The Rise of Taiwanese Comics

Comics and cartoons, known as manhua in Mandarin, have been a form of popular entertainment in Taiwan for about a ⁤century.However, compared to Japanese manga,​ Taiwanese comics are not as well-known to English-speaking fans. The Ministry of Culture of the Republic⁣ of China is actively working to change this through web-based marketing efforts.

A​ New​ Book on Taiwan Comics

A new book⁢ presents ‌a thorough introduction to the comics culture of Taiwan. During the period of martial‍ law (1949-87), Taiwan’s comics culture was influenced by‌ a mix of mainland chinese ‌traditions​ of political‌ cartoons (manhua) and popular “picture books” (lianhuanhua), alongside pirated Japanese‌ manga.

“The Tales from⁤ Taiwan”: Bringing Local Legends to Life

One artist in Taipei is dedicated⁣ to bringing local legends to life through manhua. This results in a uniquely Taiwanese style of comic art. The artist⁣ expressed ‍a desire to “draw⁣ monster illustrations unique to Taiwan,” contributing to the‌ growing diversity of the art form.

Helena and Mr. Big bad Wolf: A Deep ⁢dive

Despite its title, this Taiwanese manhua has‌ less in common with fairy tales and more with classic English⁤ children’s literature, where spunky kids befriend gruff-but-kind adults over‍ a shared hobby‍ or ⁣interest.Perhaps the child⁢ will help⁤ draw the lonely adult ⁣out of their‍ shell, while the adult provides the kid with some ​much-needed emotional support. And would​ it surprise⁤ you to learn that everyone is an orphan with ⁣a ludicrously tragic backstory?

We have to start with ‍those ludicrous tragedies, as they weave through and in certain specific cases undercut what‍ is ‍or else ⁤a⁢ lovely little narrative. Within the prologue alone,we watch⁣ Helena and her brother almost ‌starve ⁣to death,learn their father has ‌drowned in a ⁤possible suicide (their mother had already ​passed),move to an orphanage,and then get ⁤separated when Arthur is adopted while Helena is not.

This is all handled with relative restraint, albeit a touch of ⁣too-sweet syrup when the kids are telling themselves stories to⁤ distract from their hunger. ⁢But it turns⁤ into accidental parody when Arthur gets into a​ horrific car crash right in front of⁢ Helena mere seconds after they say goodbye. Now the lad is in a coma​ and everyone knows he’s not going to wake up, but nobody is willing to tell Helena (who‌ deep-down knows, but ‌can’t admit it to herself).

It’s a lot! And ‌without giving away any late-volume plot points, it isn’t even the ⁢last terrible accident ⁢or ‍tragic twist to plague our characters, one of which features the ableist trope of a person wearing ‍a mask to hide facial scars ​(even though it isn’t​ discussed in-depth, ⁢so it might very well be resolved positively in the next volume).

Helena and mr. Big Bad Wolf explores how stories ‌can provide both healthy and destructive​ escape routes ‌from reality, so it makes sense the cast would have hardships to work through.‍ However, the excessive escalation shoots it off somber Mountain and straight into absurdity Gorge, to ​the point where I ‍caught myself rolling my eyes at the ‍volume’s final “shocking” reveal.

It’s a shame the tragic elements are handled so clumsily, because there realy‌ is a lot to like‍ here. Fittingly for its classic kids’ lit ‍tone, the story is set‍ in a vaguely mid-1900s⁢ English storybook-land⁣ that’s‍ grounded in reality but⁤ woven with whimsy. Landen (a.k.a. “Mr. Big Bad Wolf”) ⁣wears a wolf’s head in public and everyone‍ takes‌ it in stride; Helena’s imagination turns clouds into pirate ships and subway rides into interstellar‌ travel.

Most ⁢of the story is, in fact, quite hopeful and warm, for while Helen’s luck couldn’t get much worse, she’s surrounded⁣ by good people who want the best​ for her. She gets along with the other orphans, the two women who run the orphanage are​ loving and supportive, and even the irritable Landen is ultimately kindhearted, ‍loaning his picture ⁢books to Helena and ⁣teaching art⁤ to the⁢ kids. Her life is not relentlessly bleak, at least.

The big⁤ bad wolf has a lot of predatory connotations‍ in folklore,​ but I’m relieved to announce that’s never even hinted at here. Indeed,the⁢ concept of “stranger‌ danger” doesn’t seem to exist ⁢in this world,as Helena follows men to their homes without ⁤worry ⁢from her or the ⁤adults. It’s a bit tonally jarring, given all ‌the other darkness​ in the‌ story, but I’m not complaining if it means ​I can enjoy Helena and ⁤Landen’s sibling dynamic without fear of it‍ devolving into a​ groomer ⁤tale.Plucky Helena and morose landen serve as mirrors and foils to one another, as they both hide⁢ from the world for different reasons:⁤ Helena struggles with her ⁢brother’s condition, and ‌Landen worries over how others perceive him and ​his art. Through​ their shared passion for picture books, they ‌encourage each other to​ make human ⁣connections ‌and find their courage again.

That shared passion‍ creates some ⁤of⁢ this volume’s most memorable moments, as this series is, at its‍ heart, a love letter to picture books and the⁣ artists who create them. The comic artist themself demonstrates impressive versatility,shifting between a trio of art styles: the main ⁢story‍ has a ⁢charmingly throwback,slightly messy ‍’90s shoujo vibe; Helena’s storybooks and flights of fancy are reminiscent of 20th-century children’s comics,especially Peanuts;⁣ and Landen’s art evokes more‍ classic,dreamy fairy tale paintings.

These shifts ‌in style ⁤burst off‌ the⁢ page and ‍help highlight the characters’ relationships with art.‌ for Helena, art is pure imagination ‌and joy, while ‍Landen is deep in⁣ a self-doubting slump, fretting about the quality of his ⁢work, his⁤ growth as an artist, and his ability to convey his ideas to others. The story approaches these dual ⁣viewpoints with sincerity ⁢and insight,showing that creativity is a hilly journey without a destination,and the ‌only way to get out of a ravine is to keep on⁣ drawing.
​ Much like creativity, Helena and ⁢Mr. Big Bad Wolf is itself a hilly​ journey full of peaks and valleys.​ When it’s trying to ‌raise the emotional stakes by bludgeoning ⁢its characters with tragedy, it stumbles​ into some muddy pits.​ But when its likable‍ cast are ​playing off each other and exploring the challenges and rewards of making art,it ​climbs to some truly lovely vistas.

I have a fondness for sincere messes, so ⁤despite a few eyerolls and even an outright chuckle (I’m ‌sorry, but that car crash was so sudden), the highs still outweighed the​ lows for⁢ me. Whether that’ll be ​true for other readers may depend on your tolerance for traumatic backstories⁤ and plot ⁤twists. Still, there’s‍ a lot to ‌love here for fans of wistful children’s⁣ literature and picture books, as well as for⁤ creatives who have ever struggled through a slump.

This‌ is the first of ⁤a two-volume series, and ⁣while I get the‌ sense we’re moving towards a happy ending, I also suspect we’re going ⁣to have ⁣to wade through some deep angst ⁢to get there. Even​ so, I’d like to hop ⁣on this‍ hilly ⁤road again and see Helena and Landen’s stories to the end. Consider me charmed, ‌mess and‍ all.

The future of Taiwanese Manhua

With increased recognition and support, the future of Taiwanese manhua‍ looks promising. Artists are exploring unique themes ⁣and ‌styles, contributing to ⁤the growth ‍and diversity of‌ the art form. As more people discover the charm and creativity‌ of⁤ Taiwanese comics, its popularity is expected to rise both ​domestically⁤ and internationally.