Dispatch from Taiwan

A comic about (some of) my favorite foods in Taiwan, an FAQ, and plans for the new year.

Howdy, friend.

I’m just two days back from Taiwan as I’m writing this—jet-lagged out of my mind—and already diving back into work, both the day job and book kind. 2025 is shaping up to be a B-U-S-Y year. I’m focused on finishing my graphic memoir, Hard Body, while juggling a bunch of other projects, including a graphic essay about the Nebraska National Forest and its complicated placement in the surrounding Sandhills region, which is set to be published in New Territory magazine later this year.

Here’s a page I had a blast making (text not included). Yay mammoth bones!

A FAQ I’ve gotten a few times:

Why do you sometimes draw yourself as a rabbit, and other times as human?

In my first-ever newsletter, I discussed my arrival at the Robbit avatar. Long story short: as I started creating more personal graphic stories—especially ones dealing with my body dysmorphia—I found it helpful to develop a non-human avatar to soften my discomfort. Over time, as I’ve made good progress on my mental health, I’ve felt less of a need to rely solely on Robbit. There are moments, like in the above-mentioned graphic essay, where a human version of Rob feels right (including my trademark orange beanie).

In 2025, I plan to keep pushing myself to use a human avatar and grow more comfortable drawing my own likeness.

I’ll return soon to my long-form posts—I have a bunch of fun ideas cooked up I can’t that wait to explore—but for now, as I ease back into my routine, I wanted to share a comic I made about some of my favorite foods to eat in Taiwan. Note: This is not an exhaustive list. Dumplings deserve their own comic, as do all the delicious Taiwanese pastries and teas I indulged in. And while I already loved guavas, I fell back in love with them on this trip. Hard.

Taiwan is one of my favorite places. It’s gorgeous, with a rack of green mountains running through the spine of the country, and a coastline that’ll make you weep. Also, it has, I think, the best food culture in the world (it’s also marvelously cheap). The people are kind, traveling is easy and safe, and there are so many nooks and crannies to explore. If you ever find yourself with the chance to go, I highly recommend it.

Here’s a few photos I took that I’m particularly drawn to, all from Taijiang National Park on the west coast.

Stay safe, stay warm. ♡

– RJR