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The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye Hardcover – March 1, 2016

by Sonny Liew (Author)

4.7 218 ratings

Part of: Pantheon Graphic Library

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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From a bestselling graphic novelist comes “a hugely ambitious, stylistically acrobatic work” (The New York Times Book Review) that brings us on a uniquely moving, funny, and thought-provoking journey through the life of an artist and the history of a nation.

Meet Charlie Chan Hock Chye. Now in his early 70s, Chan has been making comics in his native Singapore since 1954, when he was a boy of 16. As he looks back on his career over five decades, we see his stories unfold before us in a dazzling array of art styles and forms, their development mirroring the evolution in the political and social landscape of his homeland and of the comic book medium itself.

With The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, Sonny Liew has drawn together a myriad of genres to create a thoroughly ingenious and engaging work, where the line between truth and construct may sometimes be blurred, but where the story told is always enthralling.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

A 2017 Eisner Award Winner for Best Writer/Artist, Best US Edition of International Material—Asia, and Best Publication Design
Winner of the Singapore Literature Prize 2016
An Economist Book of the Year 2016
An NPR Graphic Novel Pick for 2016
A Washington Post Best Graphic Novel of 2016
A New York Post Best Books of 2016
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2016
A South China Morning Post Top 10 Asian books of 2016
An A.V. Club Best Comics of 2016
A Comic Books Resources Top 100 Comics of 2016
A Mental Floss Most Interesting Graphic Novel of 2016

“A startlingly brilliant tour de force….Although the premise sounds simple—it purports to be the biography of a fictional comic book artist—what Liew does with it is anything but. At once dizzyingly meta and deeply heartfelt, the book spans 80 years, and in its complicated layering, reminded me of everything from Maus and The Tin Drum to, believe it or not, Ulysses….Probably the greatest work of art ever produced in Singapore.” —John Powers, Fresh Air

“Readers are treated to Chan unfurling his life story, with Liew himself occasionally popping in to provide further context within the margins. Over the course of the book’s 300+ pages, Liew presents examples of the artist’s work in between the more momentous occasions of his life, both in paintings, sketches, and most enticingly, through comics he created throughout his ever evolving career. Ducking and weaving between genres, and the historical interests of comics readers in given years, what Liew ends up concocting is a fascinating bildungsroman that rivals other Eastern-based works like Tatsumi’s A Drifting Life, with a dash of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. This is an awfully impressive achievement given that Chan is a fictional character….Easily the first comics masterwork of 2016.” —The Comics Beat

“Liew’s graphic novel is a fascinating look at a cartoonist’s growth over time and how his creative output reflects the culture around him, and Liew tells Chye’s story in a way that only comic books can….A beautifully multidimensional portrait of the cartoonist, beginning with Chye’s personal interpretation o the past before showing comics and sketches that provide further insight….The color palettes, the paper quality, the incorporation of photographs and sketches, they all combine with the text to provide a complex view of Charlie Chan Hock Chye that has a strong sense of history behind it.” —The A.V. Club

“Virtuosic….The portraits—of friends, family, Charlie himself and, significantly, both Lim and Lee—display Liew’s high-art chops. It’s his versatility, though, that’s really dazzling….Throughout, Liew advances a consistent critique of Singaporean politics. He’s deeply dedicated to the insurrectionist legacy of Lim, suggesting the man occupies a kind of opposite pole from Lee. But the fact remains that one is merely an exiled Communist, while the other led Singapore for decades. That fact brings a sadness—or rather, another layer of sadness—to the book. For all that it brims over with diverse, colorful creations, it’s fundamentally about a lack: the absence of an artist who should exist, but was never allowed to. The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye mourns all the creators who have never been permitted to thrive in Singapore. Liew’s own existence seems to be evidence of a change, but only partly. The government withdrew its support from his book, but it didn’t ban it outright. That’s a kind of progress.” —NPR.org

“A hugely ambitious, stylistically acrobatic work….the book is a mercurial delight, constantly switching between Liew’s invented narrative (in a relatively neutral nonfiction style), images of Chan Hock Chye’s works in progress over the course of his career and mock-weathered clippings from his printed creations, most of which are immaculate pastiches of famous cartoonists.”—The New York Times Book Review

“Brilliantly inventive….Charlie is mild but steel-spined, observant and proud; with masterful economy of detail—an arched eyebrow here, his head at a resigned angle there—Mr. Liew crafts him into a fully realised character.” —The Economist

“Wholly original….Liew demonstrates an almost inhuman amount of diversity of skill. Like any great creator, he has stepped aside so his creation can live a life of its own….Ultimately, Sonny Liew has compiled a work of fiction so innovative and thoughtful that even the most observant reader can’t distinguish fact from fiction, biography from creation, memory from truth. And why should we? It’s a quiet story about an individual’s purpose, where one fits into society, how to live, the passion of good work, what else we should’ve done, and, perhaps the most important notion of all, what is possible. It invites, not demands, that we focus on the now, and let the past be past.”—The Rumpus

“A stunning tour de force masterpiece of imagined and real history as Liew recreates the entire career of the titular cartoonist via art and photos to explore the history of both comics and Singapore.” —Publishers Weekly, “The Most Anticipated Books of Spring 2016”

“An early candidate for the various best-of lists for 2016, this superlative achievement from Liew tells the story not only of Singaporean artist and comics creator Charlie Chan Hock Chye, but of Singapore itself. It hardly matters, of course, that the titular character is an invention of Liew’s, because his story is so real that some early reviewers assumed Liew’s protagonist had to be a real person. Chye’s story, from his youthful beginnings and early career as an artist to his later reminiscences, is fascinating in itself, but Liew’s inclusion of fabricated newspaper clippings, old sketches, and mixed media works—and even an occasional photo collage purporting to show us first-hand evidence of Charlie’s life—is riveting. As Chye’s life is revealed, so is the history of Singapore, a tumultuous sweep that is mirrored in the history of cartooning. Make no mistake: this multilayered book is a masterpiece.” —Publishers Weekly, *starred review*

“Liew incorporates a dizzying range of styles and influences, from midcentury manga to Mad magazine, to trace the career of the fictional cartoonist. In the process, he also explores the myths and realities of postwar Singapore, casting a critical eye on policies that place adherence to the established order above personal expression. The combination of a powerful message, artistic virtuosity, and a fascinating framing device make for an un-put-downable read. This relentlessly engaging work stretches the boundaries of the graphic novel medium and is highly recommended for fans of political satire, Chris Ware, or Art Spiegelman.” —Library Journal, *starred review*

“[An] impressive tour de force….it’s exhilarating to discover a talent as brilliant as Liew shows himself to be with this virtuosic triumph.” —Booklist *starred review*

“A collector’s item….can be read and enjoyed on many levels….knowledge of the true story is almost incidental to the pleasures to be gained from this fictional biography.” —Los Angeles Review of Books

“An inspired, artifact-rich account of a fictional comic-book creator struggling to lead an artist’s life in 20th century Singapore.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“The fictional title character, a cartoonist himself, is a deft framing device for viewing Singapore’s culture and history through many crisp prisms. Liew keeps us fully awake to his intellectual ambition and political potency by unveiling a parade of shifting visual aesthetics — with nods to such comics legends as Winsor McCay.”—The Washington Post

“Easily one of the greatest books of the year….Renowned comics artist Liew not only tells the heartbreaking yet inspirational story of this fictional comics artist, but he uses the narrative as a platform to discuss a larger, though equally heartbreaking and inspiring story: that of the history of Singapore. This multilayered, beautifully executed work is like no history book you’ve ever seen. It will leave you speechless….While Charlie Chan Hock Chye may be Singapore’s greatest comics artist, Sonny Liew is on his way to becoming the greatest in the world.” —Cedar Rapids Gazette

“A multilayered masterpiece of comic-book and real-world history, a portrait of the postwar world made in a thrilling postmodern style. It’s funny and rich and satisfying, and one of the best comics of the year.” —Slate

“A tour de force artistic performance….This may be the book that truly makes him a star in the U.S.” —Mental Floss

“In The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, author and illustrator Sonny Liew masterfully juxtaposes history and fiction—so much so that at first I couldn’t tell the difference! This genre-bending graphic novel follows the story of fictional cartoonist Charlie, now in his 70s, and his art, beautifully rendered in contrasting styles to add to the realism, intertwined with the history of Singapore.” —BookPage

“In this graphic novel, Liew (Shadow Hero, 2014, etc.) presents the life and work of an obscure comic-book creator in tandem with the turbulent modern history of Singapore, the land both call home…. Liew provides sharp commentary throughout, illustrating interviews as well as accompanying strips that decode Chan's layers of allegory. A fascinating look at a clever, uncompromising artist married to the times in which he lived.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Unless one Googles Chan, one wouldn’t realize he is a brilliantly conceived fictional invention….Liew uses a variety of mediums—pencils and ink, oil on canvas, photographic reproductions of actual historical events—to tie Chan’s fate into the unrest throughout the country. The result is a surprising revelation of a master storyteller who manages to turn a controversial and largely buried story into a personal reflection on art and freedom of the press.” —Shelf Awareness

“It’s going to be incredibly difficult to beat this book. I mean I’m already penciling it in for my best original graphic novel of the year....It is an onion that doesn’t stop until the end….Masterful.” —Comic Bastards

“One of the most intricate and impressive graphic novels I’ve ever read….A dense and dizzying tour of 20th-century Singaporean history….Only someone with an enduring love of comics could have produced this work.” —BoingBoing

“With The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, Liew gives you as the reader a complex, multi-dimensional insight into the history of Singapore in the context of artistic creation….Unbiased, self-effacing, and outstandingly clever, The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye sets a new standard of how to demonstrate the evolution of culture and politics outside of a textbook or formal essay. While Western audiences should absolutely read this to understand the complexities of capturing multiple perspectives in history, The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye at its core aims to educate and inspire the people Singapore.” —Forces of Geek

“A meta-fiction masterpiece.” —Pod Sequentialism, meltcomics.com

“Liew’s book is remarkable, a meta-history of Malaysia as told through the biography of ‘Singapore’s greatest comics artist,’ the fictional, but entirely credible, Charlie Chan Hock Chye…. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. It’s just dazzling.”—Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

“The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, an intricate tapestry of comic art and political comment, is a stunning achievement that should well and truly propel [Sonny Liew] into the global premier league of cartoonists.” —BrokenFrontier.com

“A strange book—in a great way….[Liew] expertly presents an unadulterated story of Singapore, through the eyes of Charlie Chan….Brilliant on many levels….Highly recommended.” —Parkablogs.com

“A joy to read. Sonny Liew masterfully weaves the history of Singapore with the history of comics into something you've never experienced before.” —Gene Luen Yang, creator of American Born Chinese and Boxers & Saints

“A remarkable graphic novel….It has everything going—just brilliant.” —Peter Kuper

“Unique and unprecedented... a masterpiece... This book is a joyous, beautiful, million-faceted thing – a celebration of the comic book medium, a technical masterclass, a thrill ride, a Bildungsroman and an unflinching retrospective of the post-war-into-modern era. I love it, and I'm in awe of it.” —Mike Carey, author of Lucifer, The Unwritten and The Girl with All the Gifts

“Prepare to be swept away by a history of Singapore as you’ve never seen before. Sonny Liew delivers a brilliant and fiercely perceptive appraisal of this remarkable island-state.” —Paul Gravett, author of Comics Art and 1001 Comics You Must Read Before You Die

“Only rarely can a book inspire such delight and joy as this. It is a treasure of graphic storytelling, not least because it does things that only graphic storytelling can do…. Everything here is gorgeous and rewarding, adding up to one of 2016’s most important graphic novels. It’s perfect.”—Metro News (Toronto)

“Part graphic novel, part art book, part narrative essay, The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye by Malaysian-born, Eisner-Award-nominated comics artist and illustrator Sonny Liew is a look at Singapore unlike any other before. By reflecting on the life and work of a comic creator whose career spanned half a century, The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye comments wryly on Singapore′s past and present while honoring comics as a storytelling medium.” —The Malay Mail

“One of the most visually arresting and thematically remarkable books published this year . . . A landmark work in Singapore comics history.” —Akshita Nanda, The Straits Times

“One of [the best], if not the best, comic books in the past five years . . . [A] labor of love and a triumph of storytelling that transcends any medium . . . A must-read.” —Amir Hafizi, Malaysian Reserve

"Riotously funny, heartbreakingly beautiful, fizzing with provocative ideas, The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye breathes life and intimacy into the multi-layered history of Malaysia and Singapore. Sonny Liew has produced a true masterpiece. " —Tash Aw, author of The Harmony Silk Factory and Five Star Billionaire

About the Author

SONNY LIEW is a comics artist, painter, and illustrator whose work includes the New York Times bestseller The Shadow Hero with Gene Luen Yang, My Faith in Frankie with Mike Carey, Malinky Robot, and a new Doctor Fate comics series with Paul Levitz.

Born in Malaysia, he lives in Singapore, where he sleeps with the fishes.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pantheon (March 1, 2016)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1101870699
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1101870693
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ GN810L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.32 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.06 x 1.15 x 10.32 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #779,859 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #796 in Historical & Biographical Fiction Graphic Novels
- #1,076 in Literary Graphic Novels (Books)
- #8,304 in Fantasy Manga (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.7 218 ratings

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Sonny Liew's multi-Eisner winning The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye was a New York Times and Amazon bestseller, and the first graphic novel to win the Singapore Literature Prize. Other works include The Shadow Hero (with Gene Luen Yang), Doctor Fate (with Paul Levitz) and Malinky Robot, as well as titles for Marvel Comics, DC Comics, DC Vertigo, Boom Studios and Disney Press.

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J. Yu

Very satisfying reading it in singlish!

Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2024

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Very satisfying reading it in singlish!

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Bryan Zheng

If you want to understand the latest 30 years history of China Mainland, you got to read this book.

Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2016

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Don't get me wrong; I know it's about Singapore. Please bear with me.

As someone grows up in China Mainland, this book really resonates with me.

Premier Lee is one of the most stubborn anti-communist, which everybody knows. But it's REALLY WEIRD that China Mainland's communist government regards Singapore as their role model. Not only so, but they also sends a lot government officials to Singapore to study its ways of running the country. Can you imagine that? Such a BIG BIG country, with over 1.3 billion people, learning from such a SMALL SMALL city, with 5.4 million people. You know how many communist party members in China Mainland? 80 million. That's 16 times of the population of Singapore.

In retrospect, it's easy to see what they want to grasp is how to implement authoritarianism combining confucianism, nothing else. How does that turn out? For them, I'd say, pretty good, except the anti-corruption part. For the ordinary people? Well... I mean yeah, many many Chinese people has more money, more freedom ( comparing to 30 years ago), but how about ruining the eco environment which will provide foods, water, even air for the children? And their children? How about brainwashing the young generation and making them provincial nationalist? How about close the Internet one step a time while other countries embracing the shared knowledges and wisdoms of human being?

By reading this book, I gradually sees where everything happens around China comes from.

And there's much more about the book: the structures are amazing, both the page structures and the underlying plot lines. Between the lines and squares, the character develops some extraordinary twists. Or should I say to Charlie sadly and pitifully: I told you so???

After having read the book from cover to cover 3 months ago, I've been keeping thinking about Velazquez's painting - Las Menias.

They all have so many layers, and so many different ways to be interpreted, while my way of course is only one of them which is shallow and transient. But I'm pretty sure that this book, as the painting is, will be one of the classics forever shining in mankind's history.

6 people found this helpful

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Careful Customer

Beautifully illustrated and written, moving work

Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2023

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Really an outstanding graphic novel. Historically informed, and shows how great events in the world can both glance upon, uplift, or crush both prominent and obscure persons.

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min

Is This Book for Everyone?

Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2016

Verified Purchase

Warning: Do not pick this book up if you wake up in the middle of the night, because you will not be able to put it down and go back to sleep, and its brilliance will haunt you until dawn.

If you're not Singaporean, you'll gain lots of insight about what makes this strange country tick, as well as the darker bits that are usually swept under the carpet.
If you're Singaporean, and have only heard the official Singapore Story until now, you'll learn so much.
If you know a little about the alternative narratives that have shaped the country, you'll fill in some blanks.
If you don't know anything about comics, you'll be surprised at the sheer range and depth of storytelling that's possible.
If you know a bit of comics history, you'll get a kick out of all the homages along the way.
If you're interested in design, this is a great example.
If you're interested in densely-layered narratives, you'll love it.
If you just want a simple story, there's one to be found too! Sonny Liew does a great job of guiding newbies along the way, so you won't be lost.
If you're an artist, you may quite possibly be inspired by it.

Bottom line, if you are human, and can read English, you'll probably like this book.

21 people found this helpful

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Daniel Leong Tuck Wah

Four Stars

Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2018

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Truly like the book. Interesting read as the author brings you through various events in history.

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Amazon Customer

I'd give it ten stars if I could.

Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2023

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A brilliant, moving, complex and edifying work. I am richer for having read this outstanding graphic novel. It's without a doubt an incredible work of art.

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Dazzle Driller

All the Acclaim is Well-Deserved

Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2018

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This meticulously crafted graphic novel follows the tumultuous history of Singapore after World War II. Charlie Chan Hock Chye is a young comic book artist whose illustrations and perspective bring Singapore's history to life. As a Singaporephile, I was intrigued to learn more about about a figure I had never heard of. And, I'd never heard of him because Charlie Chan Hock Chye is completely fictitious. I was astounded by the level of work, love and research that Sonny Liew put into this book. This is easily one of the most ambitious and detailed graphic novels that I have ever read. It became an instant favorite!

3 people found this helpful

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Buffymorgan

Brilliant and evocative history of comics, and The Little Red Dot

Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2016

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Amazingly complex and ambitious book with a ton of heart and soul. The author is critical of Singapore at times yes, but it's always well balanced and ultimately his love and affection for his country shines through. As someone who grew up in Singapore (and now lives in the usa) it really captures the conflicts that many Singaporeans (and expats who live in Singapore) feel about the little red dot. This must have taken years to research and put together and is a great read for anyone interested in Singapore as well as the history of comics.

10 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Martina Caschera

Great meta-narrative

Reviewed in Italy on October 23, 2022

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A visual story about telling stories visually. Funny, beautiful and smart.

Diogo

Great comic book, greate History book

Reviewed in Spain on July 12, 2022

Verified Purchase

Liew combines a great summary of Singapore's modern history with a captivating story about a comics artist. It’s several books in one: a History book about Singapore origin, the political and economic challenges this small city-nation faced in its inception; a love letter to comics; a well-made fictional biography; a showcase for Liew’s art styles. Highly recommended!

Raymond Comeau

And now for something completely different...and wonderful.

Reviewed in Canada on August 30, 2017

Verified Purchase

I love cartoons, and when I am stressed I start drawing cartoons to ease my distress. This wonderful book is excellent. The drawings are superb. I am only about half way through the book, and I cherish it.

Kartik Muralidharan

It is one of the best read of the year

Reviewed in India on October 19, 2017

Verified Purchase

It is one of the best read of the year. Perhaps those who haven't lived in Singapore may not connect with it as much, but the narrative is flawless enough for those who haven't. Thank you Sonny Liew for creating Charlie Chan

G.C.

An illuminating history of Singapore and a clever exercise in multilayered storytelling.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 7, 2018

Verified Purchase

Sonny Liew’s autobiography of a fictional comic book creator Charlie Chan Hock Chye is an illuminating history of Singapore and a clever exercise in multilayered storytelling.

Charlie’s story takes you through his family’s history, growing up in a shop house run by his parents and his own life that largely stands still as an unknown comic writer. It covers his disappointments in comic publishing and the decline in ‘pavement libraries’ as TV became an important form of information and entertainment. One of Chan’s comic book superheroes is a ‘night soil man’ who gets bitten by a cockroach and develops super strength and abilities. Until the necessary infrastructure was built out Singaporeans used to dispose of their toilet contents manually. They would be collected by a night soil man and driven for disposal in a lorry.

Various life events of Chan are outlined; his parents selling the shop to pay for his father’s unsuccessful medical treatment in Singapore. The love of his life marrying a business man and an unsuccessful visit to ComicCon. All of this tangentially addresses changes in Singaporean society in terms of public housing, medical care and economic improvements. Chan’s failure reflects on what they author felt Singapore lost by not having this kind of critique.

Through Chan’s comic stories we see a post-war Singapore lose respect for the British following their defeat by Japan and the path toward a post colonial future. The book takes an oblique but cutting tilt at the legacy of the People’s Action Party and Lee Kuan Yew and asks at the end what if things had turned out differently.

Beyond the storytelling and the historic analysis of Singapore, the book is a homage to the greats of the comic book world:

Osamu Tezuka
Walt Disney
Will Eisner
Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
Despite being relatively oblique in its critique of Singaporean history, the Singapore National Arts Council withdrew a grant $8,000 for the book. Citing “sensitive content” and its potential to “undermine the authority and legitimacy” of the government. Just a few decades earlier Liew could have received a stronger reaction to his work from the state.

It leaves some interesting questions, Singapore has been a success growing from a post-war where much of the infrastructure was destroyed to an economic power house unlike any other country in South East Asia. Admittedly, it did much of this prior to the opening up of China; but it also didn’t enjoy the natural resources of its neighbours either. Had Singapore missed out in this dash to economic success?

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