Friday 13 June 2008

Introduction

Hello. This is Coco Wang.

As you know the breaking news of 5.12 Earthquake in China, almost all the TV channels in China are broadcasting 24 hours non-stop of every development and stories of all the rescue operations in all damaged locations.

I don't know how much information the BBC or any UK media received from us, I imagine the UK audiences were presented with the major developments of the incident, but you are probably unaware of many important and inside details which are only known to people inside China.

The amount of incredibly moving stories of victims, rescuers, volunteers is simply shocking at the moment. I have been collecting newspapers of all the stories, and telling them in the form of comic strips. I hope these stories could show the UK readers the love, warmth and courage of the Chinese people, also the sad and cruel reality of the horrible 5.12 Earthquake.

I am back home in Beijing now. Thousands of heart-breaking stories are happening 24 hours non-stop everyday, some are so sad that you can hardly bear, some are incredibly moving that you just can't stop crying... I wanted to go to the front to help with all those people, some of my friends have already gone there, but I heard that the traffic needed to be kept totally clear for rescue transportation at the moment, people like me without knowledge of first-aid and experience of rescue operations going there now would cause choas and trouble... but I can't just sit at home and do nothing, I have been crying my eyes out in the past three days, I have never felt more proud of my country and people... their love, courage and kindness rock me to my core! I have decided to tell these touching stories by drawing comics. I am going to send you comic strips almost everyday from now on, I hope you could know something about the earthquake in China, although you don't have to do anything, but I hope you could feel our love and hope.

Thank you all so much.

Coco Wang

33 comments:

fu er said...

your comic strips touched my heart! (:

Anonymous said...

These are fantastic, Coco.

I must say that we had excellent news coverage while I was in Japan, but back here in England we have to search for news - it's there, just not floating at the top of the news pond.

I hope things are going as well as they can for everyone caught up in these terrible events.

Renata said...

i was deeply touched by your comic strips. it's a really nice way to show the world what you people have been through and specially how you reacted to that.

Unknown said...

Thank you very much for these comics; Thank you for bringing these stories of heroism and sadness to us.

Unknown said...

Coco, these strips are amazing, heart-breaking, gut-wrenching and uplifting. Thank-you for sharing.

mattdana said...

These comic strips are amazing. So touching. Thank you.

Kate Quinn said...

Coco, it is so wonderful that you're sharing these stories to the world. You should publish them in a book, and donate the money to any kind of charity that is helping with the rescue.

Crying in Australia,
Kate.

irisclara said...

Thank you.

Julie said...

These stories are absolutely incredible. I am of Asian descent, and I am especially touched to see heroism and bravery of this calibre. It gives me hope that if the need arises, I can also be that brave.

Anonymous said...

Coco, I too found your blog quite moving, in several ways. Thanks for sharing these stories.

Leigh Dragoon said...

These comics are incredible. Just incredible.

lummn said...

the comic strip was great and i was moved to tears. i remember how it was in India when we had earthquake in Gujarat. wish we could have posted comic strips like these too, then everybody would have known....
:)
keep posting something new....and do send a link to me at lopamudrasarkar.wordpress.com

Nexy said...

I'm reading this in the office, trying to hold back tears. Thank you, strangely this has brought home the true horror of what happened and the heroism of those involved far more than the conventional news coverage. You've prompted me to donate the relief efforts in both China and Myanmar, something I should have done earlier. Thank you, take care and be safe.

Anna said...

My dog came into the room to see why I was crying. I told him I was okay, it's just that sometimes you lose hope in people- and then you find it again.

Thank you for this. Thank you for sharing their stories. Just- thank you.

Zen said...

Ni Hao from the United States. We did get some of the news here, though not nearly enough I think (hooray for National Public Radio!) Your strips brought me to tears. I am not Chinese (or even of Asian decent) in any way, but have been studying Mandarin and Chinese culture. These stories make me very, very proud of the Chinese people for their courage, resilience and heart.

choulyin.tan said...

This is a great thing you are doing, creating comic strips to bring forth the courage and resilience of the Chinese people. I was deeply moved by your comic strips and couldn't hold back my tears when I read your comic strips.

Thank You.

Anonymous said...

You made me cry (real tears) with the story of teacher Wang and you made me laugh (out loud) with the stories of the pandas and coke boy. Powerful stuff. We gwailos tend to forget that people are just people everywhere and that blood is the same colour when it flows no matter the country it falls upon. The courage and collective strength of the Chinese people during the earthquake crisis is an example to us all. Thank you for taking the time to compose these English language cartoons they have educated me greatly and shown me how to see the Chinese as people just like us.

Still so moved by the story of Teacher Wang.

Thank you.

MV

J Parfitt said...

The stories these pictures tell are very moving. I wish there was no profanity in them so that I could show them to my children. Could they not send the same message with purer words, echoing the pure dedication of the rescue workers? We have many strong words in our language that will adequately portray the feelings of people under immense stress and emotion. These rescuers will need much comfort themselves as they relive the desperate attempts to save lives in time.

Tamra said...

These comic strips are exceptionally moving-the courage and chivalry of the Chinese people in the face of such agonizing sorrow is inspiring and brought a powerful prayer on my heart for Jesus Christ's healing power and love in their lives! Thank you, Coco Wang, for using your talent to share with us who were not there the reality of this tragedy as it affected individual lives. May God be with you.

Anonymous said...

It's impossible for those of us living in the states to truly feel the pain of the Chinese people, but your comics have given those who live half a world away an invaluable message, one of love and kindness.

Thank you so much for taking the time and energy to create this project. Let's hope it will not take another disaster of this magnitude to remind people of life's simple treasures.

Hungarican Chick said...

It's easy to see all this as if peering into another world, or to view the news stories like it's just television. Sometimes you need the personal stories to make you realize how real the struggle was, and how much sorrow people have suffered.

Thank you for these comics.

Anonymous said...

I just found these from the "Tear Jerker" section of tvtropes.org. While a bunch of the other examples they put didn't do much for me, yours had me bawling my eyes out.

I donated $100, thinking that it was quite a bit (half my monthly allowance from the 'rents).

Now it seems like so little.

ahQ said...

Thanks for sharing these stories.
i was deeply touched (:

some of your comic been posted to my blog to share around

From
singapore

Tammy said...

i cried when i read your comics, pls keep up the good work and tell us more OK!!!

i blog about you n ur work hope u dun mind.. i want my friends 2 know about china 5.12 too.

thank you for giving me a meaning to life,

yours truly
plusizekitten.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Thank you for excellent comics and the great touching stories

Elvie said...

谢谢你。虽然我国(马来西亚)没发生过严重地震,我也没有经历过任何地震。可是,我可以在你漫画中感受到爱的精神和对地震的恐惧。希望大家都能体会到什么才是最重要的。不是钱财,不是势力。

“Thank you very much. Even though my country (Malaysia) never had a serious earthquake, either I experience any earthquake. But I can feel the power of love and the fear of earthquake in your comic. Hope that everybody can realize what's the most important thing. Not money, not power."

MommyL said...

Thank you so much for sharing these stories, I have never cried at a comic before, but I sobbed at these. Thank you thank you.

sammeilee said...

Thank you so much for drawing and posting these comics. They are very touching.

Thank you

Albert Kam said...

Thank you Coco for sharing.

With the comic strips, i believe you've nurtured courage, kindness and love in our world.

I hope your heart is at ease now :)

Best wishes.
Albert Kam

laofmoonster said...

I found a few of your comics a few months ago, and only now found this website. They made me realize that even though I have lived in the US all my life I am still very much Chinese. <3

D.Mitchell said...

You made me cry...is this what you are doing for a career? If so, your doing something right.

Casey said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Casey said...

I only just found this strip, and read about the earthquake. I cried until my heart ached, and read and reread the comic several times. I can only imagine the strength these people had, and I am humbled, as a human being, by their actions.

Thank you so much for making this comic. For retelling stories that will echo on into history, reminding us of the courage and perseverance of people who gave their lives to save others. Who lived, if only for the ones they loved. Whose stories will remain with me throughout my life, thanks to you.