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Biography of Mohammad Nor KhalidMohammad Nor Khalid or Datuk Mohd Nor Khalid (born 5 March 1951) is a well known cartoonist in Malaysia. Also known as Lat, many of his cartoons appear in the editorial pages of the Malaysian newspaper New Straits Times. Lat was born in a village called Kota Baru in Perak, not to be confused with Kota Bharu the capital of Kelantan. He had a wonderful talent for drawing as a child and drew excellent comics. At the age of 9, his gifted talent began to yield his family income. His first real book was Tiga Sekawan, a story about 3 friends who banded together to catch robbers. The book was published in his sixth year at Jalan Pasir Puteh Primary School in Ipoh. His publisher paid him 25 Ringgit for his service. By 1968, Lat was earning 100 Ringgit a month from his work. He later moved to Kuala Lumpur to become a cartoonist. Lat later joined the New Straits Times as a crime reporter but he later became a cartoonist. His first book Kampung Boy, an autobiography of his life was published in 1979 and sold thousands of copies within 3 months. His cartoons have been published in several cartoon books in Malaysia. He is famous throughout Malaysia. One of his books Kampung Boy was published in France by a French publisher. His latest book is Dr Who?! which is dedicated to Mahathir bin Mohamad, the former prime minister of Malaysia and his wife Dr Siti Hasmah. An American edition of Kampung Boy was published by First Second Books in August of 2006. This was the first of his books to be published in the United States. His second American release, Town Boy, is scheduled for release in October 2007. His cartoons reflect his view about Malaysian life and the world. Despite misconceptions, most of his books were originally released in both Malay and English versions by Berita Publishing Sdn. Bhd.
StyleThe main theme of Lat's oeuvre is life in multi-racial Malaysia, ranging from deeply personal memories ("Kampung Boy"), political satire (often lampooning the heated debates between the two major political parties, UMNO and PAS, as well as taking a satirical swipe at every major announced government policies), living life abroad from the Malaysian point of view and the ever-changing relationships between the different ethnic groups. He often mixes his social commentaries with humorous passages and slapstick. These features are found virtually everywhere in his work (see bibliography).
Striking about Lat are his accounts of his own village childhood, and his extended Malay family, collected in his acclaimed autobiographical books "Kampung Boy" and "Town Boy". They are the only books to have been reprinted in Japanese. They recall Lat's fond memories of the relaxed pace of traditional kampong life, and that in spite of being supportive of modern city life, Lat is proud and very fond of his deeply rural background.
Although detailed insight of life on the Malayan peninsula is required to fully appreciate the work, Lat can be recommended as an invaluable primer for the visitor and new resident alike.
Awards2002 — Received Fukuoka Asia Culture Prize ( Arts and Culture Prize )
TriviaLat is the elder brother of filmmaker Mamat Khalid.[1]
Lat's unique way of drawing noses for his characters was copied as a tribute to him in an issue of Groo by Sergio Aragones.
Bibliography-Be Serious Lat
-Better Lat than Never
-Budak Kampung
-Dr. Who?! (A tribute to Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad)
-Entahlah Mak...
-It's a Lat Lat Lat Lat World
-Kampung Boy:Yesterday and Today (ISBN 967-969-307-4)
-Kampung Boy:Yesterday and Today (Japanese Version ISBN 4794940246)
-Keluarga SiMamat
-Lat 30 Years Later
-Lat and Gang
-Lat and His Lot Again...
-Lat as Usual
-Lat at Large
-Lat gets Lost
-Lat was Here
-Lat with a Punch
-Lat's Lot
-Lots More Lat
-Lots of Lat
-Mat Som (English Version) (ISBN 983-99617-1-3)
-Mat Som (Malay Version)
-Kampung Boy
-The Portable Lat
-Town Boy
-Town Boy(Japanese Version)
-With a Little Bit of Lat (A one-page shorties comic book)
Biography of Kampung BoyKampung Boy is a critically acclaimed graphic novel by
Mohammad Nor Khalid published in America by First Second Books in 2007.
SummaryThe graphic novel is an autobiography of Lat centering on his childhood in Malaysia.
SequelA follow-up book, Town Boy, was published in October of 2007.
Other MediaAn animated version of the story was made in Los Angeles by Matinee Entertainment in 1997. It was aired in the U.K. on the POP channel between November 2003 and August 2005. It features the adventures of the eponymous hero Jonny Kampung, Malaysian stilt village-dweller, known to his friends as Kampung Boy. He is an expert sushi maker who travels the world providing sushi for restaurants in extraordinary circumstances. Accompanied by the nameless 'little black dog', he continually thwarts the attempts of his nemesis Derechora (supported by his two henchmen Rik Eedles and Ged Harken) to ruin his sushi using their psychic powers. Kampung receives help from the mysterious 'Col-Linn', a trumpet-shaped ghost, with a deep rivalry of his fellow psychic Derechora.
Episode list1: Prawn Fishing
2: The Little Black Dog
3: O'Reilly's Restaurant
4: The Psychic Sushi
5: Col-Linn to the Rescue
6: Kampung Ping Pong
7: Concorde
8: Kuala Lumpur Shuffle
9: Derechora's Evil Scheme
10: O'Reily Strikes Again
11: Yvette's Taste Test
12: Poisoned in Svalbard
13: Last Cab to Danger
14: Sushi Picnic
15: Up, Up and Away
16: Derechora's Dance of Doom
17: Snail Mail
18: Where's Derechora?
19: Iceberg
20: Home Again
News Updates:Nov 2004Beginning in November 2004, Nickelodeon Asia will air KAMPUNG BOY, which won the Best Animated Television Series award at the Annecy International Film Festival. Broadcast arrangements were negotiated by Syahrizan Mansor, director of programming and acquisitions for Nickelodeon Asia with Frank Saperstein, exec producer/creative director of pasi and Ira Tuffile, manager of media sales for the ASTRO Group.
Produced by Malaysia based multi-media group ASTRO ALL ASIA NETWORKS (ASTRO) in conjunction with U.S.-based Matinee Ent. and pasi, Philippine Animation Studio Inc. in Manila, KAMPUNG BOY is based upon the comicstrip created by world-renowned cartoonist and Eisenhower Fellow, Mohamed Nor Khalid. Known professionally as “Lat,” his cartoons and comicbooks have been widely popular in South East Asia and throughout the world for more than 20 years.
Lat, who created the character designs and key artwork, worked closely with Emmy-nominated producer and director Saperstein, to develop storylines and preserve the overall integrity of the series. Saperstein, who was responsible for all elements of production, regularly shuttled between facilities in Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Los Angeles to work with the international crew.
Nickelodeon Asia, the leading entertainment brand dedicated exclusively to kids, is seen in more than 180 million households throughout the region. Nickelodeon is a registered trademark of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom Inc.
June 25, 2008Kampung Boy Kini Dalam Bahasa Jerman
KUALA LUMPUR, 24 Jun (Bernama) -- Minat masyarakat luar yang mendalam untuk mengetahui budaya dan asal usul Malaysia mendorong penerbitan buku Kampung Boy dalam edisi bahasa Jerman.
'Kampung Boy' karya Datuk Mohd Nor Khalid atau lebih dikenali dengan nama Lat sebelum ini telah diterjemahkan dalam pelbagai bahasa termasuklah bahasa Jepun, Korea dan Portugis.
Lat berkata 'Kampung Boy' yang dihasilkannya 30 tahun dahulu bertujuan mengingatkan rakyat cara hidup anak kampung serta memperingati jasa ibu bapa sewaktu membesarkan anaknya walaupun dalam serba kekurangan tetapi kaya dengan budi bahasa.
"Sungguhpun tidak ada yang menakjubkan mengenai cerita ini tetapi orang ramai nampaknya meminatinya kerana aspek budaya kehidupan kampung yang dipaparkan.
Mereka dari bahagian lain dunia sentiasa berminat untuk mengetahui berkaitan budaya orang lain," kata Lat kepada pemberita selepas majlis menandatangani kontrak kerjasama penerbitan bukunya edisi bahasa Jerman di sini hari ini.
"Lukisan memangnya sangat penting. Lukisan memberitahu cerita tetapi teks menyempurnakannya kerana banyak perkara yang anda perlukan bagi menerangkan khasnya kepada orang ramai daripada berlainan latar belakang budaya," tambahnya.
Kampung Boy' kini dalam proses diterjemahkan ke bahasa Sepanyol, Belanda dan Itali.
Buku 'Kampung Boy' edisi bahasa Jerman diterbitkan Institut Terjemahan Negara Malaysia (ITNM) dengan kerjasama Horlemann Verlag, sebuah syarikat penerbitan di Jerman yang aktif menerbitkan pelbagai karya terpilih terbitan penerbit Asia.
