It’s all too easy to romanticise the idea of pursuing personal interests professionally, casting aside the security of academia and career, but real life doesn’t always pan out as intended. For many, turning a passion into a career remains a pipe dream, due in part to societal pressure, fear of burnout, concerns over financial and job security, and more, leaving room for only work or play, but not both.
Such is the case for 31-year-old homegrown illustrator Kang Jing (KJ), who studied Chemistry in university and was on a steady path to textbook and career success, though deep down, he always knew that drawing comics was his calling, having dabbled in art from a young age.
“Even before I fully understood what it meant to ‘make comics’, I was folding paper into little booklets, sketching characters and scenes simply because I loved the process. Back then, it was a personal joy, something I did out of passion, never imagining it could one day become a real path,” he shares in an interview with Geek Culture.
And in a country where Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics – or STEM for short – education and initiatives are given greater emphasis, balancing both can be taxing. Yet, that’s what the training manager by day and comic book artist by night has been juggling for the last few years, supported by his wife and parents, albeit with caveats.
“My parents have always been supportive of my passion for art, but they were also realistic and practical about the challenges of turning it into a full-time career, especially back in the days before social media, when creative opportunities were much harder to come by,” he reveals.
Fuelled by the love for his craft, the anime and comic book fan, who counts Marvel Comics’ Fantastic Four as the book of choice, has slowly made his presence known within the industry, by bringing his own comic book projects to life, starting his local art studio Chiral Comics, which specialises in comic book publishing and visual storytelling, and placing Singapore on the map with collaborations on an international scale.
The illustrator made his American cover art debut with BOOM! Studios’ Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #122, created as an exclusive for Singapore Comic-Con (SGCC) in 2024, and soon followed up with additional covers for the comic book follow-up to the iconic Saturday morning TV series. Since 2024, he has also been drawing for collectible and trading card company Topps, making his debut with the Star Wars Chrome series, and is now credited with over 400 officially licensed sketch cards, gaining fans and recognition for his distinctive pencils. More recently, KJ also joined the Marvel Comics universe by providing his work towards licensed sketch cards for Topps’ Marvel card sets.
But it’s the latest addition that holds special significance, when Archie Comics invited him to illustrate a special cover art for Archie Comics, in celebration of the nation’s 60th birthday, known colloquially as SG60. Featuring updated designs for the Archie gang of Archie Andrews, Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge and Reggie Mantle with a special appearance of the durian fruit, a “I Love SG” t-shirt, and a Singapore football jersey, it shows the quartet taking a wefie against the backdrop of the Supertrees at Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay. This marks the first time in the franchise’s 84-year legacy that Singapore has taken centre stage on the cover of an Archie comic book.
Not surprisingly, the special issue, limited to only 300 copies worldwide, proved to be a hit as it was completely snapped up after pre-orders went live on 19 July, demonstrating a shared enthusiasm for representation on the global stage.
“I’ve always been a huge fan of localising franchises, because it creates a much deeper connection, like they are a part of your world,” explains the comic artist, who admits to being “blown away by the incredible support from fellow Singaporeans,” and that it means a lot to him.
“This year, with the SG60 theme, I wanted to continue that spirit by creating something that highlights a familiar and iconic part of Singapore, something that locals can instantly recognise and that fans overseas can also connect with.”
Working on the cover variant for Betty & Veronica, Summer in the Sun #1 served as a natural progression for KJ, following his first localisation stint with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers comic publisher BOOM! Studio, where he brought attention to the Marina Bay Sands skyline. While a small addition on his part, the cover prompted readers to reach out and express their excitement at the unexpected inclusion of Singapore, and has since grown into one of his most memorable experiences, reminding him to “tell stories that connect with people and reflect the places and communities I care about.”
It’s been quite the journey for the self-taught professional, who still cringes when he looks back at some of his early artworks. Citing manga and anime as impetus that have shaped his love for visual storytelling, KJ highlights how the medium is rooted in the “sheer range of possibilities [where] imagination is the only limit”, allowing for “creative freedom through its pages and panels”. As a result, it’s possible to tell compelling stories about virtually any subject matter, name-dropping Captain Tsubasa, which centres on football; Hikaru no Go, focusing on Go, a strategy board game that shares similarities with chess; and Hitman Reborn!, following a mafia narrative.
On the Western comics front, the human element endeared him to Marvel’s First Family, The Fantastic Four. “It wasn’t just another group of superheroes thrown together; it was a family, sometimes dysfunctional, but always grounded and emotionally real,” he shares.
The superhero influence has left its mark on KJ’s life in another way, finding inspiration in noted comics illustrator Todd McFarlane, best known for his work as an artist on The Amazing Spider-Man and as the creator, writer, and artist of comic series Spawn. While admiration for the latter’s artistry is a given, it also extends to his business acumen and persistence, with the homebred illustrator highlighting the example of how McFarlane was rejected over 350 times before someone finally gave him a shot – the embodiment of the saying, “everything is hard before it is easy.”
“It’s a reminder that rejection is part of the process, and if you keep showing up and doing the work, your moment will come,” adds the Chiral Comics founder.
For KJ, the dedication paid off when Topps reached out to him for their Star Wars sketch card project, which saw a new set of challenges. The first was a 2.5-by-3.5-inch canvas that limited working space, while the second involved finding the balance between a unique card design – since the same characters are drawn multiple times across a set – and staying true to who they are. Describing his fifth set, titled Star Wars: Hyperspace, as a standout, he had to conduct a fair amount of research to ensure that the characters tied to planet-specific cards like Bespin, Hoth, and Kashyyyk were accurately presented.
And that’s the added pressure of playing in someone else’s playground, because while working with an established IP doubles down on discipline, meeting deadlines, and maintaining a high standard of quality, there are even more factors to consider if other creative talents are involved:
“Every member brings their own experiences, perspectives, and creative input, so one of the most important things is to respect each other’s expertise and maintain open, clear communication throughout. The challenge is about finding a balance, aligning your vision while being flexible enough to adapt and compromise when needed.”
Perhaps that’s the reason why KJ likes working on his own as well, as going solo is where he can pay homage to his roots. Both of his original graphic novels, ZHAO and The World My Arena, are infused with elements of his Singaporean and, by extension, Asian upbringing, with the latter modelled after familiar themes and his experiences with martial arts classes that made the creative process “more intuitive and grounded”.
Meanwhile, ZHAO holds a special place in his heart, representing a dream come true for a wuxia (a genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists in ancient China) fan – not only was the name inspired by Jin Yong’s classic novel, The Legend of the Condor Heroes, but it’s also KJ’s surname.
Between original projects and established IPs, the comic artist acknowledges that the latter is “slightly easier” as the existing groundwork means iconic character designs, backstories, and visual references are readily available for guidance. The main job here is to reinterpret or stylise within a familiar framework, so creative direction is less daunting.
In contrast, creating memorable original characters and stories is an extremely challenging task that requires building everything from scratch and crafting personalities that readers will care about and connect with. The creative process for ZHAO, for example, involved weeks of research on its Yuan Dynasty setting and historical references to clothing, architecture, and cultural details, followed by back-and-forth idea development with his editor and co-writer in the scripting phase.
Then, the story was broken down into thumbnails – page and panel layouts that map out the entire flow scene by scene – before the actual drawing can begin. Lettering, page assembly, and formatting capped off the workflow, offering a glimpse of the hard work that goes behind the scenes, excluding tasks like handling social media, responding to emails, working closely with collaborators, and more.
As the local art scene continues to grow through conventions such as SGCC and Anime Festival Asia, as well as smaller, community-based art markets, the advent, or threat, depending on who you ask, of artificial intelligence (AI) looms. Despite acknowledging that AI-generated art is here to stay, KJ puts his trust in the community to stand firm against it, expressing his appreciation for those who do so.
After all, there’s more value to art than just how it looks. Building on a quote from fellow illustrator Stanley ‘Artgerm’ Lau, “When people buy my work, they don’t just buy the image. They buy my legacy, my experience in life. They’re purchasing a piece of my life – that’s what gives it value”, he surmises succinctly:
“That, to me, perfectly captures what we as artists bring to the table. It’s not just about producing an image; it’s about sharing a piece of who we are, and that’s something no machine can replicate.”
Kang Jing’s work can be found at @chiralcomics across social platforms.
Kang Jing is just one of the six local talents engaged by international companies. You can read our main story here, as our Little Red Dot celebrates not just 60 years of nation-building, but also the up-and-coming creators who are taking their work from our shores and on to the global stage. You can also read about comic artist Elvin Ching and digital visualisation artist Dave Oh (Lioncolony).
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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