Taiwanese Comics Launch 10-City Promotional Tour in Italy

At the "Bergamo Comics Festival," young fans in Italy gathered to purchase comics and requested signatures from Taiwanese artists. The Cultural Section of the Taipei Representative Office in Italy collaborated with Toshokan Publishing to promote the "2025 European Year of Taiwan Culture" initiative, organizing the "Taiwan Comics | The Fusion of Art and Social Responsibility" promotional tour.
Invited to this event were Taiwanese artists LonLon and Keo Yu-Hsi (颗粒), who brought their works based on true stories, "Goodbye Albatross" and "The Clown Doctor," to four cities – Rome, Milan, Monza, and Bergamo – from June 7 to 22, hosting a total of ten promotional events. These included setting up festival booths, live signing sessions, and school discussions, allowing for direct interaction with the Italian comic publishing industry and readers, which resulted in enthusiastic responses.
LonLon's "Goodbye Albatross" explores environmental education and bioethics through the story of wildlife rescue volunteers and has won the Golden Comic Award for Comic of the Year. Keo Yu-Hsi's "The Clown Doctor" presents a tender narrative about artisans accompanying sick children, winning the Excellent Award (Silver) at the 2021 Japan International Manga Award. During the events, both artists shared their creative concepts and signed for readers, attracting numerous Italian comic fans. The event at Jaku Comics bookstore in Rome was particularly lively, with young readers actively engaging and all Taiwanese comic works sold out that day.
Matteo Bono, the General Manager of Toshokan Publishing, stated that Taiwanese comics possess cultural depth and social concern, successfully standing out in a competitive market while achieving notable sales. This promotional tour not only enhances the visibility of Taiwanese comics but also deepens cultural exchanges, playing a vital role in promoting Taiwanese culture in Italy.