Words Without Borders is running a series of excerpts from graphic novels from around the world this month, including two from Egypt and Lebanon. The fantastic Mazen Kerbaj, whose use of collage first surfaced during the Lebanon war of 2006, has an account of growing up during the Lebanese civil war:
For Egypt, I also like Magdy al-Shafee’s The Metro, which shows cynical unemployed youths planning a bank robbery. He lays it on a bit thick with the obvious political references (remember to read right-to-left, as it’s translated from Arabic):
Some great Cairo shots too, as well as use of the metro.
very nice-looking stuff, both of them. i read a lot of this, but i know nothing about arab comics. i’ve tried to keep an eye out for it when in arab countries, but rarely do i find anything except the odd translated american book.* you wouldn’t happen to have a link to a good primer on arab comics somewhere? or post more on this, even better 🙂
actually, i remember hearing about a moroccan comic artist some time ago, but i can’t recall the name. he had been in prison, i think, not necessarily due to the art though. any clue who that could be?
*) best find: a bunch of old x-men and spiderman magazines in damascus once, from egypt originally. not really my cup of tea, but the wham bang boom effects look awesome in arabic!
Arabic versions of the two comic strips stories mentioned here appeared in the recent issues of the Lebanese, Zawaya, and the Egyptian, Eddostour, respectively.
Mazen Kerbaj’s is good stuff 🙂
I like the one you used for your header too, who’s the artist?
Hamuksha, the artist for my banner is E.P. Jacobs (in “Le Mystere de la Grande Pyramide”). He was a 1940s Belgian cartoonist in a similar vein to Herge’s Tintin, but his heroes were two British secret service types.
Will think of compiling a primer on Arab comics…
yesterday I attended an opening for Magdy ElShafee`s METRO graphic novel, at the town house gallery ,
it contained the original art-works of the comics and a short looping movie, plys the graphic novel itself to show the different effects of visual perceptions..
it was wonderful I guess the novel will still be there till feb 20th, you can find it there
For those of you interested in a *primer* on Arab comics you should check out the now dated:
Douglas, A., and F. Malti-Douglas. 1994. Arab Comic Strips: Politics of an Emerging Mass Culture. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press.
A more contemporary primer would be a welcome addition.
I feel that METRO, as an adult comic, is an infant that will grow towards bigger and bigger wave of adult comics. Dr. Magdy, you have the honor of initiating this wave by your wonderful story . I see that this trend complies well with our current culture for several reasons: it comprises freedom of expression, pictures save a lot of readings that comes along with our fast life, and in the same time these novels inhert the attraction to a great sector of youth who have little interest for long readings. Congratulations for the initiatve and wish a continuation and more novels,
it is really great work, congratulation for Egypt and world by this Novel artist, Dr.Magdy