Regarded as the Middle East’s first psycho-thriller comic book, Wayl follows the tale of Sufyan El-Taher who returns to Amman, Jordan only to find his hometown riddled with crime and corruption. Features writer Ferdinand Godinez chats with its creators to discover what inspired the project and their genre of choice.

Tell us more about Wayl…

Zaid: The story developed as a social commentary about greed and corruption, set within a combination of realistic and superhero universes. Its tagline – ‘When avarice is everything, even the most reluctant must act’ – is a call to action for the quieter members of society to stand up against corruption or face dystopia.

How did the idea for the project come about?

Zaid: It stemmed during the resurgence in popularity of comic book-based movies with the introduction of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy and more intellectual literary work such as Alan Moore’s Watchmen. There needed to be a story that is relatable in various cultures as well as being able to shatter stereotypes.

Why did you choose the psychological thriller genre?

Zaid: There’s a lot more room in psychological thrillers to create supernatural events that both entice the readers and keep the plot interesting and intense enough.

How did you incorporate regional elements both in the story and design?

Yasser: Zaid shared with me several photos of different types of people who might inspire the look of different characters within the story. As for the setting, I’ve never been to Jordan. So, the real challenge was capturing the city, which is a character in the story all on its own.

How do you see the UAE’s comic book scene?

Yasser: The comic book scene is growing but still has a long way to go. There aren’t a lot of local players, and those who try to get their work distributed give up after a while due to limited support. Yet, from our observations at local conventions, the public is ready and hungry for rich stories told in sequential art.

Wayl is available at Virgin Megastore, Yas Mall. Visit: waylcomic.com