Our current condition as a society has pushed us to the brink of panic and misunderstanding. This misunderstanding is only further compounded by xenophobia and racism that has truly turned us against each other. It’s one thing if much of this was due to internalized mindsets but when it also propelled by public figures it becomes even more demoralizing. This begins the unfortunate flow of misinformation that is not based on fact but on fear-mongering and general doubt of the unknown.

This epidemic has been an eye-opener for many new generations of people of color. As they may feel that certain prejudices are long gone, but COVID-19 has shown us that it laid quiescent, in the minds of those in power. This is even closer to home for people of Asian descent, who have to deal with attacks almost daily since this started. In Laura Gao’s important comic, The Wuhan I Know, we get a personal look into the epicenter of this disease, and what most people don’t understand.

The creator lets us know from the get-go, that she was born in Wuhan, but moved to Texas when she was 3, and much like every child of an immigrant, she faced misunderstanding instantly.  As she went from people not understanding how to pronounce Wuhan to her birthplace being villainized. This is where Gao shines, as she shows the reader, what Wuhan is, based on facts, how it is considered the Chicago of China, how its population is as big as some of the world’s largest metropolises. How it houses one of the oldest buildings in the world, The Yellow Crane Tower, built-in 220 AD and how in 1911, the turning point of the Chinese Revolution took place in Wuhan, in the WuChang Uprising. By comic’s end, Gao highlights one of Wuhan’s greatest attractions, its street food, where one can get hot & dry noodles, sticky rice, and duck neck sausage.

Overall, a pertinent comic that highlights a very misunderstood place in the world right now, a comic that must be read by everyone. The story by Gao is significant and smart. The art by Gao is stylish and beautiful. Altogether, a comic that corrects many inaccuracies and entertains simultaneously.

Story: Laura Gao Art: Laura Gao
Story: 9.1 Art: 8.9 Overall: 9.6 Recommendation: Buy because it is FREE