Non-stereotyped or side-kick-ed Asian/ Asian American heroes are a rare thing in

Non-stereotyped or side-kick-ed Asian/ Asian American heroes are a rare thing in comics history and present, but right now there are two major ongoing series with leading AA heroes – the slicing and dicing Japanese transplant Katana in her own self-titled series Katana (DC Comics) by Ann Nocenti and Alex Sanchez and the crime-fighting cibopath Tony Chu in Chew (Image) by John Layman and Rob Guillory.

She may not have been born in the U.S., but Katana has been fighting for justice on American soil for decades now. Originally hitting the DC universe in 1983, Katana has bounced around quite a bit (and had quite a few costume changes), mostly spending her time as a member of The Outsiders. However, these days she’s front and center, not only starring in her own New 52 series Katana, but also appearing as a team member in Birds of Prey and recently in Justice League of America. Only in issue #4, Katana has shown some promise, giving Tatsu more depth and character, from her former life in Japan to the emotional toll of her fierce attachment to her revenge and to Soultaker, her powerful sword. With top-notch writer Ann Nocenti on the job and Alex Sanchez putting out some really stunning art, here’s hoping this one sticks around.

There are also a handful of leading Asian American heroes fighting crime and villainy as part of some superteams from the major publishers.

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