Walk Like an Egyptian

The Washington Post ran this piece about English/Arabic comic book publishing newby AK Comics out of Cairo, Egypt. One look down their list of heroes, and it's pretty easy to see that Western comics have had at least a little bit of influence on the company's creations. Their pantheon includes such crusaders as Jalila, The Defender of City of All the Faiths (who bears a remarkable resemblance to Wonder Woman); Rakan, the Lone Warrior (looks like Conan); Zein, the Last Pharaoh (my personal favorite); and Aya, the Princess of Darkness.



"Why can't the Middle East have its own heroes?" asks Marwan Nashar, managing director and editor at AK Comics, an Egyptian publishing venture.

AK Comics, which publishes in Arabic and English, sells in Egypt and is beginning distribution in Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf states. It plans to move on to Lebanon, Syria and North Africa this year and next. Like Zein, AK Comics is on a mission. As spelled out on the first inside page of various issues, the goal is "to fill the cultural gap created over the years by providing essentially Arab role models, in our case, Arab superheroes to become a source of pride to our young generations." Truth, Justice and the Arab Way, indeed.

AK's website states that their books are "written and illustrated by creative minds from around the world." Though I definitely don't recognize any big names on their list, the origins they've got concocted on here begged a second glance. The artwork isn't half bad either.



This solemn warrior wanders the deserts of the Medieval Arabia and Persia. He is a product of excruciating times, abandoned by his tribe as a child in the wake of a Mongol onslaught. Weak and asthmatic, with a debilitating limp, he had little chance of survival until a desert cat, a saber-toothed, rescued him and raised him as her own.

He survived, and later, as youth, he aids an old nomad living in a secret oasis. In return, the old one teaches Rakan the secrets of SHEBA…techniques more about wisdom and peace than combat skills. He develops into a lethal, almost invincible warrior.

Rakan's travels revolve around the three civilizations battling in this region, during this time: the Turks, the Crusaders, and the Mongols. He never sides with one against the other, but rather watches with deep sorrow and pain as they battle one another to death. His not to interfere, merely to protect those innocents torn asunder by the violence…and follows what he believes, in his heart is right.

Alas, none of these books are available on stands this side of the Atlantic Ocean just yet. However, you can browse through some keen online previews they've got up of Rakan #1 and Aya #2.