Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged:

Vietnam Under Threat From Violent Sexy Japan!

This feels so familiar.

Vietnamese comic book publishers attempts to push Japanese comics of the shelves by creating manga-style comics about Vietnam's history aren't working.

The Kim Dong Publishing House's recent series Hao Kiet Dat Phuong Nam (Southern Land's Heroes) tells stories of Vietnamese heroes Truong Dinh, Nguyen Hue, Nguyen Trung Truc and Bui Thi Xuan, written by Hoai Anh and drawn by Nguyen Dong Hai.

Including Chien Luy Thap Muoi (Thap Muoi Defence Line) about how the Vietnamese army used leeches and mosquitoes to defeat the USA, or Vo Duy Duong (aka Thien Ho Duong), leading the revolt against French occupiers.

And then there's Phan Thi's series Truyen Hay Su Viet (Best Stories of Viet Nam's History) about the thousand-year-old Vietnamese dynasties in the manga Chibi drawing style.

Giao Duc and Tre Publishing House also have similar have comics about historical events and characters.

But the problems seems to be that these books can't compete with their East Asian neighbours, whose comics they say are too sexual and violent for Vietnamese publishers.

In fact, the only Vietnamese comics that are selling to the local population in decent numbers, are the horror comics such as Truyen Khong Doc Luc Nua Dem (Stories not for Midnight) or Nguoi Moc Rang Nanh (Man with Fangs). And parents are getting worried, citing these books as bad influences on their children…

Where is the Vietnamese Dr Frederick Wertham when you need him?

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!