Albanian comics
Encyclopedia
Albanian comics, though not well known internationally, were produced mainly by comic-authors from Kosovo. Until recently there was no comic tradition in Albania where comics were seen as junk literature known as fumeti (literally, little clouds of smoke) supposedly because pop art was prohibited by the dictatorial communist regime. Today there is one comic magazine published in Kosovo called Leon, and there is Tafë Kusuri comic-strip (oldest serial character founded by Agim Qena, and continued by his son Rron Qena) together with Garfield and Calvin and Hobbes (translated in Albanian) published by Koha Ditore newspaper.
, Kosovo
during the nineties parallel governance, and it was called Strip Arti. It featured comics created by local and international authors. The magazine was discontinued for the lack of founding. Without "Strip Arti" the comic culture had continued mainly through children and teenager magazines. A magazine dedicated to alternative arts Hapi Alternativ, edited by comics fan Petrit Selimi
, published local and foreign comics as well, introducing novel characters such as Hellboy to the Albanian language market. Another mixed content magazine was Hareja (published monthly during the nineties by Ibrahim Kadriu) and a weekly children's supplement in Koha Ditore
called Vizatori (published 2000-2005). Printing house "Rrota" published and translated Spiderman, Alan Ford and X-Men during 2003. Later they published a monthly children's magazine called Pishpiriku where a five page comic (written and illustrated by Edon Muhaxheri) was regularly featured.
Daily Zeri in 1999 also published original works, and weekly Java in 2003 published Rrotelat (by Edon Muhaxheri), though both have discontinued the practice.
In colloquial Albanian comics are called "stripa", showing the influence of Yugoslav comic-culture.
Comics are difficult to find to buy in Kosovo. Some of them are found in distribution points of Rilindja newspapers, while fans can also find limited copies in comics-inspired coffeeshop in downtown Prishtina named Stripdepot as well as Dit' e Nat' bookshop-cafe.
Main comic authors in Albania: Shpend Bengu .
Brief history
In Kosovo comic culture was influenced most notably by the subculture in Yugoslavia, although other countries had influence. The first comic-strip published in Kosovo was Tafë Kusuri by Agim Qena (Rilindja newspaper). There was also an Albanian comic magazine published in PristinaPristina
Pristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....
, Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
during the nineties parallel governance, and it was called Strip Arti. It featured comics created by local and international authors. The magazine was discontinued for the lack of founding. Without "Strip Arti" the comic culture had continued mainly through children and teenager magazines. A magazine dedicated to alternative arts Hapi Alternativ, edited by comics fan Petrit Selimi
Petrit Selimi
Petrit Selimi is one of Kosovo's civil society activists and media experts. Born in Prishtina, Selimi was quite young when in 1995 he co-founded "Postpessimists", the first network of youth NGOs in the former Yugoslavia...
, published local and foreign comics as well, introducing novel characters such as Hellboy to the Albanian language market. Another mixed content magazine was Hareja (published monthly during the nineties by Ibrahim Kadriu) and a weekly children's supplement in Koha Ditore
Koha Ditore
Koha Ditore is the leading daily newspaper from Kosovo. It is published by Koha Group and was founded and owned by politician Veton Surroi. His sister Flaka Surroi is now the publisher, following Veton Surroi's launch of his political career within the ORA reformist party...
called Vizatori (published 2000-2005). Printing house "Rrota" published and translated Spiderman, Alan Ford and X-Men during 2003. Later they published a monthly children's magazine called Pishpiriku where a five page comic (written and illustrated by Edon Muhaxheri) was regularly featured.
Daily Zeri in 1999 also published original works, and weekly Java in 2003 published Rrotelat (by Edon Muhaxheri), though both have discontinued the practice.
In colloquial Albanian comics are called "stripa", showing the influence of Yugoslav comic-culture.
Comics are difficult to find to buy in Kosovo. Some of them are found in distribution points of Rilindja newspapers, while fans can also find limited copies in comics-inspired coffeeshop in downtown Prishtina named Stripdepot as well as Dit' e Nat' bookshop-cafe.
Authors
Main comic authors in Kosovo: Agim Qena, Shpend Kada, Binjamen Haxha, Valdet Gashi, Gjon Marku, Gani Sunduri.Main comic authors in Albania: Shpend Bengu .
Facts
- There is a cafe-bar in PristinaPristinaPristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....
called Strip Depot that has a collection of comic books where people can read and buy. The comic-inspired bar was founded by Petrit Selimi, a comic enthusiast and former publisher of comic magazine Hapi Alternativ.
- During 1997-1998 period there was a one-year comic school organised and founded by Soros FoundationSoros FoundationA Soros Foundation is one of a network of national foundations, mostly in Central and Eastern Europe, which fund volunteer socio-political activity, created by George Soros, international financier and self-proclaimed philanthropist, and coordinated since early 1994 by a management team called the...
. It was discontinued because of the Kosovo warKosovo WarThe term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
.