Yeh Hong-chieh's Son Signs Intention for Artifact Donation, Enriching the National Comic Museum

TAIPEI, Nov. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The 14th GCA Ceremony (Golden Comic Awards) recently concluded at the Taipei New Horizon Building. This edition saw 199 works submitted for the competition, with a total of 24 entries selected as finalists. The GCA Grand Prize was awarded to BliSS for the work "Helena and Mr. Big Bad Wolf (Part 1, Part 2)." Minister of Culture Shih Che presented the Special Contribution Award to comic researcher Teh Ling HUNG and bore witness as Yeh Hong-chieh's son, Yeh Chia-lung, signed an intention for artifact donation, contributing significant pieces to the upcoming Taichung National Comic Museum's collection!

The GCA Ceremony, a national-level comic award organized by Taiwan's Ministry of Culture, announced this year's winners. The Best New Talent and the Cross-media Cooperation awards were presented to Peter Mann for "BLA BLA SONG," and the Best Editor award was awarded to Chu Yen Hung for "Island Rhapsody: Listen to the Voice of Taiwan."

The Comic of the Year award featured six winners: Chang Sheng for "YAN 3," Zuo Hsuan for "The Banana Sprout vol.1," BliSS for "Helena and Mr. Big Bad Wolf (Part 1, Part 2)," Kiya Chang for "Formosa Oolong Tea 5," Ding Pao-Yen for "Console, 2073," and Lin I Chen for "The 207th bone."

In the end, BliSS's "Helena and Mr. Big Bad Wolf (Part 1, Part 2)" claimed the prestigious GCA Grand Prize for this year. The Ministry of Culture also announced that next year's GCA Ceremony will be held in Taichung.

The judging panel, when evaluating the Best New Talent award, Best Cross-media Application award, and Best Editor award, was impressed by the maturity of the works, which displayed a remarkable blend of expressiveness and vitality. These works showcased the artists' creative prowess and the organizational and planning skills of the editors, offering a glimpse into the dynamic nature of comics as a versatile and multifaceted medium in this day and age. In the category of the Comic of the Year award, there was richness in style and diversity, with a communicative power that spans across different age groups. While focusing on history and humanity, these works also tightly grasp current and future issues. This allows readers to gain insight into the perspectives and reflections of contemporary creators.

Recipient of the Special Contribution Award, Teh Ling Hung, has dedicated over 40 years to researching Taiwan's comic history. He has amassed an extensive collection and conducted research on the development of Taiwanese comics from the Japanese colonial era to contemporary times. He has published numerous works, engaged actively in international seminars, and yet, he remains humble about his contributions, stating, "All I've been doing is writing diligently, to let people around the world see that Taiwanese comics deserve a place on the global map."

During the ceremony, there was also a significant event where the son of the renowned comic artist Yeh Hong-chieh, Mr. Yeh Chia-lung, signed an intention letter for the donation of artifacts. This action demonstrates his support for the upcoming National Comic Museum. Mr. Yeh Chia-lung believes that his father's creation, " Zhuge Si Lang," has had a profound impact on an entire generation's childhood. It represents the popular culture, history, and the shared memories of all Taiwanese people at that time. He stated, "'Zhuge Si Lang' represents a public good of our society."

The Ministry of Culture has announced that, in line with the forthcoming opening of the National Comic Museum at the end of the year, the GCA and related activities will be relocated to the National Comic Museum. Furthermore, they have extended invitations to international curators from comic museums or festivals to engage in discussions with local comic artists and industry representatives.