New Arab and Arabic Zines, ComicCons, Comix Festivals, and Submission Calls

As usual, there is much going in the Arab and Arabophone comix world:

In Beirut, a new graphic novel collective, Zeez, launched their first titles last month:

Sharing the common theme of the street, each of these 6 mini-comics was written, drawn and silkscreened by a different artist from the Zeez collective. The end result is a collection of diverse and personal works, 6 unique one color mini comics, each available in limited editions.

Meanwhile, from Morocco, a new zine called Halal was in the works:

HALAL is a zine project that provide a free space of self-expression to the Arab World’s youth. We would like to create a place in which young Arab people could live their enjoyment beyond censorship.

In addition to a submissions call in Arabic, French, and English, “HALAL welcomes people from Turkey and Iran as well! You can also send submissions in Turkish and Farsi!”

Tunis just staged its second annual ComicCon July 7-9 with both local and international artists. And on the heels of CairoComix in October of this year, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq is set to have its first-ever comics festival.

Prolilfic Lebanese graphic novelist and musician Mazen Kerbaj makes his English-language debut next month with Beirut Won’t Cry, introduced by Joe Sacco. And also in Lebanon, the Mahmoud Kahil prize open for submissions, now through August 15. The prize is now in its third year.