"Taiwan, the Hometown of Comics" – A New Highlight at the 2013 Brussels Comic Strip Festival

▲The Brussels Comic Strip Festival kicked off grandly in Brussels, Belgium from September 6 to 8. The photo shows the giant comic character balloon parade during the 2012 Brussels Comic Strip Festival. (Photo / Courtesy ofBrussels Comic Strip Festival Official Website)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

From September 6 to 8, the Belgian capital Brussels hosted the "2013 Brussels Comic Strip Festival." The event’s official website prominently introduced Taiwan as the “Guest of Honour,” and specially invited five Taiwanese comic artists to attend, making Taiwan a new highlight of this year’s festival.

Known as the “Heart of Europe” and steeped in political significance, Brussels also goes by another title: the “Capital of Comics.” Many famous comics, such as the renowned animated film *The Smurfs* (which has released its second installment in Taiwan) and *The Adventures of Tintin*, which follows a globe-trotting storyline, were born in this city. If you stroll through Brussels, you’ll find many building facades and metro stations adorned with comic characters. In recognition of this, Belgium even commissioned the famed architect Victor Horta to design the Belgian Comic Strip Center, which houses a rich collection of comic art.

The creation of numerous globally renowned comic characters in Brussels has always been a source of pride for its residents. In honor of this, Brussels even declared 2009 the “Year of Comics.” Due to the great success of the events held that year, and to further promote and celebrate Belgian comics, Brussels decided to hold the “Brussels Comic Strip Festival” annually starting the following year.

▲The 3D light show presented at Brussels’ Royal Square during the evening of the Brussels Comic Strip Festival attracts many visitors. (Photo / Courtesy ofBrussels Comic Strip Festival Official Website)

This year marks the fourth edition of the "2013 Brussels Comic Strip Festival." In addition to the traditional opening with a parade of giant balloon comic characters and the spectacular 3D light show at Royal Square in the evening, Taiwan will also be a new highlight this year. The official website specially introduces Taiwan as the “Guest of Honour” and has invited five Taiwanese comic artists to attend.

In addition to arranging speeches by comic artists Qiu Ruolong and Chen Hongyao on the topics of “The Creation of *Seediq Bale*” and “Creation and Constraints,” the Belgian Comic Strip Museum will also host a special exhibition on *Seediq Bale* explained by Qiu Ruolong, introducing Belgian audiences to Taiwanese indigenous culture and the history of the Wushe Incident. The festival will also provide each of the five comic artists with their own workshop space, allowing the public to visit and learn. It is hoped that with government support, Taiwanese comics can be promoted internationally.

Additionally, to highlight Taiwan at the comic festival, the Taiwanese Cultural Center in France specially produced a bilingual (French and Dutch) booklet titled "Taiwan, the Hometown of Comics," introducing the five participating Taiwanese comic artists.