Taiwan’s visual storytelling is rich in imagination, distinctive artistic voices, and diverse ways of seeing the world. From comics and graphic novels to picture books and illustration, Taiwanese creators draw inspiration from nature, history, Indigenous cultures, contemporary life, fantasy, and speculative worlds to tell stories that are deeply rooted in Taiwan while reaching readers far beyond its shores.
Presented as part of TAIWAN NOW, this selection brings together 12 works by creators whose talent has been recognized through major awards in Taiwan and internationally. Spanning comics, graphic novels, picture books, and illustration, these works reflect the diversity and growing international presence of Taiwan’s visual publishing scene.
Discover the works and meet the creators behind them.
Ander Yeh
Facebook@ander.yeh
His works often incorporate a sense of Taiwanese nostalgia, delicately depicting the inner growth of youth. He has received prestigious honors such as the White Ravens Award from the International Youth Library in Germany, and the Golden Tripod Awards for Best Illustration and Best Children’s and Youth Book. His 10 published works include Me and My Bike, Welcome to Heaven Town, Who Stole the Lunchbox?, and Left and Right (all published by Heryin Books). He worked in the animation industry for 15 years and currently serves as an associate professor in the Department of Animation at Taipei National University of the Arts.
Blank Boy
留白少年
★2022 46th Golden Tripod Award
9789860697223
Heryin Books, Inc.
Rights contact: Hon Fei Fei｜heryin@heryin.com
Ah-Hong, a teenage boy who failed his high school entrance exam, loses part of his memory after an unexpected accident during his year of retaking the test. His wandering soul drifts through different forms of life — a kapok tree, a black dog, a spotted dove. In this seemingly “blank” chapter of his life, the boy discovers new perspectives from which to reflect on his own journey of growth.
Blank Boy © Ander Yeh /Heryin Books, Inc. / Author portrait © Heryin Books, Inc.
Cai Shi Ren
Instagram@tsai.sahara.maroc
Cai Shi Ren holds a PhD in Cultural Anthropology and Ethnology from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in France. Based in Morocco, she has devoted herself to responding to climate change through initiatives such as in-depth Sahara tours and desert tree-planting projects. She has received the Honorary Award of the Chiuko Modern Children’s Literature Award, the Children’s Fairy Tale Award of the Taoyuan Chung Chao-cheng Literary Award, and Second Prize in the Nonfiction category of the China Times Literary Award. Her published works include The Desert Becoming a Well and Tsai Chin-mai and Me.
Nan Jun
Instagram@nanjun.ig
Nan Jun was born in Changzhi, Pingtung. Before creating, he likes to have a cup of black coffee to awaken his soul. Then, in a small room all to himself, he picks up his paintbrush and begins dreaming on paper. He loves working by hand, drawn to the way watercolor seems to dance across the page. Sometimes it has a mind of its own, but that is part of the charm. He remains committed to preserving the uniqueness of having only one “original artwork.” His work has been recognized with the Golden Tripod Award for Excellent Children’s and Young Adult Books.
Going Home Through the Sandstorm
沙塵暴裡要回家
★2026 50th Golden Tripod Award
9789861617756
Hsin Yi Publications
Rights contact: Joanne Lin (Foreign Rights Team)｜joannelin.01@hsin-yi.org.tw
Two fierce sandstorms erupt suddenly in the vast Sahara Desert. What will happen to Mimi, the golden little dune, and Haji, the young shepherd?
Going Home Through the Sandstorm © NanJun 2025 / Hsin Yi Publications
Author portrait © Cai ShiRen / Illustrator portrait © NanJun
Chiu Chen-Tsung
Facebook@chentsung.chiu
Born in 1954, Chiu Chen-Tsung graduated from the Tokyo College of Photography in Japan. He previously served as Chief Photographer at Children’s Daily News (Taiwan) and later founded Red Tomato Publishing.
His works have been selected twice for the Bologna Illustrators Exhibition and were also chosen for the White Ravens list by the International Youth Library in Germany. He has received numerous awards, including the Golden Tripod Award, the Taipei International Book Exhibition Prize, the Openbook Best Book of the Year Award, and the China Times Openbook Top Ten Children’s Books of the Year.
With more than thirty years of creative work, Chiu continually experiments with new perspectives and artistic techniques in each project. What remains constant throughout his work is his deep connection to nature and his enduring passion for portraying life with care and sensitivity.
Night Observation: A Father-Son Walk To Visit Nature夜間觀察：一趟夜訪大自然的父子散步
★2023 47th Golden Tripod Illustration Award ★2023 TIBE Book Prize
9786263053175
CommonWealth Education Media and Publishing Co., Ltd.
Rights contact: Sheryl Ho｜sherylho@cw.com.tw
Golden Tripod Illustration Award and selected in Bologna Children’s Book Fair author Chiu Chen-Tsung sewed his extensive experience from nature observation together with playful and lovely parent-child dialogue to guide the readers a walk at night, which embedded plentiful treasure of knowledge.
Night Observation: A Father-Son Walk To Visit Nature / Illustration © Chen-Tsung Chiu / Author portrait © Yu-Chung Chen
Ding Pao-Yen
Instagram@dingpaoyen
2023, selected as one of ten international emerging artists for the Worldwide Comics Explosion at the Angoulême International Comics Festival.
2023, “Console, 2073” awarded the Golden Comic Award for Annual Manga Prize.
2025, “The Projected Girl From The Underground Street vol.1” awarded the Golden Comic Award for Annual Manga Prize.
The Projected Girl From The Underground Street 地下街的透明少女
★ 2025 16th Golden Comic Awards
9786267373934
Dyna Books Co., Ltd.
Rights contact: April Chang｜april@grayhawk-agency.com
The protagonist’s long-time crush dies in an accident, and years later, they are reunited, but she has turned into a virtual projection. The story unfolds in the underground shopping district of Silver Ancient City, known for its mysterious products and urban legends, including alien artifacts, realistic virtual projections, and secret tunnels leading to the unknown depths. According to legend, there is also a pond that allows one to meet their fated person.
The Projected Girl From The Underground Street © DING Pao-Yen／Dyna Books / Author portrait © DING Pao-Yen
HACO CHO
Instagram@haco_cho
An up-and-coming Taiwanese manga artist and National Taiwan Normal University Fine Arts graduate, she is best known for her unique ability to wrap heavy themes in a light, breezy art style. Her representative work, RAISING MY ZOMBIE IDOL: Stitching Up a Broken Life, blends zombie lore with influencer culture and personal growth, earning her the prestigious “Comic of the Year” award at the 16th Golden Comic Awards.
RAISING MY ZOMBIE IDOL: Stitching Up a Broken Life
即使世界末日也要閃閃發光
★2025 16th Golden Comic Awards.
Ongoing Online Serialization: https://www.creative-comic.tw/zh/book/405/content
Rights contact: Vicky Wu｜vicky_wu@hmg.com.tw
Xiaobai, a young woman in Taipei, finds her only escape in idol fandom. After a zombie outbreak devastates the city, she teams up with livestreamer Nao-ge and survives on viewer donations. One day, while fleeing a zombie attack, Xiaobai discovers that her beloved idol J has become a zombie. Nao-ge sees an opportunity and decides to keep J as livestream content, hoping to attract more viewers. But for Xiaobai, finally having her idol within reach means something entirely different.
RAISING MY ZOMBIE IDOL: Stitching Up a Broken Life ©HACO CHO／APEX PRESS /Creative Comic Collection
Author portrait ©HACO CHO／APEX PRESS
Huang Yi-Wen
Instagram@yiwen_illustration
Huang Yi-Wen is a Taiwanese illustrator and picture book author. Since beginning her illustration career in 2019, she was selected for the Bologna Children’s Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition in 2021 and 2022, and shortlisted in 2026. She delights in exploring a wide range of materials and textures, valuing diversity and richness in her work. Her creations aim to enchant both children and adults alike. Her works have been published in multiple languages, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Portuguese. Representative works include Secrets at the Zoo, Once Upon a Time, a Train Came to the Island, and The Prince Who Hated Green Caterpillars, Our Day Begins.
Once Upon a Time, a Train Came to the Island 從前從前，火車來到小島
★2022 46th Golden Tripod Awards
9789862942918
Taiwan Interminds Publishing Inc.
Rights contact: Chien Meng-Yu｜editor06@tipi.com.tw
A silent prison resembles a train that never moves, its narrow cells like carriages that carried away countless lives and years of youth. Through words and images, Huang Yi-Wen traces the scars left by Taiwan’s White Terror, weaving together art, literature, everyday life, and history as a tribute to its victims and those who came before. Only by preserving the island’s memories can we ensure that this train, which once carried away so much youth, never returns.
Once Upon a Time, a Train Came to the Island © 2026 Yiwen Huang All Rights Reserved / Author portrait © 2026 Yiwen Huang All Rights Reserved.
Karmarket
Instagram@karmarket
Karmarket is a Taiwanese graphic creator/comic artist. Born in Changhua, Taiwan in 1994, he graduated from Shih Chien University with a degree in Communications Design. He has participated in the filming of many music videos, commercials, Taiwanese featured films. He worked as a storyboard artist, assistant to director and was involved in the making of post-production animation and promotional materials. He is now a freelance artist and manga artist.
Rest in Pieces 器官拼圖
★2025 16th Golden Comic Awards
9786267243701
Balaena Islet Publishing
Rights contact: Hsieh Meng-Ying｜mengying@bardonchinese.com
Rest in Pieces contains a total of 11 short manga stories of varying lengths, each depicting different scenarios of loss and death, seeking a glimmer of hope amidst despair.
Rest in Pieces © Karmarket 2024, Balaena Islet Publishing／Creative Comic Collection / Author portrait © Karmarket
Lang-Chi
Instagram @siriusjuly7
Lang-Chi is a comic author and illustrator. Her mission is to use comics to reinterpret and reimagine the scenery of everyday life, exploring the endless new possibilities hidden within the familiar.
Past works: The Free China Junk (2021)、Moonlight Calling (2023)、Marry My Dead Body: When I Was Alive. (2023)、The Echo Before Dawn (2024)
The Echo Before Dawn
黎明前的回聲
★2025 19th Japan International MANGA Award ★2025 16th Golden Comic Awards
9786269763634
Fisfisa Media Co., Ltd.
Rights contact: April Chang｜april@grayhawk-agency.com, Pei-chih Lee｜chih@fisfisa.com
The Echo Before Dawn is a comic about youth drug abuse. Two teenage boys with different backgrounds bond over a shared favorite song. However, drugs soon enter their lives, and they slowly lose control of everything.
The Echo Before Dawn © Lang-Chi / Author portrait © Lang-Chi
Lin I-Chen
Instagram@i_chen123
Lin I-Chen is a Taiwanese manga artist and illustrator. He has focused on manga creation since 2012. His earlier series Mang Shen received the Best New Talent Award at Taiwan’s Golden Comic Awards. In 2022, he independently published The 207th Bone, a fantasy manga distinguished by anatomical bone motifs, dense world building, and dynamic action. The work received the 14th Golden Comic Awards Annual Comic Award, the 2023 Golden Butterfly Award, and a Bronze Award at the 17th Japan International MANGA Award.
The 207th Bone
二零七之骨
★2023 17th Japan International MANGA Award ★2023 14th Golden Comic Awards
9786260166212
Self-published
Rights contact: Lin I-Chen｜eat0123@hotmail.com
In the Qidu clan, every son is born carrying a bone blade, and his birth inevitably kills his mother. A young Qidu woman, Sa-I, confronts the family’s sacred tradition and struggles to escape a fate that demands her death.
The 207th Bone © Lin I-Chen / Author portrait © Sang, Shan-Hsueh
NANO HERO
Instagram@nanoh3ro
Born in 1983 in New Taipei City and currently based in Kaohsiung, NANO HERO took a leap of faith at age 30, leaving a stable career in the electronics industry to pursue his lifelong passion for illustration. In 2018, he embarked on an ambitious journey to create his debut graphic novel, Toby King Vol. 1.
Spending over three years in meticulous production, Huang skillfully blends classic fairy tale motifs with a sweeping dystopian narrative. His art style, characterized by intricate craftsmanship and bold American comic influences, has earned him acclaim as a rising star in the Taiwanese comic scene. In 2025, Toby King Vol. 1 was honored with the Golden Comic Award for Comic of the Year, the highest professional recognition in Taiwan’s comic industry.
TOBY KING Vol. 1: We share the same sun.
Toby King 托比王1
★ 2025 16th Golden Comic Awards
9786267594254
Locus Publishing Company
Rights contact: Vinelle Pan｜vinelle@locuspublishing.com
The story follows Toby, a cynical yet justice-driven orange tabby cat and an agent of T.T.L.P., as he investigates the mysterious disappearance of Duke Hare. As one of the four great families that founded the nation, the Hare Family’s affairs are deeply entangled with power struggles and political conspiracies, dragging Toby and his partner, Dave, into a storm of rebellion and systemic upheaval.
TOBY KING © 2024, NANO HERO COMICS / Locus Publishing Company / Author portrait © NANO HERO
Facebook@neqou.soqluman
Neqou Soqluman is a member of the Bunun people and the Kalibuan indigenous community, which has a direct view of the sacred Tongku Saveq (Jade Mountain). Exceptionally skilled at magical realism, he has written fiction and non-fiction novels, essays, poetry, and picture books. In addition to winning several local literary awards, his picture book My Hunter Grandpa: Dahai and the Black Bear was also included in an elementary school textbook. His most representative work is the two-volume fantasy novel The Legend of Tongku Saveq.
Instagram@chiangmengyun_catfish
Chiang Meng-Yun began her career as an illustrator after finishing her college degree in philosophy. She is proficient with several different kinds of media, and has experience with animation as well as still visual art. She has been a featured illustrator at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.
Tongku Saveq — Tiang: Child of the Mountain 東谷沙飛：山的孩子笛昂
★2026 50th Golden Tripod Award
9786269684168
SACCA Publishing Company
Rights contact: Su-Ching Chang｜kiki.chang@4yabooks.com
Across the world, indigenous peoples possess their own distinctive history, worldview, and ecology. In this award-winning book, readers follow Taiwan’s Bunun people as they journey into Taiwan’s highest mountain, Mount Jade, which they have called “Tongku Saveq” since ancient times.
Tongku Saveq — Tiang: child of the mountain©Chiang meng yun
Wu Kuan-Xiong
Instagram@iam_xiongge
Wu Kuan-Xiong (b. 1998) is a Taiwanese illustrator and comic artist with a B.A. in Fine Arts from National Taichung University of Education. As a freelance creator, she is driven by a passion to tell meaningful stories through his artwork. In 2023, Wu received a grant from Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture Comic Support Program, which supported the creation of Blue Whale, Wandering Boy, her debut long-form graphic novel exploring themes of ecology, mythology, and identity.
Blue Whale, Wandering Boy 藍鯨與龍少年
★2026 50th Golden Tripod Award
9786267562208
Dala Publishing Company
Rights contact: Vinelle Pan｜vinelle@locuspublishing.com
Inspired by Taiwan’s first recorded blue whale stranding in 2020, Blue Whale, Wandering Boy blends fantasy and reality as Yun-Jiou returns to Taiwan’s east coast as a whale-watching intern. Through encounters with sea spirits, he explores marine ecology, cultural memory, identity, and belonging.
Blue Whale, Wandering Boy © Wu Kuan-Xiong│dala Publishing / Author portrait © Wu Kuan-Xiong│dala Publishing