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Trung Le Nguyen

In this Vietnamese name, the surname is Nguyễn, but is often simplified to Nguyen in English-language text. In accordance with Vietnamese custom, this person should be referred to by the given name, Trung.

Trung Le Nguyen
Trung in 2022
Born
Nguyễn Lê Trung

(1990-06-02) June 2, 1990 (age 34)
Palawan, Philippines
NationalityAmerican
Other namesTrungles
EducationHamline University
OccupationCartoonist
Notable workThe Magic Fish
Websitetrungles.com

Trung Le Nguyen (Vietnamese: Nguyễn Lê Trung, born June 2, 1990),[1] also known as Trungles, is a Vietnamese American cartoonist. He is best known as the author of the graphic novel The Magic Fish, published by Random House Graphic in 2020.

Biography

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Early life and career

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Trung Le Nguyen was born in a Vietnamese refugee camp somewhere in the Philippines Province of Palawan and moved to the United States as a child in 1992.[2][3] He began drawing comics in middle school but gave up the pastime in college, stating, "I never really thought to make it a career. It always seemed like this fluffy way for me to pass the time".[4] He graduated from Hamline University with a bachelor's degree in studio art with a minor in art history in 2012.[5][6][7] Originally planning to pursue a career in arts administration, he instead chose to pursue a career in comics.[4] Trung's art is noted for its use of traditional inking and penciling and references to Vietnamese imagery,[8] shōjo manga, and classic children's literature.[9] He cites Rose O'Neill, Heinrich Lefler, and Harry Clarke among his influences.[4]

In 2017, Trung was a jurist for the Ignatz Awards.[10][11] Also in 2017 his coloring book Fauns & Fairies was published by Oni Press under their erotic comics imprint Limerence Press.[12] In 2018, he was an artist on the Image Comics romance comics anthology Twisted Romance, written by Alex de Campi.[13] In 2020, Random House Graphic published Trung's debut graphic novel The Magic Fish.[14] The book, which follows a young Vietnamese gay immigrant and his parents who bond and learn English through fairy tale books, was inspired by Trung's upbringing.[9][15]

In 2022, it was reported that Trung's second graphic novel titled Angelica And The Bear Prince would be published by Random House Graphic in 2025.[16][17]

Personal life

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Trung is gay,[2] non-binary, and uses pronouns he/they.[18] He resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[19][20]

Bibliography

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Title Year Publisher Identifier Ref.
Fauns & Fairies: The Adult Fantasy Coloring Book 2017 Limerence Press ISBN 978-1-62010-403-3 [21]
Twisted Romance #4 2018 Image Comics ASIN B077XKXFGY [13]
Adventure Time Marshall Lee Spectacular Boom! Studios ASIN B01M07CJBI [22]
Star Spinner Tarot 2020 Chronicle Books ISBN 978-1-4521-8006-9 [23]
The Magic Fish Random House Graphic ISBN 978-0-593-12529-8 [24]
Aquaman: 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 2021 DC Comics ASIN B09DGR27M3 [25]

Accolades

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Trung was nominated for a 2021 Eisner Award for Best Writer/Artist. The Magic Fish won two 2021 Harvey Awards for Book of the Year and Best Children or Young Adult Book. It was also named a top book on the American Library Association's Rainbow List in 2021,[26] and was selected as one of the best books of 2020 by The Globe and Mail,[27] the New York Public Library,[28] and Nerdist.[29]

Organizations[a] Year[b] Category Work Result Ref.
British Fantasy Award 2021 Best Comic/Graphic Novel The Magic Fish Finalist [30]
Delaware Library Association 2023 Blue Hen Book Award for Graphic Novels for Teen Readers Nominated [31]
Dragon Con 2021 Dragon Awards for Best Graphic Novel Finalist [32]
Eisner Awards 2021 Best Writer/Artist Nominated [33]
GLAAD Media Award 2021 Outstanding Comic Book Nominated [34]
Harvey Awards 2021 Book of the Year Won [35]
Best Children or Young Adult Book Won
International Literacy Association 2021 Young Adult Fiction Won [36]
Lambda Literary Awards 2021 LGBTQ Young Adult Finalist [37]
Mare di Libri Book Prize 2023 Best Graphic Novel Won[c] [38]
Romics del Fumetto Award 2023 Best Children's Book Won[c] [39]
South Dakota Library Association 2023 Teen Choice Book Awards for Middle School Honored [40]
The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents 2022 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Finalist [41]
Virginia Library Association 2021 VLA Graphic Novel Diversity Awards for Youth Won [42]

Notes

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  1. ^ Awards, festivals, honors and other miscellaneous organizations are listed in alphabetical order.
  2. ^ Indicates the year of ceremony.
  3. ^ a b The prize was awarded to the Italian version of the book titled Magic fish. Le storie del pesce magico.

References

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  1. ^ "Nguyen, Trung Le". Library of Congress. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Gandhi, Lakshmi (October 10, 2020). "In many Asian languages, 'LGBTQ' doesn't translate. Here's how some fill the gaps". NBC News. Archived from the original on November 26, 2024. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
  3. ^ Johnston, Rich (March 14, 2022). "Laurel Snyder & Trung Le Nguyen Create Fairy Hunter Graphic Memoir". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Snow, Cassandra (September 12, 2017). "Spotlight on the Arts: Trung Le Nguyen (or Trungles)". The Column. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  5. ^ "The Magic Fish Lesson Plan" (PDF). Center for SDSU. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  6. ^ Moore, Chloë (March 2024). "First Literary Salon of the Semester *Draws* a Great Crowd". Macalester College. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  7. ^ "Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month". GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders. May 3, 2023. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  8. ^ Whtibrook, James (October 12, 2020). "A Young Boy Dreams of Fantastical Loves in This Gorgeous Look Inside The Magic Fish". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Wang, Jen (November 4, 2020). "Watery Fairy Tales". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  10. ^ Cavna, Michael (September 18, 2017). "Emil Ferris's graphic novel 'Monsters' tops diverse slate of 2017 Ignatz Award winners". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  11. ^ Cavna, Michael (August 17, 2017). "SPX Ignatz Award nominees: Books tackling bigotry top 'the Spirit Awards of comics'". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  12. ^ Houxbois, Véronique (July 18, 2017). "Queer Visibility Interview: Trungles Brings FAUNS AND FAIRIES to Life". Comicosity. Archived from the original on August 2, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  13. ^ a b Sava, Oliver (January 29, 2018). "A princess flees her life of captivity in this Twisted Romance #4 exclusive". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  14. ^ Evans, Julia Dixon (December 12, 2022). "'The Magic Fish' is a story of language, transformation and family". KPBS. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  15. ^ McMillan, Graeme (March 6, 2020). "How a Cartoonist Found Inspiration for 'The Magic Fish'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  16. ^ Johnston, Rich (April 4, 2022). "Trung Le Nguyen's Second Graphic Novel, Angelica And The Bear Prince". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  17. ^ "Rights Report: Week of March 14, 2022". Publishers Weekly. March 15, 2022. ISSN 0000-0019. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  18. ^ Trung Lê Capecchi-Nguyễn [@Trungles] (January 23, 2022). "I'm non-binary. I don't really feel the need to explain it" (Tweet). Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2024 – via Twitter.
  19. ^ Balbastro, Jackie (December 4, 2020). "Interview with Trung Le Nguyen". Pine Reads Review. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  20. ^ Kirichanskaya, Michele (February 2, 2022). "Interview with Artist & Writer Trung Le Nguyen". Geeks OUT. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  21. ^ Cappelli, Tim (May 23, 2017). "Oni Press' Solicitations for August 2017". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
    Cappelli, Tim (September 18, 2017). "PREVIEW: Fauns & Fairies: The Adult Fantasy Coloring Book". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  22. ^ Sagers, Aaron (May 3, 2017). "Exclusive: S.M. Vidaurri's Adventure Time: Marshall Lee Spectacular Spotify playlist". SyFy. Archived from the original on November 30, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  23. ^ Hampton, Jameson (July 6, 2020). "REVIEW: A Gorgeous Take on Fairytales: Trungles' Star Spinner Tarot". WomenWriteAboutComics. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  24. ^ Holub, Christian (October 16, 2020). "The Magic Fish author Trung Le Nguyen discusses the heroism of fairy tales: 'It's a fantasy of growth'". Entertainment Weekly. ISSN 1049-0434. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  25. ^ Doran, Michael; Arrant, Chris (August 30, 2021). "Aquaman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular: full line-up, covers, preview". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on August 25, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
    Terror, Jude (August 29, 2021). "Aquaman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 Not-Preview". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  26. ^ "The 2021 Rainbow Book List". Rainbow Book List. February 10, 2021. Archived from the original on April 13, 2024. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  27. ^ Cannon, Margaret; Canton, Jeffrey; Pereira, Judith; Rogers, Sean; Scott, Alec; Colbert, Jade (December 4, 2020). "The Globe 100: Our favourite books of 2020". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  28. ^ Pullen, Emily (November 24, 2020). "Introducing NYPL's Best Books of 2020". New York Public Library. Archived from the original on December 1, 2024. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
  29. ^ Knight, Rosie (December 7, 2020). "The Best Comics of 2020". Nerdist. Archived from the original on September 16, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  30. ^ Liptak, Andrew (July 27, 2021). "Here Are the Finalists for the 2021 British Fantasy Awards". Reactor. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
    "2021 British Fantasy Awards Winners". Locus. September 27, 2021. ISSN 0047-4959. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  31. ^ "2023 Winners and Nominees - Blue Hen Book Award". Delaware Division of Libraries. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  32. ^ Liptak, Andrew (August 12, 2021). "Here Are the 2021 Dragon Award Finalists". Reactor. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
    "2021 Dragon Awards Winners". Locus. September 7, 2021. ISSN 0047-4959. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  33. ^ Schedeen, Jesse (June 10, 2021). "Superman Smashes the Klan, The Department of Truth and More: 2021 Eisner Nominees Revealed". IGN. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
    Dominguez, Noah (July 24, 2021). "2021 Eisner Award Winners Announced at Comic-Con". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  34. ^ Nakamura, Reid (January 28, 2021). "'Schitt's Creek,' 'Happiest Season' Among 2021 GLAAD Media Award Nominees". TheWrap. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
    Gardner, Chris (April 8, 2021). "GLAAD Media Awards: 'Schitt's Creek,' 'Happiest Season,' Sam Smith Take Top Prizes". The Hollywood Reporter. ISSN 0018-3660. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  35. ^ Sands, Rich (October 8, 2021). "WandaVision, The Magic Fish & Chainsaw Man win big at Harvey Awards at NYCC". Syfy. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  36. ^ ILA Staff (May 12, 2021). "International Literacy Association Announces 2021 Children's and Young Adults' Book Awards Winners". International Literacy Association. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
    "Children's and Young Adult Book Awards". International Literacy Association. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  37. ^ Saka, Rasheeda (March 15, 2021). "Here are the finalists for the 2021 Lambda Literary Award". Literary Hub. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
    "2021 Lambda Literary Award Winners Announced". Publishers Weekly. June 2, 2021. ISSN 0000-0019. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  38. ^ Pezzani, Gabriella (July 1, 2022). "Magic Fish, un fumetto sul potere delle fiabe. Intervista con Trung Le Nguyen". Maremosso – Il magazine de La Feltrinelli (in Italian). Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
    "Magic Fish Di Trung Le Nguyen Vince Il Premio Mare Di Libri "Miglior graphic novel per giovani lettori e lettrici"". Tunué (in Italian). June 19, 2023. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  39. ^ "Palmares Premio Romics del Fumetto". Romics (in Italian). Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  40. ^ "Teen Choice Winners". South Dakota Library Association. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  41. ^ Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE (ALAN) (May 4, 2022). "2022 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award Finalists Announced". Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
    "2021 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award Winner Announced" (PDF). Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 23, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  42. ^ "2020 VLA Graphic Novel Diversity Award Winners Announced". Virginia Library Association. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
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