Graphic novelist and sometime Boing Boing contributor Gene Luen Yang has joined the ranks of the small number of brilliant comic books artists and writers (Alison Bechdel, Ben Katchor, Junot Diaz, and Ta-Nehisi Coates) to be given the prestigious Macarthur genius prize, which is awarded to "individuals who show originality and dedication in their creative pursuits."
Yang, who presently serves as the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, won the Eisner for his 2006 debut, American Born Chinese, and went from strength to strength with books like Prime Baby (math comedy for small children!); Level Up (destiny, games, and filial piety); The Shadow Hero (reimagining America's first Asian superhero); and Secret Coders (kids' comic awesomely teaches the fundamentals of computer science).
Congrats to Gene and the whole slate of winners, who, of course, are all equally fascinating and worthy!
Class of 2016 [MacArthur Foundation]
