Issue 16, Comics in Southeast Asia: Social and Political Interpretations

We proudly present Issue 16 of the Kyoto Review of Southeast Asia on the fun and interesting topic of “Comics in Southeast Asia”. In Japan, comics, or manga, have their unique storyline and style. The medium includes all kinds of works in a broad range of genres: action-adventure, romance, sports, historical drama, comedy, science fiction and fantasy, mystery, suspense, detective, horror, and sexuality among others.

Manga has long been hugely popular among the Japanese and it is widely read by people of all ages. As manga gained a significant worldwide audience, it is true to say that interest in research on comic studies has also reached a global scale. But there is no question that the majority of scholarship focuses on works from Japan, North America and Western Europe due to their vast distribution networks, history, and fan bases. But in Southeast Asia, comics have their own roots, sometimes deeply political or with social significance. This collection of essays, while primarily introducing readers to Southeast Asian comics and comic studies, attempts to shift the focus from the three large comic traditions. In this globalized world, there is not only a diversity of comic works and influences, but studies of these works are also diverse, and it is hoped that by looking through the lens of Southeast Asia, it might meaningfully contribute to the literature of comic studies.

Finally, I would like to thank Guest Editor, Karl Ian Uy Cheng Chua, for his specialist knowledge and assistance in putting together this issue.

Pavin Chachavalpongpun
Editor, On behalf of the editorial team
(Karl Ian Uy Cheng Chua. Guest Editor)

Kyoto Review of Southeast Asia. Issue 16 (September 2014) Comics in Southeast Asia: Social and Political Interpretations

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REVIEW ESSAYS
Did Goethe read comics? A look at ‘Comiconnexions’. The website that connects comic artists in Germany and South East Asia.	By Christel Mahnke
FSc. 2012. Clairvoyance (ebook in Japanese, Tokyo: Ohta Publishing; initial serialization in Pocopoco, March-Dec. 2011) (Korea in Indonesia, Indonesia in Korea – Cultural Exchange Through Investment and Migration) Available online: http://www.poco2.jp/comic/clairvoyance/	Reviewed by Jaqueline Berndt
Titi Larasati, Kid Stuff Bandung: Curhat Anak Bangsa, 2010	Reviewed by Elbert Or
Michael David. Kubori Kikiam: Strips for the Soul Omnibus. Quezon city: Flipside Publishing, 2013	Reviewed by Kristine Michelle L. Santos
Jun Honna, Paradox of Democratization: The deep structure of Asian politics from Indonesian case Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten. 2013 Original title in Japanese: 民主化のパラドックスーインドネシアにみるアジア政治の深層	Reviewed by Akiko Morishita