Basement

Author: BENJAMIN
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-06-01
Features: Those who abandoned me, your beauty and kindness, the once pure beauty we shared, shall never be forgotten. The name BENJAMIN is well-known among, and this young artist with a rich and legendary career has always dedicated himself to creation regardless of circumstances. His unique and avant-garde art style, combined with the "authenticity" that permeates his works, has won him countless accolades. His manga works, such as "The Flowers of Summer" and "One Day," have become groundbreaking works in Chinese animation and comics. In 2004, "Remember" won the Gold Award at the "Golden Dragon Award for Original Animation and Comic Art" held by the Dongfang International Original Animation and Comic Art Competition, marking a new height in BENJAMIN's comic creation. Unlike most comic artists, BENJAMIN has two brushes—one for drawing, one for writing. Although he modestly claims, "I'm more confident about being a 'family man' than a 'writer,' I'm afraid to boast," his strong artistic sense and literary cultivation give him an advantage that most writers lack. His literary talents have already been showcased through his previous short and medium-length comic exhibitions, and his debut novel, "The Basement," set to be fully released in mid-June, further highlights his literary prowess. In BENJAMIN's words, the theme of "The Basement" is "the gathering and scattering of rock musicians, love and friendship, and the search for a meaningful life." The protagonist breaks free from the constraints of reality, listens to the call of his heart, and moves toward his ideals. The positive significance of the characters sets this novel apart from similar works. "The Basement" shares an unbreakable bond with Guo Jingming. It was completed under Guo Jingming's encouragement and serves as the "heavyweight third installment" of the special edition from the "Island Studio." The first two heavyweight bombs of the special edition were Guo Jingming's "1995-2005 Summer Solstice Until Not Yet" and Luo Luo's "The Years Are Invalid Letters," with sales of 500,000 copies and 200,000 copies, respectively. Whether "The Basement" can achieve even greater success is a matter of attention. BENJAMIN poured his heart into this novel, not only revising and perfecting it multiple times but also personally designing the cover and color pages. The book includes twenty color illustrations he created for the novel, seamlessly blending text and illustrations. "The Basement" tells the story of the rise and fall of an underground rock band in Beijing. The protagonist, Xiao Hang, is a boy from a small town who travels to Beijing in pursuit of the rock spirit, joins Ya Fei's band, witnesses the struggles of the band's survival, and observes bizarre love and life. Xiao Hang becomes harsh and ultimately triggers a conflict that leads to the band's disbandment. After his musical ideals are shattered, he meets his first love, Man Man, and is surprised by her transformation. It turns out that not only has he changed, but everyone has. Disheartened, Xiao Hang returns to his hometown but can no longer adapt to the environment. The drastic changes in his former teammates push him back to Beijing to do the kind of office job he has always despised. At a concert honoring a predecessor's death, he sees Ya Fei, who still clings to his musical ideals, and is inspired to quit his job, flee marriage, and abandon everything. He returns to the basement.