Alfonso Wong (left). Photo courtesy of OMQ ZMedia Ltd

Taipei, Jan. 3 (CNA) Alfonso Wong (王家禧), the creator of the popular comic strip "Old Master Q" (老夫子), died at the age of 93 in the United States on Jan. 1, OMQ ZMedia Ltd., the company that promotes Wong's comics, announced in a statement on its website on Tuesday.

Wong, who was born in Tianjin, China and later moved to Hong Kong and the United States, is best known for his humorous comic strip, which many in Hong Kong and the Chinese-speaking world grew up reading.

Wong began drawing his iconic "Old Master Q" in 1963. The comic strip features the protagonist Old Master Q, a witty and idiosyncratic character who dresses in traditional Chinese attire, his best friends Big Potato and Mr. Chin, the antagonist Mr. Chiu and Old Master Q's love interest Miss Chan.

The comic strip portrays the everyday lives of Chinese people.

It has even been made into films and original manuscripts were auctioned by Sotheby's in 2008. The first Old Master Q-themed restaurant opened in Hong Kong last year.

"Alfonso Wong 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,'" OMQ ZMedia said in the statement.

His father's love for drawing and his mother's humorous personality inspired Wong to create the comic strip, according to the statement.

Wong's eldest son, Joseph Wong (王澤), who lives in Taiwan, took over the "Old Master Q" comic strip in 1995 to carry on the legacy of his father.

Joseph Wong described his father as an artist filled with vigor and imagination.

"'Old Master Q' is a comic that portrays everyday life. It depicts the interesting things we experience in everyday life. Moreover, it lets all kinds of imagination run wild," he said.

Gregory So, Hong Kong's Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, mourned the death of Wong on Tuesday, saying Wong's comic figures have been part of people's lives in Hong Kong as they grew up and are much loved by readers of all ages.

(By Sabine Cheng and Christie Chen)
ENDITEM/AW