ASIA ALFASI

Reflecting a rich blend of Arab, Islamic and English culture, Asia Alfasi's autobiographical graphic novel has sparked off battles between publishing house giants. "My inspiration is who I am - Islam, Arab and British. I mix all of those together and try and come up with something original," she begins. "There may be broken lines of communication between the cultures, but I want to show that each has its own charms."

Inspired by non-fiction comic books like Joe Sacco's Palestine and Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis, Asia admits "there's a certain charm to real stories: so much richness of personalities, of events, of timing." And it was the banning of the Muslim headscarf - the hijab - in France that first motivated her to tell her story.

"It brought into my mind that no one really understands what the hijab is, why we wear it or what the whole thing is about," Asia explains. "Is it really that we are oppressed girls and we get this forced upon us? I want to be one of the first voices to stand up and say, ‘I chose this on my own.' I've had lots of discussions with people who don't believe this, so I thought if I draw it in a graphic novel, no one can interrupt me. They'll read it fully. I don't expect everyone to agree, just to understand and respect the decision that we Muslim women make when we wear it."

"Plus there's been so much negative imagery over the past few years, concentrating on a tiny minority," Asia sighs. Her work strives to bridge that gap, to create dialogue between Eastern and Western cultures. "Just because you're Arab or English doesn't mean that inherently you're not going to get along," she reasons. "So what if my country is at odds with your country, or if your parliament doesn't like my parliament? That's none of our business; we're peace-loving people. Let's see what's common between us, embrace that and take it forward."

And the comic-book medium is perfect to achieve this: "It's accessible. When you have drawings it's like, let's not argue with each other; let's talk calmly in a non-violent way. I want to provide a voice that people don't usually hear, but in a format where you're able to say anything - even the most difficult of topics."

Asia began her illustration career as the first female participant on Hi8us' StripSearch. Supported by professionals like Marvel and DC artist John McCrea, the scheme aimed to seek out and nurture comic and graphic illustration talent in the West Midlands. Asia describes this experience as instrumental to her development as a graphic novelist.

"Comic illustration transcends certain things, because it's storytelling," she proposes. "How do you tell a story? How do you ink? How do you make something readable, so somebody else can read and understand it? It's those issues that you have when you're just starting out."

From novice to soon-to-be published graphic novelist, Asia has always retained her creative conscience: "I don't just draw for money, or for drawing's sake. I try to make sure that there's a point to everything I draw; a good message behind everything I do." After clinching a publishing deal with DC, she fought hard to retain her unique style of blue wash, square format and - most importantly - the Arabic publishing rights. "Hopefully the book will be published simultaneously in Arabic and in English," she enthuses.

Between planning a sequel, pursuing her interest in animation and finishing her degree, Asia's future looks bright. "I want everything that I do - be it animation, comics or graphic novels - to have a point, a message, a worth," she concludes. "I want to get people thinking about things they might not have thought about before."

CONTACTS

asia.alfasi@gmail.com

Text: Sarah Darley
Studio Photography: Dave Remes