ASIAN-AMERICAN SUPERHEROES.

In the media, Asian Americans are often characterized as awkward, extremely smart, stealthy martial artists. Stereotype or truth, there is no better place to exploit this popular image than in a fictional world populated with Asian-American superheroes.

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Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology (New Press) delivers. Sort of.

The collection has a blend of fast-paced sci-fi thrillers and educational one-pagers about Asian-American issues. There are a few stories that seamlessly incorporate an Asian-American identity in the plot, enhancing the story. For example, the "Sampler" is set in a Korean-American, family-owned dry cleaner that has a reputation for taking care of the local superheroes' costumes. When thieves attempt to break into the store one night, the young Grace acquires the powers embedded in the costumes and satisfies this reader's desire to see a fierce Asian-American girl kick some ass.

But in "9066," a World War II-era Japanese-American superhero is ousted by his peers after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The hero's character, like many throughout the book, is never developed, and the story ends on a sour note. "I was a hero once, now I'm just a Jap." Hard to feel empowered by that.

It's easy to see these pieces as classroom reading assignments, but given the unevenness of the collection, it's hard to see the volume getting much circulation among comic fanatics.