One of the biggest guests of MoCCA Fest 2025 is the renowned Chinese Australian artist Badiucao. Famous for his political cartoons that were banned in China, he’ll be with writer and journalist Melissa Chan, talking about their highly anticipated graphic novel about totalitarian futures called YOU MUST TAKE PART IN REVOLUTION!
The book is already highly praised by experts and pundits as this year’s must-read graphic novel. Check out this premise to see why:
It’s 2035. The US and China are at war. America is a proto-fascist state. Taiwan is divided into two. As conflict escalates between nuclear powers, three idealistic youths who first met in Hong Kong develop diverging beliefs about how best to navigate this techno-authoritarian landscape. Andy, Maggie, and Olivia travel different paths toward transformative change, each confronting to what extent they will fight for freedom, and who they will become in doing so.
Badiucao will be in a panel with Edel Rodriguez on Saturday 12PM in Space 2, doing a powerful conversation on using comics as a form of dissent from exile, led by renowned comics scholar Paul Gravett.
We spoke with Badiucao and Melissa Chan in this interview, talking about their backstories, upcoming graphic novel, and MoCCA Fest 2025, which you can read below.
CHRISTIAN ANGELES: YOU MUST TAKE PART IN REVOLUTION is going to be one of the most important and controversial graphic novels of this year. It broaches subjects about our technocratic future, authoritarian fascism, and a war between the US and China with Taiwan rifted right in the middle. My first question is this: Are you two time travelers? Is this book a foreshadowed warning of our next four years? Tell us in your own words, what is this book about?
MELISSA CHAN: Ha! Well, as a journalist, I don’t like prognosticating… What I can say is that as someone who reports on international security, including traveling to Taiwan for VICE News, Indo-Pacific tensions is very top-of-mind for me. And I took that part of the story seriously — the scenario that plays out in the plot is actually one based on a real war game conducted by one of the Washington think tanks.
BADIUCAO: I am a time traveler but a loyal observer of history and our time. Murphy’s Law says “anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” And all signs point to a coming chaotic era. It’s been sparkling in front of us — hard to miss. I am afraid that the future is coming sooner than we predicted in the book. The story is meant to be a tribute to activists from Hong Kong, Tibet, East Turkestan, Taiwan, China — and America. It’s about three young people’s choices when it comes to resistance in a doomsday nuclear war between a dictatorial China and a fascist US — with a lot of the action taking place over Taiwan.
ANGELES: I know of Jesse Schedeen from my very brief days of writing at IGN. He called this book The Perfect Graphic Novel’ for 2025. Having not yet read it, but knowing how relevant this subject is, I’m inclined to agree. But do you agree? What’s the story here, the geopolitical landscape of whom it’s about, and why? Also, if you can, tell us about how this book is sort of the wake-up call I think everyone needs to read… as I think it may be.
BADIUCAO: I think it depends on when you will be reading this year. Because reality is catching up. China’s military is circling Taiwan more frequently and aggressively. Trump is openly betraying international democratic norms — he is pretty much Putin’s lapdog. And now it looks like he’s set to visit China very soon. We are facing a global crisis. The outcome is either autocratic empires dividing the world or World War 3.
CHAN: We started working on this book more than four years ago — actually at the end of the last Trump administration and when we knew Biden would be the next president. In the back of my mind, I always figured horror films have sequels, and I guess that’s what we’re living in now.
ANGELES: And then some. Now Melissa, you are probably one of the most prestigious journalists I’ve ever interviewed. Not only were you nominated for an Emmy, but you were also listed as one of the top 25 people of influence for US-China relations in Foreign Policy’s Pacific Power Index. One would say you’re an expert on this matter, but for those who don’t know, can you tell us about what you specialize in in your own words? Can you also share with us how some of what you’ve seen out there has influenced what you’ve written here?
CHAN: Thanks! Those are kind words. Hmm… I guess the best way to describe my reporting work is that I look at the global rise of authoritarianism and the defense of democracies. Sometimes, this is through the scope of human rights; other times, it’s through international security. For example, my most recent trip this past December was in the Baltics, where I spent time with the military, reservists, and traveled along the border near Russia and Belarus. The Europeans there are really worried about Putin going after them next. I reported from Asia for almost a decade, including from Hong Kong and China. And then I’ve also reported from Cuba, Russia — even North Korea. So I guess you can see there’s a pattern here. It wasn’t deliberate. It just kind of happened. And yes, absolutely, I realized I wanted to communicate these issues in a new way, beyond a magazine article or a broadcast report. There is authoritarianism everywhere — including in the US, and citizens need to fight back.
ANGELES: Which is why this book is so important. Alright, Badicao, you’re referred to as China’s Banksy. Is that because you also draw paintings of little girls failing to hold onto red balloons? (kidding)
BADIUCAO: Banksy’s a name that’s a helpful analog to a general audience. People in the West are naïvely lacking knowledge and imagination in terms of the brutality of China. Plus, I never really liked Banksy’s work — a lot of empty love and peace b.s. Never any courage to do anything on China. Political art with no real consequences is just decorative product for consumerism. People buy it for fancy apartments in Manhattan to feel good and then call it peace.
ANGELES: No, but really, why do people call you this? Because you’ve got a hell of a backstory of geopolitical family politics, survivalism, and, strangely, teaching little kids. How’d you become such a prolific artist?
BADIUCAO: I grew up in a regime where even the air is polluted by extreme political repression. As an artist, I am just loyally representing my life and the struggle I see. Nothing more, nothing less. My grandparents were part of the first group of filmmakers in China, and then they got persecuted for their art by the Chinese Communist Party in 1957. My dad became an orphan when he was five years old. I am the third generation, and I’m still hunted down by the same regime for my art expression. This vicious circle will never end if people are just silent. Art is one of the sharpest and influential ways to make a punch — a “kapow” — on a social issue.
ANGELES: That’s a powerful backstory. Now, it’s said you remained anonymous for years until recently. All due to political dissent and fear for your family’s well-being. If I’m gonna be honest, that’s brave as fuck what you do. Your street art is great, but what’s it been like doing sequential art for this graphic novel for the first time?
BADIUCAO: One frame art is a quick response I can throw up on social media and easy to get trending. But there are limitations to it. Sequential art is different. It takes time to create for artists and it takes time to digest for audiences and readers. It’s a form of art that weaves time as material into frames for storytelling. Plus it’s a form that has a lot of similarities to filmmaking — almost like storyboarding — which makes me feel closer to my grandparents.
ANGELES: Taking it back to its roots, I dig it. Alright, but we should talk about MoCCA. What’s your favorite thing about this festival and is there anything you’re looking forward to?
BADIUCAO: I look forward to hanging out with fellow artists!
CHAN: I’ve got so many books I want to get signed!
ANGELES: Nice. And finally, why do you think indie comics are so important right now?
BADIUCAO: The more power accumulates to those at the top, the more likely censorship will build and corrupt free expression. It applies to politics — but it also applies to publishing, as well. More indie comics means a more decentralized ecosystem, less content control and more space for different values. It’s simply the foundation for any art medium’s success and a blessing to readers, as well.
Badiucao and Melissa Chan’s YOU MUST TAKE PART IN REVOLUTION will be available at the Street Noise Books booth at Table 156. If you’d like to attend New York’s MoCCA Fest 2025 click here.
For more of our coverage of MoCCA 2025 click here.
