I have some answers. First of all American comic books are defined as comic books from the United States of America. This means not anime, manga or whatever! If you can’t find Japanese comic books in Asia then you have more serious problems than where to find American comic books. Asia on the whole prefers Japanese comic books to American comic books by a factor of ten at least. British stuff, especially 2000 AD stuff is found in the same places as American comic books which is why I initially titled this post where you can find Western comic books but I mean Western as in culture not as in cowboys and the latter meaning was misleading.
First of all there is a Japanese chain called Kinokuniya that is all over Asia. The chain sucks when it comes to Western comic books in Japan but is pretty good about having Western comic books in their stores outside of Japan.
Below is a list of Kinokuniya stores in Asia:
Singapore
Ngee Ann City, Orchard
Bugis Junction, Bugis
Liang Court, Chinatown
Indonesia
Sogo Plaza Senayan, Jakarta
Debenhams Plaza Indonesia, Jakarta
Sogo Pondok Indah Mall, Jakarta
Seibu Grand Indonesia, Jakarta Malaysia
Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur
Thailand
CentralWorld, Bangkok
Siam Paragon, Bangkok – The best source of Western comic books outside of the Philippines!
Emporium, Bangkok
Australia
I mention the store but of course Australia is basically a Western country that happens to be in Asia and Western comic books are everywhere.
Sydney The Galeries Victoria, New South Wales
Taiwan
Dayeh Takashimaya, Taipei
Breeze Center, Taipei
Kuang San Sogo, Taichung
Talee Isetan, Kaoshiung
United Arab Emirates
Dubai, Dubai Mall
Page One is a Singaporean chain of bookstores that is also all over Asia and also has a pretty good selection of Western comic books.
Page One locations are listed below:
Singapore
Vivocity
Malaysia
Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur
Hong Kong
Festival Walk, Kowloon Tong (with cafe)
Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui
Times Square, Causeway Bay (formerly known as Page One Twins)
Taiwan
SOGO Fuxing, Taipei
Taipei 101, Taipei
The best country in Asia for Western comic books, besides Australia, is the Philippines. All the major chains have a section devoted to Western comic books and there are out and out dedicated comic book stores in most of the big malls in Manila.
has the largest collection of Chinese art in the world.
The museum now lists 620,250 pieces. In comparison, the Louvre has 35,000 works of art. This is an apples and oranges comparison to some extent since the Louvre has pieces of unmatched quality. The Louvre also focuses on paintings while most of the pieces in the National Palace Museum are not paintings. Still the National Palace Museum does have 50,000 paintings! Sadly only a small part of the National Palace Museum is on display at any given time due to a lack of space. I have visited both the Louvre and the National Palace Museum and I would say it takes about 3-4 days to check out the Louvre while the National Palace Museum takes half a day to see such is the extreme disparity in facilities between the two museums. The lack of space for the collection of the National Palace Museum is a scandal since Taiwan does not have a top 100 tourist attraction and could with more space have one of the top museums in the world and a top 100 tourist attraction. A vastly expanded National Palace Museum would be a special draw for mainland Chinese tourists.
Mainland China has the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City and once the two collections were part of single collection. The collection was split after the Chinese Civil War. Is there any way to reunite these two incredible collections that are symbols of the common Chinese culture that Taiwan and Mainland China share?
I propose the both collections could be united in a Virtual Chinese Reunification Palace. Most of the collections of both museums exist in photographic digital form already. What if these pieces were displayed in a 3D environment the user could “walk through” online? In addition tools could be added that would users to make their own version of a Virtual Chinese Reunification Palace and this could be an assignment that school children on both sides could work on together.
This project would aid the cause of peaceful reunifcation between mainland China and Taiwan.
An article about this topic that appeared in the International Herald Tribune shortly after I published this post at:
The following study is an attempt to objectively explore the truism:
“Nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there”
The operational version of this truism would be that tourist cities and livable cities are different cities. The truism has been named the Visit/Live Theory for the purposes of this study. Two lists that rank cities were compared. The first list ranks cities according the number of tourists that arrived in a city.
The list and a description of the list can be found at:
The second list ranks cities according to livability. Mercer Human Resources looked at 39 quality of life issues including political stability, currency-exchange regulations, political and media censorship, school quality, housing and the environment.
The Mercer list and a description of the list can be found at:
Table 1 shows all the cities on both lists in alphabetical order. In addition, the difference in rank was calculated for each city when this was possible. If a city was on only one top 100 list then the difference in rank could not be calculated. The tourist destination study looked at 150 cities, but for the purposes of comparison, only the top 100 tourist destinations were used in this study. Many cities were only on one list and not on the other list. The number of cities on both lists was counted. The number of cities only on one list was also counted. If the number of cities on both lists was greater than the number of cities not on both lists then this would suggest the truism is not true.
Top 100 Cities: Tourist Destination vs. Livability Rank
Table 1: Alphabetical List of All Cities
Cities
Country
Tourist Rank
Livability Rank
Rank Difference
1
Abu Dhabi
UAE
52
88
36
2
Adelaide
Australia
NR
30
N/A
3
Agra
India
99
NR
N/A
4
Amsterdam
Netherlands
18
13
5
5
Antwerp
Netherlands
90
NR
99
6
Athens
Greece
NR
78
N/A
7
Atlanta
USA
NR
66
N/A
8
Auckland
New Zealand
NR
5
N/A
9
Bahrain
Bahrain
12
NR
18
10
Bangkok
Thailand
2
NR
90
11
Barcelona
Spain
10
41
12
12
Beijing
China
22
NR
N/A
13
Benidorm
Spain
33
NR
N/A
14
Berlin
Germany
34
16
18
15
Bern
Germany
NR
9
N/A
16
Birmingham
United Kingdom
81
55
26
17
Boston
USA
68
36
32
18
Bratislava
Slovakia
NR
99
N/A
19
Brisbane
Australia
NR
32
N/A
20
Bruges
Belgium
89
NR
N/A
21
Brussels
Belgium
NR
14
N/A
22
Buenos Aires
Argentina
NR
79
N/A
23
Budapest
Hungary
36
74
38
24
Cairo
Egypt
45
NR
N/A
25
Calgary
Canada
NR
24
N/A
26
Cancun
Mexico
26
NR
N/A
27
Cape Town
South Africa
57
85
28
28
Chennai
India
97
NR
N/A
29
Chicago
USA
64
44
20
30
Chongquing
China
100
NR
N/A
31
Cleveland
USA
NR
59
N/A
32
Copenhagen
Sweden
54
11
43
33
Dalian
China
87
NR
N/A
34
Detroit
USA
NR
64
N/A
35
Dubai
UAE
7
80
73
36
Dublin
Ireland
11
27
16
37
Dusseldorf
Germany
NR
5
N/A
38
Edinburgh
United Kingdom
56
NR
N/A
39
Florence
Italy
46
NR
N/A
40
Frankfurt
Germany
NR
7
N/A
41
Geneva
Switzerland
98
2
96
42
Glasgow
United Kingdom
82
55
27
43
Granada
Spain
95
NR
N/A
44
Guangzhou
China
32
NR
N/A
45
Guilin
China
65
NR
N/A
46
Hamburg
Germany
83
24
59
47
Hangzhou
China
49
NR
N/A
48
Helsinki
Finland
77
30
47
49
Hong Kong
China
5
70
65
50
Honolulu
USA
NR
27
N/A
51
Houston
USA
NR
68
N/A
52
Istanbul
Turkey
16
NR
N/A
53
Johannesburg
South Africa
NR
90
N/A
54
Katsuyama
Japan
NR
73
N/A
55
Kobe
Japan
NR
40
N/A
56
Krakow
Poland
69
NR
N/A
57
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
15
75
60
58
Kunming
China
94
NR
N/A
59
La Havana
Cuba
70
NR
N/A
60
Las Vegas
USA
48
NR
N/A
61
Leipzig
Germany
NR
67
N/A
62
Lexington
USA
NR
51
N/A
63
Limassol
Cyprus
NR
NR
N/A
64
Lisbon
Portugal
47
47
0
65
Liverpool
United Kingdom
91
NR
N/A
66
Ljubljana
Slovenia
NR
80
N/A
67
London
United Kingdom
1
39
38
68
Los Angeles
USA
31
55
24
69
Luxembourg
Luxembourg
NR
18
N/A
70
Lyon
France
84
36
48
71
Macau
China
27
NR
N/A
72
Madrid
Spain
17
42
25
73
Manchester
United Kingdom
73
NR
N/A
74
Marrakesh
Morocco
50
NR
N/A
75
Mecca
Saudi Arabia
19
NR
N/A
76
Melbourne
Australia
72
17
55
77
Mexico City
Mexico
30
NR
N/A
78
Miami
USA
39
62
23
79
Milan
Italy
42
49
7
80
Minneapolis
USA
NR
60
N/A
81
Monterrey
Mexico
NR
94
N/A
82
Montevideo
Uruguay
NR
76
N/A
83
Montreal
Canada
85
22
63
84
Moscow
Russia
21
NR
N/A
85
Mumbai
India
86
NR
N/A
86
Munich
Germany
40
8
32
87
Nagoya
Japan
NR
54
N/A
88
Nanjing
China
76
NR
N/A
89
New Delhi
India
92
NR
N/A
90
New York City
USA
6
48
42
91
Nice
France
61
NR
N/A
92
Nurnberg
Germany
NR
23
N/A
93
Oahu/Honolulu
USA
44
27
17
94
Omuta
Japan
NR
69
N/A
95
Orlando
USA
38
NR
N/A
96
Osaka
Japan
NR
42
N/A
97
Oslo
Norway
NR
26
N/A
98
Ottawa
Canada
NR
18
N/A
99
Panama City
Panama
NR
92
N/A
100
Papeete
French Polynesia
NR
97
N/A
101
Paris
France
3
33
30
102
Perth
Australia
NR
21
N/A
103
Pittsburg
USA
NR
52
N/A
104
Portland
USA
NR
46
N/A
105
Port Elizabeth
South Africa
NR
97
N/A
106
Port Louis
Mauritius
NR
77
N/A
107
Prague
Czech Republic
20
72
52
108
Qingdao
China
79
NR
N/A
109
Riga
Latvia
NR
92
N/A
110
Rio De Janeiro
Brazil
35
NR
N/A
111
Rome
Italy
8
61
53
113
St. Louis
USA
NR
64
N/A
114
San Juan
Puerto Rico
NR
71
N/A
115
Salvador de Bahia
Brazil
71
NR
N/A
116
Salzburg
Austria
74
NR
N/A
117
San Diego
USA
88
NR
N/A
118
San Francisco
USA
37
29
8
119
Santiago
Chile
NR
83
N/A
120
São Paulo
Brazil
62
NR
N/A
121
Seattle
USA
NR
49
N/A
122
Seoul
South Korea
9
87
78
123
Seville
Spain
60
NR
N/A
124
Shanghai
China
13
100
87
125
Shenzen
China
41
NR
N/A
126
Singapore
Singapore
4
34
N/A
127
St. Petersburg
Russia
25
NR
N/A
128
Stockholm
Sweden
66
20
46
129
Suzhou
China
59
NR
N/A
130
Sydney
Australia
43
9
34
131
Taipei
China
24
81
57
132
Tallinn
Estonia
67
89
22
133
Tianjin
China
75
NR
N/A
134
Tokyo
Japan
51
35
16
135
Toronto
Canada
14
15
1
136
Tsukuba
Japan
NR
55
N/A
137
Tunis
Italy
NR
95
N/A
138
Valencia
Spain
93
NR
N/A
139
Vancouver
Canada
NR
3
N/A
140
Varadero
Cuba
53
NR
N/A
141
Venice
Italy
28
NR
N/A
142
Victoria
Seychelles
NR
95
N/A
143
Vienna
Austria
23
3
20
144
Vilnius
Lithuania
NR
82
N/A
145
Warsaw
Poland
29
85
56
146
Washington DC
USA
63
44
19
147
Wellington
New Zealand
NR
12
N/A
148
Winston Salem
USA
NR
52
N/A
149
Wuxi
China
96
NR
N/A
150
Xi’an
China
78
NR
N/A
151
Xiamen
China
80
NR
N/A
152
Yokkaichi
Japan
NR
63
N/A
153
Yokohama
Japan
NR
38
N/A
154
Zhuhai
China
58
NR
N/A
155
Zurich
Switzerland
55
1
54
NR, no rank, no top 100 rank in this category
N/A, not applicable since the city was on only one of the lists
Table 2 below shows cities that were on both lists ordered from the least difference between ranks to the greatest difference between ranks.
Top 100 Cities: Tourist Destination vs. Livability Rank
Table 2: Comparison of Ranks
Cities
Country
Tourist Rank
Livability Rank
Rank Difference
1
Lisbon
Portugal
47
47
0
2
Toronto
Canada
14
15
1
3
Amsterdam
Netherlands
18
13
5
4
Milan
Italy
42
49
7
5
San Francisco
USA
37
29
8
6
Dublin
Ireland
11
27
16
7
Tokyo
Japan
51
35
16
8
Oahu/Honolulu
USA
44
27
17
9
Berlin
Germany
34
16
18
10
Washington DC
USA
63
44
19
11
Chicago
USA
64
44
20
12
Vienna
Austria
23
3
20
13
Tallinn
Estonia
67
89
22
14
Miami
USA
39
62
23
15
Los Angeles
USA
31
55
24
16
Birmingham
United Kingdom
81
55
26
17
Glasgow
United Kingdom
82
55
27
18
Cape Town
South Africa
57
85
28
19
Paris
France
3
33
30
20
Boston
USA
68
36
32
21
Munich
Germany
40
8
32
22
Sydney
Australia
43
9
34
23
Abu Dhabi
UAE
52
88
36
24
Budapest
Hungary
36
74
38
25
London
United Kingdom
1
39
38
26
New York City
USA
6
48
42
27
Copenhagen
Sweden
54
11
43
28
Stockholm
Sweden
66
20
46
29
Helsinki
Finland
77
30
47
30
Lyon
France
84
36
48
31
Prague
Czech Republic
20
72
52
32
Rome
Italy
8
61
53
33
Melbourne
Australia
72
17
55
34
Warsaw
Poland
29
85
56
35
Taipei
China
24
81
57
36
Hamburg
Germany
83
24
59
37
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
15
75
60
38
Montreal
Canada
85
22
63
39
Hong Kong
China
5
70
65
40
Dubai
UAE
7
80
73
41
Seoul
South Korea
9
87
78
42
Shanghai
China
13
100
87
43
Geneva
Switzerland
98
2
96
Conclusion
There were a total of 155 cities on either list. 112 cities were only on one list. Only 43 cities were on both lists. Cities that are only on one list outnumber cities on both lists 2.6:1. Even for cities on both lists, the mean difference between ranks was 37.6 and quite high. These findings suggest that cities that are visited are not the same cities that are more livable. The truism that some cities are nice places to visit and different cities are nice places to live in is correct. Table 2 showed which cities had the least difference between ranks and the greatest difference between ranks.
The city with the least difference in rank was Lisbon. Lisbon had a rank of 47 on both lists. Toronto had the second least difference in rank and has the honor of having a relatively high visitor rank (14) and livability rank (15). Amsterdam showed a similar pattern to Toronto with a visitor rank of 18 and a livability rank of 13.
Geneva had the greatest difference in rank. Geneva is a great place to live (2) but doesn’t get very many tourists (98) relative to other cities. Shanghai had the second greatest difference in rank but in the opposite direction as Geneva. Shanghai is a city that many tourists visit (13) but only ranks 100 in terms of livability. A practical implication for expats is to be wary of deciding to live in cities you like to visit without taking the Visit/Live Theory into account.