The History of Comic Books in Taiwan – S6-E26
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- Guest Ray Hecht joins John Ross to explore the fascinating and often overlooked history of comic books in Taiwan.
- The episode highlights the forgotten influence of Shanghai liánhuán túhuà, or 'linked-picture' storybooks, in the post-WWII years.
- Neighborhood rental bookstores played a crucial role in putting cheap popular reading materials into the hands of generations of Taiwanese.
- Government censorship and the Comics Cleansing Movement drastically impacted the industry, with censors even objecting to illustrations of talking animals.
- Ray Hecht's anthology, Memories of Taiwan, features 37 stories about life in Taiwan by 19 artists from around the world.
John is joined by writer, artist and comics enthusiast Ray Hecht for a journey through Taiwan’s manga history. This story is sometimes reduced to Japanese comics and their Taiwanese spinoffs. Ray and John, however, get into the forgotten influence of Shanghai liánhuán túhuà – “linked-picture” storybooks – in the post-WWII years.
Also, central to today’s episode is the humble neighborhood rental bookstore, which put cheap popular reading into the hands of generations of Taiwanese. These books and shops were too popular at times for the government. Censorship and crackdowns were needed to protect the citizens. Enter the Comics Cleansing Movement. And listen and learn why the censors once objected to illustrations of talking animals.
We wrap up with a mention of Ray’s anthology Memories of Taiwan: 37 stories about life in Taiwan by 19 artists from around the world. It’s being released with support from a Kickstarter campaign. To learn more about Ray Hecht, visit his Linktree profile.
The main source for today was the excellent Taiwan Comics: History, Status, and Manga Influx 1930s-1990s by Lee I-Yun (translated by Timeea Cosobea).
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who joins John Ross to discuss the history of comic books in Taiwan?
Writer, artist, and comics enthusiast Ray Hecht joins John Ross on this episode to explore Taiwan's manga history.
What was the Comics Cleansing Movement in Taiwan?
It was a period of government censorship and crackdowns aimed at regulating popular comic books and rental bookstores, which officials believed needed to be controlled to protect citizens.
What are Shanghai liánhuán túhuà?
They are 'linked-picture' storybooks that had a significant, yet often forgotten, influence on Taiwan's comic book culture in the post-WWII years.
What is Ray Hecht's anthology about?
His anthology, Memories of Taiwan, features 37 stories about life in Taiwan created by 19 artists from around the world.