Neurodivergent cartoonist Justin Tan Haozhi believes that no villains are purely evil. Kindness can be found even when the world seems cruel.
Every story that the 22-year-old creates has humour, love and happy endings.
Tan was diagnosed with autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at the age of three. He makes art based on what he has experienced, such as being bullied in school and feeling misunderstood.
When he was 15, Tan lost his mother to cancer. He poured his grief into making a fantasy comic book, The Misunderstood Monster: A Hotdog Hutchins Adventure.
A caring character in the book, named Annie, was inspired by his late mother.
Of the many stories Tan has worked on over the years, he published this one because it is closest to his heart.
Tan hopes the story inspires young readers to be kind, especially to kids with special educational needs (SEN).
“Treat everyone fairly, no matter who they are,” he said. “And never give up.”
For Tan, being neurodivergent means that he experiences the world differently. He thinks at his own speed, has an intense focus on his interests and sometimes needs breaks during conversations.
The term “neurodivergence” sees conditions like autism, ADHD or dyslexia as natural differences in how people think and learn.
Tan’s stepmother, Donna Yau Yuet-wah, said he found comfort in his illustrations.
“Drawing became a way for him to release his emotions,” she said.
An artist’s growth
After completing two illustration degrees, Tan is now studying product design at the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong.
His art journey began when he was three. At the time, his parents trained him to draw circles and lines to improve his control of small body movements. Over time, he started drawing cartoon characters for fun, and an art teacher showed him how to make digital drawings on an iPad.
Tan was eager to share his work. He even knocked on his neighbours’ doors to promote his books. But some of them complained about Tan to the building management.
School life was also difficult because Tan was often treated badly for being different.
“There were bullies,” he said. “They did not leave me alone. They didn’t like me. But the bullies are gone now.”
The turning point came after Yau shared Tan’s work with another Hong Kong parent, who also understood Tan’s struggles because of her son with ADHD.
Rosalind Lee Suk-yee was moved after reading one of Tan’s stories and decided to help him publish The Misunderstood Monster.
“The story about people misunderstanding someone who only wants to help reflected so much truth,” she said. She noted that the monster in Tan’s story was a misunderstood soul who just wanted to be helpful.
In hopes of spreading awareness, Lee is helping Tan set up a booth for his book at Renaissance College’s Open Day event later this month. She is the honorary secretary of the official parent-teacher association for ESF Renaissance College (RCHK).
“I wanted ... to remind people that inclusiveness matters – especially in schools,” she said.
Hope for a better world
Tan’s father, Eric Tam Chi-chuen, goes by the surname Tam. He has always believed in helping his son be part of the world, not hide from it.
He shared that the family used to hire a domestic worker to take care of Tan. But now, Tan has learned to take care of himself. He goes to school on his own, eats outside and hikes almost every day.
“We encourage him to meet people and explore, and I don’t feel bad having a special kid. I actually tell everyone I meet,” he said.
“Hopefully, there can be a better world for them.”
