The well-known artist, Thanh Phong, shared his thoughts about the comic "Long Than Tuong" (Dragon General) and their methods of raising funds for publication.

Thanh Phong

Why did you choose to tell a story about the Mongol invasion, which happened from 1282 to 1284?

We made this decision because we wanted to show the main character facing foreign adversity, while at the same time showing his skills and a true love for his country. The period is also extremely interesting and one that deserves attention. Our intention was to bring attention to this time, especially for young readers who might not have been aware of it.

Will martial arts and mythical elements be the dominant forces in your next publication?

This time, Long Than Tuong will have fewer mythical figures. We'll show different perspectives on the blank spots in our history so as to bring new experiences to readers. The most difficult task is research because there is not much information available about the ancient dynasties. We have been working with the historian, Tran Quang Duc, in hopes that he could shed some light on this period to create an accurate work.

Still, Long Than Tuong will be told in my own style. I hope this 600-page story will bring a clear vision of the Vietnamese culture to our readers.

Why did you choose the crowdfunding to finance the project?

Vietnamese tend to love free things. They also tend to have little faith in domestically-produced content. However, we have faith that there are people willing to support real innovation.

If we failed to raise the funds, we would still publish the book. We just want to understand more about public's tastes when it comes to the comics. Our success ( we raised VND300 million) shows that people are enthusiastic about real creation and open to new Vietnamese comics. This is a real boost in confidence for us.

 The cover of the book "Long Than Tuong"

Did you also choose the crowdfunding method because publishers are not very welcome to Vietnamese comics? Does it seem to you like local illustrators are on their own amid many foreign comics?

It's just the market. The comic industry in other countries has developed over a long period. Ours is just starting. The production cost is high, so publishers may be reluctant to take the risk. To improve Vietnamese comics, our illustrators need time to develop their own styles, and they also need proper publishing models.

There are people who have said that by using crowdfunding, the Long Than Tuong project has turned into a sort of charity case. What's your opinion on this?

I totally respect charity work. But I don't want people misunderstand us. It's a voluntary contribution and both us and our contributors will reap profits in the end. The contributors are people who believe in us and enjoy our work.

Why would young people appreciate historical comics?

We spent a lot of time and effort on this project, to improve the position of the Vietnamese comic industry. We want to change some common prejudices toward comics, such as the attitude that they are just for children or not serious art. In contrast to those prejudices, comics remain a unique way to connect to an audience on topics such as politics, history or science.