The Algerian publishing house Dalimen Editions is a leading publisher of comix and illustrated works for readers of all ages. Its founder, Dalila Nedjem, talks about the challenges and opportunities of graphic works:

By Nadia Ghanem

Dalimen Editions were founded in Algeria by Dalila Nedjem in 2001. Initially, Dalimen’s focus was arts and cultural heritage, but when Nedjem became the commissioner of Algiers’ International Festival of Comic Books (FIBDA) upon the festival’s launch in 2008, she amended her editorial line to include comic books and graphic novels. To talk about Dalimen’s passion for the illustrated word, Dalila Nedjem has kindly answered a few questions below, to be read along the following frame.

Publishers dedicated to promoting local illustrators and graphic storytellers in Algeria are few. The genre has in fact experienced a bumpy road since the 90s, when celebrated cartoonists like Brahim Guerroui (called Gébé), Mohamed Dorbane, and Saïd Mekbel,