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The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye
The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye is a biography showcasing the life and work of Chan Hock Chye, a pioneering but largely forgotten comics artist in Singapore. With a career spanning more than five decades, from pre-independent Singapore through its three Prime Ministers, Chan’s work reflects the changing political and economic environment in Singapore.
Containing Chan’s original illustrations, paintings and sketches, this is a groundbreaking work and labour of love aimed at recapturing the portrait of an artist, whose deep passion for comics and country is given a fitting tribute by award-winning comics artist Sonny Liew.
3 Eisner Awards 2017:
Best U.S. Edition of International Material–Asia
Best Writer/Artist
Best Publication Design
Other Eisner Award 2017 Nominations:
Best Graphic Album–New
Best Coloring
Best Lettering
Winner of the Singapore Literature Prize 2016 for English Fiction
A New York Times bestseller
An Economist Book of the Year 2016
An NPR Graphic Novel Pick for 2016
A Washington Post Best Graphic Novel of 2016
A New York Post Best Books of 2016
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2016
A South China Morning Post Top 10 Asian books of 2016
An A.V. Club Best Comics of 2016
A Comic Books Resources Top 100 Comics of 2016
A Mental Floss Most Interesting Graphic Novel of 2016
Winner of the Singapore Book Awards 2016 for Book of the Year and Best Book Cover Design
Containing Chan’s original illustrations, paintings and sketches, this is a groundbreaking work and labour of love aimed at recapturing the portrait of an artist, whose deep passion for comics and country is given a fitting tribute by award-winning comics artist Sonny Liew.
3 Eisner Awards 2017:
Best U.S. Edition of International Material–Asia
Best Writer/Artist
Best Publication Design
Other Eisner Award 2017 Nominations:
Best Graphic Album–New
Best Coloring
Best Lettering
Winner of the Singapore Literature Prize 2016 for English Fiction
A New York Times bestseller
An Economist Book of the Year 2016
An NPR Graphic Novel Pick for 2016
A Washington Post Best Graphic Novel of 2016
A New York Post Best Books of 2016
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2016
A South China Morning Post Top 10 Asian books of 2016
An A.V. Club Best Comics of 2016
A Comic Books Resources Top 100 Comics of 2016
A Mental Floss Most Interesting Graphic Novel of 2016
Winner of the Singapore Book Awards 2016 for Book of the Year and Best Book Cover Design
320 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2015
193 people are currently reading
2828 people want to read
About the author
Sonny Liew
100 books237 followersSonny Liew is a Eisner-nominated comics artist, painter and illustrator whose work includes the New York Times bestsellers
The Shadow Hero
with Gene Luen Yang (First Second Books), and
The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye
(Pantheon Books).
Born in Malaysia, he lives in Singapore, where he sleeps with the fishes.
Born in Malaysia, he lives in Singapore, where he sleeps with the fishes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 573 reviews
August 20, 2015
I literally could not put this book down.
I devoured it, messily, poring through the pages, lifting up my glasses to peer closely with long-sighted age at the details, flipping back and forth, forward and back in time, chuckling at the quiet humour, marveling at the subtle and not-so-subtle homages to style and history, raising it to look at it this way, then that way, at the multifaceted piece of work it is, knowing that repeated readings would throw up even more layers. If you're a comic book reader, you feel this book as much as you read it, and you can see the heart and mind of the artist, fictional and real, laid - if not quite bare, then at least sufficiently ajar - before you. There is an aura here, the sense of nostalgia, the yearning of a history that never was as well as the timeline that Chan lived through, and an ever-present yearning for things not done, paths not taken, goals never quite achieved, and a soft demand as to why things can't be this way.
The current reaction to the book is revolving mainly around the brouhaha caused by the withdrawal of the NAC grant, but to concentrate on that misses the many other layers that this book has to offer. Make no mistake, this book does deal with the political history of Singapore, and political history can always be sensitive, especially when the orthodox narrative or viewpoint is challenged, even if in the most gentle of ways. But The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye is so, so much more.
When I got to the part where Sonny presents the cover of "Ah Huat's Giant Robot" #1, I had a flashback to a conversation with Sonny at one of the first Singapore Toy Game and Comic Conventions, nearly a decade ago. He talked about the idea for an alternate history of Singapore comics dating back to the 1930s. We never had locally produced comics, but what if we had? What if we had local superhero comics published alongside ones from the United States and England? What would that have looked like? Looking at this volume, I realized that this was Sonny pulling the trigger on that idea, but taking it much further.
This is an alternate history, but this is also what happened. This is a political book, but it is also about aspirations and the creative spirit. This is a book of tributes, but it is completely original. This is a personal book, but it is also about a particular culture, a particular society. This is Sonny Liew. This, not to put too fine a point on it, is Art. Kudos not just to Sonny, but to his editor, Joyce Sim, whose steady hand I sense just as much in this.
To recap: The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye is structured like a tribute/biography/showcase of the career of the titular artist who has been drawing comic books since the 1950s and lived through the tumultuous decades surrounding Singapore's independence and up to the present day. The comics he draws evolve, reflecting the styles of the times, and move into political allegory as the stories reflect the events of those years. The conceit here, of course, is that Chan is a completely fictional character. He never existed, and neither did his comics. There was never an "Ah Huat's Giant Robot", or a "Dragon" weekly magazine, or "Roachman", but God, we wish there were.
The comic book history he emulates is not your typical one - it would have been easy and too pat to suggest that Singapore would have had an American Golden Age style comic in the 1940s. Instead, Sonny has Chan's style being influenced by what comics were actually available to us in that period, from early Japanese manga in the Tezuka vein, to the Beano, Eagle, funny animal comics and only later going into Kurtzman's E.C. war comics and then the Marvel era and beyond. This is the kind of book that screams for annotations, quite apart from the pages of notes that Sonny provides at the end of the volume. The last but one comic showcased, "Days of August" is said by Chan to be inspired by Philip K. Dick's "The Man in the High Castle" but the obvious homage to "The Dark Knight Returns" is not even commented on, for example. "Roachman" predates the Marvel Age by a few years but is definitely a riff not just on "Spider-Man" but the pulpish comics - English and non-English - of the late 50s and a narrative layout and colours reminiscent of Charlton. I could go on, but that would be too geeky and self-indulgent. I have to say though, that I would gladly pay for a full volume of the Pogo-inspired "Bukit Chapalang" strips.
I can't say enough good things about it except to grab you by the lapels and demand that you read it and love it as much as I do. This book deserves to get several awards. I understand why the NAC doesn't want to get behind it, but sadly, it's really their loss. I would hold this book up for an Eisner as a sterling example of what the comic book medium is capable of. This is an ambitious work beyond what we would expect a Singaporean comic to be able to do, and Sonny just kicked its ass.
You completely blew my mind, Sonny. I'm proud to know you.
I devoured it, messily, poring through the pages, lifting up my glasses to peer closely with long-sighted age at the details, flipping back and forth, forward and back in time, chuckling at the quiet humour, marveling at the subtle and not-so-subtle homages to style and history, raising it to look at it this way, then that way, at the multifaceted piece of work it is, knowing that repeated readings would throw up even more layers. If you're a comic book reader, you feel this book as much as you read it, and you can see the heart and mind of the artist, fictional and real, laid - if not quite bare, then at least sufficiently ajar - before you. There is an aura here, the sense of nostalgia, the yearning of a history that never was as well as the timeline that Chan lived through, and an ever-present yearning for things not done, paths not taken, goals never quite achieved, and a soft demand as to why things can't be this way.
The current reaction to the book is revolving mainly around the brouhaha caused by the withdrawal of the NAC grant, but to concentrate on that misses the many other layers that this book has to offer. Make no mistake, this book does deal with the political history of Singapore, and political history can always be sensitive, especially when the orthodox narrative or viewpoint is challenged, even if in the most gentle of ways. But The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye is so, so much more.
When I got to the part where Sonny presents the cover of "Ah Huat's Giant Robot" #1, I had a flashback to a conversation with Sonny at one of the first Singapore Toy Game and Comic Conventions, nearly a decade ago. He talked about the idea for an alternate history of Singapore comics dating back to the 1930s. We never had locally produced comics, but what if we had? What if we had local superhero comics published alongside ones from the United States and England? What would that have looked like? Looking at this volume, I realized that this was Sonny pulling the trigger on that idea, but taking it much further.
This is an alternate history, but this is also what happened. This is a political book, but it is also about aspirations and the creative spirit. This is a book of tributes, but it is completely original. This is a personal book, but it is also about a particular culture, a particular society. This is Sonny Liew. This, not to put too fine a point on it, is Art. Kudos not just to Sonny, but to his editor, Joyce Sim, whose steady hand I sense just as much in this.
To recap: The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye is structured like a tribute/biography/showcase of the career of the titular artist who has been drawing comic books since the 1950s and lived through the tumultuous decades surrounding Singapore's independence and up to the present day. The comics he draws evolve, reflecting the styles of the times, and move into political allegory as the stories reflect the events of those years. The conceit here, of course, is that Chan is a completely fictional character. He never existed, and neither did his comics. There was never an "Ah Huat's Giant Robot", or a "Dragon" weekly magazine, or "Roachman", but God, we wish there were.
The comic book history he emulates is not your typical one - it would have been easy and too pat to suggest that Singapore would have had an American Golden Age style comic in the 1940s. Instead, Sonny has Chan's style being influenced by what comics were actually available to us in that period, from early Japanese manga in the Tezuka vein, to the Beano, Eagle, funny animal comics and only later going into Kurtzman's E.C. war comics and then the Marvel era and beyond. This is the kind of book that screams for annotations, quite apart from the pages of notes that Sonny provides at the end of the volume. The last but one comic showcased, "Days of August" is said by Chan to be inspired by Philip K. Dick's "The Man in the High Castle" but the obvious homage to "The Dark Knight Returns" is not even commented on, for example. "Roachman" predates the Marvel Age by a few years but is definitely a riff not just on "Spider-Man" but the pulpish comics - English and non-English - of the late 50s and a narrative layout and colours reminiscent of Charlton. I could go on, but that would be too geeky and self-indulgent. I have to say though, that I would gladly pay for a full volume of the Pogo-inspired "Bukit Chapalang" strips.
I can't say enough good things about it except to grab you by the lapels and demand that you read it and love it as much as I do. This book deserves to get several awards. I understand why the NAC doesn't want to get behind it, but sadly, it's really their loss. I would hold this book up for an Eisner as a sterling example of what the comic book medium is capable of. This is an ambitious work beyond what we would expect a Singaporean comic to be able to do, and Sonny just kicked its ass.
You completely blew my mind, Sonny. I'm proud to know you.
October 21, 2020
A kind of amazing fictional biography of a Singapore comics artist, Charlie Chan Hock Chye, that is in part a story of twentieth-century Singapore, and in part a study of comics. Part of that study of comics has to do with the relationships between western and Asian comics, and how they mutually influence/d each other. This big, impressive book employs a very inventive approach, with an amazing range of comics styles representing different periods. Eisner-award nominated. Especially recommended for students of comics and comics history. Thanks to 2-3 Goodreads friends who recommended it to me. I also liked it because Liew worked with Gene Luen Tang on The Shadow Hero.
April 2, 2016
Hands down my most enjoyable Singapore literature read ever! I'm glad I know pretty much every historical detail regarding Singapore in this book- I don't think I'd enjoy the book less if I was unfamiliar with the context (it did feel like an info dump at times), but I believe I enjoyed it more because I am SO familiar with it. So many complex themes and narrative devices at play here, I don't know how to start my school essay on this now but I'm excited!!!
May 12, 2016
Brilliant and subversively educational. I sometimes feel like Singapore is gaslighting me. This book suggests that I'm neither insane nor alone.
November 16, 2015
A biography of the artist as a hero, The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye is full of swagger even as it pays tribute to its comics predecessors. The virtuosic display of different comics styles, the mind-boggling meta-meta-meta narratives, the political satire. The result is an astounding feat, which sets a high bar not only for Singapore comics, but also for Singapore fiction. Yet much remains familiar. Singapore history may be re-interpreted but its periodization is not challenged. The reading of the historical protagonists may be flipped, but there are still clearly heroes and villains. And the greatest hero of all is the artist, who is depicted as uncompromisingly dedicated to his art. Singapore art needs such a heroic image, perhaps, given its frequent and forced accommodations to authority. Still, the terms of the artist's exaltation are traditional: he foregoes a love interest; gives up having a family; disappoints his parents. Heterosexual love, family, and happy parents are self-evident goods in the graphic novel; they are not subject to the kind of interrogation that the novel applies to political history. The artist is essentially male, as are all the politicians. Women are peripheral characters to the political and the personal stories. Having surrendered his claim to a place in bourgeois, Chinese, Singaporean patriarchy, the hero-artist reasserts his maleness in his art, ending aptly with a page of nine panels, eight of which depict the phallic instruments of his art.
August 17, 2017
For graphic artists, there are must-reads of the genre that direct the eye to advances in the art, and Sonny Liew’s contribution may well be one of those. Liew shows us many types of comic book art, discusses their genesis and early creators, but also seamlessly melds the story of an artist, Charlie Chan Hock Chye, with the story of the political and economic development of Singapore. It is a masterful work of enormous depth and sensitivity that answers questions I’d had when contemplating the entwined histories of Singapore and Malaya.
I really went down the rabbit hole with this work because it has so many layers and levels of reality and history that I immediately wanted to talk to someone about it or hear an interview. I had been constantly walking way from the piece, trying to realign my thinking about who was telling the story. Sometimes it seemed like it was written from the point of view of this artist and comic-book writer, Charlie Chan Hock Chye, born in Singapore in 1939, and all his life aspiring to be Singapore’s own greatest graphic artist and political commentator.
Sonny Liew was merely republishing, or publishing for the first time, Charlie’s un-published work, including a graphic autobiography begun late in his fifth decade of life and left unfinished until his seventh decade. But occasionally Liew would pop in and add commentary since he was showing us only representative pieces and scraps of Charlie’s body of work. Charlie took the writing of episodic and serialized comic novels to the pinnacle of political commentary, making such astute analysis that he was having trouble getting his work published in the conservative political environment of a colonial city-state and its aftermath.
A high point for me was the RoachMan comic series which imagined a man in 1950s Singapore whose back-breaking job it was to collect honey pots of night soil from houses in traditional neighborhoods. One day on his rounds he is daydreaming about the resilience of cockroaches when—suddenly— he is bitten! Over the next days and nights he feels delirious and tingling sensations only to discover when he is nearly mowed down by a car at night that he has acquired new physical abilities…
Of course, it did occur to me to wonder about the choice of a cockroach as a hero, but Liew tells us that Charlie’s idea was picked up and changed slightly for the Spiderman comics that were popularized in the English-speaking western world the following decade. What looks like formerly scotch-taped examples of his pages are reproduced for us to judge, the artwork changing and so amazingly similar to famous Marvel works that we wonder which came first.
All the while, we are experiencing Charlie’s day-to-day reality finding a publisher, and creating characters that reflect the city’s struggle for political leadership. This is no ordinary comic. It is dense with history, drama, commentary, humor, and art. When Liew pops up again to provide commentary—we can tell it is Liew who sometimes writes captions—we need to slow down and ask ourselves which person is talking because it matters to the interpretation—one is concurrent with events and one is long afterward.
Spoilers won’t ruin this piece for you, but I just want to say that the ending is terribly poignant and meaningful; we feel as though Liew has given us a great gift to have introduced us to this unknown cartoonist, who finally finished his autobiography. He’d finally travelled to Comic Con in San Diego in 1988 after an entire career in comics, bringing with him representative samples of his work. That episode is included in the final pages. I won’t tell you how it turned out—what Charlie saw or who saw him—but suffice it to say it provided grist for mill.
Charlie Chan Hock Chye’s story feels like it has burst onto the scene with the power of a neutron bomb, laying all other artists flat because of its virtuosity and depth. We are intensely curious how Charlie could escape attention for so long, but also wonder about the connection between Sonny Liew and Charlie. The book won three 2017 Eisner Awards at this year’s Comic Con, for Best Writer/Artist, Best US Edition of International Material—Asia, and Best Publication Design Winner.
Read the book first, and then get a taste of how it has been received in the U.S. by checking out the Comics Syllabus 008 podcast produced by Paul Lai who interviews Sonny Liew about the book. Also, on my blog I have posted a short Epigram Books clip of Liew talking about the book’s conception and execution. But read the book first. Get the whole experience.
I really went down the rabbit hole with this work because it has so many layers and levels of reality and history that I immediately wanted to talk to someone about it or hear an interview. I had been constantly walking way from the piece, trying to realign my thinking about who was telling the story. Sometimes it seemed like it was written from the point of view of this artist and comic-book writer, Charlie Chan Hock Chye, born in Singapore in 1939, and all his life aspiring to be Singapore’s own greatest graphic artist and political commentator.
Sonny Liew was merely republishing, or publishing for the first time, Charlie’s un-published work, including a graphic autobiography begun late in his fifth decade of life and left unfinished until his seventh decade. But occasionally Liew would pop in and add commentary since he was showing us only representative pieces and scraps of Charlie’s body of work. Charlie took the writing of episodic and serialized comic novels to the pinnacle of political commentary, making such astute analysis that he was having trouble getting his work published in the conservative political environment of a colonial city-state and its aftermath.
A high point for me was the RoachMan comic series which imagined a man in 1950s Singapore whose back-breaking job it was to collect honey pots of night soil from houses in traditional neighborhoods. One day on his rounds he is daydreaming about the resilience of cockroaches when—suddenly— he is bitten! Over the next days and nights he feels delirious and tingling sensations only to discover when he is nearly mowed down by a car at night that he has acquired new physical abilities…
Of course, it did occur to me to wonder about the choice of a cockroach as a hero, but Liew tells us that Charlie’s idea was picked up and changed slightly for the Spiderman comics that were popularized in the English-speaking western world the following decade. What looks like formerly scotch-taped examples of his pages are reproduced for us to judge, the artwork changing and so amazingly similar to famous Marvel works that we wonder which came first.
All the while, we are experiencing Charlie’s day-to-day reality finding a publisher, and creating characters that reflect the city’s struggle for political leadership. This is no ordinary comic. It is dense with history, drama, commentary, humor, and art. When Liew pops up again to provide commentary—we can tell it is Liew who sometimes writes captions—we need to slow down and ask ourselves which person is talking because it matters to the interpretation—one is concurrent with events and one is long afterward.
Spoilers won’t ruin this piece for you, but I just want to say that the ending is terribly poignant and meaningful; we feel as though Liew has given us a great gift to have introduced us to this unknown cartoonist, who finally finished his autobiography. He’d finally travelled to Comic Con in San Diego in 1988 after an entire career in comics, bringing with him representative samples of his work. That episode is included in the final pages. I won’t tell you how it turned out—what Charlie saw or who saw him—but suffice it to say it provided grist for mill.
Charlie Chan Hock Chye’s story feels like it has burst onto the scene with the power of a neutron bomb, laying all other artists flat because of its virtuosity and depth. We are intensely curious how Charlie could escape attention for so long, but also wonder about the connection between Sonny Liew and Charlie. The book won three 2017 Eisner Awards at this year’s Comic Con, for Best Writer/Artist, Best US Edition of International Material—Asia, and Best Publication Design Winner.
Read the book first, and then get a taste of how it has been received in the U.S. by checking out the Comics Syllabus 008 podcast produced by Paul Lai who interviews Sonny Liew about the book. Also, on my blog I have posted a short Epigram Books clip of Liew talking about the book’s conception and execution. But read the book first. Get the whole experience.
June 6, 2015
Th best local history book and the magic heightens when it was reported that Charlie Chan was a fictional character! Clever way to educating one of Singapore's history and it leaves you to form your own opinion of the events that have carved Singapore's past. I am in awe of Sonny's research, different strokes of the works presented. I would definitely buy Roachman, Bukit Chapalang and definitely merchandise too!!!
March 7, 2016
I reread this book in preparation for our Comics Alternative interview with Sonny Liew: http://comicsalternative.com/comics-a.... I had originally read it in proof form, when Sonny asked for my comments and insights before publication. He even thanks me in his acknowledgments page! This is an ambitious narrative: part history, part meditation on comics art, part comics history appreciation, and all faux biography.
May 4, 2015
Well-worth the wait. Sonny uses several different art styles to tell the story of a fictional comic book artist, creating allegories and alternate histories while confronting the actual events behind the recent history of Singapore.
May 2, 2015
Phenomenal. Truly an impressive achievement. Very very highly recommended.
March 3, 2019
An amazing work of art and storyteller that is severely (and I don't usually like using this word because it's ironically overrated) underrated. It deserves more celebration! It deserves to be taught in schools or discussed about in book clubs. It definitely does not deserve that disappointing decision from the National Arts Council to revoke their grant of 8000 SGD that they initially agreed to give to help fund this comic because of its 'sensitive' content. Liew commented that the response he got from NAC when he asked for a justification for the last-minute backpedaling is that 'a new decision has been made and nothing can be done'.
Anyway, I shall not give too much word count to a small setback. The book was still amazing. It's a retelling of the Singapore political history and a Singaporean's personal history through - and this is where I'm in awe - Charlie Chan, a fictional (?) true blue local comic artist's works, dreams an aspirations, and love for his country. Many of Charlie Chan's 'Unpublished' or 'Self-Published' works are featured in the book (as now I sadly know they are all fictional!!! How can they do this to me) - it tells the readers that Charlie is passionate about art and politics and tried his best to get his opinion out there even though he did not publish or had to publish himself. There were also many of his sketches, and you can see a difference between the sketches he made when he was 15 and 50.
Through his works, Liew also wanted to provide an alternate telling of our state's history. Growing up where the only history of Singapore I know is the history they teach us in school, watered down for 14 year olds and made blander for the masses, and I hated history. Liew provides a very engaging and interesting story about the details of the merger and split from Malaysia, the PAP's various strategies that made them into the ruling party today, and other events such as Operation Coldstore.
There was a few parts of the book where Liew took on 2 voices - Charlie's satirical, criticising comics about certain political decisions he disagreed with, and Liew's own meta comments about it today. I enjoyed that tremendously - it was provoking and layered.
This is a richly-layered experience. You are treated to a beautiful artwork in a variety of styles used to depict nostalgia, childhood, satire, experience, and a full life. I am so so grateful that this book exists and that I am around to witness it. An amazing experience.
Anyway, I shall not give too much word count to a small setback. The book was still amazing. It's a retelling of the Singapore political history and a Singaporean's personal history through - and this is where I'm in awe - Charlie Chan, a fictional (?) true blue local comic artist's works, dreams an aspirations, and love for his country. Many of Charlie Chan's 'Unpublished' or 'Self-Published' works are featured in the book (as now I sadly know they are all fictional!!! How can they do this to me) - it tells the readers that Charlie is passionate about art and politics and tried his best to get his opinion out there even though he did not publish or had to publish himself. There were also many of his sketches, and you can see a difference between the sketches he made when he was 15 and 50.
Through his works, Liew also wanted to provide an alternate telling of our state's history. Growing up where the only history of Singapore I know is the history they teach us in school, watered down for 14 year olds and made blander for the masses, and I hated history. Liew provides a very engaging and interesting story about the details of the merger and split from Malaysia, the PAP's various strategies that made them into the ruling party today, and other events such as Operation Coldstore.
There was a few parts of the book where Liew took on 2 voices - Charlie's satirical, criticising comics about certain political decisions he disagreed with, and Liew's own meta comments about it today. I enjoyed that tremendously - it was provoking and layered.
This is a richly-layered experience. You are treated to a beautiful artwork in a variety of styles used to depict nostalgia, childhood, satire, experience, and a full life. I am so so grateful that this book exists and that I am around to witness it. An amazing experience.
October 24, 2019
This was kind of nuts. An incredible oeuvre and a tour de force. The fictional biography of hypothetical Singaporean artist Charlie Chan becomes a lens through which Malay cartoonist Sonny Lieu is able to explore the history and development of post-war Singapore in a truly unique manner- a series of period comic homages. Liew's artistry and storytelling prowess is on full display-- he executes picture-perfect parodies of every art style from pulp science-fiction to Pogo to Little Nemo, MAD magazine and Frank Miller. The story itself is heartbreaking, and fundamentally intertwined with the emotional loss of a national identity has been suppressed. I don't think any dry account of Singaporean politics could ever have made me empathize with their history quite like this novel. This is a dense masterwork worth returning to again and again.
Also I just realized that I read a uncorrected proof edition of the book and the published edition is in FULL COLOR. Now I'm definitely going to have to read it again.
Also I just realized that I read a uncorrected proof edition of the book and the published edition is in FULL COLOR. Now I'm definitely going to have to read it again.
March 18, 2016
This is my third reading of what should be called the secret history of modern Singapre reimagined through the eyes of an imaginary icon who happens to be the father of Singapore comics. Should be made available to all who are interested in greater a better perspective of how Singapore came about as the economic miracle it is today.
February 11, 2021
This is an account of a fictional Singaporean comic book artist. There is a lot of commentary on the politics of Singapore from the 1950s up until today. This is an interesting read for those who are interested in the history and politics of Singapore.
May 30, 2015
As a Singaporean, I'm surprised this book was even published with the support of the local National Arts Council, given that it's got more oppositional political opinion due to the ideologies of Charlie Chan, even if it's more like a strong polite disagreement than an all-out raging rhetoric. The first two pages of comics sets the tone. In this book, you will also understand why Singaporeans don't expect government-run bodies would allow certain types of opinion to be published, let alone support. (Then again, we do have a few writers and playwrights who have gotten away with a certain level of critique.)
I'm gonna assume Charlie's a real person for this review; The book depicts him as such. Charlie's life is presented from a young lad full of hopes for the future and in rising political stars in the days leading up to Singapore's independence from British Rule, to a jaded old man left behind by the changing times and disappointment in his government.
Sonny Liew masterfully presents a very accessible narrative that weaves Charlie's own biographic comics, and works, and Sonny's panels both of his interviews with Charlie and explaining the Singapore political, historical and cultural landscapes over the years that informed Charlie's works.
Charlie's works were really good by the time he was in his late teens. Together with Bertrand Wong (his friend and writer), they had some good storytelling ideas. This thick graphic novel also contains sketches, oil paintings, and comic works. Sonny Liew's art style is very similar to his, so they weave together pretty well (Hmmm, curious). A Lot of research was definitely put into this book to keep its historical timeline, events and people mentioned accurate.
I like it, regardless of my personal views on a few things. It's a really well-done graphic novel. If something moved me, it was when I started sympathising with Charlie's idealistic struggle to become a famous comic artist. I do have my own dissatisfaction with how things were/are done in SG, just like Charlie, but there're not on the same topics as him.
Update: The National Arts Council just revoked the funding due to 'sensitive content'. LOL! All the more you should read the book? :D Kinda like watching history in the making or something.
News article: http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/...
I'm gonna assume Charlie's a real person for this review; The book depicts him as such. Charlie's life is presented from a young lad full of hopes for the future and in rising political stars in the days leading up to Singapore's independence from British Rule, to a jaded old man left behind by the changing times and disappointment in his government.
Sonny Liew masterfully presents a very accessible narrative that weaves Charlie's own biographic comics, and works, and Sonny's panels both of his interviews with Charlie and explaining the Singapore political, historical and cultural landscapes over the years that informed Charlie's works.
Charlie's works were really good by the time he was in his late teens. Together with Bertrand Wong (his friend and writer), they had some good storytelling ideas. This thick graphic novel also contains sketches, oil paintings, and comic works. Sonny Liew's art style is very similar to his, so they weave together pretty well (Hmmm, curious). A Lot of research was definitely put into this book to keep its historical timeline, events and people mentioned accurate.
I like it, regardless of my personal views on a few things. It's a really well-done graphic novel. If something moved me, it was when I started sympathising with Charlie's idealistic struggle to become a famous comic artist. I do have my own dissatisfaction with how things were/are done in SG, just like Charlie, but there're not on the same topics as him.
Update: The National Arts Council just revoked the funding due to 'sensitive content'. LOL! All the more you should read the book? :D Kinda like watching history in the making or something.
News article: http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/...
July 16, 2015
[[[[[SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER THIS REVIEW GOT SPOILER]]]]]
I'm STAGGERED.
I have never before realised what it was like to see Singapore and Singaporean characters represented in such a way. Superficially, through comics as a medium, and in the genres of sci-fi and fantasy, and in the kind of style (both artistically, and the humour), I would consider "mainstream". And on another level, to have the contrived narratives of my history/our history *exposed* like that, and rewrapped and retold in many *brilliant* ways.
As I made my way through the book, I kept Googling "Charlie Chan Hock Chye", again and again, trying to find out who this man was, if there were any interviews with him, what had happened to him. I watched Epigram Book's teaser trailer featuring an unnamed old man holding a paintbrush and wondered what I should make of it. I kept rereading earlier sections of the book to try identify which had been drawn by Charlie Chan, and which by Sonny Liew, and comparing the illustration styles, where the narrative was by the "real" Charlie, and where it was picked up by Sonny.
So I finally reached the end of the book, and tried to find Charlie Chan's name in the acknowledgements, some write-up, or author's note in which Sonny would describe how he'd met the man, interviewed him on several occasions, and how he was now retired in JB, etc. None of the sort. Read through the reviews at the front of the book very meticulously. Flipped through the book again. Some amorphous bubble of suspicion was growing. Read the last page. Spotted this sentence.
[[[[[SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER ALL SPOILER]]]]]
"This is a work of fiction."
*FUCK.*
I *don't* ever use that word, in polite company or otherwise. But it's the only way I can, with my limited vocabulary and faculty of language, express how FREAKING STUNNED (okay, I'm just not comfortable with using the eff-word) I am. At how GODLIKE this guy Sonny Liew is. How freaking EPIC this book is.
Fuck, really. Fuck!!!!
Fifteen THOUSAND stars upon five.
I'm STAGGERED.
I have never before realised what it was like to see Singapore and Singaporean characters represented in such a way. Superficially, through comics as a medium, and in the genres of sci-fi and fantasy, and in the kind of style (both artistically, and the humour), I would consider "mainstream". And on another level, to have the contrived narratives of my history/our history *exposed* like that, and rewrapped and retold in many *brilliant* ways.
As I made my way through the book, I kept Googling "Charlie Chan Hock Chye", again and again, trying to find out who this man was, if there were any interviews with him, what had happened to him. I watched Epigram Book's teaser trailer featuring an unnamed old man holding a paintbrush and wondered what I should make of it. I kept rereading earlier sections of the book to try identify which had been drawn by Charlie Chan, and which by Sonny Liew, and comparing the illustration styles, where the narrative was by the "real" Charlie, and where it was picked up by Sonny.
So I finally reached the end of the book, and tried to find Charlie Chan's name in the acknowledgements, some write-up, or author's note in which Sonny would describe how he'd met the man, interviewed him on several occasions, and how he was now retired in JB, etc. None of the sort. Read through the reviews at the front of the book very meticulously. Flipped through the book again. Some amorphous bubble of suspicion was growing. Read the last page. Spotted this sentence.
[[[[[SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER ALL SPOILER]]]]]
"This is a work of fiction."
*FUCK.*
I *don't* ever use that word, in polite company or otherwise. But it's the only way I can, with my limited vocabulary and faculty of language, express how FREAKING STUNNED (okay, I'm just not comfortable with using the eff-word) I am. At how GODLIKE this guy Sonny Liew is. How freaking EPIC this book is.
Fuck, really. Fuck!!!!
Fifteen THOUSAND stars upon five.
November 30, 2016
I cannot summarize it better than Kenny Mah of the The Malay Mail, so will simply quote him:
“Part graphic novel, part art book, part narrative essay, The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye by Malaysian-born, Eisner Award nominated comic artist and illustrator Sonny Liew is a look at Singapore unlike any other before. By reflecting on the life and work of a comic creator whose career spanned half a century, The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye comments wryly on Singapore’s past and present while honoring comics as a storytelling medium.”
This is a staggering work from an incredibly talented author/artist, and I often forgot that Charlie Chan Hock Chye was not a real person in history, but an artist that the author created as a device to document Singapore's turbulent history. The versatility and range of artistic styles in this graphic novel are in of themselves worth the price of admission, and I learned some history along the way.
An NPR review: http://www.npr.org/2016/03/05/4689413...
The only reason I docked a star is due to my own shortcoming. I do not know much of the history described here, so there were moments of confusion as I tried to make sense of it all. With this graphic novel, Sonny Liew has raised the bar of what can be expected from this genre. Highly recommended.
“Part graphic novel, part art book, part narrative essay, The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye by Malaysian-born, Eisner Award nominated comic artist and illustrator Sonny Liew is a look at Singapore unlike any other before. By reflecting on the life and work of a comic creator whose career spanned half a century, The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye comments wryly on Singapore’s past and present while honoring comics as a storytelling medium.”
This is a staggering work from an incredibly talented author/artist, and I often forgot that Charlie Chan Hock Chye was not a real person in history, but an artist that the author created as a device to document Singapore's turbulent history. The versatility and range of artistic styles in this graphic novel are in of themselves worth the price of admission, and I learned some history along the way.
An NPR review: http://www.npr.org/2016/03/05/4689413...
The only reason I docked a star is due to my own shortcoming. I do not know much of the history described here, so there were moments of confusion as I tried to make sense of it all. With this graphic novel, Sonny Liew has raised the bar of what can be expected from this genre. Highly recommended.
April 17, 2016
A surprisingly candid take on the sociopolitical demographics of Singapore, The art of Charlie chan hock chye is an extremely refreshing read. The intricate artistry of the panels on each page and the social commentary that gives pause for thought make this more than just a mere work of art. Beyond the obvious questions of whether we are truly free in Singapore and his satirical take on the moral grandstanding of the governmental instruments in Singapore, Sonny Liew has given us a manifesto that clearly outlines the realities of our day to day lives and shows that history depends on the lens you view it through. An enjoyable and illuminating read through and through!
December 11, 2016
I complain from time to time about people who pick up a book and don't get what they wanted because they were too stupid to read the description. And I thought that was happening to me here by the end of the book. But this book may be engaging in the tiniest bit of subterfuge.
Here's the Goodreads description:
The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye is a biography showcasing the life and work of Chan Hock Chye, a pioneering but largely forgotten comics artist in Singapore. With a career spanning more than five decades, from pre-independent Singapore through its three Prime Ministers, Chan’s work reflects the changing political and economic environment in Singapore.
Containing Chan’s original illustrations, paintings and sketches, this is a groundbreaking work and labour of love aimed at recapturing the portrait of an artist, whose deep passion for comics and country is given a fitting tribute by award-winning comics artist Sonny Liew.
Now...at any point does this synopsis point out that Sonny Liew made this and there's no such person as Charlie Hock Chye?
Because that is most definitely the case.
Here's the thing to know: This book presents a fictional character as a comics artist from Singapore who created a bunch of comics. This character did not exist, nor did his works. It's all the product of Sonny Liew. This character and his work are created for the purposes of exposition and storytelling. Which is, I guess, why ALL characters are created when you get right down to it. Even the space raptor in that Chuck Tingle book existed for this reason.
I'm not really one who balks at experimentation and different ways to tell stories. I didn't really get my nuts twisted over the James Frey thing.
Which is why, viewed from afar, the structure of this book didn't bother me, and in fact was a drawing factor. I like when books play with narrative and storytelling methods. I don't really mind having uncertainty about what's real and what isn't.
I'll also say that Sonny Liew is a fucking incredible artist. Within this book he inhabits so many different styles, and he's a master of them all. Cartoon-y robots a la Tezuka, painted portraits, MAD Magazine styles, Joe Kubert. He can do everything, and the art really is unbelievable. That one person can display mastery of so many styles is really something.
What made the book a little less enjoyable for me?
I don't know a lot about the history of Singapore. I don't know much of anything, in fact. And I wouldn't say that this book makes for a good introduction. I think that if I'd been more investigative about what I was about to read, I would have read up on politics in Singapore from the last few decades and enjoyed the book a lot more. But as it was, the book lays out the politics of the time by showing the comics of a non-existent artist and then adding in a second layer of comics to explain what the first layer of comics is doing.
I know, it's a little confusing. The best way I could sum up what was going on, there were four layers to this book. There were the comics that were created by the fictional character. Then there was the fictional autobiographical comic created by the fictional character. Then there was the fictional modern day interview biography of the fictional character. Then there was the entire book, as a whole, which contains all of these elements.
And that's where I got lost. Between the layers and then the complex politics of the time, I went astray at some point. There's a certain devotion to the source material (the fictional comic strips created by the fictional character) that is hard to understand when one realizes that the source material is fictional. It's all a fiction except for the events that were occurring in Singapore, so I do feel there was probably room to alter the structure for clarity.
Again, let me just say that I know fuck-all about the political scene in Singapore, so I'm not saying that this book is bad because it doesn't lay it out for us dum-dums. And after reading a few interviews, I feel safe in saying that this was originally intended for an audience in Singapore, and to dumb it down to my level would have made it sooooo slllooooowwww for them.
What I will say is that my fellow School District 6 grads, if we're being generous enough to call ourselves "grads," would be wise to read a little bit about Singapore and the characters involved in the 60's before diving into this book. While there is a lot of good in this book, I don't think it's so much an introduction to the politics of this part of the world.
It's definitely an artistic achievement, both in narrative and in its art, but I think the depth of experience you could have with it would be much greater if you knew a little bit more about Singapore.
Here's the Goodreads description:
The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye is a biography showcasing the life and work of Chan Hock Chye, a pioneering but largely forgotten comics artist in Singapore. With a career spanning more than five decades, from pre-independent Singapore through its three Prime Ministers, Chan’s work reflects the changing political and economic environment in Singapore.
Containing Chan’s original illustrations, paintings and sketches, this is a groundbreaking work and labour of love aimed at recapturing the portrait of an artist, whose deep passion for comics and country is given a fitting tribute by award-winning comics artist Sonny Liew.
Now...at any point does this synopsis point out that Sonny Liew made this and there's no such person as Charlie Hock Chye?
Because that is most definitely the case.
Here's the thing to know: This book presents a fictional character as a comics artist from Singapore who created a bunch of comics. This character did not exist, nor did his works. It's all the product of Sonny Liew. This character and his work are created for the purposes of exposition and storytelling. Which is, I guess, why ALL characters are created when you get right down to it. Even the space raptor in that Chuck Tingle book existed for this reason.
I'm not really one who balks at experimentation and different ways to tell stories. I didn't really get my nuts twisted over the James Frey thing.
Which is why, viewed from afar, the structure of this book didn't bother me, and in fact was a drawing factor. I like when books play with narrative and storytelling methods. I don't really mind having uncertainty about what's real and what isn't.
I'll also say that Sonny Liew is a fucking incredible artist. Within this book he inhabits so many different styles, and he's a master of them all. Cartoon-y robots a la Tezuka, painted portraits, MAD Magazine styles, Joe Kubert. He can do everything, and the art really is unbelievable. That one person can display mastery of so many styles is really something.
What made the book a little less enjoyable for me?
I don't know a lot about the history of Singapore. I don't know much of anything, in fact. And I wouldn't say that this book makes for a good introduction. I think that if I'd been more investigative about what I was about to read, I would have read up on politics in Singapore from the last few decades and enjoyed the book a lot more. But as it was, the book lays out the politics of the time by showing the comics of a non-existent artist and then adding in a second layer of comics to explain what the first layer of comics is doing.
I know, it's a little confusing. The best way I could sum up what was going on, there were four layers to this book. There were the comics that were created by the fictional character. Then there was the fictional autobiographical comic created by the fictional character. Then there was the fictional modern day interview biography of the fictional character. Then there was the entire book, as a whole, which contains all of these elements.
And that's where I got lost. Between the layers and then the complex politics of the time, I went astray at some point. There's a certain devotion to the source material (the fictional comic strips created by the fictional character) that is hard to understand when one realizes that the source material is fictional. It's all a fiction except for the events that were occurring in Singapore, so I do feel there was probably room to alter the structure for clarity.
Again, let me just say that I know fuck-all about the political scene in Singapore, so I'm not saying that this book is bad because it doesn't lay it out for us dum-dums. And after reading a few interviews, I feel safe in saying that this was originally intended for an audience in Singapore, and to dumb it down to my level would have made it sooooo slllooooowwww for them.
What I will say is that my fellow School District 6 grads, if we're being generous enough to call ourselves "grads," would be wise to read a little bit about Singapore and the characters involved in the 60's before diving into this book. While there is a lot of good in this book, I don't think it's so much an introduction to the politics of this part of the world.
It's definitely an artistic achievement, both in narrative and in its art, but I think the depth of experience you could have with it would be much greater if you knew a little bit more about Singapore.
December 26, 2017
En "el arte de Charlie Chan Hock Chye", Sonny Liew nos propone un ejercicio de metalenguaje comiquero lleno de personalidad y originalidad.
Tomando como vehículo argumental un personaje inventado (Charlie Chan Hock Chye que se nos presenta como el autor de cómics más importante de Singapur), el autor inicia una retrospectiva en forma de documental en formato cómic desde tres frentes: por un lado nos cuenta la vida de Chan Hock Chye, su crecimiento como autor, sus aspiraciones y las dificultades que encuentra; por otro la historia de Singapur durante el siglo XX, desde el colonialismo inglés y la ocupación china, pasando por la unificación con Malasia y finalmente la independencia; en tercer lugar tenemos un recorrido por la obra de Chan Hock Chye que va en paralelo con la historia del cómic de la segunda mitad del siglo XX, reflejando distintas tendencias y estilos siempre desde el punto de vista de este autor ficticio.
Aparte de la originalidad de la propuesta, lo que hace grande a este cómic es cómo se realimentan sus tres vertientes, nada es fruto del azar o la ocurrencia, la vida del autor está condicionada por los cambios políticos de su país que a su vez se ven reflejados en sus cómics que también se nutren de la experiencia vital del autor, esto está realizado de una forma muy inteligente para que nos resulte verosímil. Además destaca el buen hacer de Liew a la hora de reproducir o crear documentos, retratos, anuncios y demás elementos infográficos que aportan realismo y coherencia a lo que se cuenta en cada momento, también es llamativa la variedad de estilos y técnicas utilizadas en el apartado gráfico, todo un alarde de capacidad artística, muy elogiable.
En resumen, un cómic muy recomendable, aunque pide bastante por parte del lector sobretodo en la vertiente histórica, ya que a veces nos costará seguir el hilo de los nombres, sucesos, formaciones políticas... pero creo que el esfuerzo de realizar una lectura consciente y navegar por los apéndices mientras seguimos la lectura termina mereciendo mucho la pena.
Tomando como vehículo argumental un personaje inventado (Charlie Chan Hock Chye que se nos presenta como el autor de cómics más importante de Singapur), el autor inicia una retrospectiva en forma de documental en formato cómic desde tres frentes: por un lado nos cuenta la vida de Chan Hock Chye, su crecimiento como autor, sus aspiraciones y las dificultades que encuentra; por otro la historia de Singapur durante el siglo XX, desde el colonialismo inglés y la ocupación china, pasando por la unificación con Malasia y finalmente la independencia; en tercer lugar tenemos un recorrido por la obra de Chan Hock Chye que va en paralelo con la historia del cómic de la segunda mitad del siglo XX, reflejando distintas tendencias y estilos siempre desde el punto de vista de este autor ficticio.
Aparte de la originalidad de la propuesta, lo que hace grande a este cómic es cómo se realimentan sus tres vertientes, nada es fruto del azar o la ocurrencia, la vida del autor está condicionada por los cambios políticos de su país que a su vez se ven reflejados en sus cómics que también se nutren de la experiencia vital del autor, esto está realizado de una forma muy inteligente para que nos resulte verosímil. Además destaca el buen hacer de Liew a la hora de reproducir o crear documentos, retratos, anuncios y demás elementos infográficos que aportan realismo y coherencia a lo que se cuenta en cada momento, también es llamativa la variedad de estilos y técnicas utilizadas en el apartado gráfico, todo un alarde de capacidad artística, muy elogiable.
En resumen, un cómic muy recomendable, aunque pide bastante por parte del lector sobretodo en la vertiente histórica, ya que a veces nos costará seguir el hilo de los nombres, sucesos, formaciones políticas... pero creo que el esfuerzo de realizar una lectura consciente y navegar por los apéndices mientras seguimos la lectura termina mereciendo mucho la pena.
October 12, 2015
I actually finished this book in one sitting, which is a very rare thing for me these days, and am belatedly updating Goodreads almost a month later. THE ART OF CHARLIE CHAN HOCK CHYE is a stupendous achievement - a study in history, art, and (fictional) biopic, serving as a superlative example of each, while laced with plenty of humour and pathos as well. Sonny Liew's book is a delight to read and pore over: it radiates a love for comics and a keen grasp of politics and power that is quite blissful to encounter within the same pages. Seldom has a history lesson been so absorbing - partly because this is an alternative narrative that's largely ignored in Singapore schools, but also because of the way Liew weaves different genres of art and comics (from sci-fi to satire) into the life story of the titular devoted comic book artist who never made it big. Within the political twists and turns is an intimate story of broken dreams and lost hopes, one which serves as quite a good metaphor, too, for the country Singapore might have been in a very different universe.
March 16, 2016
Like me, you've probably never heard of Charlie Chan Hock Chye before. There are good reasons for that, as astute readers will discover. So what this book does is give an overview of the history of Singapore from the mid 50's to the present, as reflected in the comics and sketches of the country's most prolific and least known cartoonist. Comics from many countries have made it to Singapore over the years, and echoes of sources as diverse as Osamu Tezuka, Walt Kelly, Frank Miller, and others can be seen in this book. Liew has provided helpful footnotes on the people and politics to aid non-Singaporeans in spotting the parallels in the various strips and comics pages. Along with the history, we also see the story of Charlie Chan Hock Chye's ambition and vision of what comics could become. This is a wonderful book, that works on many levels.
June 1, 2015
WOW.
what a ride. This book is like a marriage between a comic artist's journey as well as historical stories of a nation. Both told and drawn with fervour and passion.
loved and appreciated every page... especially the notes which sonny made effort to compile.
it is a representation of another aspect of the Singapore story.. One that many may not know of..
I fought sleep to read it... and as my eyes watered due to the battle between sleep and reading on.. I'm glad I read through the tired tears..
beautiful beautiful beautiful..
what a ride. This book is like a marriage between a comic artist's journey as well as historical stories of a nation. Both told and drawn with fervour and passion.
loved and appreciated every page... especially the notes which sonny made effort to compile.
it is a representation of another aspect of the Singapore story.. One that many may not know of..
I fought sleep to read it... and as my eyes watered due to the battle between sleep and reading on.. I'm glad I read through the tired tears..
beautiful beautiful beautiful..
June 29, 2015
Just loved this book.
Written and drawn in an accessible manner, with elements of political satire. This graphic novel takes a more critical look at "The Singapore Story". A shame that the NAC funding got pulled because the government (most likely the MHA) saw it as undermining the government's authority because it is really a fitting gift to SG50.
I would highly recommend everyone to at least borrow the book and have a read.
Written and drawn in an accessible manner, with elements of political satire. This graphic novel takes a more critical look at "The Singapore Story". A shame that the NAC funding got pulled because the government (most likely the MHA) saw it as undermining the government's authority because it is really a fitting gift to SG50.
I would highly recommend everyone to at least borrow the book and have a read.
January 6, 2016
I've gotten an advance proof of Pantheon's edition which comes out in March. A putative history of a cartoonist, Liew's story is actually a history of Singapore and is a tour-de-force. It's subject will probably limit it's North American breakthrough somewhat, but he's done an exceptional job. His use of American cartoonist styles to delineate time periods in Chye's life is brilliantly done.
July 10, 2017
So many emotions come to me when reading this book: a longing for Charlie Chan to be a real person, gratitude that sonny liew is, awe at the ambitious scope of the book, nostalgia for a past I didn't live through, hope that more such voices may be heard surrounding Singapores stories. It's the book I wish I could have written. An intricate and multi layered masterpiece.
July 19, 2015
A magisterial piece of work. Highly recommended.
August 31, 2015
A national treasure! Thanks @Gabriel for introducing me to Charlie Chan's wonderful world!
October 20, 2018
3'5
No sé por qué no se lo conté. Tal vez porque sabía que habría seguido su camino le dijera lo que le dijera. O tal vez... porque tenía miedo de que no lo hiciera.
Puede que quisiera un mundo en el que él dejara huella, aunque fuera por un instante.
No sé por qué no se lo conté. Tal vez porque sabía que habría seguido su camino le dijera lo que le dijera. O tal vez... porque tenía miedo de que no lo hiciera.
Puede que quisiera un mundo en el que él dejara huella, aunque fuera por un instante.
January 16, 2019
Não tem como dar menos de 5 estrelas para esse quadrinho incrível !
É uma verdadeira obra de arte ! São vários traços e maneiras diferentes de desenhar ! É lindo lindo ! Mesmo se a história não fosse boa, só a criatividade e o talento que Sonny Liew demonstra ter nesse trabalho já fariam valer a pena ter esse quadrinho na coleção.
Mas não é o caso, a história é incrível, não só por realmente aparentar ser uma biografia (se eu já não soubesse que é ficção, não teria dúvida que é uma biografia, como MAUS) mas por misturar a ficção (biografia de Charlie Chan) com a verdadeira história de Singapura. Confesso que fiquei muito curiosa sobre a mesma, quero estudar sobre ela pra reler essa HQ e pegar todas as ironias, referência e etc. Falando em referência, esse quadrinho é lotado delas, cheio de homenagens, como à MAUS, Disney, Marvel, DC e essas foram só as que eu peguei.
A história é triste, não tinha como não ser, se tratando de um governo autoritário. Uma das coisas que mais me impressionou, até mesmo por ter sido REAL, foi a política implantada no país que incentivava (com vantagens em escolas para os futuros filhos e tal) mulheres graduadas a terem filhos com homens graduados, porque assim os decendentes seriam inteligentes, enquanto incentivava as não graduadas a não terem filhos, a fazerem laqueadura. Porque os filhos dessas seriam burros. Uma tristeza. O final foi muito triste e poético.
Não preciso nem falar da edição né rs, linda demais. Pipoca e Nanquim arrasaram, foram mega fiéis a versão original.
Amei muito ❤️
É uma verdadeira obra de arte ! São vários traços e maneiras diferentes de desenhar ! É lindo lindo ! Mesmo se a história não fosse boa, só a criatividade e o talento que Sonny Liew demonstra ter nesse trabalho já fariam valer a pena ter esse quadrinho na coleção.
Mas não é o caso, a história é incrível, não só por realmente aparentar ser uma biografia (se eu já não soubesse que é ficção, não teria dúvida que é uma biografia, como MAUS) mas por misturar a ficção (biografia de Charlie Chan) com a verdadeira história de Singapura. Confesso que fiquei muito curiosa sobre a mesma, quero estudar sobre ela pra reler essa HQ e pegar todas as ironias, referência e etc. Falando em referência, esse quadrinho é lotado delas, cheio de homenagens, como à MAUS, Disney, Marvel, DC e essas foram só as que eu peguei.
A história é triste, não tinha como não ser, se tratando de um governo autoritário. Uma das coisas que mais me impressionou, até mesmo por ter sido REAL, foi a política implantada no país que incentivava (com vantagens em escolas para os futuros filhos e tal) mulheres graduadas a terem filhos com homens graduados, porque assim os decendentes seriam inteligentes, enquanto incentivava as não graduadas a não terem filhos, a fazerem laqueadura. Porque os filhos dessas seriam burros. Uma tristeza. O final foi muito triste e poético.
Não preciso nem falar da edição né rs, linda demais. Pipoca e Nanquim arrasaram, foram mega fiéis a versão original.
Amei muito ❤️
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