Alfonso Wong

Template:Infobox comics creator Template:Chinese Alfonso Wong Kar-Hei (Template:Zh; 27 May 1923 – 1 January 2017), also known by his pen name Wong Chak, was a Hong Kong manhua artist who created one of the longest-running comic strips, Old Master Q, that became popular across Asia.

Biography

Wong was born in Tianjin, Republic of China.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He studied Western art at Fu Jen Catholic University, which was based in Beijing at the time, and graduated by 1944. In 1956, he moved to British Hong Kong.<ref name="bbc">Template:Cite web</ref> He created drawings for a French Catholic missionary<ref name=":0" /> and also became the art editor for a Hong Kong Catholic magazine, Lok Fung Pao (Template:Zh).<ref name="Wendy">Wong, Wendy Siuyi. [2002] (2001) Hong Kong Comics: A History of Manhua. Princeton Architectural Press, New York. Template:ISBN</ref>

Wong became well known in 1962 when he made the manhua Old Master Q.<ref name="bbc" /> The comic was one of the most influential pieces of work in Hong Kong under British rule before it was transferred back to China, and was popular across Asia.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref> It voiced the opinions of the citizens in an exaggerated and humorous sense at a time when comics avoided controversial political issues. Wong's comic broached subjects including integration with mainlanders to the education gap. The comic became known for maintaining popularity for more than 40 years against endless competition with other Hong Kong manhua and Japanese manga. He later emigrated to the United States and retired by the mid-1990s, leaving his son in charge of the series. Old Master Q has been widely adapted into films, Chinese animation, and other works of fiction.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In an exhibition showcasing Wong, the Hong Kong Arts Centre called his work, "a collective memory of Chinese-speaking communities around the world."<ref name=":0" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Original pieces of Wong's work have been exhibited by both Sotheby's and Christie's auction houses.<ref name=":0" />

Personal life

Wong was ambidextrous<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and particularly enjoyed drawing fish.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His father was general Wang Chengbin.Template:Citation needed

Wong had three sons with his wife. He used his eldest son's name Wong Chak (Template:Zh) as a pen name and relinquished the comic to him in 1995.

Wong died of organ failure on 1 January 2017, at the age of 93.<ref name=":0" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

External links

• Official Old Master Q Website Background of Alfonso Wong
• The Life of Wong Chak (Chinese)
• Lambiek Comiclopedia entry