We’re sure we’re not the only comic geeks in Cairo who are excited about the launch of Toktok 14 - the latest edition of the popular Egyptian comic magazine at the Institut Français on March 18th. Along with other comic magazines like Garage, Toktok is putting Cairo on the map as a serious challenger to Beirut’s position as the leading source of creative underground comic art in the Middle East. If you doubt us, here’s our recommendation for nine groundbreaking and talented Egyptian comic artists that you should know about.
1. ANDEEL
(Image courtesy of Andeel on Facbeook)
We begin the list with Mada Masr and Toktok contributor, Andeel, who stands as one of the most popular young satirical cartoonists in Egypt these days, with his snappy and on-point comics regularly going viral. Follow him on Facebook here for his hilarious posts and commentary.
2. ISLAM GAWISH
(Image courtesy of El Waraka on Facbeook)
Islam Gawish’s simple, doodle-like El Waraka comics regularly fill up our newsfeeds, but his name hit the news earlier this year when he was briefly arrested for running a Facebook page without a permit. Ahem, yeah. We're glad that unpleasantness is over and done with, because his lighthearted comic series – now available in book editions - brighten up otherwise drab workdays. Follow him here.
3. HATEM ALY
(Image courtesy of Mehatem on Facbeook)
Now based in New Brunswick, Canada, Hatem Aly is an incredibly talented artist who’s won awards and worked with publications and agencies across the world. We’ve been following his whimsical and child-like illustrations ever since deviantart.com was still a thing.
(Image courtesy of Mohamed Anwar on Tumblr)
Mohamed Anwar is a regular contributor to Toktok as well as news publications like Ros El Youssef and Egypt Independent. His comics are politically light, relevant and snappy - exactly what you need from a comic strip. Read more of them here.
5. TAREK SHAHIN
(Image courtesy of Tarek Shahin on Facbeook)
Cairo-born, London-transplant, Tarek Shahin, has two books published based on his Al Khan series, which originally appeared in Daily News Egypt. His English-written comic strips are subtle in their political content and humour and easy to follow in sequence or separately.
6. DOAA ELADL
(Image courtesy of Doaa Eladl on Tumblr)
As one of the most ‘shared’ artists on our feed, cartoonist, Doaa Eladl, is a regular political comic contributor to Al Masry Al Youm and hit headlines in 2012 after being arrested for ‘insulting religion’. She’s also a heavy contender in a male-dominated industry with her poignant political caricatures.
7. SHENNAWY
(Image courtesy of Toktok on Facbeook)
The man that brought us here today. Toktok founder and graphic designer, Shennawy, is a regular contributor to the quarterly magazine’s stories and illustrations. He may not have his own page, but you can follow his work, along with other contributors, on Toktok’s Facebook page.
8. SHERIF ADEL
(Image courtesy of Barbatoze on Facbeook)
Interested in a little satirical sci-fi comic art? Then Sherif Adel’s your man. His series, Pass by Us Tomorrow (Fuut ‘aleina bokra), follows the anti-hero Fahmi in the year 3104, and has now been published into a book. The rest of his non-sci-fi comic work can be found on his site Barbatoze - check out his interview with sister site, Cairo 360.
(Photo courtesy of Twins Cartoon on Facebook)
Founders of Garage, identical twins, Mohamed and Haitham Rafaat, have done a lot for the comic art scene as co-founders of the Arab artist collective, Kawkab El Rasameen, and as judges of the 2015 ComicsCairo festival. Check out their clever and slick illustrations here.
Toktok 14 launches at the Institut Français in Mounira, Cairo on Friday 18th of March. Come pick up the latest issue, meet the artists and get your copy signed!
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By Kalam El Qahaira
