Great Immigrant: Jim Lee

Born in South Korea, Jim Lee holds a Guinness World Record for the best-selling comic book of all time. A new Carnegie-commissioned comic series highlights Lee’s story and the stories of other naturalized citizens who enrich American society and strengthen our democracy

By Jongsma + O’Neill & Chuan Ming Ong July 4, 2024

Immigration

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Jim Lee is currently the president, publisher, and chief creative officer of DC. His parents immigrated to the United States when Lee was in elementary school. He knew no English, but his identification with Superman, the ultimate immigrant, “brought me into the American culture,” he says, providing sanctuary from the pressures of being an immigrant kid who desperately wanted to fit in.

One of the most revered and respected artists in American comics, Lee holds a Guinness World Record for best-selling comic book of all time.* He is the artist for many of DC’s bestselling comic books and graphic novels, including All Star Batman and Robin, the Boy Wonder; Batman: Hush; and Superman: For Tomorrow. His work has been recognized with a Harvey Award, an Inkpot Award, and three Wizard Fan Awards. In 2020, Lee raised $800,000 by auctioning off 60 original sketches to benefit brick-and-mortar comic shops affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. “I am thankful to have a talent which I can use to help make a small difference,” Lee posted on Facebook. In addition to supporting comic book stores, his fundraising has supported Huntington’s disease research and children’s mental health services.

Every Fourth of July, Carnegie Corporation of New York celebrates the exemplary contributions of immigrants to American life, as part of its focus on reducing political polarization and strengthening democracy. To highlight their stories, the foundation has commissioned a new comic series that illustrates how naturalized citizens enrich American society.

Download Lee’s full comic here.

* Foreign-born workers make up 13.1% of artists and related workers in creative occupations. (Source: Immigrants in Creative Industries, New American Economy/American Immigration Council, August 2019)

Eline Jongsma and Kel O’Neill lead Jongsma + O’Neill, a nonfiction storytelling studio. They are Sundance fellows, Emmy nominees, and the creators of the immersive exhibition Loot. 10 Stories, which won the 2024 XR-History Award.

Chuan Ming Ong is a Dutch illustrator whose illustrations have appeared in publications including the New Yorker, the Los Angeles Times, and Nikkei Asia.