Hong Kong Comics

 

 

Old Master Q (老夫子) is the collective memory of Hong Kongers, ranging from the children to the eldery. It was particularly popular in the 60s-80s in Hong Kong. I think only foreigners may not very familiar with this because it's a unique culture from Hong Kong. Old Master Q is created by Alfonso Wong. Its first cartoon appeared in the newspapers and magazines in 1962, and later serialized in 1964. It is still in publication today. 

 

Portrait of Mr. Alfonso Wong

 

The series features the now well-known characters such as Old Master Q and Big Potato, as well as Mr Chin, Mr Chiu and Miss Chan, in many different hilarious situations. Old Master Q lives his life in a very unorthodox manner—often stumbles himself and his friends in and out of trouble. Playful and childlike in nature, Old Master Q and his “cool gang”, particularly the chubby darling Big Potato, handle the everyday life problems and annoyance with sunny outlook in sometimes shockingly hilarious manners. 

                                                                                                                     

Main Characters:

 

                  

OLD MASTER Q

The leading character of the self-entilted comic series, likes to dress as a traditional but behaves as a kid with unbounded curiosity for life.

Age: Secret ( younger than he looks..)

Costume: 17.26% traditional chinese, the rest comic "ought couture"

Sign: Sagittarius

Personality: Ecpert of knowing everything about nothing, playful, optimistic (oftern overly) and romantic

Skills: Kung Fu (semi), cooking, multi-style x-sports (ffree, cheap and no style)

Girlfriend: Ms Linda Chan

                                                         

BIG POTATO

The leading side-kick of Old Master Q, loves to eat and has over confidence in everything he wishes to do. Unfortunately, results often contradict his expectations.

Height: 1.27 meter

Weight: Secret, but going up...

Sign: Libra

Personality: High (and often unrealistic) level of self-confidence, fun-loving

Skills: Eating, lots and lots

Dislike: Doing sit-up

 

                                       

MR. CHIN

Mr. Chin, another side-kick of Pld Master Q, is the best looking on in the gang and possesses a bright outlook for all things.

 

While Old Master Q comics primarily focuses on humor, it also reflects changing social trends, particularly from the 1960s to the 1980s. The comics would sometimes feature societal problems in urban life, such as poverty, petty thefts and secret societies. It also poked fun at fashion, contempoary arts  and rock music. The comic strips sometimes also bemoan the decline of ethical or moral values in modern day living. One can spot characters displaying acts of selfishness or misery, although the comics occasionally display good values like filial piety.

 

There is even English version translated by the public!

 

I used to do the same with the one in the article below. Did you?

 

                            

This is such an excellent activity to do during the waiting time for yum cha in Chinese Restaurant! Do u agree?

 

The above is the theme song of the cartoon of Old Master Q from TVB. Did you watch this before when you're young?

 

However, it seems that the own production of HK comics gradually decline now. Most of the people like watching Japanese comics or American Heros. The comics industry in HK is not as popular as before. Some of the opinions are extracted below.

1. "香港漫畫發展的兩大障礙 撰文：hsbchk

 

 本土創作者缺乏國際視野的基礎

我所指出的國際視野並非單單指「對國際大事的觸覺」或是「對外國文化的深入了解」，而是在以上兩個要點達到前的基礎：對自己國家和地區的文化認同和認知。香港人一直強調自己如何注重國際交流、如何兩文三語等。但實際上，他們連自己本地都還沒有確實的認識。普遍香港的學生對香港自身的歷史背景和文化都不去認識，就只會一味套用外來文化而不去選擇「明白、了解」該種文化，並以此為榮。對自身所知及本土文化毫無了解之時，本土發展出來的文化不會發達。殖民教育百多年下的成功產品，不會有自發性去了解自身真正的文化、真正的根。

 

 

對自己的文化毫無認識而欲將兩種不同地域的文化融會貫通，即使那兩種文化有再多的共通點，也是不會成功的。創作，在許多範圍內，是要基於一個基準，再為這些基準加上自己的變數，才能成為一個「獨有的創作」。但是，在對那個基準沒有充分的認識的同時，創作也就當然地不能獨特吧。
在這裡，可能會有許多人說：「只要我不依照自身的文化為基礎就行了。」或是「我不是在中國長大，所以我的基礎文化並不是中國文化/我不是中國人，所以我不用去了解中國文化。」(97年前普遍學生的答案)。但是，他們可能忘記了他們所受的教化，無論是家庭教育，還是學校教育，只要是中國人所出，所包含的必然有中國文化的精神，那怕是一點點也好。
君不見大部分日本ACG作品的根本，都是以日本文化(現代/古代)為本，內容細節裡處處透露了日本人的特質。(就是說大部分時候文本的主要觀點都是以日本人的角度去體驗事件)姑勿論其文化本質為「抄襲者」還是其它，也證明了其創作是以一個自己最為熟識、每天都接觸的自身的文化為根基作出深化的發展。所以要作出一些良好的創作(在ACG方面就是劇本一類的文本和設定等)，就必先要對自己的本根和對像物有深度的認知，才能對其作出細膩的刻劃，製作出一個優秀的文本。"

2. From internet user: nyx

 

"個人意見，要分的話，不要單從畫去分。日式漫畫和港式漫畫的最大
不同，是製作手法。日式是職人主義，漫畫家有著自我的創作空間，
以師徒相承的做法去支持著漫畫界。香港是工業式分工做法，以流水
作業的模式去生產漫畫。大家認同的被稱為「港漫」的作品，是後者
。新派的所謂「日式港漫」，是前者。"

 

We hope that the development of HK comics would not stop and continue creating our own memories!

 

 Posted by Catherine Lo Tsz Chin