By Victor Van Scoit

The Isotope - Sonny Liew
I’m flying out to cover Image Expo and Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle, but if I was sticking around San Francisco you’d be certain to see me at Sonny Liew’s book release tour stop at The Isotope. Sonny Liew’s The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye has already been declared “2016’s first superalitve graphic novel” by our own Kyle Pinion, great review from NPR’s Fresh Air, and it’s already part of the discussion for what is 2016’s first comics masterpiece. Liew’s masterwork creates a fictional biography for the titular character and follows him through the history of Singapore and its every changing political landscape. Liew builds out the fictional biography through interviews with Charlie Chan, inserts of Chan’s art and work, and inserts Liew himself at times to expound on Charlie Chan. It’s a beautiful metatextual piece of graphic fiction that would be most happy in your hands.
chan sample
One of the best ways to do so is to get a signed copy from Sonny Liew himself as he makes a few stops here in the U.S. while he visits from Singapore. The Isotope tends to make artists and guests quite welcome with their special in-store signings and you can find out more here. You can also find out where else you might be able to see Liew as he continues his book release tour. What a great opportunity not just to pick up this book, but meet that artist behind other great work on The Shadow HeroDoctor FateMy Faith In FrankieFlight anthologies, and his own Malinky Robot. If I’m lucky I’ll get another chance to meet Sonny Liew on a future stop.
Sonny Liew Schedule