American readers may be hesitant to tackle the work of Arab cartoonists because of the language barrier. Not many of us know Arabic, in spite of the seven-year occupation of Iraq that only just officially ended. I will say, in a kind of faint defense, that Arabic is an extremely sophisticated language that is exceptionally difficult to learn — I’ve tried and failed three times! (All the more reason to take that extra step to show your respect and concern for our Iraq War veterans.)

But fear not, gentle reader, because Lebanese cartoonist Hassan Bleibel possesses advanced mastery of the power of image. His wordless pictures speak volumes. When necessary, he uses a brief phrase or two to underscore the meaning of his cutting visual comments on current events. And when he does, he meets his international readers all the way, by writing in English.

In Bleibel’s single-panel interpretations of the world’s daily events, we hear cries of wounded compassion, pointed lacerations of global cynicism, and the kind of cold horror that comes from realizing that in the political conflicts that define our lives, no one has our backs. No one, perhaps, except the cartoonist. I’m especially grateful for Bleibel, working with dauntless energy in the boisterous and tenuous democratic experiment that is Lebanon.

Bleibel is the regular cartoonist for the Lebanese paper Al-Mustaqbal. He has also been published in a number of other Lebanese papers and in international publications like Al-Ahram (Egypt), The Washington Post, The New York Times, Le Monde, The Los Angeles Times, and various other American and European papers. He has been published online at Courrier International.com, Al-Jazeerah.net, Cartunesebonecos.com, Al-Arabiya.net and others, and he’s a regular contributor to Daryl Cagle’s Political Cartoonists Index. Bleibel also maintains a highly entertaining website of his own.

We are so honored that he made time for an interview with ITCH. The time difference made it much simpler to conduct the interview by email, and email was an amazing way to be introduced to Bleibel’s phenomenal personality. He quite literally answered in glorious technicolor, which unfortunately will not reproduce here. But you can enjoy the exclamation points! You can enjoy the sunny personality that shines forth.

ITCH: What was your first comic strip/cartoon/comic?

My grandmother’s face!!

What are you reading right now?

A political book about the history of democracy in Europe.

What is your guilty pleasure? At least, the one that really answers an ITCH!

Criticizing harshly the defects of others!!!

Who was the first cartoonist/animator you met?

Bahjat Osman (Egyptian).

Which dead cartoonist/animator would you most like to meet?

NAJI EL-ALI (Palestinian).

What would you say?

Invention is the greatest pleasure in the universe!!! Ask GOD.

What has been the highlight of your career to date?

When LE MONDE published my cartoons for the first time.

Please tell us a little about your latest project.

To win the Arab cartoonist award!!!

Which old-time cartoon character do you most identify with?

TOM!!!

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

I would fly!!!!

Hassan Bleibel’s expansive, generous, and totally ebullient love for humanity and for his craft should work as a catalyst for American readers. Let’s take full advantage of our right to speak freely. Got something to say? Say it loud!

And as always, thank you Hassan. Thank you so much!