IAF is back for the third year at La Salle this weekend. We managed to invite one of my favourite HK comic artist, Li Chitak.
So who the hell is Li Chitak? You know that 1996 Jet Li action movie, Black Mask? That's based on a Li Chitak comic.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Mask_(film)
The comic is well cooler than the movie. Unfortunately, it is long out of print.
2 years ago, Chitak was honoured by Angouleme Comic Festival with a solo exhibition of his own.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqisXglZwmM
Here's a short interview with Chitak before his visit. He answered my questions in Chinese which I have reproduced here and I included my loose English translation which cannot do justice to the nuances in his replies. Read them out loud in Cantonese!
You are sometimes known as the godfather of indie / alternative comics in HK. What do you think of this title?
香港地方小，我做業內人士不做的，踫正香港漫畫黃金時代而已。
這是別人給我的稱號，是令人較有體面及較容易去接受indie/alternative這種東西, 相對以往「另類」是怪物，而現在則正面些、高級一點。畢竟現今社會最愛名銜這玩意。
[HK is a small place. I was merely doing things that most people won't do. I happened to be at the right place and right time. I started during the golden age of HK comics in the 1980s.
This label is given to me by others. It's just to make it easier for people to accept what is this thing called indie / alternative comics. To me, it simply reflects society's love for labels.]
But is there still a HK comic industry / scene?
這我也不太肯定，在插畫泛濫的世代，但仍有人在畫漫畫就是了，越來越少，但仍有人。
[I'm not too sure of that myself. But as long as there are artists drawing, no matter how few, that is good enough.]
What is the mainstream in HK comics now? Still kung fu comics?
「港漫」依然是「港漫」，功夫、黑社會⋯⋯以外的即獨立漫畫，應該分不了什麼是主流，市場已經很小很小。
[HK comics are still HK comics. Kung fu, gangster...but it's really hard to differentiate what's mainstream and what's not. The market is so small now...]
What is the future for indie / alternative comics in HK?
不知道。我想有多一些有趣的作品出現，已經不錯。
[I don't know. As long as there are interesting works, that's not too bad.]
How did you start drawing comics?
自己畫完四處去投稿，亂碰亂撞閈始。
[I drew some comics books and went round knocking on doors of comics pubishers. That's how i got started.]
What was your first comic book?
『衛斯理』系列是第一本。
[My first comic book was Wisely.]
Did you ever have a 'real' job?
基本上沒有。試過支月薪上班畫漫畫，算不算？
[Not really. I worked for a few months as an artist in a comics company - does that count?]
What are your memories of reading comics when you were young?
少年看漫畫感到無比的活力，充滿生命力。
那些年看黃玉郎、池上遼一、永安巧、松森正、馬榮成，什麼也看。
至大友克洋，彷彿產生決定性的影響，再到Moebius，就是了，最高的漫畫應該是要這樣子的！
[When I was younger, reading comics gave me a sense of mission and energy!
I read everything - from Tony Wong to Ryoichi Ikegami and Ma Wing Shing. But the greatest influence came from Katsuhiro Otomo and Moebius. Now, Moebius! That's the gold standard of what comics can be!]
Did you ever expect to achieve what you have achieved so far? eg having an exhibition at Angouleme.
曾有一個想法，非主流的創作一樣可以暢銷，哈。
自從進入行業不久，便清楚：真是要做的，就一定要做獨一無二。
一切仍在努力。
[I once thought that alternative comics can be commercially successful just like mainstream comics. Ah, the optimism of youth..
Once I started in this industry, it was made clear to me: you have to have your own unique vision. It's all about hard work.]
If you can travel back in time, what would you tell your younger self?
「真的好辛苦，你清楚不？是真的真的好辛苦！」
["It's really tough - are you sure? It's really fucking hard, ok!?"]
Do you own the rights to all your comics?
可惜不是。
以往的香港並不算文明，原稿及版權都歸出版公司，自己也有一些「被」奪去，後來開始小心及堅持要持有，我想約70至80％左右自己擁有。
[In the past, the HK comics industry was not so 'civilized'. The original pages and rights were kept by the publishers. Some of my works have been 'taken' away from me. Afterwards, I was more careful to insist I retain the copyright. I guess I have about 70-80% to the rights of my works.]
Name one comic of yours that changed your career?
『同門少年』
Tong Men Shao Nian
https://www.lichitak.com/pub-tongmenshaonian
Would you say Lai Tat Tat Weng and Chihoi are your 'descendants'?
其實我不敢説這些。
創作這東西，影響是無形中發生的，是一個演進過程。
[I wouldn't dare to say that.
Creativity is a strange creature. And influences can come from anywhere, anytime. It's a process.]
Who are the next generation of indie comic artists in HK?
自己看漫畫不多，近年真正畫的人也不多。我覺得 overloaddance(超載舞步)OK！起碼有畫漫畫的心，說故事的心。
[I don't read many comics these days. But I think overloaddance is ok!
At least it has a heart for the drawings and storytelling.]
https://www.facebook.com/OVERLOADDANCE2009/
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