [...]

Chinese Opera Captain America

By | March 13th, 2013|Categories: Gene's Blog|Tags: , , , , , |

In September 2013, First Second Books will release Boxers & Saints, my graphic novels about the Boxer Rebellion. In previous posts, I've argued that the Boxers were a lot like today's pop culture geeks and that the Chinese opera they watched was a lot like today's comic books. I've done some artwork inspired by that idea. [...]

How Chinese Opera and American Comics Are Alike

By | February 27th, 2013|Categories: Gene's Blog|Tags: , , |

I gotta be honest.  If you grew up on American pop music like me, Chinese opera can be hard to take. To Western ears, traditional Chinese singing can sound awfully whiny, like the singer is performing in spite of a mild head cold. While working on Boxers & Saints, however, I developed an appreciation for the [...]