The programme has also taken Hong Kong works to events overseas, including France’s Angouleme International Comics Festival and Malaysia’s Comic Fiesta, as part of efforts to expose them to new readers and business opportunities.
However, there is no data available on how many copies the titles have sold.
COULD AI BE THE ANSWER?
Industry players believe AI could make it easier for artists to turn their work into animation and other formats.
Traditionally, turning a comic into moving images is costly and requires specialised skills – from animation and modelling to editing and post-production.
Generative AI could lower some of those barriers.
“Comic artists can create their comics first, then turn them into an AI-generated animation, or even an AI computer graphics drama,” said Alan Wan, vice-president of the Hong Kong Comics and Animation Federation.
He added that this is why comic artists need to keep abreast of developments in AI and learn how to use the technology.
“Once they do, they’ll reach another level – they won’t just be comic artists, they could become directors.”
But greater use of AI brings another uncertainty: Who owns what it creates?
Questions surrounding copyright, authorship and the material used to train generative AI systems have become increasingly important as the technology enters creative industries.
“The legal system is not very comprehensive. It’s not very ready for AI work,” said Fan Tingting, associate director of the University of Hong Kong Business School’s Asia Case Research Centre.
“We’re not sure about the boundaries at this moment. But protecting humans‘ work, protecting the creativity of human beings, that is very important.”