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THE HUMAN BUN (人肉包子)

REN ZHENG-HUA(任正華)
Locus Publishing Company
The first Taiwanese comic book creator to sell rights to Casterman
While escaping from local hoodlums, a young boy, A-Chi , and the elderly owner of a curio shop find themselves transported to ancient times, where they take refuge with a woman who sells steamed buns. Little do they know that the woman will soon stand accused of selling steamed buns stuffed with human flesh!
Preview

Introduction

There's nothing A-Chi loves better than listening to Mr. Chien tell stories. Every day after school he heads straight to the Mr. Chien's curio shop in hopes of hearing more. One day, the elderly shop owner comes into conflict with a local gang collecting protection money. A terrified A-Chi flees into the depths of the shop to hide, only to discover the winding corridors have no end, forever twisting and turning and leading to an infinite number of worlds.

Exhausted from his flight, A-Chi follows an enticing scent to a restaurant that sells steamed buns. When he regains his senses, he realizes that he, Mr. Chien, and the hoodlums have all been transported back to antiquity, and the gateway back to the curio shop has disappeared!

A-Chi and Mr. Chien become lodgers with Sun Erniang, proprietress of the steamed bun shop, while the gangsters, after giving an impromptu rock concert, are mistaken for a trio of gods and become guests of a local dignitary, Lord Xiao. Outwardly known for his generosity, Lord Xiao is in fact a great schemer. When he spreads a rumor that Sun Erniang sells steamed buns stuffed with human flesh, he ignites a conflict that pits Lord Xiao and the three hoodlums against A-Chi, Mr. Chien, and Sun Erniang.

Recently re-issued in a thirtieth anniversary edition, the story of The Human Bun remains as fresh and original as ever. This fast-paced, tight-knit tale from artist/writer Ren Zheng-hua sprinkles in references to contemporary film and art and irreverently questions the nature of truth and reality. Modern readers are sure to appreciate this multi-layered masterpiece of comic humor.

Role profile

  • A-Chi

    A-Chi

    A naughty boy who trespassed the forbidden storage room of the 異寶齋, have been transported back to antiquity with The shop's keeper, Mr. Chien. Then they just meet the Sun Erniang.

  • Mr. Chien

    Mr. Chien

    The 異寶齋's keeper. Although most of his collections all be thinks as junks, he still loves collecting all kinds of ancient artifacts and curios.

  • The Dark Street Kings

    The Dark Street Kings

    Three funny hoodlums. While they are running the protection rackets in the 異寶齋, they also have been transported back to antiquity with A-Chi and Mr. Chien. Accidently, the three little hoodlums have all been recognized as gods.

  • Sun Erniang

    Sun Erniang

    A mysterious, alluring and tough woman, making life of selling buns. However, there's rumor that the bun's filling is made of human...

  • A-hsiu

    A-hsiu

    The daughter of Lord Xiao, an innocent and cute girl and also a friend of A-chi.

About the Author

REN ZHENG-HUA(任正華)

Born in Taipei in 1963, Ren Zheng-hua began her comics career with the immensely popular Sea of Devil, serialized in Sunday Comics magazine, and later sold as a three volume graphic novel. Incisively witty with a touch of black humor, Ren masterfully weaves tales that run the gamut from ancient to modern, from mythic/fantastic to everyday reality, often satirizing the human capacity for both good and evil. Ren is also the founder of publisher BoHai Culture Co. and comics magazine Lotto. In 2007, her work was published in French under the title Le Fils, making Ren the first Taiwanese comic book creator to be published by Casterman, the renowned French comic book publisher.

The Human Bun © 2020 Ren Zheng-Hua / Locus Publishing Company