China's National Museum is playing host to an exhibition on the development of China's animation and cartoon industry, and comic books are a major feature. But now the industry is looking for ways to enhance the popularity of home grown comics.

China's National Museum is playing host to an exhibition on the development of China's animation and cartoon industry, and comic books are a major feature.

You can find nearly any Chinese comic book here, and they certainly have their fans.

But, most people aren't in the habit of buying or reading them.

So far, there are more than fifty kinds of comics that are available in China, but most of them are aimed at readers aged from three to eighteen years old. About 300 million readers aged 20 to 35 are being neglected.

It's become the trend in the international comic book industry to divide readers into different groups and publish comics that directly cater to each demographic. Many Chinese industry insiders believe this is the best way to enhance the popularity of Chinese comics.

Sun Lijun, headmaster of Cartoon Institute of BJ Film College, said, "The Japanese animation and cartoon industry is dividing their readers into preschool kids, students of primary school, high school, university, and adult."

Right now, the Chinese comic industry has begun analysing and dividing the market, and paying more attention to adult readers. This is a move many believe will be essential if the industry is to survive and develop.