The authors of a graphic novel inspired by the X-Men themes of social inequality are hoping to publish in the UAE to help educate about Islam and religious sensitivities.
David Anthony, of Scarlet Spire Comics, is hoping to take his 88-page comic Journey around the world to break down cultural barriers and alleviate stigma surrounding Islam in some countries.
Mr Anthony, who is of native American, German and Irish descent, is aiming the novel he has written and illustrated at young people and fans of the comic genre.
“My boss was working at a waste management consulting firm in Sharjah when she decided she wanted to go into publishing,” he said.
“She wrote her first story draft and pitched a documentary to the government of Canada, but was unsuccessful.
“She asked me to help with a project that explored the Israeli occupation of Palestine, but we decided that Islamophobia was a more pertinent issue here in the West.
“The protagonist is based on me, as for the other character - he is designed to dress more ‘urban’ something that appeals to today’s youth.
“He was created to show people a devout Muslim can be anyone and does not have a specific look or style.”
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Along with the superhero X-Men series of comics, Journey has been inspired by a Canadian cartoon series called Carebus the Aardvark.
The series began as a parody of sword and sorcery comics and progressed to cover wide-ranging topics like politics, religion and gender issues.
Mr Anthony, who has a BA in illustration, spent more than 18 months researching for the project, including travelling to Turkey and Morocco.
Mr Anthony’s trip to Turkey coincided with political unrest, driven by a wave of young people, with anti-government protests outside his hotel.
“To combat problems like Islamophobia you need to educate people through a modern medium,” he said.
“The easiest people to reach are kids and young adults, and they are also the future, so it’s important they see everything in this world with ‘open eyes’.
“I have future plans to visit Pakistan also, where I’ve been invited to teach a comic workshop that has spawned from this comic.
“It’s aimed at comic enthusiasts and the youth - the purpose of the comic is an interesting and engaging way to help people better understand Islam.”
Other titles include Tales of Eastern Exodus, charting the journey of immigrants into Canada and A Man Named Mucahit, a Turkish hero in the Superman mould with Islam in his heart and a resolve to fight intolerance, ignorance and Islamophobia.
The world of graphic novels, comics and superheroes is making its mark on popular culture.
Next month, the annual Comic Con event returns to Dubai World Trade Centre, featuring art galleries, workshops and industry stars from TV and Hollywood, including Natalia Dyer of Netflix sci-fi hit Stranger Things. The event runs from April 5 to 7.
Despite the growing popularity of mainstream comics, Mr Anthony said he has found difficulty getting his work published.
“I have had some opposition in terms of selling it worldwide, and certain publishers have veered away,” he said.
“Given the subject matter - one UK publisher told me ‘It was not the Islamic Comic’ they wished to publish. What that means is anyone’s guess.
“Though it has been taken up by numerous local Catholic and Islamic schools, it has also been rejected by some. Some of the comments made by administrators were rather insulting.”
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
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Company name: Almouneer
Started: 2017
Founders: Dr Noha Khater and Rania Kadry
Based: Egypt
Number of staff: 120
Investment: Bootstrapped, with support from Insead and Egyptian government, seed round of
$3.6 million led by Global Ventures
Company Profile
Company name: Namara
Started: June 2022
Founder: Mohammed Alnamara
Based: Dubai
Sector: Microfinance
Current number of staff: 16
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Family offices
Bridgerton season three - part one
Directors: Various
Starring: Nicola Coughlan, Luke Newton, Jonathan Bailey
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Haltia.ai
Started: 2023
Co-founders: Arto Bendiken and Talal Thabet
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: AI
Number of employees: 41
Funding: About $1.7 million
Investors: Self, family and friends
The specs: 2017 Lotus Evora Sport 410
Price, base / as tested Dh395,000 / Dh420,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission Six-speed manual
Power 410hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque 420Nm @ 3,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.7L / 100km
The Bio
Amal likes watching Japanese animation movies and Manga - her favourite is The Ancient Magus Bride
She is the eldest of 11 children, and has four brothers and six sisters.
Her dream is to meet with all of her friends online from around the world who supported her work throughout the years
Her favourite meal is pizza and stuffed vine leaves
She ams to improve her English and learn Japanese, which many animated programmes originate in
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Supy
Started: 2021
Founders: Dani El-Zein, Yazeed bin Busayyis, Ibrahim Bou Ncoula
Based: Dubai
Industry: Food and beverage, tech, hospitality software, Saas
Funding size: Bootstrapped for six months; pre-seed round of $1.5 million; seed round of $8 million
Investors: Beco Capital, Cotu Ventures, Valia Ventures and Global Ventures
The five pillars of Islam
World Food Day
Celebrated on October 16, to coincide with the founding date of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, World Food Day aims to tackle issues such as hunger, food security, food waste and the environmental impact of food production.
The five pillars of Islam
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi’s Arabic Language Centre will mark International Women’s Day at the Bologna Children's Book Fair with the Abu Dhabi Translation Conference. Prolific Emirati author Noora Al Shammari, who has written eight books that feature in the Ministry of Education's curriculum, will appear in a session on Wednesday to discuss the challenges women face in getting their works translated.
The biog
Hobbies: Salsa dancing “It's in my blood” and listening to music in different languages
Favourite place to travel to: “Thailand, as it's gorgeous, food is delicious, their massages are to die for!”
Favourite food: “I'm a vegetarian, so I can't get enough of salad.”
Favourite film: “I love watching documentaries, and am fascinated by nature, animals, human anatomy. I love watching to learn!”
Best spot in the UAE: “I fell in love with Fujairah and anywhere outside the big cities, where I can get some peace and get a break from the busy lifestyle”
Results
2.15pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,950m
Winner: Hello, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihi (trainer).
2.45pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,800m
Winner: Right Flank, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
3.15pm: Handicap Dh115,000 1,000m
Winner: Leading Spirit, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
3.45pm: Jebel Ali Mile Group 3 Dh575,000 1,600m
Winner: Chiefdom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
4.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,400m
Winner: Ode To Autumn, Patrick Cosgrave, Satish Seemar.
4.45pm: Shadwell Farm Conditions Dh125,000 1,200m
Winner: Last Surprise, James Doyle, Simon Crisford.
5.15pm: Handicap Dh85,000 1,200m
Winner: Daltrey, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihi.
'Shakuntala Devi'
Starring: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra
Director: Anu Menon
Rating: Three out of five stars
UAE FIXTURES
Wednesday 19 April – UAE v Kuwait
Friday 21 April – UAE v Hong Kong
Sunday 23 April – UAE v Singapore
Wednesday 26 April – UAE v Bahrain
Saturday 29 April – Semi-finals
Sunday 30 April – Third position match
Monday 1 May – Final
Day 3 stumps
New Zealand 153 & 249
Pakistan 227 & 37-0 (target 176)
Pakistan require another 139 runs with 10 wickets remaining
ROUTE TO TITLE
Round 1: Beat Leolia Jeanjean 6-1, 6-2
Round 2: Beat Naomi Osaka 7-6, 1-6, 7-5
Round 3: Beat Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-2
Round 4: Beat Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 6-0
Quarter-final: Beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-0, 6-2
Semi-final: Beat Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-4
Final: Beat Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2