March 5th, 2017
Remembering the Creator of Old Master Q 悼念《老夫子》的作者‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥p. 1 Remembering the Creator of Old Master Q by Theodore Pigott, special correspondent
For many, especially those in Chinese communities around the world, Old Master Q has long been a favorite character. For more than fifty years, Old Master Q has appeared in comics that have showcased the everyday lives of Chinese people. Alongside other characters such as Big Potato, Mr. Chin, and Q’s long-time love interest Miss Chan, Old Master Q has made readers laugh and even think. Therefore, it was with great sadness that the world learned of the passing of the creator of Old Master Q, Alfonso Wong, who died of natural causes at the age of 93 in America. Wong was born in Tianjin, China, and he moved to Hong Kong in 1956. There, he began drawing for a Catholic missionary from France before starting the Old Master Q comic strip in the early 1960s. Wong used the pen name Wong Ze, which was the Chinese name of his eldest son, for the comic strip. Wong would often turn to events in his own life in Hong Kong to find inspiration for the Old Master Q comic strip. He once said, “My life is like a comic strip. I try my best to make Old Master Q, who is myself, do funny things to amuse the readers.” Readers were certainly amused, and the comic strip grew in popularity in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and even in overseas Chinese communities all around the world. After Wong’s passing was announced on January 1st, 2017, many social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, were quickly filled with people’s fond memories of growing up reading the Old Master Q comics strip. In fact, Joseph Wong, the eldest son of Alfonso Wong, has taken over creating the Old Master Q comic strips since 1995. Joseph Wong, who lives in Taiwan, explained one of the reasons for the comic strip’s continuing popularity: “Old Master Q is a comic that portrays everyday life. It depicts the interesting things we experience in everyday life.” As a result of the comic strip’s popularity, several movies and TV shows have been made about Old Master Q. In addition, Old Master Q toys, gifts, and souvenirs have continued to be popular among several generations of shoppers. So, although people around the world are mourning the death of Alfonso Wong, the creator of Old Master Q, this popular character will continue to live on in new comic strips, thanks to the efforts of Wong’s son. ~1~