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Asian Festival of Children’s Content
21—24 May 2026

How do graphic novels capture the greatest flights of fantastical imagination? Modern Philippine gods. Realms of tiger girls and spirit keepers. Join authors and illustrators of fantasy comics as they discuss the creations of their vivid worlds and what draws them to the medium in an increasingly visual age.

comics and graphic novelsfantasysoutheast asia

Claire Low

Claire Low (Singapore)

Claire is a designer and artist with a passion for visual storytelling across mediums. She is also the illustrator of the Southeast Asian fantasy comic Tiger Girls. When she is not in the rabbit holes of a hyperfixation deep dive, she draws fantasy-inspired works on her art account on Instagram: @comatomato.

Gina Chew

Gina Chew (Singapore)

Gina is a Singapore-based storyteller and writer of Afterlife: The Boy Next Realm, a Southeast Asian-inspired young adult fantasy graphic novel shortlisted for the 2024 Singapore Book Awards and the Hedwig Anuar Children’s Book Award. A participant of the NAC-NLB Writer’s Lab (2024), she is currently developing her debut full-length speculative fiction novel. She has spoken at various literary festivals and conducted workshops on writing and world-building. Her other works include the short-form series Another Day in Paradise with Viddsee Studios, featured in international film festivals, and the stage play Permanence with Toy Factory Productions.

Tori Tadiar

Tori Tadiar (Philippines)

Tori Tadiar is an award-winning illustrator and comic artist from the Philippines. She is an IT professional by day and works on comics and stories every chance she can get. Her goal is to tell stories that introduce readers to and immerse them in alternate worlds based on the culture of the land she calls home. Tori is the author and artist of the graphic novels Sagala and Twinkle, Twinkle; and the illustrator of the chapter book Team Abangers at Ang Estilong Trumpo. She is currently working on the Philippine folklore-inspired middle grade comic series Ilustra, published by Disney-Hyperion.

Wayne Rée

Wayne Rée (Singapore)

Wayne Rée (he/they) is a Singaporean writer. Together with Benjamin Chee, he co-created Work-Life Balance, the prose/comics hybrid that won Best Literary Work and Book of the Year at the 2023 Singapore Book Awards. He also co-created the comic, Worlds Apart: A Conversation About Mental Health, with Nurjannah Suhaimi. In 2025, Worlds Apart was reprinted in the anthology, How Are You Feeling?. Wayne lives with his wife and their cat/gremlin.

Programme dates and times are subject to change.

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