Agnes Kim

I was introduced to the series as a child when I found one album at our local library in France. I was drawn in by the exotic, smart female lead. I wanted to travel the world, fly helicopters, jump out of airplanes, learn martial arts, and be a strong independent young woman like Yoko was. Having that role model, even if fictitious, from a young age gave me the extra confidence it took to study math and science and to leave my home country to pursue opportunities. Though the series is advertised as a children’s book in the United States, the Belgian graphic novel industry caters to all ages. At my house we kept stacks of Tintins and other iconic series in our living room and the whole family would read them, with older family members reading to those too young to read. I particularly like the Yoko Tsuno series because the main character approaches adversity not like a heroine emulating a man, but as the smart, sensitive and resourceful woman that she is. She continues to inspire me as a leader. The author, now over 80 years old, still publishes and my younger brother sends me the new albums (in the original French) from Geneva when they come out.