Many Vietnamese parents have expressed concerns over troubling content in children's comic books which are widely available at bookstores and on internet.

A picture in  a children's comic book published in Vietnam.

Bookstores all over HCM City are selling children's comic books which include content deemed inappropriate for children by parents. The complaints come from the fact there are sexually charged drawings and bad language. Yet they are published by large and respected publishing houses.

“Shin – The Pencil boy”, from Kim Dong Publishing House was banned for being unsuitable for children, however, after being adjusted, it has been allowed to be re-published.

Publishing are now seeing a market in for the ages between13 and 15, with a number of books published targeting that age group.

One student at Vo Thi Sau High School, said she liked comic books when she was small and was attracted by this kind of book after seeing her friends reading them. But she often buys comics she really can't afford.

Comics that are even more sexually graphic are also flooding on internet, giving easy access to young people. Many students print them out to share with friends at school.

Despite being fined after inspection by management agencies, companies that print such material continue to make profits from their sales.

Mr. Nam, the owner of a bookstore on Nguyen Van Lac Street, said he often stocks up on the books that attract students. In many cases, he is unaware of their content, he said.