Remembering John Lent, part 3: Contributions from China

edited by Xu Ying

 The following pieces have been sent in by John's wife Xu Ying, and are posted directly as received without any editing.  (updated 5/19 9:30 pm to correct the citations by assigning the websites to them]

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[John A. Lent evangelist of anime culture in China and Asia and Latin America]

约翰·兰特--------中国与亚洲、拉丁美洲动漫文化的布道者

 https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/SeAhmlU9Ewl3qsG3P8gUHw

 

昨天从大西洋彼岸传来中国动漫界的老朋友约翰·A·兰特（John A. Lent）博士不幸逝世的消息。兰特先生是国际著名传播学者、 漫画与动画研究先驱，半个多世纪以来，为推动国际，特别是亚洲与拉丁美洲各国的传播学、动漫文化的交流与合作的发展，作出巨大的贡献。哲人其萎，精神不死，谨以此文纪念兰特先生。

 

在亚洲和拉丁美洲动漫学术和教育界，提起约翰 A兰特的名字几乎无人不晓。这位身材魁梧，具有学者风度，长着浓浓的长胡子，被许多中国人戏称为马克思的美国博士，成长经历，学术生涯，充分体现了美国的精神与梦想。

 

当他在动漫研究上硕果累累，功成名就后，一次在接受采访的时候，当记者问及他的最大成就时，他略加思索后回答：“我最大的成就，就是走出了那座煤矿小镇”。兰特博士几十年来不仅走出了那个小镇，还走出了美国，走向了世界，他的足迹已经遍布全球50多个国家和地区，而他的学术成就是在亚洲发轫，开花，结果的。

兰特出生在美国宾夕法尼亚州的一个名为东米尔斯波洛荒废的煤矿小镇。在他的记忆中，那是一个非常贫穷、闭塞的小镇，人们终日生活在黑与白的世界里，生活中充满了愚昧、无知，不断的争吵和打斗。他的父亲约翰·兰特（John Lent）在铁路上做工，母亲罗丝 (Rose Marano Lent) 在家照看四个孩子并料理家务。他们全家人挤住在一间没有暖气的屋子里，冬天异常寒冷时，他和弟弟只得相拥而睡，互相靠体温取暖。在那样一个缺乏爱和温暖的地方，作为长子的小约翰感到窒息和绝望。他发奋读书，立志将来要走出这个小镇，成就一番大事业。作为当地少有的品学兼优的好学生， 他获得了俄亥俄大学颁发的安克尔·霍京奖学金（Anchor Hocking Scholarship）。 满心欢喜的父亲用100美元给他买了一身西服，准备了一个简单的行李箱，送他离开家乡上大学。从此他从煤矿走向了另一个世界。

 

 

 

 

兰特博士 许颖 王六一在菲律宾

 

他就读大学新闻系期间，兰特先生与他的室友，一位马来西亚留学生在朝夕相处中建立了深厚的友谊。通过这个同学，他逐渐被略有几分神秘的、历史悠久，丰富多彩的亚洲文化所感染和吸引。他想更多地了解美国以外的世界，想通过自己的学术研究让更多的美国人了解其他地区和国家的文化。

 

1964—1965年他开始走向亚洲，向实现自己的理想迈出了第一步。当时他首次获得富布莱特奖学金（Fulbright Scholarship），在菲律宾马尼拉的德拉萨勒学院（De La Salle College）任新闻系讲师，并参与设立新闻课程。1965年，他又获得了日本东京索非亚大学亚洲研究夏季学院（Sophia University Summer School of Asian Studies）的参与证书。他在亚洲的经历对他的一生产生了巨大的影响。亚洲的文化与他结下不解之缘，在20世纪70年代，他又到马来西亚担任大众传媒教授，从那时起他就开始对亚洲、拉丁美洲和加勒比海地区的动漫进行研究，色彩斑斓，丰富多样的动漫构成了他一生最为辉煌的篇章。

 

 

兰特先生不是一个囿于书斋，穷经皓首，做枯燥学问之人。他云游天下，广交欧亚各国的动漫大师、艺术家，通过与他们的接触交往，获得了许许多多的第一手材料。兰特先生永远都随身带着笔和纸，他有善于提问，勤于写作的良好习惯，他会充分利用任何一次机会进行资料的收集和采访。我曾见到他在早餐时和中国的动漫艺术家进行交流，利用晚上的时间与菲律宾促膝谈心，他对艺术家的心路历程都做了记录。他所掌握的第一手材料使他能够在研究亚洲动漫的历史与现状时能如鱼得水，游刃有余。兰特先生治学方式严谨认真，他所出的书和论文言之有据，旁征博引，他众多的著述和论文都成了许多研究亚洲加勒比海动漫的必备读物和参考书籍。兰特先生具有老式学者的考据之癖，又能紧跟现代动漫的时尚，他守旧又能创新，将亚太动漫的历史与发展尽收眼底，具有开阔的视野和博大的胸襟。

 

兰特博士与土耳其 伊朗 俄罗斯 艺术家评委

 

每次外出他都会尽量的收集各国的动漫书籍杂志报刊，集腋成裘，聚沙成丘。他所收藏的漫画可谓是五花八门，应有尽有，令人有眼花缭乱，美不胜收之感。我曾在一次学术研讨会上见到他为了佐证自己观点，从自己的藏品中展现给观众埃及、古巴和加勒比海地区的漫画，使人们惊讶不已，大开眼界。这只是他的丰富藏品的冰山一角而已，有朋友告诉我，如果要在美国费城查询亚洲和中国的图书资料，他的家庭图书馆则是首选之地，在他家里你不仅有丰富的出版物可供查阅，还能欣赏到大量的讽刺、幽默漫画，这些佳作都出自多年来他采访过的世界各国漫画艺术家为他画的素描和写生之手。兰特博士将这些收藏品视为珍宝，他将一些大师的作品轮流挂在墙上欣赏，这也成了他家的一景。

 

 

通过亲身对亚洲动漫的考察和研究，拥有的资料和书籍，孜孜不倦地进行研究，言传身教，自立门派，他构成了兰特作为一位动漫研究专家、动漫出版家和动漫教育家的地位，他有效地将这三者结合起来，通过对动漫艺术家的评论，出版他们的专著或论文，教学相长，他扶持和培养了一批亚太地区的动漫艺术家。据我所知，我国著名的动漫专家、教授贾否和王雷就是他门下的博士生中的两位。兰特惠及的亚洲中青年动漫艺术家不胜枚举，他获得了大家的尊重和爱戴，伊朗漫画协会主席、著名漫画家马苏德所出的个人专辑，请了兰特先生作序，而马来西亚动漫大师哈桑的专著的跋也出自他的手笔。

 

 

对亚洲动漫的研究，他大有一番舍我而能其谁乎的气概和决心，他每年推出的漫画杂志从编辑出版发行，尽出自他家的作坊。这本每期有500多页的杂志，汇集了全世界动漫研究者和动漫艺术家的有关各个国家和地区的评论、论文和介绍的专业书籍，凝聚了他心血的结晶。

 

兰特博士与中外艺术家

 

兰特博士对亚太动漫的研究，可圈可点的是对中国大陆和中国台湾地区的所下的功夫与取得的成就，早在20世纪80年代他就到中国参加国际会议，并对中国动画的重镇上海美术电影制片厂进行了参观访问。机会是为做好准备的人所提供的，他曾与著名的动漫画家詹同交谈，两次采访动漫大师特伟，也是大漫画家丁聪、方成家的座上客，先后与我国著名的中青年动漫画家结下了友情。他在《亚太动画》一书中发表了对詹同的专访文章，以纪念这位逝去的中国艺术家，在这篇《詹同—中国风格的不懈追求者》一文中，他饱含深情地描述了这位才华出众的艺术家一生的艺术创作生涯。詹同坚持艺术追求，保持民族艺术风格，从传统艺术中汲取养分的观点获得了他的高度评价。兰特博士认为这是中国艺术家应该坚忍不拔走下去的艺术之道。

 

更令人感慨至深的是，兰特博士对动漫的研究还触及了我国尚未充分进行研究的抗战时期漫画动画这一领域，他不仅进行海外推介了我国抗战时期著名的漫画家张光宇、丁聪、华君武等大师的作品，他还发掘出了当年活跃在内地的中国漫画家黄尧的作品《牛鼻子》。这些去掉历史的尘埃，经过他的发现和推介给国际动漫界的早期作品，其艺术价值和历史意义得到了国际动漫界的充分的肯定。兰特先生还寻觅到一批日本侵占中国时期所散发的军国主义漫画，它们已经成了日本人侵略我们的铁证。他对中国动漫的研究范围之广，程度之深，收获之大，令我们感到汗颜。

兰特在亚洲青年动漫大赛

 

兰特博士身体力行，倡导和发起了亚太动漫协会，为亚洲青年动漫大赛的成功举行出谋献策，为亚太动漫交流中心的建立通过他的努力将中国的动漫通过这些平台推向世界。

 

兰特博士还在用他手中的笔不断地谱写着中国传统文化的赞歌，他不仅计划写出“中国漫画家访谈纪实”，将他多年来采访中国漫画家及所了解的中国漫画现状与问题汇集成文，还想充分利用他所收集到的有关中国漫画的资料，撰写《中国漫画》专著，为此，他所采访过的中国漫画家、评论家和艺术家们都热情地给予配合和帮助，他的这一本著作将会使世界了解到中国的动漫、中国的文化。

 

兰特博士半个多世纪一路走来，名至所归。他不愧是中国与亚洲、拉丁美洲动漫文化的布道者。

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兰特博士是怎样的人 

[Painful Tribute: Dr. John A. Lent]

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/CXeErfO3RvxHuVXNHiyE2g 

郑化改

 

提及美国的兰特博士，中国漫画界和动漫界人士大都知道，他是一位享誉国际漫坛的著名漫画学者。

他作为《国际漫画杂志》主编，自 1999 年开始，十多次来中国，

在该杂志许颖副主编的协助下，采访中国漫画家和动漫专家达 200多人次，在《国际漫画杂志》上撰写专门介绍中国漫画和漫画家的文章达 300 余篇。

他在各类国际漫画会议和活动中，竭尽全力介绍中国漫画发展的历史和中国漫画家，是中美，乃至中国与世界各国漫画界和动漫界相互交流桥梁的建造者。

美国东部时间 2026 年 5 月 16 日下午 2：47 分，他因伤病医治

无效，与世长辞，享年 90 岁。

 

1、实在不想当军官

John A. Lent 兰特博士 1936 年 9 月 8 日出生于美国宾夕法尼亚州一个煤矿小镇，父亲是一位铁路系统的工长。

1954 年 18 岁的他是一所大学里军官培养系的学员。该系的学生学习四年毕业后就是少尉军官。

那时朝鲜战争刚结束不久，他们的教官大都是刚从朝鲜战场上回来的军官。他们在授课时，时常炫耀他们是如何将炸弹准确地投向目标，使得敌方血肉横飞。兰特就想：他们怎么就不想想被炸的人，难道人家就没有妻子儿女和父母双亲吗？

他越想越觉得自己不当这样的军官，下决心主动退出该系，转入新闻系了。 

2、漫画艺术太迷恋

John A. Lent 兰特进入新闻系之后，在各种新闻媒体上发现大量的漫画作品，这些漫画作者的美术功底很深，作品绘制十分精妙，令年轻的兰特倾慕不已，他开始爱上了这门艺术，开始进行了搜集和研究工作，一发而不可收。

毕业后，从 1960 年至 2011 年退休，他在美国多地大学教授新

闻学和大众传播学。从 2005 年至 2026 年，他任中国传媒大学博士生导师；上海大学、吉林动画学院、南京财经大学、青岛电影学院等大学担任客座教授，他重点教授国际动画和漫画艺术。

 

3、培育桃李遍天下

兰特教授的博士生们，持有教授和其他职业职位的遍布全世界，有韩国、日本、中国、台湾、泰国、马来西亚、土耳其、黎巴嫩、印度、也门、肯尼亚等等，虽然他们来自不同国家和地区，但有一个共同点：兰特教授是他们最尊敬的人。他不仅教会他们如何搞研究、做学问，更重要的是教会他们如何做人，做一个好人。兰特教授在他的教学生涯中改变了很多学生的人生命运，帮助了无数的学生就业和升

迁，然而，不管多少人受惠于他，他都一直还是那么朴实、谦逊。

 

 

4、采访足迹遍五洲

兰特教授在世界五大洲的 50 多个国家采访过好几百位动画家和漫画家，收集到很多珍贵的第一手研究资料，这些年来很多他曾采访过的艺术家朋友相继去世，他撰写了很多纪念文章，他的采访资料更成为难得的历史记录。他自 1990 年代[自 2000 年和许颖一起]开始采访中国漫画家和动画家，结交了很多著名的大师级朋友，如在 1930-40 年代的廖冰兄、特伟、张仃、麦非、华君武、丁聪、陈惠龄、江有声、韩尚义；建国前后活跃的漫画家、动画家方成、王复羊、何韦、毕克官 等等。兰特先生通过他的文章将中国动漫大师及其佳作介绍到全世界。他创建、出版和主编

的两本杂志《国际漫画杂志》和《亚洲电影》上发表了许多文章介绍中国动画发展史。他还在很多国际会议上演讲介绍中国漫画家和中国漫画。

 

 

 

5、国际漫坛组织者

兰特教授还积极参加世界各地发起或为提高专业研究水平的各种学术活动， 除了 1998 年他创建并主编的《国际漫画杂志》和始于 1994 年主编的《亚洲电影》，早在 1976 年他就创建了马来西亚、

新加坡、文莱研究小组并在 1975 年创建并编辑了 26 年的《新闻》期刊；1987 至 2001 年，他联合创立了《世界漫画杂志》并兼任责任编辑；从 1994 年至 2011 年，联合创立并担任亚洲电影研究会主席； 从 1996 年至今，创立美国大众文化协会亚洲大众文化协会并担任主席；1984-2016 年创立国际传媒研究协会连环漫画工作组并

担任主席；还是漫画家权力网络国际的长期成员之一。 他也是在乌克兰勒维夫市和意大利佛罗伦萨市三届国际银蝇动画活动周的联合组织者；2007-2017 年中国贵阳亚洲青年动漫大赛的联合创办者和联合主席；任亚太动漫研究协会主席和联合创办人；2007-2008 年他曾连续两届被聘任为美国普利策奖政治漫画奖评委。

 

 

6、获奖频频光灿灿

兰特教授因其服务获得多项嘉奖，如哥伦比亚国际漫画奖“幽默认证”、塞浦路斯金色橄榄幽默服务奖 、秘鲁西米恩奖、西班牙约翰(巴斯马热爱漫画奖)、新加坡亚洲传媒研究协会亚洲传播学奖、中国贵阳（亚洲青年动漫大赛奖）；一部纪念文集；在印度和美国出版的献给他的书籍；书籍和

出版物的部分中描述他的职业生涯（在荷兰、孟加拉、美国、香港）；林(巴塞洛缪杰出学者奖；以他的名字命名的奖项有大众文化协会漫画组约翰 A. 兰特奖、国际漫画论坛约翰 A.兰特奖和马来西亚/新加坡/文莱研究小组约翰 A. 兰特奖，等等。

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

兰特博士获得的部分奖状

 

 

7、照料残女四十年

兰特博士与前妻育有五个孩子，1969 年 6 月出生的三女儿丽萨有先天性残疾，生活不能自理，几十年一直由兰特博士独自照顾。兰特博士在担负繁重的教学和组织国际漫画活动之余，他

既当爹又当妈，直至 2013 年 1 月丽萨病故，共计照料 44 年。

 

8、资助贫弱爱满满

兰特博士家的冰箱门上粘贴着许多孩子的照片。这些孩子中有女有男，皮肤有黑、有白、有棕、有黄。年龄大都在 10 岁左右。笔者有机会到兰特博士家时，问他这些都是谁？他答道：这是他资助的多个国家上不起学的孩子，他们的生活费都是兰特博士提供的。

据了解，兰特博士每年都向慈善机构捐款资助贫穷国家的孩子。这些孩子们的照片是受资助孩子们自愿寄给慈善机构后，该机构又转给兰特博士的。

 

9、世上根本没神仙

笔者问兰特博士：“您信仰哪个宗教？”他说：“我哪个宗教

也不信，我不认为除了人性之外，还有一个能制造人、管理人的能量无穷的神仙。

各类宗教中向美向善的思想是值得肯定的。但硬要说有一个神仙，那是不现实的，也是不可能存在的。”

看着他走向书桌的背影，我深刻感到兰特博士有信仰，他信仰的是“真善美”，因而，他在世界各地学生们和粉丝们对他格外的尊重。

 

10、勤奋耕耘撰新篇

兰特博士每天早上 7 点左右就开始坐在写字台前，进入资料整理和写作状态。他一天只吃两顿饭。

笔者问兰特博士：“您平常进行体育锻炼吗？”他淡定地说： “是的，我每天都走路锻炼”。随后他站起来用手势指给我说：“我

的锻炼路线是：从餐厅走到卫生间，再从卫生间走到办公桌，一天要循环反复许多次”。

他说的确实如此。从早到晚，他除了做饭之外就是坐在一楼他的办公桌前读书，记录和翻阅资料卡片，没看到过他看电视。一天，兰特博士指着书房当中的一个书柜告诉我：“这个柜子

里都是我编著的图书”。哇！人们常用“著作等身”来评论一位学者。而我看着这个书柜估算了一下，如果把柜子里的书全部摞起来至少是兰特博士身高的两倍。

这是何等的画面，这是何等的辛劳！这是怎样的学者！ 兰特博士太热爱自己的专业了。88 岁的他在几十年里做了多

少事情啊！他就像一只春蚕，不间断地吐丝，为世人编织着锦绣。

 

 

11、全部书籍捐中国

笔者听说兰特博士要将他所有的图书捐给中国，便问到：“您把图书全部捐赠出去，难道不心疼吗？”他说：“我今年 88 岁了，我不想让它们与我一起死。”他还说：“我把图书全部捐出去之后，我再找个小房子去住，否则，我在这空空的，曾经的书房会不好受的。” 笔者问他：“您为什么不把这些图书捐给美国？”他说： “我与美国国会图书馆和其他几个大学图书馆联系过，他们各自想收藏其中的一部分。这样我的图书就会分成四部分，分散放在

不同的地方。而中国方面愿意全部收藏并放在一起，这正中我意。我爱中国，更爱中国的漫画家。”

兰特博士在自己书房中凝视一生攒下的书籍资料

 

12、留下遗嘱捐器官

2026 年 4 月 29 日晚，兰特博士在家里二楼楼梯上倒摔下来，右脑出血，腰椎节小骨骨折，经急诊和几次转院和 ICU，病情一路恶化，从呛咳到肺部感染和左脑中风，导致右侧偏瘫和失语，虽然儿女同意插管和呼吸机抢救。几天后他的儿子找到他的手写遗嘱：不要任何插管和呼吸机抢救，捐献眼角膜和可用器官，医生在家属同意后拔管撤掉呼吸机。

因为他年事已高，又有基础病，医生没有接受他的遗体器官捐献。

 

 

 

 

 

兰特博士的家人遵遗嘱在简单的遗体告别后火化，然后将他骨灰带回他的老家，撒入家门口的大河。

至此，他向中国浙江桐乡丰子恺纪念馆捐赠的全部图书正在运作当中。

------------

约翰·A·兰特博⼠：⽤漫画架起跨⽂化桥梁的使者

 

2025年底，许颖⽼师问我，《漫画研究》是否需要兰特博⼠最新的研究成果。我直⾔⾮常欢迎。然⽽，我⼀直在等待，等来的却是兰特博⼠去世的噩耗。

兰特博⼠与中国漫画界的情缘，远不⽌因为他的夫⼈许颖⽼师是北京⼈。三⼗年前，他便开始系统采访我国众多漫画家，⽤笔和录⾳机记录下中国漫画发展的珍贵⼝述史。那些泛⻩的笔记和磁带，后来化为他主编的《国际漫画》杂志上的⼀篇篇专 论，将中国漫画的故事传向世界。

 

他是学者，更是信使。他⽤⼀本七百⻚的学术年刊，将加勒⽐海⼩岛上的漫画与北京画家的线条并置，让不同⽂化背景下的幽默与沉思在同⼀版⾯相遇。

2024年初，我担任《漫画研究》编委。这本中国⾸部漫画学术刊物，急需有分量的国际稿件。我想起了兰特博⼠。那时他刚参加完美国⼤众⽂化年会，正埋头撰写加勒⽐地区漫画史——⼀个鲜有⼈涉⾜的冷⻔领域。⾃1968年起，他⼆⼗余次登上阿鲁巴、库拉索、⽛买加等岛屿，逐⼀采访当地漫画家，像考古学家般梳理出每个岛国的漫画脉络。他的论⽂最终在《漫画研究》第⼆期发表，填补了世界漫画研究的空

⽩。字⾥⾏间，没有虚⾔，只有实据。

 

2024年底，我再次向他约稿，希望他为王复⽺先⽣诞⾠90周年写⼀篇纪念⽂章。他很快发来⽂稿。2025年，北京漫画学会在《北京⽇报》北京号专栏刊登了

《王复⽺：亲切的回忆》，反响热烈。

我与兰特博⼠的第⼀次⻅⾯，是在2011年10⽉28⽇。⼈⺠⽇报漫画增刊的国际版⾯上，我正尝试把中国漫画推向海外。夏⼤川先⽣邀我参加⼀场晚宴，说美国《国际漫画》杂志主编来了。那晚，兰特博⼠温⽂尔雅，夫⼈许颖⽼师为他翻译。我们交谈不多，但他那双温和的眼睛，让我感到⼀种跨越语⾔的理解。

 

 

  右起：夏⼤川、徐鹏⻜、许颖、兰特博⼠、杨玲、权迎升、朱丞  2013年，我们同任贵阳亚洲⻘年动漫⼤赛评委。他送我⼀本新出的《国际漫

画》——32开，近七百⻚，像⼀块知识的砖。此后⼗余年，他从未间断赠刊。每⼀本我都珍藏。它们是⼯具书，也是友谊的⻅证。

兰特博⼠与作者 2013年

2023年，《国际漫画》创刊⼆⼗五周年。许颖⽼师约我画⼀幅贺图。我构思三天，画了这样⼀幅场景：戴着博⼠帽的兰特博⼠坐在⼆⼗五周年特制⻜碟中，⼀⼿拉着超⼈（象征美国漫画），⼀⼿拉着孙悟空（象征中国漫画）。下⽅是蔚蓝地球，和平鸽衔橄榄枝⻜翔。我想表达的是：他是⼀位⽂化使者，将中美漫画聚在⼀起，记 录、推⼴到全世界。兰特博⼠收到画后⾮常⾼兴，将它刊发在纪念专刊上。

 

我有个遗憾：作为⼈⺠⽇报国际漫画记者，我始终没能正式采访兰特博⼠，为后

⼈留下更多他的亲⼝讲述。⽅成先⽣百岁时，我曾请他题写“国际漫画”四字。我梦想有⼀天，这本杂志能在中国落地。

 

如今，兰特博⼠去了天堂。想必他已与许多故去的中国漫画家相聚，继续他热爱的漫画事业。⽽我相信，《国际漫画》的精神不会消失——它会继续搭载着不同国度的线条与故事，在世界的书架上，绽放华彩。

Remembering John Lent, part 2

 

Saluting John Lent

Ian Gordon and ct lim raising a shot of whisky to John Lent in a Philippines pub in Singapore on 18 May 2026. John was a champion of Philippines comics. His book on 100 years of Philippines comics is still much referred to. - CT Lim

 My memory is hazy but I think I first met John in person at ICAF at the Library of Congress in 2007 when he introduced the Malaysian cartoonist Lat. I hadn’t been travelling to conferences or for research in the USA and so this conference was the first time I met a lot of folks including Sarah Duke and Martha Kennedy from the Library of Congress, Charles Hatfield, Matt McAllister (with whom I had already co-edited two books), Marc Singer, Rusty Witek, and Ben Woo. That was quite the line up and also reflected the time when the still emerging comics studies hadn’t yet become a field where the majority of presenters at conferences tend to be women.  For me the conference was a revelation of the maturing of comics studies and it was clear how much work John had done to make that happen. I did not know John as well as many and I might use being based in Singapore as an excuse but he was here in Singapore and Southeast Asia often enough that should have connected more with him as my friend CT Lim did over many years.  CT and I got together for a drink in John’s memory and I heard a few stories for the first time. 

My abiding memory of John is from the Congreso Viñetas Serias at the University of Buenos Aires, in October, 2014 where he presented the keynote address. It was an evening presentation and there were at least 200 people present. John was not fully recovered from an illness, but dynamic. He urged the scholars present to do more work on Argentinian comics (and by extension Brazilian comics since there were so many Brazilians there) and take this to the world. It was John’s evangelicalism of interviewing the artists, gathering the information, and spreading the word and in my visual memory of the night he was a commanding presence using his platform to rouse the crowd. Even if this memory is somewhat colored by a distance and John’s death, it reflects who he was.  As an Australian who works primarily on American comics, I’m a historian of the USA by training, I was not in complete agreement that a national focus should be the only work of comics scholars, but I took the larger point that comics have an international history and presence and this needs to be better examined and those closest to the material are well suited to do so.

Over the years John asked me to contribute to the IJOCA and I was on the editorial board from issue 1. I did write an exhibition review, but it was only in the most recent issue that I finally published an article, an article inspired by Waldomiro Vergueiro’s article in the first issue of the IJOCA. Indeed, my completion of this piece was driven by John urging me to stay busy after I was retired on reaching the compulsory age here in Singapore. As best as I can tell John was the last of the pioneer generation who broke open the field. I don’t believe in an afterlife but it is fun to imagine Don Ault, Martin Barker,  Tom Inge, David Kunzle, and John in conversation with each other. 

Ian Gordon

------------------------ 

   I'm just a poor uneducated boy who loves comics for what they gave me (and millions of others) - the gift of yearning for literacy, years reading, unwanted intense arguments with parents, teachers and a professor or three over the value, or lack there of, of comics.

    John Lent, his scholarship and writings were like legendary Knights of old who fought for the repressed, the ignored and the little kid who who knew "comics is great stuff." John's work, his voice and credentials made arguments for including comics in the pantheon of literature. His research opened doors others would follow through. John Lent, and so many of you on the Platinum Comics List, have, in my lifetime, brought comics up from the swampy infested dungeon they were consigned to. John Lent, with help, reformed not comics but the scholarly and popular view of them. John fought the fights I am too puny, slightly educated for and ill equipped to win. John Lent fought for more then himself - that is the mark of a true Knight.

    We who are about to read salute you.

Miron Mercury

San Francisco, CA

---------------

John was a pioneering scholar, for sure - his international perspective was ahead of its time, his writings have left a rich legacy, and IJOCA never ceased to amaze. He helped a generation of scholars, and in his quiet way shaped the field, He was also charming, and funny - my lingering memory of him is sharing an elevator for a few floors, during which time he fulminated about the Bushes, and then stepped out and calmly carried on. He will be missed.

Roger Sabin

--------------------------

So sad to learn of the passing of John Lent, an academic titan in the world of cartooning whose influence stretched far beyond his native USA to Africa, Asia and across the globe. I met John on his visit to South Africa in 2012 and later had the pleasure of serving with him on the board of Cartoonists Rights, where his valuable contributions continued into this year - at age 89. World cartooning has lost a true giant.

John Curtis

Founder, Africartoons. 

Director, Cartoonists Rights (CRNI)

---------------------------

Me and John E Lent at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila, October 2008.

"Someone stole your book while I was in the toilet" – John E Lent.

I first met John A. Lent in 1995, when he came to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to interview me for his journal. Since then, we have maintained our friendship through email and at international cartoon conferences. During my difficult times as a political cartoonist - when I was arrested, jailed, charged in court, and placed under a travel ban - John was someone who always did everything he could to help. I deeply appreciate everything he has done for me.

In July 2019, I produced a book titled Fight Through Cartoons. I sent a free copy to John as a gesture of appreciation. A week later, he wrote back and said this:

Dear Zunar, How are you? Congratulations on your new book which your publisher sent me. I packed it to read while I was at a conference in Madrid. Unfortunately, a passenger on the plane stole it from my seat while I was in the plane's toilet. Please send a replacement copy as I can read it and review it for IJOCA. My address is below. All the best, my longtime friend - John. 

To which I replied that it would be my pleasure to replace it.

RIP John E Lent.

Your kindness and light will always shine on.

Zunar

Award winning international cartoonist

-----------------

It was at the 1998 ICAF that John Lent announced the upcoming launch of a new journal to be published and edited by him, the International Journal of Comic Art. Thus began his twenty-seven-year run with that journal, a run brought to an end only now, by his passing.

John faithfully attended ICAF, originally the International Comics and Animation Festival, now the International Comic Arts Forum, for many years. There he gave papers and plenaries, introduced guest artists such as Fang Cheng (2005) and Lat (Mohammed Nor Khalid, 2007), and, from 2005, co-presented ICAF’s Lent Scholarship in Comics Studies. You could say that John was the patron saint of ICAF, even though he was not officially involved in organizing it. Speaking as someone who worked on ICAF for twelve years (1997-2009), I can say that John’s cosmopolitanism and breadth of knowledge were aspirational ideals for us. Moreover, John generously helped arrange guest artists and programming, in the process cementing ICAF’s reputation as the premier comics studies conference of that time. ICAF only felt complete to me when John was there.

In my admittedly nostalgic memory, that year, 1998, was a banner year for ICAF: the first year that the nascent Executive Committee really assumed responsibility for running the conference, the first time ICAF was held entirely on-site at the Small Press Expo (SPX) in Bethesda, Maryland, and a terrific year for international guests, including, among others, the collectives Strip Core (represented by Igor Prassel and Klemenčič), AMOK (Yvan Alagbé and Olivier Marboeuf), and Actus Tragicus (Mira Friedmann, Batia Kolton, Rutu Modan, Yirmi Pinkus, and Itzik Rennert). French scholar Jean-Pierre Mercier gave a keynote, as did Rusty Witek, as did, of course, John. Artists and works I learned about that year quickly found their way into my dissertation-in-progress.

Yet what stands out most vividly in my memory was John’s announcement of the new IJOCA. This was thrilling news. It was sobering, too, in that John was, basically, challenging us all to walk the walk, to earn the “international” in ICAF’s name by opening our eyes, and our horizons, as we never had before. IJOCA was not only about filling the gap left by the cancellation of the groundbreaking journal INKS (in its first incarnation, 1994-1997) but also about taking an emphatically transnational perspective on comics and cartooning. In a way, John was chiding us, albeit gently, for the narrowness of our focus, for the parochialism of our studies. I recall that John had sounded much the same note at a previous Popular Culture Association conference, where he had pointed out how much comics scholarship in the US was blinkered by, essentially, recency basis and perspectives inherited from American comic book and superhero fandom. He was right to encourage a bigger, more inclusive perspective—and IJOCA was his practical means of modeling that perspective, as well as solidifying his international network of contacts among artists and scholars (which made for the most incredible journal masthead I’ve ever seen).

In short, John not only encouraged us to do more, and better, but he enabled us to do it. IJOCA, of course, went on to have a transformative effect on comic studies.

I recall my colleague Ana Merino doing her best, both in 1998 and in later years, to draw attention to IJOCA and build up its subscriber base. She was a sort of evangelist for it! Ana understood right away, and very clearly, what I grasped only vaguely: that IJOCA was a decisive break with the past and a necessary springboard to the future.  

I was proud that John asked me to serve on IJOCA’s Editorial Board, and I’m saddened to think that I did not do more for the journal over the years. I came to take it for granted, as indeed I think many of us took John’s energy and guidance for granted.

There’s about five feet of IJOCA on my office shelf behind me as I type this: a glorious long run of chunky issues in white-and-blue dress. Good lord, what a treasure trove.

RIP John. And thank you. Comics conferences and comics studies will not feel the same, going forward. Your warmth, your endless, surprising stories, and your mentorship will be dearly missed.

Charles Hatfield

------------------------------------

I just learned that John A. Lent has passed away, he is one of the most generous, humble, and genuinely good human beings I have ever known. A pioneer in academic comic studies. I was lucky enough to meet him at ICAF 2019. I was amazed at how much he knew about Cuban comics, and learned later he had interviewed and published about cartoonists I had known and loved growing up in Cuba. I was happy to collaborate with him when I published in The International Journal of Comic Art. So many of us owe John for his love of comics across all cultures and languages. RIP John, an extraordinary human being.

Tania Perez

Associate Professor, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

Remembering John Lent, part 1

The Daily Cartoonist has an obituary online now. 

-----------

I have three major things to recount that are out of my life with Dr. John A. Lent: 

1. I never thought that I would marry an American guy. John and I have such different backgrounds. He was born in East Millsboro, Pennsylvania, and I was born in Beijing, the capital of socialist China. He was 23 years older than me. When we first met in Beijing at an international conference in 1996, he was the only white man who sat at the table with all Asian guests every meal. I was working for the China Film Archive and through our talking, I knew he was a professor at Temple University and the Chairman of Asian Cinema Society. I wanted to be a member of Asian Cinema Society and could not afford the subscription fee. He was very kind and told me if I wrote articles for the journal Asian Cinema, I could become a member. As the editor-in-chief, he guided me to do research on Beijing's animation production situations and that's what I did. He published the articles in the journal, and we started communicating through letters. In 1998, the Asian Cinema Society had a conference in Toronto. The organizers invited me to participate. But they could not pay for my trip. Again, I had to give up as I couldn't afford it. In 1999, I won the Canadian government award to Canada for 5 weeks research on Canadian animation industry. I went to Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver collected materials and interviewed with directors and producers - as many as possible. After my return to China, I published an article on History and Present Situation of Canadian Animation Industry in the journal Cinema World in Beijing. I wrote to Dr. Lent and shared my little achievement. He replied and said he was proud of me. Next year, the Asian Cinema had a conference in Oklahoma. The university organizer invited me, and I saved money to pay for my trip. When I first arrived in the US, Dr. Lent was the only one I knew at the conference. We hugged each other and started our close friendship. He even sent me to the airport by taxi as I flew to Miami to visit with my brother. After the conference, he wrote to me regularly and when I started temporarily working in Miami, he called me and encouraged me when I was down. He became my first customer when I practiced to write an invoice for my company. Later, after he divorced, he asked me: "Will you marry me?" I answered without hesitating: "Sure." Once, he asked me: "Is that what you planned?" I felt upset and told him: "Never say that again. I did not have a plan. I never even thought I could marry an American. I know there were many ships in his harbor. I didn’t want to be a burden. I will leave him and he can never find me again." He noticed I was hurt and apologized to me again and again. Years later at an international conference in Guiyang, China, he joked with a scholar and told him: "Ying said, 'She is available,'" and the guy believed him and told other people. What a naughty man! We got married in 2003 and I moved to Drexel Hill with my 14-year-old son together.

2. We started to work together at home. He was still teaching at Temple University three or four days a week. He used his spare time editing two journals - Asian Cinema and the International Journal of Comic Art. These two journals published twice a year. He edited by handwriting. I worked on the computer doing the corrections and formatting. How we cooperated so well and worked as a perfect team - that was beyond my imagination. He was a good boss. Occasionally, he would buy flowers for me and he took me out to cinema theaters and dinners. If there was a conference - PCA, IAMCR or ICAF - he would bring me so we could participate together. When he gave a speech, I would help show the images by computer. We became working partners. During some trips, we would interview local cartoonists or animators. After we returned, he would write articles and published them in his journals. I did all the typing for him. If I typed wrong or made mistakes, he would give me C+ and fire me. But just one minute later, he would hire me immediately as he could not afford to lose me. Through all 9 and half years working together, I admired him and became proud of him more and more. Especially when he became one of the judges of the Pulitzer Editorial Cartoon prizes twice in a row, I was so proud of him. I learned a lot from my professor and my English has made great progress. Unfortunately, he did not learn more Chinese, and his English went backwards as I talked a lot of Chinglish with him every day. He was very easily influenced. I am sorry for my darling, the brilliant editor-in-chief.

3. I could never imagine how he suffered from a fall so seriously. As I have been taking care of my 91-year-old father in Beijing, I seldom came back to stay long enough. John was very independent. He kept working, writing books, editing journals, cooking, he did [almost] everything by himself. I came back when he had a stroke and to help take care of him and make dumplings for him. He loved Chinese food and fried vegetables. His family doctor made a joke with him and said: "Only when you had a stroke, your wife would come back " I felt so sorry about that. This year I came back in January to February for about 18 days because he fell and injured his shoulders. Fortunately, he didn't break any bones. I planned on coming back in August to celebrate his 90th birthday on September 8. But suddenly he fell down the stairs [at home]. This time his head was bleeding, his back broken in 7 places. He was unconscious at the moment. His son John Vincent called an ambulance, and they took him to the closest hospital. After 5 days of treatment, the doctor released him to rehab hospital. 

For the first 5 days in the hospital, he was awake. We talked by WeChat every day and he told me he fell. I asked him: "Do you want me there?" He said: "No." I knew how seriously he was injured and next day when I told him: "I already bought flight tickets and will be there with you." He asked me: "Are you sure?" I said: "Definitely!" I heard from his children and grandchildren later. They visited him on Saturday (May 2), he talked with them and joked with them. He even remembered all four great grandchildren's names. But after he was moved to the rehab, gradually he seldom talked and most of the time he felt sleepy. When I arrived at the rehab in the morning of May 7th, he opened his eyes widely and said: "Ying! Ying!" I said to him: "Yes, Ying is here! I'm here with you. I'll not go anywhere. Just want to be with you!" He was so happy and smiled.

While there, they were feeding him food and medicine with apple sauce which he aspirated and that caused a lung infection. Doctor also suspected he had a stroke. So, he was transferred to the U of Penn Hospital by ambulance on May 7th after I arrived there. I accompanied him when he was transferred to U Penn Hospital and was with him day and night. But he couldn't say any words after May 8, 2026.

He was kept 3 days in the emergency room. The numbers looked OK and they moved him to the 10th floor normal patient room. Two days later, his blood pressure dropped down fast. Doctors used a breathing machine for life support. After two days, his children found his handwritten living will. He didn't want any breathing machine and tubes for life support and wanted to donate his organs. His doctor had a meeting with his family members, and they all agreed to follow his will. On the third day, his doctors and nurses removed his breathing machine and put him in hospice. Three days later, at 2:47 pm on May 16, 2026, John passed away peacefully with his family around. He didn’t suffer any pain or troubles. I never imagined he would leave me in this way! I couldn't believe how nice and courteous they were at hospice. They allowed me to hug and be next to him for as long as I wanted. I was able to sing and be with him and tell him I love him over and over. Because of his age, the doctors couldn't accept his organ donations. He was such a great person, he is definitely in heaven. I lost my love, my soul mate, my perfect man, and the King of Ying! Although we lived across the world from each other in recent years, we still talked through Skype every day, making each other laugh and being there for one another. I would tell him “You are the greatest most fantastic man. Man of my life, and the King of Ying." And he would say "You are intelligent, smart, and beautiful inside and outside." I will miss these words and will never be able to match the love I had for him. 

Xu Ying

 May 17, 2026

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I met John in Manchester in 1998 at the UKCAC convention. He had a table and I spoke to him about the field of comics studies. I was just about to start my PhD in comics and he was very supportive, giving advice and telling me who I should contact. He was so knowledgeable and knew everyone. I was somewhat in awe of him and was very impressed with IJOCA when he launched that a bit later. He encouraged me to submit an article. It was my first academic publication. Several others followed in IJOCA. It was always a pleasure to speak to him via email. I never met him again in person, but he helped me publish my first book, which emerged from my PhD and was an important stepping stone to being employed as a comic scholar. John was a lovely man and I owe him a lot. I won't forget him and the support and advice that he gave in the early years of my career. I know that many young comics scholars around the world owe John a similar debt. I've always found Comics Studies to be an incredibly supportive field, full of friends and colleagues willing to help one another, and John was one of the key figures to set that example. 


Professor Christopher Murray
Chair of English and Comics Studies

Division of Humanities, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Co-Director, Institute for Social Sciences Research
Director, Comics Studies Creative Research Hub
Impact Lead for the Division of Humanities
University of Dundee

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A scholar who ceaselessly helped others to build the field..

James P. Danky
Adjunct Curator for Comics
Museum of Wisconsin Art
https://wisconsinart.org/exhibitions/comics-and-politics/
Future of Print Project
School of Journalism & Mass Communication
University of Wisconsin - Madison

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  John Lent was a friend, a mentor, and even a father figure. If not for John Lent and Tom Inge providing encouragement I doubt I would have had the courage to attempt to forge a career teaching and writing about comics. Over the years, I witnessed John encouraging and advising so many other young scholars. I am sure many people reading this can remember the first time John Lent approached them after a panel and said “That was a good paper. I hope you submit it to IJOCA.” It was a thrill and a validation. But if you did not submit the paper he would ask you about it every time he saw you because he a great memory and a desire to see young (and not so young) scholars fulfill their potential. And, John, I am so sorry I never completed that “Sequential Art in The Miracles of Mary” article you asked about for twenty-some years. If there is an afterlife and I make it to the good place you are going to I will try to have it finished by then.

Randy Duncan 

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I am very saddened by the news . John Lent was unique and adorable. He helped everyone in the profession, 

Three memories - great moments with John Lent,

 Ana Merino 

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 John Lent was punk rock and DIY all the way, the Johnny Rotten and Johnny Ramone of comics studies. I’m glad we met in 1990 and he introduced me to Witty World, Joe Szabo (who has also passed), Phillip Yeh and through IJOCA, Mike Rhode and many others. John was a pioneering figure in Southeast Asian comics studies, inspiring me and many others. I’m happy to have talked to him for the last time over the phone a few weeks ago. Shine on you crazy diamond.

When I heard the news of his accident 2 weeks ago, I thought of the loosely formed Association of Asian Comics Critics Asia (ACCA) group I formed with some friends from Indonesia and the Philippines in 2018, and how we can be more active in terms of events, panels, papers, articles, journals. John would have given us the space in IJOCA. That’s how he was, generous and accommodating. Long may you run, John Lent, old friend. 

CT Lim

IJOCA Singapore country co-editor

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John was a pioneer in the field of comics studies. But he was also a kind and patient mentor, always welcoming to new people and young scholars. He was wise and funny. The last time I saw him, almost a decade ago now, we met at the annual comics conference at the University of Florida and he met some of my students who were presenting there. So gracious and kind. And there was no one on Earth who could compare to his encyclopedic knowledge of international comics and their creators. 

A legend.

Jason Tondro 

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I met John Lent at a comics conference in the US in 1999. I was presenting a paper about Brazilian comics. John immediately asked me to send the paper to the first issue of IJOCA and invited me to be the Brazilian representative in the international advising committee of the new journal. I am still very honored and grateful to him by the invitation and by the opportunity to publish several articles about Brazilian comics in IJOCA.

The second time I met John Lent, we were in another comics conference in Cuba. He was as always very active and interviewing several Cuban cartoonists. He asked me to help in the interviews, and I had to translate the Spanish the Cubans were speaking (which I understood only partially at that time) to English for John´s benefit. Until now, I do not know if I translated their Spanish correctly and I am afraid that some information John received was not so precise as it should be. My fault, not his.

I met John several times in the following twenty and so years, including twice in Brazil. He kindly gave the opening address in one of the editions of the Jornadas Internacionais de Histórias em Quadrinhos, our most important academic meeting about comics.

On all occasions, John was always kind, attentive and encouraged everyone to study comics seriously. I have no doubt that a great part of the advancement we had in comics studies in the last 40 decades are due to his work and example as a scholar and enthusiast of comics.

Thanks, John. For everything.

Prof. Dr. Waldomiro Vergueiro

Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil

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I was so saddened and shocked to hear about this. As old as he was, I never pictured John leaving us. If it’s appropriate to recycle, here’s the “Lent Knows” art that I did for you guys way back when.

Nick Thorkelson

Graphic Design & CartoonsProvincetown MA 02657

www.nickthorkelson.com

Two parody festschrifts for John Lent's 70th and 90th years

There's been some mention of the first of these on Facebook, so I thought I'd share both links again. John enjoyed them both and was greatly amused by and appreciative of everyone's contributions. The attached art is by Matt Wuerker.

InterPlanetary Journal of Comic Art (a festschrift in honor of John Lent )

https://archive.org/details/ipjoca-final-with-covers

InterGalactic Journal of Comic Art (IGJOCA) Prospectus: John A. Lent 90th Birthyear Fanzine

https://archive.org/details/igjoca-lent-90th-fanzine-final/IGJOCA%20Lent%2090th%20fanzine%20FINAL/

Collecting John Lent memories, stories, tributes to publish

If you're interested, please send me what you would like to say about John. I'll put them together and post on Ijoca's blog. If you've already written something on Facebook or a list serve or directly to me, please send it again so I know it's ok to publish. Cartoons would be fine too as would photos.

I'll probably space things over several days so don't worry about getting it in late.

Bart Beaty is writing an obituary for the comics journal but Ijoca will have one as well. 

Please forward to anyone who might be interested.

Mike

mrhode@gmail.com

Pioneering comics scholar John Lent RIP (corrected and updated)

Dr. John A. Lent passed away today (May 16th) at about 2:45 pm from injuries he suffered from a fall at home several days ago. John regained consciousness after the fall, and his family was with him at the hospital. Xu Ying, his wife, says, "I  heard from his children and grandchildren later. They visited him on Saturday (May 2), he talked with them and joked with them. He even remembered all four great grandchildren's names."  Unfortunately, while in rehabilitation, he suffered strokes and a lung infection and was not able to recover from those additional injuries.

His living will expressed his desire not to have extraordinary measures taken to keep him alive, so he was removed from life support on Thursday. 

John was a few months shy of his 90th birthday, and remained productive up until his accident. He had two more books essentially finished and the upcoming issue of IJOCA largely completed.

I believe he requested cremation rather than burial, but I will provide more details as they become available.  IJOCA's blog will have a formal obituary and memorials from his friends and colleagues at some point in the near future.

5/18: Time of death, and hospital information corrected.

IJOCA delayed due to EiC John Lent's accident

Last week (roughly ten days ago), publisher and editor-in-chief John Lent fell down the stairs of his house and badly injured himself. His family has rallied around him, including his wife Xu Ying who flew in from China, but Dr. Lent has not yet regained consciousness. When I have any news, I will update this blog post. 

In the meantime, some activity will continue and contributors should send their book and exhibit reviews to me, and may also send articles if they would prefer to see them published here since the print edition is indefinitely postponed.

 I can be reached at mrhode at gmail.com 

 Mike Rhode

assistant editor (or something like that)