‘Abe’ cartoonist Aie dies at 45

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian cartoonist Saari Sulang aka Aie passed away at his home earlier today in Kampung Sungai Manggis, Banting.

Fellow artist Ibrahim Anon shared in a Facebook post his 43-year-old friend died of kidney complications.

“We have received sad news today that Aie, the artist behind Abe passed away at 4am this morning.

“May his soul be at peace and placed among those blessed by Him,” said Ibrahim.

Aie is known for his works in Jenakarama, Majalah Kartun Disney ‘Mickey’ (Malay edition), Ujang, Starz, Utopia, G3, Jom, Boboi and Gila-Gila.

The cartoonist had 25 years' worth of experience in the cartoon and comic field.

According to the blog jenamax.my, Aie also had a colourful portfolio in animation having become the art director for joint projects between Malaysia and Australia, as well as America.

Among them were ‘Sumo-Mouse’, ‘Flea-Bitten’, ‘Shezow’ and ‘KuuKuu Harajuku’, which is inspired by international artist Gwen Stefani.

An experimental artist

One of the most stimulating works from the cartoonist is his 1991 graphic novel 'Aku Hidup Dalam Blues', a result of Aie's collaboration with author Toyon.

In a commentary of the project, the late cartoonist stated that he was unable to continue the series due to copyright issues. The publisher holds the copyright that led to the works ending in a cliffhanger of sorts.

He noted: "The 'Blues Untuk Aku' is a work full of experimentation. It was a bold attempt to get away from the conventional style of serialised cartoon presentation."

What is meant by this is there are certain sections that have a lot of writing with only a drawing on the background as an illustration.

But for the project in question, Aie narrates from one drawing panel to another in chronological form without any dialogue.

The positioning and size of the panels are intentionally made irregular, varying on each page. It showcases drawing techniques and variations that are distinctively unique.

The commentary also recounts how difficult it was for the cartoonist to convince publishers to accept 'Blues Untuk Aku'.

It was pitched not only as a comedy genre but a style of performance that may not be liked by readers who have become accustomed to the old style at that particular time. – The Vibes, June 28, 2021