Khalil (1)

It's a tremendously important story to tell, and the book does an okay job of it. If the reader did not closely follow the protests and resulting repression in Iran in 2009 then a lot will be learned here. Comparing it to Persepolis, since I read this one closely following on from the other, Zahra's Paradise is the more impersonal, which for me knocks it down a couple notches. It is not a memoir but rather the story of a "typical" student who took part in the protests and was unluckily one of those to be picked up and swallowed by Iran's meat grinder of a judicial system. The herculean efforts of family and friends to discover his fate in the face of oppressive stonewalling makes up the plot. This gives Zahra's Paradise a narrower, more specific focus than that of Persepolis. The characters are flatter, fairly one-dimensional, their personalities being much less important than what is happening to them. The artwork is more energetic and busy, which will be a matter of personal preference.… (more)

Originally available only online, Zahra's Paradise is now available in print. It documents the aftermath of the protests that followed the 2009 Iranian presidential election, and though the characters of this graphic novel are fictional, they echo the very real plight of Iranians who live under the Islamic Republic's regime. Mehdi disappears during the protests in June 2009, leaving his mother and brother--a tech-savvy blogger--with no information as to his whereabouts...only the sickening suspicion that he may have become another victim of the government's strict and violent grip on the public. Together they search high and low throughout Tehran, visiting political headquarters to morgues to hacked computers, questioning everyone from the most influential (and corrupt) to shop keepers and cab drivers. Their journey is one of doubt, outrage, and loss, but also a testament to the deepest love and strength against a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. This story reveals present day history-in-the-making thanks to the phenomenon of using technology to expose a crooked system.

If you read and enjoyed Persepolis, you will probably get a lot out of this as it highlights the struggles in Iran. The black and white illustrations are beautiful and expressive, introducing, as so often is the case, the humanity of the majority locked behind the inhumane and imposing few who control the country. Be forewarned though that it is more explicit in its disclosure of violence and delves even deeper into the politics. The storyline jumps around a lot, and at times I found it difficult to place just exactly what was happening, but I eventually got a hang of the pace and felt my heart aching nearly as much as the family's in their search for closure. The authors, Amir and Khalil, have chosen to remain anonymous, but include at the end of the book a detailed glossary, outlines of events and important figures, resources for further exploration, and reflections on the story they have just presented. This is a tremendous tribute to a rich and complex land and people, steeped in history and posing important questions for its future.… (more)

“Zahra’s Paradise” is a comic drawn by Khalil, an anonymous Arab artist, and written by Amir, an anonymous Persian writer. The story is set just after the 2009-2010 Green Revolution in Iran. It was published on the internet starting in 2010 as a web comic translated in many languages, including Arabic and Farsi. In 2011, it was published in a hardcover format in English.

“Zahra’s Paradise” is an optic delight. There are long-running artistic themes from panel to panel as well as spreads that add to the artistry of the script. The imagery is always amazing. Individual panels often have powerful artistic effects and always have beautiful pictures. This artistic vision holds its own against the best comics. It is easy to dote on the art, which is rich, expressive, and organic.

The writing and story also stand out. “Zahra’s Paradise” takes place in the days after the 2009-2010 Green Revolution, a protest movement that was violently squashed. Mehdi is a fictional protestor who goes missing. His college-age brother and mother try to find out what happened to Mehdi. As the story progresses, the reader meets a hodgepodge of realistic characters, including the mother’s chain-smoking best friend, a copy shop owner who pirates anything the regime doesn’t like, and bureaucrats who are forced to tow the line despite their better judgment. The comic evokes political figures like Ayatollahs, mullahs, and Neda. It could have easily been written as a hard-boiled detective story but the author went out of his way to write a story with tangible characters who act logically.

“Zahra’s Paradise” is a comic reader’s dream. It requires attention to both the story and the art as it describes the Green Revolution. It is rich in artistry and prose, making it a wonderful piece of literature.… (more)