#arab comics

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The comic artist who fled Syria and found himself

How Syrian writer Hamid Sulaiman dealt with the success of Freedom Hospital and why his next work will be about tattoos

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Naji Al-Ali, Thirty Years On

The London Metropolitan Police have reopened their investigation into the unsolved murder of Palestinian cartoonist Naji Al-Ali. 

I spoke to the New York Times about the iconic artist’s enduring legacy:

“He’s the only cartoonist whose work I’ve seen in Muslim Brotherhood newspapers and also in a famous communist bar in Beirut,” Mr. Guyer said. “He has this incredible crossover appeal because he was really an independent thinker and a staunch critic of all authority. Whoever you are, there is something in Naji al-Ali’s work for you.”

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I also wrote a post for Public Radio International about how Ali has influenced contemporary comic artists.

In death, Ali has inspired a new generation of bold political cartoonists across the Middle East who are carrying his legacy forward. Khalid Albaih, the Qatar-based cartoonist, cites Ali as a crucial inspiration, as do myriad illustrators in the Levant and North Africa — and of course in Palestine.

“My mother used the cartoons of Naji al-Ali to tell us what was happening in Palestine while we were living in Kuwait,” said Mohammad Sabaaneh, 38, a Ramallah-based political cartoonist who continues to see Ali as a reference. “It’s important to continue what he started.”

“Not all of the cartoonists at this time could criticize the Arab regimes,” said Sabaaneh of the late Ali. “He criticized all the Palestinian parties, all the Arab regimes, and he talked about the poor people, the people who want to go back to Palestine.” Unlike most cartoonists of the time, Ali was not affiliated with a particular political party or party newspaper. That’s why Sabaaneh says, “He represents all Palestinians.”

Keep reading—or listen to my comments on air— here. 

Original drawings by Naji Al-Ali, 1978, courtesy of the British Library and the Al-Ali family.

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Kiss and Tell

Overlooking Cairo, the Muqattam Hill offers a view like no other.

Some might say that it’s windy and dangerous upon the craggy cliffs, the site of drifters and no-gooders. The criminal-protagonist of Naguib Mahfouz’s The Thief and the Dogs took refuge in a nearby necropolis. The now banned Muslim Brotherhood once battled protesters outside of their hilltop headquarters, and others have told stories of criminals and djinn causing trouble up there.

But it’s also tranquil and private, which is why it has been dubbed Cairo’s make-out spot par excellence.

The Egyptian illustrator Omar Hazem renders an unforgettable kiss from high above the megalopolis. A newcomer to Cairo’s bustling scene of inkers, Hazem works for an advertising firm. He has distinguished himself with a knack for composition and color in his hyper-realist street scenes of the Egyptian capital from above and below.

The whimsical postcard image is reminiscent of the French artist Golo, who over the past four decades has developed a singular approach to capturing Egyptian scenes and personalities. Golo has drawn political cartoons, movie posters, and graphic novels, including adaptations of Albert Cossery. But his cityscapes are enough to steal one’s breath.

Golo, 1994. Image courtesy of the artist.

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Golo’s oversized panorama of the Muqattam Hill was on display at his 2014 retrospective La Nouvelle Description de l’Egypte, hosted by Institut Francais and the comic zine Tok Tok at downtown’s La Viennoise Hotel.

The drawing shares much with Hazem’s homage to Muqattam—the rich colors and vast expanses, and of course the couple canoodling.

And if you were to sneak away to Cairo’s natural, limestone watchtower at sunset, you’ll likely stumble across just as romantic of a scene.

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Beirut Comic Con

Off to present at the Symposium on Arab Comics. Hope to see you there. 

Full schedule below:

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On the Arab Page

In my first essay for Le Monde Diplomatique, I discuss what connects fine art and comic art in Egypt and the wider Middle East.

Read it online.

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(Above image: “Self portrait with Spider”, 1945, Adham Wanly. Courtesy of the Abushâdy archive.)

[littlecakeclub]

Wishes, Power, and Privilege — A Review of Shubeik Lubeik

In an alternate Cairo where wishes can be bought, sold, or saved, Shubeik Lubeik follows the intertwined lives of three people from different walks of life. Each must grapple with the personal and political consequences of using—or refusing—a wish. A poignant modern fable about power, freedom, and inequality.

I wasn’t expecting to enjoy Shubeik Lubeik as much as I did—it turned out to be a brilliant and engaging read!

Green flags: The French translation respects the original Arabic reading direction, which is such a thoughtful detail. It also preserves the calligraphy and some cultural words, adding authenticity and richness to the experience.

The story follows three characters in the same fascinating world, and I thoroughly enjoyed each of their journeys. The narrative dives into important and layered themes like class privilege, imperialism and colonialism, mental health, sexism, and more. It’s both thought-provoking and relevant without feeling heavy-handed.

The artwork is absolutely beautiful and engaging. I loved how it alternates between vibrant colors and striking black-and-white pages—it added so much depth and emotion to the storytelling.

The worldbuilding is incredible—intelligent, well-thought-out, and immersive. It’s the kind of setting that pulls you in and leaves you thinking about its implications even after you’ve put the book down.

The ending caught me by surprise, and while it felt a bit abrupt, I still appreciated the final twist. It wrapped up the story in a way that left me reflective and satisfied.

We absolutely need more diverse voices like this in graphic novels. Shubeik Lubeik is a standout example of how powerful and layered this medium can be when it draws from a variety of cultures and perspectives. 

✦ My rating: 4.5/5 stars ✦

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Happy Fourth from Mickey.

—Miki, Cairo: Dar El-Hilal, 1964.

More Disney in Arabic here here here here here and here.

[ourcomicsourselves]

Symposium On Comics & Censorship In the Arab World

Last March I got to speak in Beirut at a symposium on comics and censorship organized bySamandal Comics, an organization whose artists were prosecuted and fined by the Lebanese government for publishing comics they deemed to be anti-religious. The symposium examines intellectual freedom from different points of view and is presented in full in the audio recording above.

I started, examining censorship as an exercise of social control by government through the prism of comics censorship cases in the United States. I fundamentally advocated that more speech is always preferable than less speech; that freedom of expression guarantees the ability to compete in the marketplace of ideas, but does not inoculate from criticism; and that violence and political suppression must always be shunned as methods of combating speech. But my point of view comes from the privilege of living in the United States, where the First Amendment guarantees our right to free expression.

Dr. Irina Chiaburu, an expert in Soviet animation during the late Soviet period, examined censorship as a fact of state reality and suggested a framework through which artists seek to “outsmart” censorship. It’s easy for those of us in the United States to take for granted intellectual freedom, however it is not a basic and established right everywhere. In parts of the world where state censorship is a given, there are more fundamental arguments concerning intellectual freedom still raging. From my point of view, this should make us more deeply appreciative and protective of the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment.

Finally, lawyer Rana Saghieh spoke in detail about the facts of the legal case against Samandal where individual editors and artists were fined $20,000 for creating comics that Lebanese courts found to be anti-religious.

The symposium as a whole provides a valuable set of perspectives on free expression, and how freedom of expression underscores cultural and representational values central to social justice.

– Charles Brownstein

Charles Brownstein is the executive director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.