Despite having earned a doctorate and begun a teaching career, Huang Chun (黃駿) decided to follow his heart and pursue his real dream of becoming a comic book artist.
Now 40, Huang, who uses the pen name Jimmeh Aitch, recounted what his life was like before becoming an artist as part of the lineup of presenters at the Angouleme International Comics Festival in southwestern France on Thursday last week.
Huang, who is a Siraya, completed his undergraduate studies at National Chengchi University, before going on to earn a doctorate in linguistics from the University of Florida.
Photo: Wu Po-hsuan, Taipei Times
In Florida, he met a Philippine-French woman who is now his wife, Huang said, adding that he also met a friend who worked in the university library and introduced him to US comics.
After receiving his doctorate, he taught at De La Salle University in Manila for a year before teaching at the University of Guam for four years.
Although Huang had thought of becoming a comic book artist, he had only drawn images and had never composed a story until he met his librarian friend, he said.
Through his friend, he began to immerse himself in US comics, which greatly influenced his personal style, he said.
As he was finishing his studies at the University of Florida, he thought of giving his friends hand-drawn books, which eventually led him to create comic books, Huang said.
He was 32 when he finally picked up a pen to create comics, Huang said.
His comics are completely hand-drawn, Huang said, adding that he never uses a computer.
He prefers lines and shadows, not the dotted pattern that is used as a background in many comics, he added.
Huang fell in love with creating the background texture by hand, adding to the detail stroke by stroke, he said.
Moreover, he typically draws black-and-white comics, he said.
Influenced by growing up in Taiwan and residing in the Philippines, the subject matter for most of his stories is inspired by everyday life, Huang said, adding that he occasionally likes to create political satire.
His favorite comics are by Robert Crumb, the father of US underground comics, Huang said.
Crumb’s style uses many intersecting lines, Huang said, adding that the stories mainly incorporate everyday anecdotes, while presenting US humor with satirical touches.
He wholeheartedly admires Crumb’s comics, both the subject matter and the style, Huang said, but added that he cannot deny the effect that Japanese comics have had on him.
Since he was young, he has loved reading Japanese comic books, Huang said, adding that he enjoys their fight scenes and humor.
Everyone must take a look at Hamaoka Kenji’s Super Radical Gag Family, he added.
Huang said that he likes to experiment with form and does not especially focus on style when working on a comic book project.
The form of a comic book is the next most important element after the illustrations and the story, he said, adding that it takes skill to divide and lay out storyboard frames.
He dreams that his works will one day catch up to Crumb’s comics, Huang said.
Joe Sacoo, who uses comics to report on the Arab-Israeli conflict, is also a comic book artist that he admires, he said, adding that like his idols, he hopes to present more depth in his comics.
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