Shing Yin Khor is a
Malaysian-American artist and cartoonist. They are the creator of the comics ''The American Dream? A Journey on Route 66'', ''The Center for Otherworld Science'' and ''Say it with Noodles'', the last of which won them an
Ignatz Award
The Ignatz Awards recognize outstanding achievements in comics and cartooning by small press creators or creator-owned projects published by larger publishers. They have been awarded each year at the Small Press Expo since 1997, only skipping ...
. Khor's middle grade graphic novel, ''The Legend of Auntie Po,'' earned an
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books, sometimes referred to as the comics industry's equivalent of the Academy Awards. They are named in ...
and was a finalist for the 2021
National Book Award for Young People's Literature
The National Book Award for Young People's Literature is one of five annual National Book Awards, which are given by the National Book Foundation (NBF) to recognize outstanding literary work by US citizens. They are awards "by writers to writers".< ...
.
Biography
Khor is
Malaysian Chinese
Malaysian Chinese (; Malay: ''Orang Cina Malaysia''), alternatively Chinese Malaysians, are Malaysian citizens of Han Chinese descent. They form the second largest ethnic group after the Malay majority constituting 22.4% of the Malaysian p ...
, grew up in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
, and moved to the United States at age 16.
They are now a
naturalized citizen of the United States
Citizenship of the United States is a legal status that entails Americans with specific rights, duties, protections, and benefits in the United States. It serves as a foundation of fundamental rights derived from and protected by the Constituti ...
.
Khor is
bisexual
Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, wh ...
and has indicated that their work, regardless of what they do, is political because they are doing it.
In a 2017 interview with ''
HuffPost
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'', they said, "I do believe that the personal is political, and have always felt that writing about myself ― as a brown, immigrant woman ― is by default a political gesture because our voices are incredibly underrepresented in all creative fields."
However, they also noticed their work became more political following the election of former President
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of ...
.
Works
''The Center for Otherworld Science''
Shing Yin Khor is the creator of the webcomic ''The Center for Otherworld Science'', in which scientists are experimenting on flora and fauna of a place called the Otherworld. These experiments have led to advances, such as eradicating
Sickle cell anemia
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of blood disorders typically inherited from a person's parents. The most common type is known as sickle cell anaemia. It results in an abnormality in the oxygen-carrying protein haemoglobin found in red b ...
, but are morally dubious. After an incident leads to the death of one worker, the survivors must deal with the fallout of the accident and face the emotional and existential consequences.
A review of the webcomic for ''The Beat'' said that it ''"''combines otherworldly creatures and fantastic settings with the mundane details of working in a professional setting and the small moments shared between three coworkers. The result is a comic that feels both familiar and ethereal simultaneously, a sense that is only underscored by the simple and extremely effective art.
''Say it with Noodles''
''Say it with Noodles: On Learning to Speak the Language of Food'' was a standalone comic about Khor's relationship with their grandmother and how cooking for someone can be a love language. It won the
Ignatz Award
The Ignatz Awards recognize outstanding achievements in comics and cartooning by small press creators or creator-owned projects published by larger publishers. They have been awarded each year at the Small Press Expo since 1997, only skipping ...
for Outstanding Minicomic in 2018.
''The American Dream? A Journey on Route 66''
''The American Dream? A Journey on Route 66:'' ''Discovering Dinosaur Statues, Muffler Men, and the Perfect Breakfast Burrito'' is an autobiographical graphic novel by Shing Yin Khor. It described a road trip they took along
U.S. Route 66, in part to discover themselves and the other America (outside of their home of Los Angeles) they knew little about. The novel covers the history of Route 66 and the boom and bust its populations have faced, while visiting and drawing kitschy tourist traps, giant sculptures and abandoned roadside attractions.
A reviewer for
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cr ...
said of the novel, "If not for Khor's art, the book might have still been a bit of a dry read. But rich with water colors and visible sketch lines under finished shapes, it feels organic and alive. It's rich with texture and soft shapes, smiling faces that are simple without being overly cartoonish. There are several double-page spreads that capture the incredible vistas and remarkable secrets Route 66 holds for travelers... Khor's awe and frustration and joy as they encounter new things are all palpable. It makes clear how Khor's own experiences and needs shaped their trip and the book itself, which leads gracefully into exploration of Khor's complicated relationship with America as an immigrant... It's a journey made up of the weird and wonderful, as well as the deeply concerning ways that people leave their mark on the world."
Kirkus Reviews said, "Through bright, expressive watercolor illustrations, Khor portrays the memorable locations they pass through... They detail both the amusing (going to the bathroom outdoors) and emotional (loneliness and exhaustion) challenges of being a traveler. Khor's pilgrimage is as much an exploration of themself as it is of nostalgic Americana. Their travels inspire them to share insights into their path to atheism, their anger with xenophobia and racism—which are provoked when they find a motel labeled "American owned"—and the meaning of "home." Many of Khor's observations will resonate with those who have questioned national identity and the sense of belonging."
Game design
Khor is the co-designer on the narrative journaling game ''
Field Guide to Memory'' (2021) with Jeeyon Shim.
''Field Guide to Memory'' won the 2021 IndieCade Award in the best live game category.
''
The Verge
''The Verge'' is an American technology news website operated by Vox Media, publishing news, feature stories, guidebooks, product reviews, consumer electronics news, and podcasts.
The website launched on November 1, 2011, and uses Vox Media' ...
'' highlighted that "the pair defined keepsake games as both a genre and a useful shorthand for their work".
Khor also designed the solo storytelling role-playing game ''A Mending'' (2021); the player follows prompts and stitches their journey on a pre-made cloth map.
Other work
Khor has produced work for
HuffPost
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
,
The Nib
The Nib is an American online daily comics publication focused on political cartoons, graphic journalism, essays and memoir about current affairs. Founded by cartoonist Matt Bors in September 2013, The Nib is an independent member-supported p ...
and
The Toast
''The Toast'' was an American anthology, humor and feminist writing website, founded by editors Nicole Cliffe and Daniel M. Lavery (né Ortberg) and publisher Nicholas Pavich. It was active from January 2013 through July 2016.
Content and tar ...
.
They also contributed to the comics anthology ''Elements: Earth.'' The have created installation art and sculpture,
and received coverage from the Smithsonian for recreating other artworks in ''
Animal Crossing: New Horizons''.
In 2023, they worked as an adjunct lecturer at
University of South Carolina.
Awards and honors
''Kirkus Reviews'' named ''The Legend of Auntie Po'' one of the best books of 2021.
Publications
As writer
* ''Marlowe the Monster'' (2011)
* ''The Center for Otherworld Science'' (2014-2017)
* ''Small Stories'' (2017)
* ''Resist: Resistance is Even for the Socially Awkward'' (2018)
* ''The American Dream? A Journey on Route 66'' (2019)
* ''The Legend of Auntie Po'' (2021)
* ''Tiny Adventure Journal''
As editor
* ''I was a Teenage Gargoyle'' (2012)
* ''Blood Root'' (2014)
References
{{Reflist
External links
Official website
Malaysian cartoonists
American cartoonists