Categories | Comic magazine |
---|---|
Frequency | Quarterly |
Founded | 2011 |
First issue | 10 January 2011 |
Final issue Number | October 2020 16 |
Country | Egypt |
Based in | Cairo |
Language | Arabic |
Website | Tok Tok |
Tok Tok was a quarterly Arabic comic magazine published in Cairo, Egypt. It was the first independent self-published comic magazine in the country [1] and was in circulation between 10 January 2011 and 2020.
Tok Tok was first published on 10 January 2011. [2] [3] [4] The founders of the magazine were five Egyptian graphic artists, namely Shennawy, Makhlouf, Hisham Rahma, Andil, and Tawfeek. [5] They were also contributors of the magazine which funded itself. [1] [6] However, later the magazine was financially supported by the European Union. [7] The goal of the magazine was to offer a forum for Egypt's comic scene and for informing people about their predecessors using comics and graphics. [8]
The title of the magazine, Tok Tok, is a three-wheeled covered scooter used as a main method of motorized transportation in areas and roads in Egyptian cities where cars cannot be used. [3] [9] The magazine’s tagline was “the stop for graphic stories” [3] and the cover page also contains the statement, “to be kept out of the reach of children”. [9]
The target audience of Tok Tok were adults. [5] Based in Cairo, the magazine contained graphic short stories [10] and satirical comics. [11] The stories published were mostly about love, joblessness, the attitudes of the elders and the authorities or the chaos of Cairo. [12] The characters featured in the magazine were from the local heritage and experiences. [13]
Tok Tok was supported by various European cultural institutes during its lifetime. [14] In 2011, the magazine won the second prize in the best independent comic magazine section at the Algiers International Comics Festival in Algeria (FIBDA). [11] [15] The last issue of Tok Tok, #16, was published in October 2020.