By Vartan Avakian
Summer 2008 | ArteZine
The Adventures of Aluminum Hagop is an Arabic sci-fi comic, based on a thirteen-issue limited series in Armenian published under the name Hagop Aluminum. After the 13th Armenian issue was mischievously titled “Is this the End of Hagop?” H Publishers revived the series in Arabic, with occasional bilingual (Arabic/Armenian) special editions.
The story is set in the future in a place that is never referred to by name. In a post-apocalyptic world, the world seems to be one suburb that bears an uncanny resemblance to the post-war suburbs of Beirut. Once known for its political freedom and racial tolerance, this suburb prospered as it attracted craftsmen and entrepreneurs from neighboring regions. But this prosperity came to an abrupt end when overpopulation and deforestation left the world in severe shortage of wood.
When a young, unknown writer dies, finding a wooden casket proves to be difficult, Aluminum Hagop, a blacksmith and volunteer undertaker, creates an aluminum casket to bury him. Many rumors surround him and his workshop for aluminum objects and caskets, but what we know for sure is that he has a sleeping disorder, drives a black Citroen DS, and as much as he loves wrestling and pinball machines he hates comics and videogames.
Bio:
Born in Beirut in 1977, and raised in the port town of Jbeil, Vartan Avakian sprung from his father’s mechanics shop to the Lebanese American University as a junior in Industrial engineering, to finally major in Communication Arts. He has since been working as a video editor and designer for the stage. His work features hybrid machines and installations in various media.
