Discover how Bruce Lee introduced gung fu to millions across America through his historic role as Kato in this dynamic graphic novel by APALA Award–winning author Teresa Robeson and Eisner-nominated, APALA Honor–winning illustrator Ryan Inzana.
Just this February Penguin Random House released their latest addition to their line of Who HQ Graphic Novels. This #1 New York Times bestselling Who Was? series boasts 16 non-fiction graphic novels for children. Launching on February 18th, 2002, the Who Was? line of books began with —Who Was Sacagawea?, Who Was Ben Franklin?, Who Was Albert Einstein?, and Who Was Annie Oakley? Twenty-three years and eleven books later they’ve added Bruce Lee.
Follow Bruce Lee as he breaks ground and makes gung fu (also known as kung fu) popular through the 1960s show The Green Hornet—pushing boundaries as the first Asian American man in a major supporting television role. A story of determination, dedication, and innovation, this graphic novel immerses readers in Bruce’s journey to stardom as he fights to authentically showcase his martial-arts skills on screen. This powerful tale is brought to life by gripping narrative and vivid full-color illustrations that jump off the page.
Who HQ Graphic Novels
Full Disclosure
I count the author of this delightful book among my friends, so there may be a hint of bias and surely some admiration as well. Still, I feel I remain a professional enough comics artist and member of the Martial Arts Media or offer a qualified review.
The Review
It should go with-out saying that a large chunk of my career played out at the intersection of martial arts and pop culture. Astride that intersection stand a few giants and foremost among them is Bruce Lee. This graphic novel is not the first time this legendary martial artist has appeared in a comic. However, this may be the first depiction of Bruce Lee the man, rather than the legend.
A growing trend in graphic novels: Text Interstitials. The graphic novel makes good use of single page essays in text form as chapter breaks. They serve information purposes, providing facts and background. They also serve to move the story’s timeline forward creating a subtle episodic feel to the story. An appropriate flourish for a story chronicling a set of historic moments in the evolution of television.
The episodic narrative allows for good use of reference. Anyone with a familiarity of Bruce Lee will immediately recognize depicted scenes as moments captured on camera. This has the added effect of creating a natural reality for the more quiet moments in the story no camera was present for. This makes the voice sound right and the settings feel actual.
For the martial arts minded let me begin with some accolades to artist Ryan Inzana for an accurate looking Gene LaBelle. Because we are in a martial arts themed paragraph I’m compelled to make one point of criticism appropriate for improvement. Now this is a small quibble and I couldn’t say if it was an over-reliance on photographic reference, inexperience or deadlines; but there was one side-kick that I would describe as weaker than all the other depictions of Kung Fu. Regardless, having experienced one first hand, I can express with certainty my appreciation for a convincing depiction of a one-inch punch.
About the Creators
Teresa Robeson (she/her) is the APALA Picture Book Award–winning author of Queen of Physics, which also received an ILA Nonfiction Picture Book Honor and was a NCTE Orbis Pictus Nonfiction Recommended Book. Her other work includes Two Bicycles in Beijing, Who Is Tibet’s Exiled Leader? The 14th Dalai Lama, and Clouds in Space. Teresa was born in Hong Kong and, like Bruce Lee, grew up there. Unlike Bruce Lee, she is not very good at gung fu, but she could fend off a mean rooster on her family’s mini-farm if she had to. She lives in Southern Indiana. Visit her online at teresarobeson.com.
Ryan Inzana (he/him) is an illustrator/concept designer/animator whose work has appeared in various media all over the world. Ryan’s comics have been inducted into the Library of Congress’s permanent collection of art and his graphic novel Ichiro earned an Eisner nomination as well as an Asian American/Pacific Islander Honor Award for YA literature. He lives in central New Jersey, and you can find him online at ryaninzana.com.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.