Glenn Hustler, an indie comic artist from Leeds England, continues to write and draw non-fiction comic material, all of which are available to subscribers of his ‘Ko-Fi’ fundraising page.
His newest work, “The Betrayal” delves into the murky waters surrounding the story of Shamima Begum, and compares her case to those of high-level ‘groomers’. It makes for sober and chilling reading.
For those of us unfamiliar with Shamima Begum, she is one of three teenage UK school girls who travelled to Syria in 2015 and supported the Islamic State. She married a Dutch recruit and birthed three children, all of whom died. When she was discovered in a Syrian refugee camp, her UK citizenship was cancelled. There is now a movement to allow her to relocate to the UK. This is controversial, of course, and the controversy continues, with strong opinions being expressed, pro and con.
From the saga of Samima Begum, Hustler moves to that of Bibi Aisha, a young Afghanistan woman whose life under Taliban society was a narrowly confined and chafing existence. Her horrifying facial mutilation at the hand of the Taliban was the subject of a ton of international media coverage, including the cover of Time Magazine in 2010. The highly restricted and monitored lives of Afghan women are examined in detail.
Finally, Hustler follows the shady trail of businessman Jeffery Epstein, whose exploitation and grooming of young woman for sexual purposes became headline news recently. Epstein’s charisma, and his ability to smoothly circulate among the elite of society, including British royalty, comes under scrutiny.
Hustler’s drawing style is ‘graphic’ in the sense that his comic panels are well composed and balanced, with large figures and a unique narrative approach. In contrast to a typical comic book story that relies heavily on splash panels, dramatic poses and a few dialogue balloons, Hustler anchors his story in captions, signs, and a narrator’s voice. The black and white, thick lined drawings are no-nonsense in their starkness, but there is also a playful whimsy that flows along with them. A combination of simplified and sophisticated messaging, using the comic medium to portray serious situations.
Hustler is promoting his latest project via flyers and postcards, dropping them off at cafes, bars, libraries, hairdressers, and anywhere else he can visit to raise awareness. It’s a labour of love, one all at once well-researched and hard-hitting.
You can read and support his projects by visiting his KoFi page:
https://ko-fi.com/hustlerbyname
Newsdesk