Darwiz Bagdeve is a comic artist, writer, illustrator, and composer, and the creator of Kairu-Edé – Ghost Warrior. Since 2017, he has worked on the production of comic strips and graphic novels, including the Dango Tirinhas series. In 2021, he released the first online chapter of Kairu-Edé, a manga-style graphic novel that blends Afrofuturism, spirituality, and a dystopian vision of Salvador.
The print edition of Kairu-Edé – Ghost Warrior, funded by the Paulo Gustavo cultural grant, had an initial run of 1,000 copies and sold out within a year of its release. His work has earned national recognition, granting him the award for “Best Discovery of 2023” from LQN (Lendo Quadrinhos Online) and, later, for his participation in Almanaque Kitembo, the 2024 HQMIX Trophy in the collective publication category.
Darwiz maintains a solid community of readers and travels nationwide to promote his work, in addition to actively participating in the itinerant festival CULTURAMA, in Salvador.
This portfolio presents part of his artistic journey and works within the field of sequential art literature (comics) and illustration.
Darwiz worked with executive production by Ojú Odé and Obá Cacauê Produções, and his work KAIRU-EDÉ: GUERREIRO FANTASMA was selected through the Selo Paulo Gustavo public funding program, which enabled the first printed edition with a print run of 1,000 copies. He contributed to Almanaque Kitembo and, in the following year, received the HQMix Award in the Publication Mix category. The Kairu-Edé project achieved wide media coverage, appearing in digital and print outlets as well as on television, and promoted launch events with autograph sessions at the Geological Museum, the Mãezinha do Gantois Community Center, and Malê Debalê. Its first commercial release took place at the Bon Odori Salvador 2024 festival, where approximately 214 copies were sold.
The artist also took part in FLIM (Marízia Literary Fair), the Psicofunk music festival, the Arae Studio 24-Hour Comics Challenge, and the House of Artists at FLICA. He was a special guest at the 20th anniversary concert of the band "Irmão Carlos & Catado", participated in a critical reading circle organized by the "Nona Arte" Club at LDM bookstore, and joined FLITA, where he took part in the panel “The Multiverse of Comics” and sold books.
Throughout the year, he took part in major national events and exhibitions focused on comics and visual arts. He was selected to exhibit at the Falcons Geek Festival (SENAI CIMATEC) and at the Comics Fair of the TransLaerte exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Bahia. He also made his first professional trip outside his home state, participating in the Cada Um no Seu Quadrinho fair at Circo Voador (Rio de Janeiro), and joined the Semana do Quadrinho Nacional de Manaus as an exhibitor.
He served as a recurring guest at Culturama SSA – Festival de Arte em Panorama de Salvador from May to December, contributing comics and illustrations, including the celebration of the third anniversary of the work Kairu-Edé. He was also an exhibitor in the artists’ village at FLIPELÔ. He participated in the ANICAM fair (Camaçari), acted as curator for the 24-Hour Comics Challenge in Rio Vermelho, took part in panel discussions and workshops at schools and cultural festivals, and led a digital illustration workshop at Flicoité. Closing the year, he received the HQMix Award for the publication Almanaque Kitembo (Publication Mix category) and was invited to the Penumbra TV podcast to discuss the identity of Bahian comics.
