The adaptation that follows was inspired by a short story (also in this month’s issue), “Davin Chan Moves Out,” by the celebrated Hong Kong novelist and essayist Xi Xi. Chihoi’s version, which was originally published in Chinese in a two-volume collection of graphic adaptations entitled Hijacking (2005), departs in some rather interesting ways from the original story; for example, he makes the central character a comic book artist. In contrast to his usual working practice, Chihoi, who is right-handed, drew this comic with his left hand. The idea came to him after he learned that the now seventy-two-year-old author, who had never learned to type and has always handwritten her stories, lost the use of her writing hand during a recent bout with breast cancer. The serial murders alluded to in Chihoi’s version and graphically described in the original story are based on fact. Only the number of victims and a few details of the killer’s modus operandi were changed.
Translation of “Zuopiezi manhuazhi mao laile.” Copyright Chihoi 2005. By arrangement with the author and Joint Publications. Translation copyright 2011 by Steve Bradbury. All rights reserved.