In his graphic novel 'Bleeding Scars', Chua revisits a haunting memory that has left a lasting impression on him. Photo: Chua Kok Yee
Inspired by an eerie urban legend from 1980s Ipoh, the new graphic novel Bleeding Scars: The Calamity Of Canning digs up the mysterious events that led to the abrupt closure of a beloved chee cheong fun stall in Canning Garden.
Blending nostalgia with suspense, the novel reimagines the haunting tale that left the local community shaken and turned a simple food stall into the stuff of legend.
Published by Maple Comics, this atmospheric - black and white - title is both written and illustrated by Chua Kok Yee, an author more well known for his wildly imaginative and macabre short stories (Without Anchovies in 2010 announced his arrival).
His short stories have also appeared in anthologies like Ronggeng-Ronggeng: Malaysian Short Stories (2019), KL Noir Blue (2014), and Black And White And Other New Short Stories From Malaysia (2012).
His debut novel, Not A Monster, a tale of crime, murder and suspense, won the second Fixi Novo Malaysian Novel contest in 2022.
So why this shift into the graphic novel genre?
“I began drawing as a young boy (in Ipoh) and have dreamed of becoming a comic artist since I was 10,” said Chua in a recent interview in Kuala Lumpur.
“Unfortunately, that young boy from a small city didn’t know how to achieve that dream. I came from a lower income family, so I needed to put aside that dream and find a practical career,” he added.
The cover of Chua's graphic novel 'Bleeding Scars', released by Maple Comics. Photo: Maple Comics
After 25 years in the corporate world, Chua made the bold decision to step away, leaving his job at the end of 2023.
This pivotal moment marked a shift toward embracing his creative passions, including his long-held dream of becoming a comic book artist.
Horror and urban legends
Chua, 50, shares that he chose to tell this story (in Ipoh) in particular because it was a story he recalled being told by his mother when he was young.
“It’s stayed with me ever since. I remember every detail of the story, and that made it easy for me to choose it as the first story,” he said
As both a writer and a reader, horror and urban legends have always appealed to Chua.
“I love urban legends as they are usually rich with local history, and contain a grain of truth. As for horror stories, they offer us a way to confront the darkness in our world, but from the safety of our bedroom, giving us the adrenaline rush without the real dangers.
Author Chua’s childhood dream was to release a graphic novel, and he now has plans to expand the 'Bleeding Scars' series. Photo: The Star/Azman Ghani
“Also, I believe these supernatural elements offer us a coping mechanism. I find it less terrifying when a person is murdered by a demon, because I know it is unlikely that I would ever encounter demons in real life. It is far more terrifying if another human committed the same murder, especially just because he or she wanted to,” he revealed.
Bleeding Scars: The Calamity of Canning, which arrived in time for Halloween season, immerses readers in local horror with mature content that adds depth and complexity to its narrative.
The drawing process
For a seasoned author like Chua, writing the story didn’t faze him; the most time-consuming part was illustrating it, which took about three months once he fleshed out the story.
“Once I had it in my head, I prepared the storyboard in a notebook using rough sketches and scribbles – the sketches helped me envision the final drawing, while the scribbles were dialogue, story pieces or even notes to myself, then I polished it from there.
“Truth to be told, I enjoyed producing this graphic novel – it gave me a chance to combine my writing and drawing talents into a single project,” he said.
Were there any notable differences between producing a graphic novel and writing a book?
A page from Chua’s debut graphic novel, 'Bleeding Scars: The Calamity Of Canning', which he both wrote and illustrated. Photo: Maple Comics
“There’s a saying that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’. In my experience, graphic novels are very effective when it comes to tangible things, like characters, actions, or locations. You can accurately convey the images you have in your mind to your readers, leaving little room for misinterpretation.
“However, compared to writing, they are less effective for internal reflections or anything related to feelings. So the artist has to know which medium would be more suitable for the story he wants to tell,” said Chua.
Regarding his creative influences, Chua reveals that he read extensively from Hong Kong manhuas as a child, with Ma Wing Shing standing out as his favourite artist from that era.
“In my teens I loved the X-Men, and my favourite artist at that time was Jim Lee. Throughout the years, I ‘learned’ from many great comics and artists, so it would be impossible to name them all. But if you ask me for a list of my biggest influences, it would be Sin City, 100 Bullets, Fables, Hellboy, and Uzumaki.
“I was also a loyal fan of Gila-Gila magazine in the 1980s. One particular masterpiece that I still remember until now is Aku Budak Minang by legendary cartoonist Ujang. It was a semi-autobiography series by the cartoonist that combined good art with an engaging story, and tackled relatively more serious issues compared to other magazines at that time. A groundbreaking series, if I might say,” said Chua.
Chasing the dream
For Maple Comics (pronounced “mah-pley”, which is local slang for “eating place”), it was an easy decision to publish Chua’s graphic novel.
“It’s a good book, written and illustrated by a very talented author. I never knew Chua Kok Yee could draw as well, so I was immediately interested! The setting is also very Malaysian, while the horror is something Malaysians would recognise, growing up with such stories and urban legends,” says Amir Hafizi, one-half of Maple Comics’ founding duo.
At its launch last month at Books Kinokuniya in KLCC, the first batch of orders for 'Bleeding Scars' quickly sold out. Photo: The Star/Azman Ghani
“Maple Comics was established as a platform for independent comics and we always welcome good ones made by anyone in Malaysia, so Bleeding Scars is a good fit for the bill of titles we’re looking to publish,” he said.
If you’ve already read the comic and hope to see more, you’ll be glad to know that Chua doesn’t intend to stop at publishing just one graphic novel.
“I plan to do a trilogy of Bleeding Scars comics. If the response is good, I may even do more. Currently, I’m developing a more detailed plot for the second comic (tentatively titled The Poison Of Paloh),” he said.
The response to Bleeding Scars: The Calamity Of Canning has been overwhelmingly positive. At its launch last month at Books Kinokuniya in KLCC, the first batch of orders quickly sold out.
“For now, I have been receiving positive feedback from those who bought the books, but hey, those are biased opinions since they are my friends. I’m actually eager to hear opinions from impartial readers. This is my first graphic novel, so I’ve no doubt there is room for improvement,” said Chua.
For Chua, the release of Bleeding Scars: The Calamity Of Canning represented the culmination of years of hard work and passion, marking a long-awaited milestone in his artistic journey.
“I almost teared up at the beginning of the launch. That young boy from Ipoh would never have dared to imagine launching his comic book in his school hall, let alone in one of the country’s best bookstores. My joy stems not only from fulfilling a childhood dream but also from the unwavering support I received throughout this journey,” said Chua.
“I don’t have any grand ambition with my art, like stopping wars or eradicating poverty. I just hope to elicit some emotions in the hearts of my readers. Emotions, regardless of intensity or type, are the proof that we are alive,” he concluded.
Bleeding Scars: The Calamity Of Canning is available in all good bookstores.
