Taiwanese Comic Artists Showcase Work at 2026 Small Press Expo in US

Five Taiwanese comic artists — A ee mi, Rio (里約), Ding Pao-yen (丁柏晏), Monday Recover (星期一回收日) and Crystal Kung (水晶孔) — showcased their works over the weekend at the Small Press Expo (SPX) at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center in Maryland, engaging with U.S. readers and participating in book-signing events.

The Bottom Line:

• Titles featured included Rio’s Unemployed Killers Support Group, which sold out, and Monday Recover’s Sea You There and Us, her first published in the U.S.

Breaking Into the American Indie Circuit

But the real cultural exchange is happening elsewhere. Over the weekend, the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center in Maryland hosted the Small Press Expo (SPX), where a distinct contingent of Taiwanese creators carved out vital space on the convention floor.

Here is the kicker: reaching these readers often comes down to savvy language presentation. Creator A ee mi noted that she originally produced her work in both Mandarin and English, circumventing the barrier of preparing a separate translation specifically for the Maryland expo. Many U.S. readers told her they immediately related to the material.

Selling Out and Finding Universal Resonance

Rio’s comic, titled Unemployed Killers Support Group, completely sold out during the two-day event, demonstrating a strong appetite for alternative genre work.

Photo: taipeitimes.com

Meanwhile, Monday Recover brought her comic Sea You There and Us (貓與海的彼端) to the expo, marking her first title published in the United States. She shared with attendees that while the narrative carries a touch of sadness, she designed it to forge an emotional bond with overseas readers.

That cross-cultural resonance also drove the reception for Crystal Kung, who splits her time working at an animation studio in the United States. Kung’s work captures her own lived experience after moving stateside at the age of 22 and spending nearly a decade working there, as chronicled in her comic American Overtime (我很多的美國時間), which hit shelves in Taiwan in August of last year. Kung pointed out that many people her age encounter similar everyday struggles, helping her panels connect deeply with a broader demographic.

Artist	Featured Title	Key Expo Milestone
Rio	Unemployed Killers Support Group	Completely sold out at SPX
Monday Recover	Sea You There and Us	First work published in the U.S.
Crystal Kung	American Overtime	Reflects nearly a decade of working in the U.S.
Ding Pao-yen	Translated Works	Expanded to U.S. readers following European editions
A ee mi	Bilingual Works	Utilized dual Mandarin-English original formatting

The Global Strategy of Independent Publishing

For Ding Pao-yen, the appearance at SPX marked another milestone in an ongoing international rollout. Following previous editions translated into European languages, his work finally secured an English-language release tailored for North American shelves, drawing a warm reception from festival-goers.

SPX Executive Director Warren Bernard emphasized the significance of hosting these international voices, noting that the artists brought works he deeply admired and personally wanted to add to his collection.

Established back in 1994, SPX has maintained its mission to promote independent creators and small publishers.