Habibi (Pantheon Graphic Library)

While _Habibi_ IS a graphic novel, it is NOT a "comic book" for young readers. The themes, images and plot deal with and address very adult issues: sexuality, gender poliitcs, sex (both consensual and not), human trafficking, ecological destruction. But it is also a complex story of love, hope and redemption. It also underscores the numerous similarities between Islam and Judiamsim and Christianity. There were several things that struck me about the story. First, the artwork: it is detailed, intricate, and stunning. The background patterns, the minutae in the setting and the layout are all dizzyingly beautiful. The incorporation of Arabic (both calligraphy as well as symbols and geometric patterns) is magnificent, and all add to the magical, otherworldly sense of the story. The McGuffin is the "magic square" - a box with nine squares, each square with a numerical value and a corresponding letter. These letters in turn correspond to the nine chapters of the book, each letter relating to a word, each word in turn connecting to the events of the chapter. I thought it very clever. Another strength of the book is its relation to Islamic culture - passages from the Qur'an are sprinkled throughout the book, but also phrases by the poets Rumi and Badr Shakir al-Sayyab, Rabi'a Al-Adwiyya, Saadi Shirazi, mathematical treatises by Nasir ad-Din at-Tusi, Avicenna, and calligraphy from a number of artists, as well as mythical beasts like the djinn, buraq, angels and demons and oblique references to Sheherezade. There are also elements of the mysogyny common in rural parts of the Near East and Central Asia - Dodula, our protagonist, suffers horribly the result of this. The storytelling is clever - using the Arabic letters of the "magic square" as a foundation, stories from the Qur'an with the Torah and Tanakh/Old Testament are woven together with the story of Dodula and Zam (the "Habibi" - "sweetheart") as they struggle to survive, face hardship and tragedy, separation and eventually come to some sort of redemption and happiness. But it is a painful and visually graphic (both literally and figuratively). And for some readers, this may be problematic. (In reading the negative reviews, it seems these are the elements that were most troubling.) There is nudity, and there is sex (although not explicitly shown, it is an element of the story), there is rape - which is shown as a brutal act and is not sugar-coated, but it serves to drive the plot. There are transgendered characters, and a character who is clearly mad, castration (drawing from historical context), and a harem (also drawn from historical context). None of these events or characters are created for their own sake, but all have a place in telling the story - and in showing the great diversity of humanity in all its goodness and evilness and complexity. _Habibi_ is a sprawling epic of a story, over 650 pages in length. (I can't imagine the length of time it must've taken to create such detailed images.) But as Thompson writes at the conclusion, "God's followers worship not out of hope for reward nor fear of punishment, but but out of love." _Habibi_, is, in other words, a love story.

This is a fable which takes place in a timeless Arabian world that centers on the relationship between two slave children. As a continuous backdrop, it is told with allusions to stories of the Koran and Bible. The story is as an existential allegory of how we as individuals find ourselves thrust into an incredibly sinful and cruel world and are hungrily grasping for whatever we can hold on to for purpose, meaning and love. Though the story involves children, this work is not intended for them since it includes mature subject matters and graphic, but beautiful, imagery. These elements are present because it's clear Craig Thompson has much to say on his meditation of the human condition, the links between eastern and western culture, the consequences of modernity, and the burdensome complexity of sexuality. When you're first brought into the world of `Habibi' you suspect you're in the Middle East possibly during the 8th century, however you eventually realize this could not be true with the gradual appearances of engines, plumbing, trucks and other highly modern technologies. In sharp contrast to these symbols of modernity, Thompson's `Habibi' is a realm with cultural norms that are considered pre-modern, even primitive. There is child and sexual slavery; overt racism; and mysticism. The juxtaposition of the modern and pre-modern is jarring but it's intended to stir the reader to reflect on the degree to which the pre-modern continues to exist in our world. Plus it serves as a vehicle for Thompson to deliver critical commentary of the impact of capitalism and urbanization on water, the environment and people. For example one of the characters seems to express more regret for serving as a manager of low-paid labor of a factory, than as a conscripted guard of sexual slaves. The story challenges you to consider the boundaries of intimate relationships, which can be translucent depending on the circumstances. Thompson explores the complexity of male sexuality particularly the confusion and vulnerability that's experienced during sexual awakening. Through his characters he reflects on the tension between lust and love and how it can generate feelings of guilt and doubt so overwhelming that it can lead to forms of self-abuse. The black and white artistry is highly intricate with an organic feel that succeeds in blending Arabic calligraphy throughout the narrative and imagery. The cover is beautiful with artwork that gives the book the illusion of holy writ. And perhaps that was the objective since Thompson works hard to profess throughout his story the common threads between Islam, Judaism and Christianity. This is a worthy and enjoyable read with impressive artwork. This is recommended only for mature readers who are interested in considering one man's rendition of the forces that bind humanity and its struggle with the angst and irony of the world.

I just finished Habibi and I am awestruck by the amazing work put into it. However, I'm not coming away from it with the same kind of feelings I had with Blankets. Blankets caught me at a special time in my life and brought about much nostalgia for being a teen in the 90s. As an artist who did leave art school to be a pastor, I connected with Craig's character and had an emotional connection. I wanted that again and have waited 4 years for Blankets. I know I'm not the only one. BUT, that said, Habibi was the amazing experience I was hoping for, though not what I expected. Habibi is much darker and much more brutal than Blankets, with a lot more nudity and sex. The sex scenes sometimes involve children, which can be tough to stomach. But this is what good art does: it creates an emotional reaction and leaves you to think what you just witnessed. I cannot stop thinking about Habibi, and the messages that are as densely layered as the artwork. Just when I felt I was reaching my limit of endless pages of sexploitation, the story took off in a beautiful direction, making some sense of the difficult content. Of course as an artist and a lover of art, one of Habibi's biggest payoffs is the 672 pages of meticulous artwork, inspired by arabic writings and middle eastern geometric shapes. His work is much more dense and detailed than Blankets, all drawn with a brush and bottles of ink. There is no digital enhancement in the work whatsoever, and the results are spellbinding. The borders on one page alone took him at least 12 hours to do! It is a reminder of why we should not be so quick to sell out to ebooks, as even the binding is a treasure to behold. Buy Habibi and enjoy its remarkably beautiful story. Keep it as a work of art.

Craig Thompson's Blankets is one of my all time favorite novels, so it is not surprising that I was waiting in anticipation for this book, and it does not disappoint. If Blankets was a comforting quilt constructed from unrequited love and childhood innocence then Habibi is a tapestry; exotic, richly decorated and replete with signs and symbols easily understood but not always fully comprehended. It is also immense, even though it is only 100 pages or so lengthier than blankets the entire size and scope of the story seems exponentially larger. It is a MATURE graphic novel in that it deals with themes, which would be difficult to grapple in any medium, such as abandonment, sexual slavery, prejudice etc but always with a sensitivity and understanding which belies the notion that graphic novels are simply long-form comics. The usual poor reviews on account of the sex, violence and nudity are, I'm sure, inevitable. There is sex, violence and nudity but it is not gratuitous, it is employed to advance the story or develop the characters- still if you have overtly susceptible sensibilities then perhaps this book should be avoided. The plot is complex and meandering and not succinctly summarized, in tone it has much in common with the magical-realism form of writing- it is compelling and it is likely that, despite the length of the story, most readers will finish the book in only a few days. It also makes a great argument for the printed form; when you hold it in your hands you feel like you are holding an extraordinary tome, it is beautifully bound with tasteful gold lettering and the tactile sensation of turning these ornately decorated pages is not something which could be easily approximated in the digital format

If you have read Blankets then you probably don't need a review to know that this comic will be amazing. Rest assured this comic is just as good as Blankets in all the right ways in fact its probably better. If you haven't read Blankets or have heard of Craig Thompson then I feel it's my job to somehow convince you to read this comic/ graphic novel. This is so far for me the best comic I have ever read. I mean this seriously as someone who has tried to read as many comics as possible. It's better then Maus, better then All Star Superman, better then Watchmen, better then Ode to Kirihito, better then pretty much every comic that you have read or will read. It is just beautiful. Every inch of it from cover to cover is painstakingly (literally) designed to tell a story of almost all the dualism in the world. The east vs. the west, the body vs. the mind, words vs. images, beauty vs, ugliness, modernity vs. antiquity. It's all there and it investigates it in a way that shows how shallow the dualities are. Because it is investigating these things a couple reviews have accused it of stereotyping, racism, and sexism. This is not case or at least it is a lot more debatable then just outright racism. This review might make it more clear although it has spoilers and is a bit academic [...]. Sufficed to say it's complicated more then some reviews are going to have you believe. It's not like Tintin in the Congo with blatant horrible racism. It is attempting to use some caricature and Orientalism to investigate the west's perception of the east and because of that it walks a thin line but knowingly as opposed to unknowingly). In the end it's a great book everyone who likes... well anything really should buy this book and read it. (I was going to just say comics but its good literature too.) People who shouldn't read it are young children (it's adult work) and people with the minds of young children (although those people with the heart of a child will like it as well. I know I get academic-ish in discussing the book but you don't have to be brainy to appreciate the book it's just good literature for anybody. It is very accessible.) Ok I think that's enough. It's good read it. You will probably have to buy it full price. Chances are no one will part with this book in a second hand book shop once they have read it.)

The book is simply amazing as art -- the creation of so many expertly drawn scenes. Not only does Craig Thompson have the skill to render any scene at all that is real or that he could have imagined, but his lines are more and more masterful with each book. I hardly see how his art can improve, unless he were to change his style entirely. As a story, it is both simple and complex -- simple in lining out the lives of the two characters Dodola and Zam from childhood, through their separation and meeting again, and complex because of the backdrop of culture and even religion that he draws into the story, which may not interest everyone, naturally. The juxtaposing of modern times with what seems to be an ancient world comes slowly until we realize the story setting is quite current. The overbearing nature of both old and new worlds on a poverty stricken individual is striking -- that these two did not fall victim is perhaps the story's triumph. Sex affects both victims by its inherent practice within the culture; I did not find it gratuitous but rather what I would have expected a young helpless bride or an enslaved girl to go through, the practices of arrogant, dominant males toward women, and how a young man's might have become a eunuch. I will say that the ending entirely satisfied me. Without spoiling it, the final action of good taken by Dodola and Zam toward another helpless person is another triumph. How should one's philosophy and view of life ultimately manifest itself, if not in the choice to do good for someone in need? So despite the almost overwhelming size of the tome, I am solidly happy with the conclusion which Thompson obviously means us to take away with us.

Ok, so I have to give this four stars because it is an artistic and storytelling masterpiece. The book itself is a work of art, gorgeous, amazing and a treat. Having said all of that, I cannot give this five stars because the story itself I found incredibly depressing. I am not someone who needs a happy ending, and yet this book actually does have a pretty happy ending. However, the presented view of men as only predators and the view of women as victims and as persons who must sacrifice in order to have some love or safety is depressing and I am not sure how else to describe it. I felt like the plot depicted men as savages, sex as base and terrible, and I have a problem with all of that when with love sex can be beautiful. Thompson is one of the most talented graphic storytellers of our time. Do not miss this book because of my dislike of the story, or its ending. I am glad I read it and bought it. The art is just dazzling and heartbreakingly beautiful. I could look at this book forever. It is like a museum piece, an illuminated text. I sit in awe when I view the drawings and how they tell the story and go beyond it even. So, this gets four stars because I would not want anyone to miss this masterpiece. Thompson deserves the awards he has gotten and more. At the same time, if you read this Mr. Thompson, please give us something better next time and that redeems this world. I know there is horror in the world, yet there is also goodness. I know you struggle with religious ideas/ideals and that can have an impact on your outlook in life. I also feel like there is so much victimization of women that we do not to have that thrown further in our faces. Not that anyone needs sex in a love relationship. However, it would have been beautiful if that might have been the case. Instead, I feel like sex must be sacrificed for love in this story. That is sad, indeed. and, no matter what you do the next book, you have a faithful reader as your art is truly sublime and effective.

"Habibi" is my favorite graphic novel for 2011. It is a masterpiece that soars to the levels of Osamu Tezuka's greatest works. First, the quality of the physical book matches the level of artistry inside. The binding is perfect, the paper is thick and substantial, and the cover is beautiful. This is the kind of paper book that is like listening to music on vinyl compared to an overly compressed mp3 file. The book is meaty, at 600+ pages and looks like a family heirloom, some hidden volume of stories that just dares you to begin reading. The artist uses black ink only, but does it so masterfully, reminiscent of Tezuka or Eisner himself. His use of black and white, space and detail is so lovely that every page is worthy of pondering and absorbing. Some of the detail is so amazing- he must have literally spent hours on a single page in some instances. The story itself brings to mind "Arabian Nights," but with character development, tie-ins with the Koran and Bible stories, and a heavy dose of emotion. The story is on a grand epic scale, again, like "Ayako" by Tezuka. The artist weaves Arabian fables, environmentalism, Arabic writing, and deeply compelling characters together to create the ultimate graphic novel. Perfection!

Estoy muy contenta con la compra. Hacía tiempo que quería tener un ejemplar de esta novela gráfica. Compré la versión en inglés, porque la diferencia de precio con la versión española es verdaderamente significativa. El papel es sencillo, pero está bien encuadernado en tapa dura. Hay muchos comentarios aquí que expresan su descontento con la dramática historia de la protagonista. A mi modo de ver, la historia se merece las cinco estrellas. "Habibi" nos muestra la cruda realidad a la que se siguen enfrentando aún hoy muchas mujeres (y niñas) en determinados lugares del planeta. Es dramática sin duda. Pero a pesar de todo, hay un hilo de amor, amistad y compromiso que atraviesa todo el libro. Además, los dibujos de Craig Thompson son, como siempre, exquisitos. Inspirándose en la decoración tradicional y la escritura árabe, el artista creó, en mi opinión, una obra maestra.

Storia emozionante disegni trascinanti

Where do I start when reviewing this work? Firstly I should state that I havent read Craig Thompsons' highly praised graphic novel Blankets. Although I have looked at it many times and seriously considered buying it, there have always been other options at the time. So this is my first, proper, introduction to Thompson. What an introduction this is! Habibi tells the story of two child slaves Dodola and Zam brought together by fate who take us through some of lifes most important lessons as we read their continuing stories in a fictitious Arabian landscape. This book must have been painstakingly researched by the author as its scope and breadth of storytelling is just breathtaking. It was almost too much for me, and I read lots of comics and graphic novels. Encompassing quotes from the Koran and the Bible we see the similarities of the faiths, beautiful drawings of Arabic calligraphy, chemistry, biology, philosophy and all encompassing unconditional love. Indeed it is this which keeps you coming back for more as at its core this is surely a story of love between two people(s) A beautiful 670 page hardback book it is stunningly designed and drawn from front cover to back cover. It reminds me somewhat of the manga Buddha by Osamu Tezuka which is also a work of incredible scope. Beware though, the book does not shy away from adult themes and therefore is probably not for everyone. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Been a fantasy to own one of these

La edición es impresionante, los dibujos son trazos maestros.