TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Sports comics are not just a form of entertainment – they also raise awareness of the sport and touch upon common human themes. The National Taiwan Museum of Comics in Taichung is hosting an exhibition on the history of baseball comics in Taiwan. The museum, located in a historical wooden Japanese building, will hold the exhibition until Aug. 30 to educate visitors on the significance and techniques of this unique art form.
Baseball was first introduced to Taiwan during the Japanese colonial era, and has since become Taiwan's "national sport". Comics about baseball have long played a major role in the sport's popularization, and the professionalization of baseball in 1990 led to the rise of Taiwanese artists within the genre. Besides explaining the history of this art, the exhibition discusses the techniques of communicating physical actions and the sounds of baseball using pen and paper.
The museum also seeks to educate viewers on the core themes present in baseball comics, which are a reflection of the dreams and realities faced by real players. Readers of baseball comics can learn about the camaraderie built by teams, the struggle of rigorous training, and the dark aspects of the professional baseball industry. Besides the game itself, the exhibition also explains the culture surrounding baseball, such as stadium culture, the collective memory of iconic games, and the craze for its star players.
The Taiwanese government is seeking to continue its unique tradition of baseball comics. The Ministry of Sports (運動部) and the Ministry of Culture (文化部) recently launched a sports comics competition, offering NT$2 million to five top entries from local artists. According to a press release, the authorities hope such initiatives could help develop the sports comic industry, citing the immense success of Japanese comics like volleyball comic "Haikyu!!"