Many fans of comic books had high expectations when veteran artist Khoo Fuk-lung left Jade Dynasty Publications after 15 years to set up his own company this year. Although he was art director at one of few big players in the local comic book scene, Khoo wanted more creative control over his work.
'Jade Dynasty is a listed company, which means the interest of shareholders comes first. I couldn't take too much of a risk [in my choice of material],' says Khoo, 44, who has maintained a solid fan base despite a slump in the business. 'But there are a few areas I wanted to go into, such as robots and children's comics. I hope my comics can appeal to younger readers.'
Earlier this year, Khoo's new company, Lucky Dragon, began publishing its first comic series. But what fans hoped would be a breath of fresh air has instead turned out to be a rehashing of old formulas. His Amazing Weapons 4 weekly is a martial arts fantasy - a genre that has dominated the market since the 1970s and 80s - involving magical swords and surreal fight action.
It's a hard-nosed decision on Khoo's part. 'I don't want to be too adventurous because my company is still new,' he says. 'Hong Kong readers are used to martial arts comics, and one needs to have a solid foundation before breaking new ground.'
Many local comic illustrators face a similar dilemma: the familiar old tales no longer appeal as reflected by a dwindling number of readers, but exploring new subjects or launching a new series involves risks that may jeopardise careers.
Khoo, who joined the industry more than 20 years ago, reckons he's been around long enough to know the game. Best-selling series tend to be martial arts fantasies, for example Ma Wing-shing's Storm Riders and Tony Wong Yuk-long's Oriental Heroes. Even comics with contemporary settings, such as those about triads or romance, often involve elaborate action sequences at the expense of logic and content. But he concedes comic book creators need to be more inventive to attract young people.