Egyptian artists, authors and illustrators have always found a creative outlet through comics. But no one could have expected the sheer volume and brilliance of Egyptian comics that have burst onto the scene in recent years. Visually-stunning and engrossing, these comics have helped unseat dictators and reframe social discourse. Some foretell a dystopian future, while others evoke deep reflection on one of the world’s most defining moments. These comic books display such a depth and breadth of human insight that could easily rival some of the most complex and ponderous literary classics. Qahera Qahera came out in 2013, in the midst of social, political and economic turmoil that engulfed Egypt following two popular uprisings, giving the country’s social imaginary a superhero it so badly needed. The web comic follows the adventures of Qahera, an intersectional feminist hijabi superheroine who takes matters into her own hands and enforces her own brand of gender justice. Owing her monicker to Cairo’s Arabic name, the web comic offers insight into the urban female experience, seamlessly weaving the narrative with social commentary that is both accessible and necessary. Authored and illustrated by renowned Egyptian comic…
