Algerian comic book artist Benyoucef Abbas Kebir took the stage at the Algiers International Comics Festival (FIBDA) on Thursday, October 2, 2025, with a conference titled «English in Algerian Comics». The talk shed light on his pioneering efforts in introducing English into the Algerian comic scene, beginning with the 1994 release of «Moussa and Farid in London».

The album, produced in collaboration with English professor Ahmed Bouchakour, who wrote the text in English based on the author’s guidance, recounts the adventures of two Algerians in London. «Ahmed and I had traveled to the UK back in 1984», Kebir recalled, explaining that the trip directly inspired the project, which was eventually self-published ten years later. He noted that the OPU supported them at the time, particularly with distribution.

That first experiment paved the way for a second collaboration with Bouchakour: «Learn English with Jeha».This album combined a selection of humorous tales featuring the popular character Jeha with a distinctive educational twist. «The story was written in indirect style and the speech bubbles were left blank, allowing readers to fill them in themselves», Kebir explained, highlighting the interactive learning element designed to encourage readers to practice the language.

Building on that approach, the author is now preparing a new English-language comic titled «Welcome to Algeria Mr Brown».The album follows an English tourist discovering Algeria, guiding readers through iconic destinations such as the Casbah of Algiers, Miliana, Constantine, Tlemcen, Béjaïa, Oran, Tipasa, Tigzirt, Bousaâda and more. The project, he said, is intended as both a comic adventure and a tool for promoting Algerian tourism.

Beyond his foray into English-language comics, Abbas Kebir has remained loyal to his specialty: historical comics. Since 1983, he has published numerous biographical works dedicated to key figures such as Emir Abdelkader, the Kahina, and Petit Omar. At this year’s FIBDA, he was awarded third prize for best project for «Takfarinas», an album currently in the works and expected to be published in 2026.

The festival also provided the platform for the launch of his most recent work, the historical comic «Henri Maillot», published by Papyrus. This latest release adds to a body of work that reflects both the consistency and creativity of one of Algeria’s most enduring comic book voices.