The Four Color Media Monitor

The Straits Times announced a rapper from Hong Kong is adding himself to the list of musicians making comics:

Some 150 lucky fans got to meet Hong Kong rapper-singer Jackson Wang in the flesh at a book-signing session on Oct 13 for a comic book, which he had a hand in creating and has big plans for. [...]

The comic book, Under The Castle: The Birth Of Pumpkie, is credited to TWD.

It is meant to be the first in a series, titled Under The Castle, of eerie tales within a castle. The first title focuses on Pumpkie, a little pumpkin character. The 31-page work also introduces a playful ghost called Spookie and the friendship between the two could be explored in future titles.

For the next two years, TWD will focus on creating the official launch for a full comic series and animation series related to Under The Castle. It is also looking at creating kids’ clubs related to the brand.

Wang said: “Why do we know Mickey Mouse? The Simpsons? It is because that was what was introduced to us when we were kids. For the next generation, I hope they can watch this.”

A huge fan of anime and cartoons, he told The Straits Times that he has always wanted to create a comic book. He said: “I hope it will entertain you and your kids.”

There's only one problem: let's not forget Hong Kong, since the mid-1990s, was handed back to China by the British government. So who knows if this isn't a government-approved comic, with the commies determining whether it's approvable? After all, no chance anything remotely critical of China's commies would be cleared for publication on their soil.

Apart from that, I do wish the guy good luck selling this comic. But if there's something sad in all this affair, it's the realization China's communist regime limits what you can write there, et cetera.

Labels: animation, censorship issues, Europe and Asia, manga and anime