The Prophet

June 19, 2023
This solid comics adaptation from Lewis (the Kismet, Man of Faith series) and artist Rentería joins other recent graphic interpretations in framing a plot around the poetic original. After living for 12 years in Orphalese, Almustafa, the “Prophet of God,” spies a ship arriving from his homeland. As he prepares to depart, the people, led by the seeress Almitra, urge him to “speak to us and give us of your truth.” Almustafa wanders the streets, imparting aphoristic teachings on such topics as love, children, work, and freedom to a clearly devoted public. The action unfolds in an unspecified Mediterranean country populated by romanticized archetypes (the stoic widow, the seemingly innocent femme fatale), and Rentería’s clean black-and-white comics literalize Almustafa’s metaphors and symbols, such as rendering a stone fruit’s pit as the knowledge brought by pain, or the strings of a lute to represent marriage (though threaded separately, they “quiver with the same music”). While hewing close to the original text, Lewis and Rentería fill in the prophet’s backstory through wordless flashbacks, portraying him as a young man caught up in military actions and a romantic betrayal; these narrative flourishes offer fresh angles on Gibran’s words. Though primarily suited to those who already hold The Prophet dear, this has the potential to create new fans.

November 18, 2024
Lebanese artist Abirached (A Game for Swallows) presents a simple yet striking reinterpretation of Gibran’s 1923 classic. God’s chosen, Almustafa, has spent 12 years in Orphalese, awaiting a ship that will bring him home. As the vessel approaches, the townspeople gather to engage the prophet in a dialogue, during which he opines about marriage, work, and freedom. A seeress asks Almustafa about love, to which he responds that love should be all-encompassing. A rich man asks about giving, and the prophet advises the townsfolk to give of themselves rather than of their possessions. A priest inquires about religion, and the prophet reminds him that “your daily life is your temple and your religion.” Abirached gives faces and personalities to what were nameless townspeople in the original text, equating them with the prophet through a consistent black-and-white color palette and her curlicue detailing (hair and mustaches are prominent features). Marjane Satrapi’s influence on the artwork is evident, but Abirached’s style also recalls illustrated classics like C.C. Tsai’s Dao De Jing. Admirers of Gibran will want to add this attractive and accessible edition to their collection.