Frames of Memory: The Cinematic Past in a Taiwanese Graphic Novel

The nostalgic recollection of the past is central to contemporary cultural production, yet its intersection within Sinophone comics remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap by examining how recent graphic novels from Taiwan engage with the island’s cinematic past and focuses on their role in preserving the country’s collective memory and constructing national identity. By conducting an analysis of Back Street Dusk (Xiaoshi de Houjie Guangying, 2018) by Jason Chien (Jian Jiacheng, 1978–), through the lens of nostalgia studies, I contend that this graphic novel intertwines a nostalgic gaze on the island’s cinema, particularly the Hokkien film industry (1950s–1970s), with Taiwan’s cultural and political history. By perusing how Chien’s work contextualizes and voices the challenges faced by this industry under Chiang Kai-shek’s nationalist rule, this research highlights the role of graphic novels as both archives and tools for identity formation, while positioning their authors as not merely artists, but also keepers of cultural memory.