Jerry Ma and Friends Bring The Monkey King Back to Chinatown

April 29, 2025August 25, 2025 Keith Chow

Five years ago in the before times, my Secret Identities partner-in-crime Jerry Ma exhibited a solo art show called A Chinatown Odyssey about a modern interpretation of The Monkey King and his adventures throughout New York’s Chinatown. Well, for this AAPI Heritage Month, Jerry and the Monkey King are back at Pearl River Mart, but this time he’s brought along some legendary comics artist pals for the ride.

Literature, Television

‘Interior Chinatown’ vs the “Chinatown Episodes” of ‘NYPD Blue’ and ‘Law & Order’

November 26, 2024November 27, 2024 Dominic Mah

Part II of a three-part series looking at the Hulu series Interior Chinatown in relation to the Asian American-themed media it references, satirizes, and interpolates. The meta-comedic film-set motif of the show pointedly focuses on the “Chinatown Episode” featured in numerous crime-procedural shows, in which the protagonists investigate a murder in Chinatown, which brings them into contact with Asian exotica, typically at the rate of 1.5 murders per season.

Reviews, Streaming

‘Interior Chinatown’ Satirizes Hollywood’s Stereotypes of Asian Americans

November 15, 2024November 19, 2024 Michael Lee

Hulu’s adaptation of Charles Yu’s Interior Chinatown is anything but conventional. The novel’s unique format allows readers to explore the world of police procedurals through the eyes of a background character while also addressing how Asian Americans have been portrayed in mainstream media.

Literature, Streaming

Hulu Offers First Look at Charles Yu’s ‘Interior Chinatown’ Adaptation

July 11, 2024July 12, 2024 Keith Chow

Generic Asian Man is finally the lead of a real television show! Today, Hulu revealed a first look at the adaptation of Charles Yu’s National Book Award-winning novel, Interior Chinatown. While the book itself was formatted like a television script, the series will not be a one-for-one adaptation but will retain the original’s satirical spirit.

Animation, Interview2 Comments

NOC Interview: Awkwafina on Lunar New Year and ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’

February 26, 2024February 26, 2024 Dominic Mah

I got to talk with Awkwafina about her role as Zhen in Kung Fu Panda 4 from Dreamworks Animation, and her role as Grand Marshall of the San Francisco Lunar New Year Parade, which took place last Saturday to close out the Lunar New Year 2024 observance and celebration.

Crowdfunding, Movies

‘Snakehead’ to Finally Hit Theaters and Digital in October

August 25, 2021August 26, 2021 Keith Chow

After more than a decade in development, director Evan Jackson Leong is now ready to unveil his magnum opus, Snakehead, to the world. Starring Shuya Chang, Sung Kang, and Jade Wu, Snakehead tells the story of Sister Tse, a woman who rises through the ranks of a Chinatown crime family before having to reconcile between personal success and her family. Check out the trailer below:

Comics, Crowdfunding, Interview

NOC Exclusive Interview: Comics Creator, Jerry Ma

May 3, 2021May 4, 2021 Patrick Strange

Heyyy! It’s Kuya P back again with another NOC EXCLUSIVE! I recently sat down for a conversation with my pal, Comics Creator, Jerry Ma! No stranger to the NOC, Jerry is dropping a brand new comics project today for Asian American Pacific Heritage Month called, The Monkey King: A Chinatown Odyssey! Find out all about it and how you can show support for this amazing project!

Comics, Crowdfunding1 Comment

Kickstart This: ‘The Monkey King’ Graphic Novel by Jerry Ma

May 3, 2021May 3, 2021 Keith Chow

What better way to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month than to help fund a new graphic novel project by one of Secret Identities partners, Jerry Ma?

Crowdfunding, Music

Jason Chu Music Video Fights for Chinatown Restaurant

October 6, 2020October 7, 2020 Patrick Strange

2020 has been a hard year for the entire world and for some business owners, the complete loss of their livelihood. Poet/Rapper/Activist, Jason Chu, recently reached out to The Nerds of Color to tell us the story of one of his favorite Los Angeles Hot Spots and how his latest single “AYCE” shines the spotlights on ‘Hop Woo Chinese BBQ & Seafood Restaurant’ and why we should support this Chinatown institution.

Martial Arts, Television2 Comments

‘Warrior’ Season 2 is Coming to Cinemax in October

July 30, 2020July 30, 2020 Keith Chow

The drama series Warrior returns for its ten-episode second season this October, exclusively on Cinemax. Check out the official tease below!

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Art, Music

Join Us at the 2nd Annual Charm City Night Market in Baltimore

September 19, 2019September 19, 2019 The Nerds of Color

This Saturday, September 21, join our very own Keith Chow and Jamie Noguchi at the second annual Charm City Night Market in downtown Baltimore, Maryland!

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Art, Movies

#StarringJohnCho Comes to Life in New York City Art Show

May 17, 2019May 24, 2019 Keith Chow

Back in April 2016, I helped launch the #whitewashedOUT hashtag alongside YA author Ellen Oh and a whole team of Asian American activists and authors. If you recall, the spring of 2016 was a rough time to be an Asian American consumer of pop culture.

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Comics

Telling Asian American Stories in Comics

July 24, 2014 Keith Chow

Hey East Coasters! I know all the cool kids are going to be in San Diego this weekend, but if you couldn’t make the cross-country trip, folks in the DMV can get their comics fix by coming to the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in Washington, DC’s Chinatown this Sunday, July 27.

I’ll be joined by illustrator Jamie Noguchi (Yellow Peril) and NPR Code Switch’s Kat Chow to talk about the secret origins of Secret Identities and Shattered as well as Jamie’s Yellow Peril webcomic. We’ll also discuss why we have chosen the comics medium to tell Asian American stories in the first place. Check out details after the jump!

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Comics, Crowdfunding

A-Profiler Interview with The Sun Brothers

February 19, 2014February 4, 2015 Nels

I interview The Sun Brothers, Brad and Wesley Sun, of the Chicago-based Sun Bros Studios. After running a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2012 to fund their first graphic novel Chinatown, they followed-up in 2013 with Apocalypse Man, their interpretation of a zombie horror survival story. In 2014 they are setting the stage with a follow-up Kickstarter campaign for their new graphic novel Monkey Fist, which is inspired by the classic Monkey King story.

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