Introduction to the Taiwan Comics
Information Network

   The history of comics in Taiwan dates back 80 years to the pre-World War II era of the 1930s. Over that time, the industry has experienced a number of ups and downs due to changes in the regulatory environment, social climate and cultural influences. Despite this, a remarkably unique comic culture has taken root and borne fruit.

     Taiwan’s comics industry has grown in international popularity in recent years. Besides the industry’s success in Mandarin-speaking areas around the globe, copyrights of locally produced comics have enjoyed brisk sales in European and North American markets, and more than a few of Taiwan’s comics have won major awards. Taiwan’s comic works have also been invited to take part in comics exhibitions in France, the center of European comics. This not only points to the industry’s high level of development, but also the imagination and creativity of Taiwan’s comic artists.

    Substantial government support has also been provided to help increase the stature of comic arts as a cultural and creative industry, as well as to encourage a greater acceptance of comics by society. The Government Information Office (GIO) set up the Graphic Novel Awards—which are now known as the Golden Comic Awards—and promoted it over the last decade to a point where it now shares the level of prestige enjoyed by the Golden Horse Awards for film, the Golden Bell Awards for radio and television programs, the Golden Tripod Awards for publications, and the Golden Melody Awards for music.

    In addition, the GIO also regularly leads large delegations to international exhibitions promoting the nation’s comic arts industry, helping to boost the visibility of the outstanding work produced here. This not only enables more people worldwide to read Taiwan’s comics, but also helps to foster a greater understanding of Taiwan.

    The year 2011 not only witnessed the celebration of our country’s centennial, but also the launching of efforts to promote original content. As part of this, the government recognized that Taiwan urgently needed a platform where local comic artists, readers, and the comics publishing industry could interact among themselves and with their counterparts in the world. This was the impetus behind the GIO’s establishment of the Taiwan Comics Information Network. This network includes information on the artists behind all of Taiwan’s original comics, the works themselves, and the history and state of the industry. Commercial publishers and comic artists will consequently enjoy greater visibility and the network will help promote all sorts of exchanges, enabling the industry to be more in step with its international counterparts.

The features and styles of Taiwan’s comics

    In the early years, Taiwan’s comics were often printed in newspapers or magazines, and were either single panel or four-panel strips that focused on humor or irony. Over time, serial comics became the mainstream, with a diverse array of styles and subject matters emerging.

    The local comics publishing industry suffered a downturn later when censorship was imposed, at which time translated Japanese comics filled the void and became widely popular among readers born after 1960. As a result, this period had a deep impact on the style of comics created in Taiwan since then.

    Nonetheless, local subject matter has consistently played an important role in Taiwan’s comics, which have kept pace with different trends over the years. All manner of style has had its day, from stories featuring characters clad in traditional Chinese garb to ones portraying trendy local styles. People identify with these tales, which capture what is quintessentially Taiwan in a way that translated foreign titles cannot match.

    Comics have historically been a medium where history and culture play out on the printed page, and this is true of Taiwan’s comics as well. The success of Tsai Chih-chung’s comics series on the Chinese classics is evidenced by its having been translated into over 30 languages. “Seediq Bale,” the most talked-about Taiwanese movie of 2011, is an adaptation of Chiu Ruo-lung’s “Comics.Bale: The First Historical Comics of the Wushe Incident.” Likewise, Shen Ying-jie, whose pen name is Akru, is one of the new-generation comic artists. Winning awards at home and abroad, she has shed light on the largely neglected early republican period (1912-1920s) on Taiwan in “Wings of Kopule” and the “Scrolls of a Northern City.”

    Westerners have long been fans of original Chinese-language martial arts stories. Comics such as Chen Hai-hung’s “Chivalric Tornado” and Yeh Hung-chia’s “Zhu-Ge Si-Lang,” which is still referenced in folk songs. Later artists and works that have enjoyed great popularity include Tsai Hung-chung’s “The Burning Sword” (a genre which highlights Taiwan’s unique Pili puppet theater) and Lai Yu-hsien’s “Destined Emperor” have all been huge hits. Even today, comics aimed at the youth market will incorporate certain themes or ideas first covered in these classics.

    Other popular genres include historical tales, love stories and works playing on class and ethnic differences. Yu Su-lan’s “Melancholic Princess” series has won a loyal coterie of female readers by portraying intrigues at the royal court and mystical reincarnation love. Selena Lin’s works, including the “Burning Moon” series, have become popular for their court romances. The series has been licensed for sale in the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Indonesia and Spain.

    Comics that have a folk religion or mystical element to them have also proven popular. Kao Yung’s “Brahma Upanishad” adopts themes from Buddhist teachings and figures against the backdrop of the Southern and Northern dynasties in China. Wei Tsung-cheng, a rising young artist, rose to the fore with “Final Destiny of the Formosa Gods,” in which preteen girls become the embodiment of the deity Ma Zu. Meanwhile, Huang Chia-li’s “Fashion Messiah” gives a modern look at the Bodhisattva Guan Yin as an adolescent.

    With comics serving as entertainment for a large swath of the public, stories often follow characters in lifelike situations. Lin Cheng-teh’s “Young Guns” is a look into the life of high school students in the 1990s. Lai An’s “Steel Rose” centers on young women practicing taekwondo. Fans of the series can’t help but think about Taiwan’s outstanding performance in taekwondo in international competitions in recent years as they read this comic.

    Cuisine is one of the most important aspects of Taiwan’s culture. Lin Min-xuan, who was twice honored at the First Golden Comic Awards, swayed readers with the crispy and tasty chicken cutlets she described in her comic “Chicken Cutlet Princess.” Meanwhile, the classic “Brother A-san and Great Auntie” series published decades ago continues to amaze readers today as it not only captured the spirit of its time, but also shows the changes over time.

    Besides comics with a defined storyline, a style has emerged that falls somewhere between comics and illustration. These books demonstrate a unique design style. Dolls, album covers and other crossover products related to the “A-Tui” and “Jieli Kid” characters have enjoyed brisk sales.

    Lin Li-chin, a Taiwanese comic artist residing in France, founded the semi-annual “Taiwan Comix” publication in 2010 to highlight such works. The compilation has opened European comic fans’ eyes to comics by Taiwanese creators that emphasize experimental designs and styles. It attracted a great deal of attention at the Chambery and Angouleme comics festivals.

    Ao You-hsiang’s “Wulong Yuan” and Hsiao Yan-chung’s “Short-Fairy Tales Untold” series, both of which feature incisive humor, are highly representative of this type of work.

    Taiwan’s comics cannot be done justice in just a few paragraphs; their success is perhaps better reflected in their having developed a global following. Taiwan has been selected as the theme country for the 2012 Angoulême International Comics Festival, which is known as “Comics Oscars.” Comics fans unable to attend and view the “Ocean of Taiwan Comics” exhibit can learn about Taiwan comics “virtually,” by searching for authors and titles on the Taiwan Comics Information Network.

    Taiwan’s comics have a local focus, and marketing them has become an increasingly well-oiled, international process. In the future, comics will enjoy even closer links to other cultural and creativity industries, and the Taiwan Comics Information Network will play a crucial role in opening that door.