Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Alfonso Wong, Big Potato, Comics, entertainment, hong kong, Mr. Chin, Old Master Q

Alfonso Wong, Creator Of Old Master Q, Passes Away At 93

Published Tue, 03 Jan 2017 12:35:29 -0600

Old Master Q creator Alfonso Wong passed away on New Year's Day at the age of 93.

He started doing the iconic Hong Kong cartoon in 1962 under the name of his eldest son's Chinese name of Wong Chak. The series focused on the adventures of Old Master Q (also called Lo Fu Zi) and his friends Big Potato and Mr. Chin. The cartoon and characters have become beloved and has lead to multiple film and television adaptations in both Mandarin and Cantonese, a line of toys and figures and even an Old Master Q themed cafe.

Old Master Q is one of the longest running comics in Asia, looking at the changes in Chinese society and current events through his wit and art. It's now considered the collective memory of Chinese-speaking communities around the world.

Wong was born in 1924 in Tianjin and studied Western art in Beijing's Fu Jen Catholic University. He would move to Hong Kong in 1956 after being hired as an illustrator for a publishing company. In 1964, two years after starting the strip, Old Master Q was serialized and quickly became available all over Asia. Wong drew the strip until he retired in 1995 when his son, Joseph Wong (Th original Wong Chak), took over.

An exhibit of Wong's work is currently on display at the Comix Home Base in Wan Chai and runs until January 5th.