Journalist Mai El Shoush Creates Arab Comic Book Heroine, Rayann Lawsonia

Mai El Shoush is a journalist in Dubai who got interested in comics by accident.

The Sudan-born reporter was covering last year's Middle East Film & Comic Con and was amazed at the range of contemporary comics, the artwork, and the fans. But one thing bothered her: Female characters were always in skin-tight clothing, looking busty but not adding much to the story.

Mai El Shoush decided she'd write her own comic book series.

This year's she's back at the Middle East Film and Comic Con peddling her own graphic novel series: "Drawn."

The main character of "Drawn" is a super heroine named Rayann Lawsonia. Lawsonia is part of the scientific name for the henna plant and "Drawn" is all about how Rayann's life is turned upside down after she gets a henna tattoo that confers onto her mystical powers.

"Drawn" is all about how Rayann manages her new found power and the emphasis is on her personality and principles, not her beauty.