Fariha Wadud

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

@ProfCKHong I'm going to take away all the memorable memoirs and stories we read this semester along with a much more informed understanding of how to read and analyze comics.

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

@Joreneariel I agree with this! While trying to explain that they want to write about topics other than their Asian American identity, they end up doing just that, revealing how difficult it is to speak for just yourself when you are a person of color.

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

I also found it funny how during these moments, her partner stands around clueless to what’s going on in Meg’s mind. So much of this story is told visually, which makes it even more impactful.

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

I really enjoyed Meg O’Shea’s “A Part of Me Is Still Unknown,” particularly the wordless stories that unfold in Meg’s imagination. When Meg visits her mother’s birth city, she analyzes each stranger she meets and imagines a reality in which she approaches them, and... #hongcomics

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

they end up being related to her. These moments provide a window into Meg’s longing to find her birth family.

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

@JasonAltmanQC I agree! I love how attending university went from being a part of Bee's story to becoming a reality for Mei as well.

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

overreacting when they face demoralizing situations.

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

I enjoyed the complex relationship between Mei and Bee in Khor’s The Legend of Auntie Po. Although the two girls are close friends, Bee is unable to completely understand Mei and her father’s struggles as Chinese Americans, and these conflicts occasionally rise... #hongcomics

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

because more things happen to me than happen to her.” I love this quote because it perfectly depicts the reality between marginalized groups and people with privilege. Even well-meaning people can downplay the realities of marginalized individuals and convince them that they are

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

Jin Wang’s story separately throughout the book, allowing readers to make their own predictions and connections between the two before beautifully tying them together at the very end.

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

I was immediately captivated by the story of the Monkey King and felt his dejection when he enters his house on page twenty and the narration reads, “When he entered his royal chamber, the thick smell of monkey fur greeted him.” “He’d never noticed it before..." #hongcomics

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

In just twenty pages, the Monkey King goes from a confident leader to a humiliated and insecure individual. He has been made aware of his differences from the other gods and is on the cusp of deciding to become someone else entirely. I love how Yang told this story and...

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

@confetti8888 I agree! I kept waiting for the stories to connect and was not disappointed when they finally did.

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

@ashley_oken I agree! I love how Z’s questions led Mira to start realizing how the country she thought she was living in was different from the reality. It shows how children can be even more perceptive than adults at times.

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

representation of Bishakh’s identity. However, the conclusion of Spellbound seems to complicate this answer, as Som reveals that although Anjali started out as a “substitute” for Bishakh, she has become her own person over time, which takes us back to Barry’s question.

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

I couldn’t help but notice the similarities between the introduction of Bishakh Som’s Spellbound and Linda Barry’s One! Hundred! Demons! Like Barry’s, the introduction of Som’s memoir explains to readers the circumstances that led to the creation of her book...#hongcomics

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

Additionally, the creation of Anjali as a stand-in for Bishakh initially broaches the same question Barry presents at the beginning of her book: “Is it autobiography if parts of it aren’t true?” At first, the answer seems to be “yes,” as Anjali appears to be a more accurate...

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

eyes are closed, all of which effectively express his nervousness and hesitancy at sending the letter.

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

What I loved about Flamer even more than the very accurate and relatable middle school dialogue are the expressive illustrations that don’t require any supporting narration. One of the many examples of this is found on pages 164 and 165, when Adrian is mailing out... #hongcomics

[Fariha Wadud @FarihaWadud]

a letter to Violet asking if she’ll still be his friend once he tells her about his “messed up” dreams. When he arrives at the mailbox, he first puts the letter through the slit but then takes it out again and clutches it against his chest. His eyebrows are downturned, and his...