Shubeik Lubeik

Funny, beautiful, gut-wrenching and too real alt-history graphic novel about a world where you can buy wishes, but if you don’t wish right there are severe consequences. You follow Shokry, who sells first-class wishes at his kiosk, and his patrons who are so desperate they take the risk. This focuses mainly on three characters (but really four) in modern-day Egypt. I cried at some point during every story arc and teared up when thinking about these characters afterwards — I felt the grief and battle with depression to my core. There is a bit of ethical and religious discussion, and worldbuilding around the global and Egyptian politics and regulation of wishes as well.