Gene Luen Yang: 2016 MacArthur Fellow

If you've ever closed the cover of American Born ChineseBoxers and Saints, or any of his Avatar: The Last Airbender stories and thought, "That Gene Yang is a genius!", you're in good company. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation have named the accomplished comics creator as one of this year's MacArthur Fellows, receiving a "Genius Grant" of $650,000.

The list of fellowship recipients dates back to 1981, but has historically been heavily populated with scientists, activists, and artists in fields that are more traditionally revered than comics. In recent years, however, cartoonists and graphic novelists have been recognized as their art form gained critical attention. Ben Katchor (Julius Knipl, Real Estate Photographer: The Beauty Supply DistrictThe Cardboard Valise) was named in 2000, followed by Alison Bechdel (Fun Home: A Family TragicomicAre You My Mother?: A Comic Drama) followed in 2014. Gene Yang is by far the most mainstream of this trio of comic geniuses, with graphic novels aimed at budding programmers (Secret Coders), history buffs (Boxers and Saints), and superhero fans (New Super-Man).

Your Dragon Library just so happens to have several of Gene Yang's graphic novels ready for you to crack open and see why he's considered among 
   the best at his craft.

  RET3, Guest Bloggers