Waves of Whimsical Words Talk Series
Waves of Whimsical Words Talk Series
Hong Kong Comics Going Global –What Works and What’s Tough
Organiser: Hong Kong Arts Centre (Comix Home Base)
Co-organiser: Hong Kong Comics and Animation Federation
Lead Sponsor: Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Supporter: Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels
In Association with: Innovative Entrepreneur Association, Angoulême International Comics Festival
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Disclaimer: The Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) are those of the project organisers only and do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, the CreateSmart Initiative Secretariat or the CreateSmart Initiative Vetting Committee.
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Date & Time :
13.12.2025 (SAT) 14 :00-18 :00
14.12.2025 (SUN) 13 :00-17 :00
Venue : The Hong Kong Management Association (Shop 2, G/F, Pico Tower, 66 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai)
Free of charge; online registration required; first-come, first-served.
Conducted in Cantonese, English & French; English & French to Cantonese interpretation will be provided.
*The overseas speakers will present live via video conference
A Practical Guide to Getting Your Comic Creations Seen Worldwide!
A hands‑on guide for comics and illustration creators on the realities, challenges, and opportunities of international publishing and licensing.
Total eight sessions featuring 16 Hong Kong artists who have attended the Angoulême International Comics Festival and travelled the world to learn from overseas markets, sharing first‑hand accounts of their international collaborations.
The talk series also brings together four experienced publishing and licensing professionals from Europe and the United States to discuss working with Hong Kong artists, as well as the specific potentials and challenges for Hong Kong comics in overseas markets.
For comics and illustration creators who want to expand step by step and reach readers in Hong Kong and around the world, register now
Opportunities favour prepared creators！
Attendees will have the opportunity, arranged by the Hong Kong Arts Centre, to submit their original comic works to overseas guest speakers for a chance at foreign‑language publication. Full details will be announced during the talks.
The organiser reserves the right to modify, suspend, or cancel the event at any time.
Overseas Comics Professionals Talk
Topic: The Promise of Asian Comics for the U.S. Market
Speakers:
Mr Mark IRWIN
President, Mad Cave Studios (United States)
Miss Kristen SIMON
Executive Editor, Nakama Press (United States)
Mark leads the U.S. group Mad Cave Studios, which operates globally. He has been developing a new publishing brand, Nakama Press, aimed at English‑language readers who enjoy Asian comics, with Kristen serving as Executive Editor. Nakama Press officially launched this May with a major publicity campaign that includes more than a dozen Hong Kong comics slated for U.S. release. Mark and Kristen will share their perspectives on the outlook for English‑language editions of Asian comics.
Topis: A New Model for International Creative Teams Crafting Comics for Global Readers
Speaker: Mr Robert BOLHUIS
Founding Partner, BASIS ActivatieMarketing–11BIRDS (Netherlands)
Topic: Latest Trends in International Comics Licensing
Speaker: Miss Marie FABBRI
CEO & Founder, FABBRI FACTORY (France)
Marie has over 20 years of experience in cultural public relations, consistently promoting outstanding works to French‑language readers. For the past six years she served as International Rights and Licensing Market Director for the Angoulême International Comics Festival, designing market‑focused licensing platforms and playing a key role in facilitating international comics publishing and screen adaptation deals.
Topic: Strategies of the Top Three French Publishing House for Asian Comics
Speaker: Mr Timothée GUÉDON
Editor, Kana (France)
Timothée has worked at Éditions Dargaud and its Asian comics brand Kana for nearly 20 years. Éditions Dargaud is a leading publisher in European comics; Kana specialises in French translations of Asian comics (manga). In addition to publishing creations by Japanese masters Katsuhiro Otomo and Takehiko Inoue, Kana has collaborated with Hong Kong star artists Chi-tak Li and Little Thunder. Timothée is well versed in French readers’ preferences for Asian works and in the recent surge of Asian comics in the French market.
Contact us
Facebook: hkacchb | HongKongArtsCentre
Instagram: @comixhomebase | @hongkongartscentre
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About Hong Kong Arts Centre
Hong Kong Arts Centre - Art for Passion, Art for Life, Art for All
Since 1977, the Hong Kong Arts Centre (HKAC) has been a platform for nurturing and supporting artists, and infusing art into everyday life. Its unique arts and educational programmes aim to make the arts accessible for all. The HKAC believes in the transformational power of art for people from all walks of life. Established for more than four decades, the HKAC endeavours to bring arts to the people of Hong Kong by presenting programmes in diverse art disciplines, such as visual arts, performing arts, moving images, media arts, comics, animation, arts education, lecture forum, public art, art festival and community art. With the vision of inspiring creativity in the local and international art community. With a vision of inspiring creativity in the local and international art community, HKAC focuses on four strategic areas: Leading Art Programmes, Nurturing Future Generations, Fostering Exceptional Art Education, Multi-Functional Building for Art - Strategic Location in Wan Chai to create versatile exhibition spaces that accommodate a diversity of art forms and styles.
The HKAC aspires to engage everyone in the community to become an active participant in the arts - as an enthusiast, an artist or a patron. Let’s continue to embrace ‘Art for Passion, Art for Life, Art for All’, and share the inspiration.
Official website: hkac.org.hk | Facebook: Hong Kong Arts Centre | Instagram: @hongkongartscentre
Comix Home Base
Comics and animation are important local pop culture and artistic creations. Hong Kong Arts Centre (HKAC) has been dedicated to planning and organising diverse and unique activities to promote the arts and culture of comics and animation to the local community and abroad.
Since 2006, HKAC curated Comix Home Base project (CHB), and has been working closely with comics artists, animators, industry practitioners and various government departments to promote local works. Over 800 ani-com-related events are hosted, such as exhibitions, talks, workshops, performances, publications, screenings, public arts, etc.
In recent years, Comix Home Base has continued to proactively orchestrate cross-media collaborations and look for crossovers between comics and different media like public art, movie, dance, intangible cultural heritage, martial arts etc., expanding the creative space for comix. Outside Hong Kong, China, the footprints of Comix Home Base can be found overseas in France, Belgium, Britain, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Japan, Chinese Mainland, Taiwan, China, Singapore, Korea, Russia, Indonesia and Portugal etc. This has facilitated the involvement of numerous Hong Kong comics artists in international collaboration projects. Also, local comics have been successfully published in different foreign versions in European countries and the United States, increasing the international recognition of local comics and animation artists.
Comix Home Base is fully committed to creating a platform for the art of Hong Kong anime and comics to flourish and keep elevating comics that are 'made in Hong Kong' to the global stage with stakeholders.
Official website: www.comixhomebase.com.hk | Facebook: hkacchb |
Instagram: @comixhomebase
