Successful Event Draws 200,000 Global Visitors with Hong Kong’s Local Creativity

• 29 January to 2 February 2025: 38 Featured Creations & 16 Visiting Hong Kong Comics Artists/ Illustrators
• Watch drawing demonstrations by Hong Kong comics artists in real-time at one of the top three major overseas comics festivals in the world
• February to May 2025: All the participating artists will be invited to share their exchange experiences and achievements with Hong Kong creators and readers

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 5 February 2025 - Reading comics is like embarking on a journey with wonders. Comics artists invite readers to step into an intricate realm where imagination and creativity know no bounds, and where scripts and visual elements harmoniously intertwine to weave fantastic stories that transcend words. 'Comics made in Hong Kong' are known for their rich variety of artistic styles and whimsical, captivating narratives. Hong Kong original comics are therefore well-liked by comics enthusiasts both locally and overseas. 【 Hong Kong Arts Centre (Comix Home Base) 】, with sponsorship from the 【Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region】, is once again partnering with the【Hong Kong Comics and Animation Federation】 to participate in the 52nd edition of the Angoulême International Festival in 2025. A remarkable and wonderful collection of 38 local mid-to-full-length comic and picture book titles has been showcased to represent Hong Kong. The showcased comics this time span various genres, ranging from action and adventure to sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and heart-warming, encompassing a wide spectrum of creative expressions and infinite possibilities. Some of the participating comic artists and illustrators recently received several international awards. The Angoulême International Comics Festival is one of the most prestigious events in the European history. Crowds of visitors, comics enthusiasts of all ages and professions, flock to this annually. The 38 featured creations were selected from 'The 1st to 3rd Hong Kong Comics Support Programme Book Series' and 'GO! Illustrators Series - The 1st Hong Kong Picture Book Illustrators at International Book Fairs Promotion Scheme Series.' Through this large-scale overseas exchange programme, the aim is to further highlight Hong Kong comics of high quality, meanwhile, to enhance the global recognition of local creators. As the title suggests, the project aims to bring 'waves of whimsical words' abroad, allowing readers and practitioners from all over the world to explore the fascination of Hong Kong comics. During this event, we successfully attracted 200,000 visitors worldwide with Hong Kong's local creativity.In addition, we actively sought overseas licensing opportunities in anticipation of more Hong Kong comics being translated into multiple languages and published afterwards. A wider readership with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds could see the infinite possibilities of Hong Kong's creativity. Reaffirming the commitment to promoting local talents and creativity globally, Hong Kong Arts Centre has led 16 talented Hong Kong artists to participate in the festival in person. They engaged in live-drawing demonstrations, book signing sessions, and sharing, meeting audience and comics professionals from all over the world. The attendee from abroad expressed that he personally admires Hong Kong comic artist Shui-pan Wong. Meeting him in person in France this time, he was delighted to be able to purchase all of his books and obtain his autograph. Hong Kong comic artist Bonnie Pang pointed out that Hong Kong comics often face challenges in reaching foreign readers or publishers, especially due to the language barrier with Chinese comics. This year, we made a new attempt by utilizing AI technology to create a French video for each invited creator, allowing them to personally introduce their works and leave a lasting impression on visitors. Bonnie believes, "This event has been most helpful to Hong Kong comic artists by directly bringing everyone's works to overseas markets, reaching more foreign readers. The licensing market and various exchange activities promote collaboration opportunities. Additionally, experiencing the atmosphere of the comic festival in person and seeing a large number of comics in different styles broadens our horizons and gives us more inspiration and creative motivation." Hong Kong comic artist Pen SO, who participated in the exhibition, believes that one of the challenges Hong Kong comic artists face when going international is the issue of networking. This event could help them secure publishing...