Introduction
I have been a comics collector all my life and was employed for a decade in the Lebanese comics industry (1978-1988). I organized exhibitions and produced books about Lebanese comics.
Dunia Al-Ahdath was the first Lebanese comics and introduced artists who later achieved renown. It also started the comics age in Lebanon and is of seminal importance
Expenses
The book will be a detailed history of the magazine and will feature its every single cover.
The money will free me to write the book, scan covers and pictures, do the layout, print and send gift copies to major universities in Lebanon and the Arab world.
This book will be in Arabic, but a pdf version in English will be prepared and sent by E-MAIL to every donor of 25 US dollars or more
Unused funds will go towards my next project, a history of the Arabic edition of the Little Lulu comics
The Impact
The history of Arabic comic books has never been documented. I hope the book will signal the start of an all-out effort to document comic book and children books everywhere. You find hundred-year old newspapers in major university libraries but you rarely find a comic or an illustrated book for children
Other Ways to Help
I am trying to establish an Arabic comics and children's books documentation center here in Beirut. If you have any that you do not need, please send them to me at the following address:
Henry Matthews
POB 113/7196
Beirut Lebanon