本書為《刺客列傳》英文版。
此書曾榮獲國立編譯館七十五年優良漫畫第一名。雖然已經相隔二十多年,這部作品還是讓人讚嘆不已。全書是根據漢代史學家司馬遷的《史記》中刺客列傳編寫的。書中收集了春秋戰國著名人物曹沐、豫讓、專諸、聶政和荊軻五位刺客的歷史事蹟。以八開彩色精印。鄭問運用傳統的國畫工具毛筆,在宣紙上一幅一幅地勾勒、上色,用宣紙畫彩墨連環畫,這需要相當的功力,用國畫技巧來畫漫畫,這也只有鄭問做得到。書中大小五百餘幅彩繪,畫面繁瑣創作難度極大。必須一氣呵成,若任何一幅發生差錯,便前功盡棄。本書有不少臉部特寫,重點刻劃眼神、眉宇、口部及面部等七情的瞬間變幻。塑造了五位刺客在不同場合、不同環境氣氛、不同心態的千變萬幻的情感、他們那種誓死如歸、機智勇敢、忠貞不屈的性格特徵,扣人心弦,令人讚歎。
鄭問謙虛地說是刺客的故事感動他,他才畫得出來,今天看來也是鄭問的畫感動了我們,於是徵得作者同意,復刻版《刺客列傳》得以重現江湖。
This book won the award for the best comic from the National Institute for Translation in 1986. Although more than 20 years have passed since then, there is still a great appreciation for this book. This book is based on the Chronicles of the Historian from the Han dynasty scholar Sima Qian. It includes the legends of the five assassins: Chaomu, Yurang, Juanju, Niezheng and Jingke, during the Spring and Autum Period. The comic is beautifully printed in full color. Chen Uen used traditional Chinese brushes, and he drew each page as one on special hand-made calligraphy paper. It really took a lot of skill to paint one panel after another on this kind of calligraphy paper. Only Chen Uen has the ability to use calligraphy skills to paint comics. There are 500 colorful paintings, from small to large, with exact and difficult-to-achieve details. He has to draw each page quickly, with skill in determination. If he makes a single mistake, the whole page is lost. There are a lot of special details in the facial expressions; his point is to try to express their fleeting emotions through their eyes, their brow and mouth. He gives lively personal characteristics through painting the five assassins in different circumstances, atmospheres, mindsets, emotions, and how they dedicated themselves to lethal missions with their cunning, bravery and nobility. It's quite captivating.
Chen Uen is really modest to say that he drew the legends of assassins because he was moved by these stories. We were so touched by his depiction, that we asked his agreement to republish them and share them with everybody.