Marjane Satrapi | ComicMix

Tweeks: Kids Don’t Need to Be Sheltered From Persepolis #ChallengedChallenge Week 7

Columns
August 24, 2015

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is our penultimate book in the ComicMix Challenged Challenge — and probably our favorite book of the bunch. This is a first hand account of Marjane’s childhood in pre- and post-revolutionary Iran. This graphic novel not only takes the roots of very serious current events issue and breaks it down so kids like us can understand it, but it is a total page-turner. Sure, it’s violent — but we are talking about war, and as far as wars go, this isn’t really very violent at all. This is a lot less violent than what we would see on the news.

Ironically, this book was most recently challenged by a community college student and her parents (Helicopter your adult kid much, Mom & Dad? Geez!) for it’s violence because she was expecting Batman and Robin in her graphic novel lit class. This brings up the subject of why it’s okay for fictional superhero comics to be violent, but not those about real life? We are so confused.

This book was also called out for language. But what gets us mad is that most of the bad language comes from what people said in catcalling (well, more like verbally abusing) Marjane’s mom for not wearing her veil and later for conservative women name-calling Marjane and others. This is how it went down with those words. The words are what makes it cruel and scary. These are not words the average middle schooler has never heard before and unfortunately lots of women here are called these bad names too. Can we talk about those actions first, then worry about the language? If it is so upsetting, then fix the problem, don’t ban the description of it.

There is so much to say, which we do in the video. If you haven’t read Persepolis, please do.

Next week, we discuss our final book, Maus.

Uproar at Tunisian trial on Persepolis showing – Yahoo! News

News
November 17, 2011

This reminds me to renew my membership in the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (no, they aren’t called to defend this one, but they do great work both here and abroad):

The trial in Tunisia over the broadcasting the animated Iranian film [[[Persepolis]]] was cut short Thursday after an uproar in the courtroom. Lawyers for the two sides shouted at each other and exchanged insults inside the courtroom, prompting the judge to adjourn the trial until Jan. 23. The controversy over the film illustrates how Tunisia, the country that started the wave of uprisings that have swept through the Arab world this year, is struggling to work out the role of Islam in society after years of officially enforced secularism.The privately owned Nessma television station provoked an angry reaction last month when it broadcast a dubbed version of Iranian director Marjane Satrapi’s award-winning adaptation of her graphic novels about growing up during Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.The film, which won the jury prize at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, contains a scene showing a character representing God. Depictions of God are considered sacrilege in Islam.

via Uproar at Tunisian trial on Persepolis showing – Yahoo! News.

The Persepolis Riots Of Tunisia (bleedingcool.com)
Tunisia station apologizes for airing ‘Persepolis’ (sfgate.com)

Heidi MacDonald and Foreign Comics on NPR

News
July 21, 2008

NPR ran a feature on All Things Considered, the daily news program, about the solid sales of foreign graphic novels in the United States.

One interesting note was that foreign novels don’t sell, but comics do. That seems to indicate comics readers are a bit more cultured than the general public, doesn’t it?

A few big comics people are quoted in the piece, including Heidi MacDonald of The Beat.

Heidi MacDonald, who blogs about graphic novels for Publishers Weekly, says the Japanese invasion has helped pry open American markets to authors and illustrators from other parts of the world, including Marjane Satrapi.

"Marjane Satrapi … she’s definitely one who has had a huge breakthrough commercially and critically," says MacDonald.

Friends of Lulu Awards 2008

News
June 8, 2008

Friends of Lulu, the organization dedicated to increasing the involvement of girls and women in comics, as both professionals and consumers, held their annual Lulu Awards at the New York Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art on Saturday, June 7. Until now, the awards have been presented during the San Diego Comic-Con. This is the first time the event has been held in New York.

And a glittering evening it was. There were several glamorous gowns, lots of cool earrings, and more cleavage than one sees at an average comic industry night out. After a cocktail half-hour starting at 8:30, the ceremonies began at 9 PM.

Emily Flake was the Mistress of Ceremonies, and she ran a very tight ship. The presenters were introduced, announced the nominees, and awarded the trophies. Here’s the list, with the winners in bold:

Kim Yale Award for Best New Talent (presented by 2007 winner Rachel Nabors):

Martina Fugazzotto, senior designer, gURL.com
Kiki Jones, gURL.com Comix artist
Julia Wertz, The Fart Party

Woman of Distinction, for contribution in areas other than writing and art (presented by Heidi MacDonald):

Shelly Bond, group editor, Vertigo; editor, MINX line
Cindy Fournier, VP Operations, Diamond Comics Distributors
Janna Morishima, director, Diamond Kids Group

(more…)

‘Ratatouille’ Over ‘Persepolis’ For Oscar Win

News
February 25, 2008

Disney’s Ratatouille won out over Marjane Satrapi’s critically praised graphic novel adaptation Persepolis in the "Animated Feature Film" category during tonight’s Academy Awards.

Oscar.com has posted an image from the pre-show survey filled out by Satrapi’s co-creator on the Persepolis film, cartoonist Vincent Paronnaud, who apparently wanted to become a clown and a priest when he was young, and finally decided that cartooning was a "good compromise between the two."

Persepolis on The Colbert Report

News
January 29, 2008

For those of you who may have thought Marvel EIC Joe Quesada was Stephen Colbert’s major comic book guest this week, he had a nice surprise for those who read beyond the Big Two: superstar graphic novelist Marjane Satrapi, whose animated film Persepolis is nominated for an Oscar. Here’s the video:

We’re not sure if Satrapi knew what to make of Colbert, but she seemed to enjoy herself.

‘Persepolis’ Snubbed, No Academy Award Nomination

News
January 16, 2008

The finalists for "Best Foreign-Language Film" were announced by the Academy yesterday, with nine films making the cut for a potential Oscar. Conspicuously absent from the list, however, is the film adaptation of Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel Persepolis. The animated film was the official submission of France to the category, and has been widely hailed by critics.

From the Los Angeles Times:

"Missing, too, is critically hailed "Persepolis," which won a jury prize at Cannes and was voted best animated film by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and New York Film Critics Circle."

The Sweetest Gift, by Martha Thomases

News
December 22, 2007

Over a month ago, I was assigned to find out each presidential candidate’s favorite super-hero or heroine. It seemed like it would be a fun assignment, a chance to find a bit of insight into how pop culture affects politics and vice versa.

Alas, only Ron Paul felt self-confident enough to answer our question. I was impressed that not only did Dr. Paul know one super-hero from another, but he also knew one creator from another, specifically citing Paul Pope’s version of Batman.

Why didn’t the other candidates respond? John Tebbel thinks it’s because the race is so close that no one wants to risk saying something stupid that will alienate a segment of voters needed to gain percentages in the early primaries and caucuses. Can the Marvel vs. DC split be so wide? Do indy fans resent superhero fans this much? I don’t think so.

Or maybe the question is considered too goofy for a future President of the most powerful country in the world. However, in the last few days, I’ve heard how the candidates like their coffee and what their least favorite food is.

I’ve had to conclude that these candidates simply don’t read comics, or graphic novels, or the funny pages. Therefore, in the Spirit of the Season, I’ve decided to recommend the following:

Mike Huckabee: This Baptist minister turned Governor of Arkansas seems like a personable guy. His story about losing 100 pounds is inspirational, and he seems, in interviews, to be a friendly sort. However, as he’s climbed in the polls, he’s become disturbingly more evangelical about the role of religion in public life, especially the federal government. It would do him good to read Garth Ennis’ and Steve Dillon’s Preacher: Gone to Texas.

(more…)

More on Persepolis’ prize

News
June 1, 2007

As reported earlier, the Cannes Film Festival awarded the animated film Persepolis (adapted from Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel of the same name) the Jury Prize, which it shares with Silent Light by Carlos Reygadas. Here’s a nice photo of all three winners (including Satrapi’s co-director Vincent Paronnaud).

If you’re not Persepolis‘ed out after ComicMix running the trailer twice, here’s a nice interview with Satrapi from the International Herald Tribune.

Persepolis wins Cannes jury prize

News
May 27, 2007

The AP reports that Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi’s animated adaptation of her graphic novel about growing up during and after Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, won the jury prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

Here’s the trailer:

Tagged: Marjane Satrapi