Taiwanese comic artists are showing off their works at the 2020 Comic-Con International: San Diego, one of the largest animation and comics conventions in the world, which is being held online and titled "Comic-Con@Home" due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Scheduled from July 22 through 26, the five-day virtual event features exclusive content by exhibitors, a virtual masquerade costume competition, as well as over 350 virtual panels covering a wide array of topics for comic fans and viewers to explore from the comfort of their homes.
Taiwan is participating in the online pavilion, showcasing ten original comic works from Taiwanese comic artists. Additionally, Taiwanese comic artist Ponjea (彭傑) will be leading a panel on the theme "Travel Through Time with Comics," to share his experiences about content creation on July 24.
Following Taiwan's first participation in the 2019 Comic-Con with the theme "The Eastern Power: Taiwan Superhero League," this year the Taiwan pavilion has been organized by the Chinese Animation and Comic Publishers Association (CCPA) with support from the Ministry of Culture, and Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles.
The Taiwan Pavilion will be displaying works including "The Summer Temple Fair (神之鄉)" by Zuo Hsuan (左萱), "The Hidden Level (隱藏關卡)" by Chang Sheng (常勝), and "Skanda Mantra of Shiva (SKANDA烈炎真言)" by T.K. (章世炘), comics depicting unique Taiwan locations. Other works includes "Oh, My Goddess! (最強天后)" by Chiyou (蚩尤), "Loss of the Holy Seal (上上籤)" by YinYin (殷因), "Debug (Debug-筆電的使用手冊)" by nyaroro, "The Lucky Star Lights Up Student Council President Everyday! (今日會長也吉星高照！)" by Twinkle, and "The Tag-Along: Tiger God (虎爺起駕：紅衣小女孩前傳)" by Yuzu and Yang Wan-Ru (柚子與楊宛儒) that blend Taiwan's temple and religious culture with folk legends.
Original fantasy comic works such as "Chronos Ruler (時間支配者)" by Ponjea, and "The Strongest Sage with the Weakest Crest (失格紋的最強賢者)" by Liver Jam and Popo (肝匠與馮昊) will also be prominently featured at the convention.
Characters and stories come alive through the creativity and mastery of Taiwanese comic artists, with emphasis on faith, courage, and comradeship. The comic artists have also captured a certain mystique style through incorporating Taiwanese local elements and style into their works, attracting readers both in Taiwan and abroad.
Since its formation in 1970, the July convention routinely attracts over 130,000 attendees. Every year, the convention holds roughly 700 events including workshops, educational programs, film screenings, games, the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, masquerade costume competition, and autograph signings, bringing aspiring works to comic fans and industry professionals.
The Comic-Con@Home Online Exhibit Hall -- Taiwan Exhibit booth #5524 -- will go live on July 22. For the latest updates, please visit Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles on Facebook, and Comic-Con@Home website.