Asian male superheroes?

It seems like the comic universe is becoming more diverse, but one thing I notice is the lack of good Asian male superheroes. Throughout history, most of the superheroes being created are usually females like Silk, Jubilee, technically Psylocke, Nico Minoru. Even when they change the race and gender of the existing mantles, none of them are East Asians. I love reading comics, but I would love to see more Asian males. It could help improved the image of Asian males being emasculated and undesirable which pervasive in almost all forms of media. Throughout time, comic is surprisingly one of the better medium to spread exposure and understanding like the allegory of the X-men with racism and the like. It's also creating positive role models and draw in Asian audience to read more comics.

dunno about the word "super"

shang chi

cassandra cain

Grunge , Indra , Storm Shadow are some that come to my mind.

@deadgod: I mean like at least an A lister or B lister who may or may not be in a solo series but significant enough in relation to the comic universe.

I did say male because there are already several notable female Asians like Minoru, Cassandra Cain, Lady Shiva, etc which are usually more safe to use in mainstream comics.

It's a very common practice in both movies, TV shows, or comics to use Asian females because they can be either use in sexualized ways or perceived as safer. This has led to many cases where adaptation were changing races or make them mixed to make it more appealing like with The Last Airbender, 21, 47 Ronin, Speed Racer, etc.

While Shang Chis is a one, he doesn't often featured in significant ways or during big events crossover. Of course, we can all name one of two Asian male characters that semi important, but nothing is as big as gay iceman, female Thor, or black Spiderman.

Damian Wayne is half Asian

Bushido and Karate Kid.

Also Empowered has Thugboy, though he's something of an unpowered anti-hero.

That's something. I'm more thinking about full Asian. I think it goes back to the idea of "safe" in which in adaptations, Asians characters being casted with half Asian actors such as Chun-Li movie, Mystique (Asian body, half Asian actress), . While nothing wrong if it's blind casting, the practice is common enough that it's more about not repulse potential viewers. At the moment, Hollywood refuses to cast Asians in any important roles because they believe Asians (Especially males) are undesirable. People growing up watching these movies may form certain views from negative stereotypes from the comedic minor roles and lack of interactions will thus perpetuate these views by the studio. It's a catch-22. Plus, the background and experience of mixed people are very different from full Asian or full white. A friend at my university thinking about making a club with mixed people to talk and share their experience and background.

Is most excellent superbat asian?

I think my point is someone who is big and recognizable like female Thor, black Spiderman, and gay Iceman, who's play a role in shaping the comic universe. For me, it's about positive role models. Many children grow up reading comics, it's about creating something they can relate to, not just in appearance but background. This is just something very personal to me, I guess, since I was growing up reading comics, and look up to some of the superheroes, but I can't imagine myself become a part of them, even as a kid, it's just the lack of people who I can imagine myself as.

I couldn't imagine an East Asian man to be Superman because I find the image to be not fitting, not just about the race, but the masculinity and heroic image in which Asian males often perceived as stereotypically lacking.

He's a quarter Asian. Scottish ancestry on his father's side, mixed Arab and Chinese ancestry from his mother.

Japanese people are Asian, yes.

Yeah, would be cool if they bring him back.

@poeticwarrior: If I was going to go down that route I'd choose Nightwing. Chinese acrobats are much cooler than Western acrobats.

We'll there's Kato and Daken(though only half).

There's several Samurai Jack style characters too if he counts.

@poeticwarrior said:

I do agree that Hollywood has a lack of non-white lead characters in film, but where did you get the evidence that they think Asians are undesirable to viewers?

My bad

In movies like "Romeo Must Die", the audience tested negative when the Asian male kisses the girl, in which they ended up changing to a hug instead. Many movies have Caucasians as requirements during casting. Runaways movie had Minoru's ethnicity as any during the casting process. There were a scandal, even with a movie recently set in Middle East but most of the actors are whites. The director said that the reason behind it is because producers wouldn't have funded it otherwise.

White male (and occasionally Black) superheroes only!

All other races are only meant for women and to further make the male heroes that much more awesome!

wikipedia has a list of Asian superheroes:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Asian_superheroes

From the list it does look like most of the bigger names at DC and Marvel are women. The biggest Asian male superheroes/villans that stood out to me were Ryan Choi(Atom), Shang-Chi, Mandarin, Sunfire and Amadeus Cho. There is definitely room for more Asian male superheroes.

@poeticwarrior: The only ones that come to mind are Toyman and perhaps August General in Iron. The Green Lantern of Earth in the Beyond Universe may also count since I think Justice League: Unlimited is still going.

You could include the males of the team August General led pre-Flashpoint, because do think they exist now and they did have a short series pre-Flashpoint.

Celestial Archer and Most-Accomplished Physician are a couple of names that I remember.

@poeticwarrior:

Assuming you want from DC and Marvel´s male characthers.

Karate Kid (DC)

Sunfire (Marvel)

The Original Thunder and Lightning (DC)

Bushido (DC)

I think all members of Super Young Team are asian

Daken (Marvel)

Genral Irom (DC)

Shang-Chi (DC)

The Atom (Ryan Choi) (DC)

Amadeus Cho (Marvel)

Image also has a tittle which happens in Japan named Wayward but so far they only have one human male, i think.

@poeticwarrior: I didn't know that, I agree with you that there is a lack of non-whites (particularly Asians) in various medias

daken

The purpose of this thread is not to name Asians characters with minimal roles if people reading the discussion.

Sunfire, dude's full on Japanese

Captain Steel from New 52 is a Filipino American.

What's the point of pointing out some minor characters? Is it supposed to say that there are some minor token characters, so you're wrong or something?

Boku no Hero Academia

doesnt anime exist for this reason? thats a lot of cool guys there

People who read manga may not be into comics and vice versa. Also, the setting as well as the nature of the medium. Comics aimed mostly at Western audience, and more importantly, I want more positive perception on Asian males in general which could begin with more positive portrayal of them on TV/comics instead of comic relief and/or effeminate.

@poeticwarrior: true. ive also noticed a lack of hispanic heroes, who actually look hispanic

isnt shang chi asian?

at least all heroes know martial arts, which is of mostly asian descent

and if they did make a hispanic hero, itd probably be captain taco or something like that

Hiro BH6

@poeticwarrior: Not just a girl, a black girl. Interracial romance is still frowned upon, especially the overseas Asian audience.

I used to read Doctor Mirage from Valiant back in the day. I don't know if he's been brought into the current Valiant universe. Most recently there's the kid from Big Hero 6.

Oh, and while it is a manga, Saitama from One Punch Man is such a great hero.

@spider-manwins: Ummm; White Tiger, Hummingbird, Sam Alexander (his half side, actually), Robbie Reyes' Ghost Rider, and Spidergirl want to have a word with you.

@t209: hey look, c list characters!!

The Ray in the new 52 is Korean. Lucien Gates, adopted thus the name. He had a 4 part series which I have, in the new 52 which has been rather ignored as it doesn't even have an entry on here.

@vivide: love that Manga

Never really thought about it, but now that you mention it, you're totally right. While not a very prominent team in the comics, Big Hero 6 just saw a film adaptation. I think that's definitely a step in the right direction.

Best asian in western media