Taiwanese comics' resurrection
"Taiwan's still in with a shot," says Yang Chung-wei, who has himself attended Chinese animation shows on several occasions. Right now, the Chinese animation industry faces issues of a lack of creativity, a monotony of themes, and a lack of brand awareness; Yang cites several major animation shows in China, where pirated copies of Japanese cartoons abound, and some places even proudly state that they sell pirated versions, going head-to-head with legitimate licensees.
As such, Yang believes that Taiwan, with a more established civil culture and its greatest asset-its talent-can produce works that are higher quality, in terms of both production and content. However, he estimates that China could well catch up in as little as five years.
Putting on his academic cap, Chen Chung-wei says that there has long been a lack of serious research into Taiwan's comics, and the relevant data is slipping away rapidly, so he has promoted the idea of "comic culture academies" similar to the programs offered at Japanese colleges, to promote the viewing of comics as a legitimate form of cultural expression and the understanding of comics as cultural assets.
At the same time, the rise of globalization and of digital publishing means that future publishers will have to investigate the many digital platforms and look for opportunities to get into overseas markets. Domestic publishers can no longer rely solely on serving as agents and licensees, but rather must develop local content to remain competitive.
The Chinese Comic Publishers Association, composed of 70 publishers and distributors and Taiwan's largest comic-industry organization, called for this year to be "the first year of Taiwan's comic renaissance," actively promoting domestic and foreign trade shows and publishing deals, as well as working to raise the visibility of Taiwanese comics in local bookstores in order to help encourage a resurrection for the local industry.
Neil Chen, editor-in-chief at Tong Li Publishing for two and a half years, is optimistic. He believes that whether times are good or bad, the low barrier to entry for comics-which can "touch the world with just a pen and paper"-means there will always be opportunities. Chen also emphasizes the importance of training editors and improving the quality of writing to help stem the loss of confidence in Taiwanese comics amongst local fans. Such things may seem like only small improvements, but over time they will be beneficial to rallying the troops in the industry.
"The worst of times can also be the best of times," he says. As Taiwan's comics begin to thaw after a long cold snap, and the industry begins to look ahead to a renaissance, ambition and action are coming together to usher in a new golden age for Taiwanese comics.
The Rising Stars of the Golden Comic Awards
1.Lin Minxuan
Lin Minxuan was the big winner at the inaugural Golden Comic Awards, walking away with the Best Shojo Comic and Best Comic- Grand Prize gongs for her book Chicken Cutlet Princess. Against a senior-high backdrop-a fixture in the shojo genre of -manga-Lin tells the tale of a group of students who form a school club to buy and enjoy chicken cutlets from local night markets, as well as making their own, a scenario that lends itself well to her slapstick style.
Lin drew inspiration from her own experiences seeing publishing company colleagues coming together for occasional group-buys of chicken cutlets for afternoon tea and how this would liven up the otherwise dour faces of her workaday workmates. The judging panel praised Lin for her ability to smoothly integrate Taiwanese cuisine into the story, giving it a more local flavor, and for her subversion of the usual tropes of shojo manga.
2.Zhang Shixin
Better known by his penname, T.K., Zhang Shixin got his start as a winner of Tong Li Publishing's Newcomer of the Year award. His debut title, Skanda, is based on an ancient Indian myth of battles between the gods, but in this incarnation the scene of the battle is Taiwan. As such, its backdrops include areas such as Yi-zhong Street and the National Museum of Natural Science in Ta-ichung, and Chang-hua's famous Big Buddha, making the story feel closer to home for Taiwanese readers.
3.Huang Chun-wei
Twice nominated for the Graphic Novel Awards-the predecessor to the Golden Comic Awards-Huang Chun-wei has worked as an assistant to a number of mangaka, as well as having vast experience with drawing and teaching. Many readers have remarked that his art has a more refined style and that it more than stands up to the level of Japanese artists. His title The Detective for Curse involves detective-mystery subject matter, something rarely seen in Taiwanese books.
Mangaka Huang Chun-wei and his book The Detective for Curse, and a self-portrait by the artist (right). On the left is an image from a his new series Ominous Star.
Artist Lin Minxuan walked away from 2010's inaugural Golden Comic Awards with two awards. Here we see Lin and a standee for her title Oh! My God, as well as a self-portrait by Lin (at left).
Mangaka Huang Chun-wei and his book The Detective for Curse, and a self-portrait by the artist (right). On the left is an image from a his new series Ominous Star.
Lin Minxuan, hard at work in the editors' office. She says that this is the only kind of environment that can drive her to finish comics on time.
No matter what troubles the -publishing industry may face, Taiwan will always have a cadre of diehard comic fans. At left, a scene from the 2010 Comic Exhibition in Taipei, which over six days attracted a record 540,000 visitors. Below, an image from Lin Minxu's Oh! My God.
No matter what troubles the -publishing industry may face, Taiwan will always have a cadre of diehard comic fans. At left, a scene from the 2010 Comic Exhibition in Taipei, which over six days attracted a record 540,000 visitors. Below, an image from Lin Minxu's Oh! My God.
Japan's Sakaiminato City has become a popular tourist destination for manga fans. Below is a statue of the title character from GeGeGe no Kitaro, while on the opposite page Nezumi-Otoko, from the same series, walks the streets as a tourism ambassador, adding color and character.