Final answer:
The first comic book Gene Luen Yang owned was Superman, an inspiration for his later work in comics and graphic novels.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first comic book that Gene Luen Yang owned was Superman. Gene Luen Yang is an accomplished graphic novelist and writer, known for significant contributions to the comic book and graphic novel landscape. He has spoken about how reading Superman comics as a child was one of his earliest inspirations to get into the field of comics. Discovering a character that encapsulated ideals of truth and justice had a profound impact on him, and this can be seen throughout his work, which often explores themes of identity, culture, and belonging.