PHOTO: Dara Naraghi, author of Persia Blues, captured against a warm backdrop highlighting his thoughtful and creative presence.
An Exploration Of Storytelling, Heritage, And Artistic Collaboration
Dara Naraghi discusses his creative fusion of Persian mythology and modern narrative, his approach to genre diversity, and the significant influence of cultural heritage on his storytelling craft.
Dara Naraghi is an author who bridges worlds—mythical and modern, personal and universal. Born in Iran and raised in the United States, his storytelling reflects a deep consciousness of identity and transformation. As a writer, Naraghi draws upon the threads of history, fantasy, and the quiet dramas of everyday life to weave narratives that resonate. His works, including Persia Blues and Lifelike, are testament to his ability to find common ground between the extraordinary and the familiar, leading readers into spaces of wonder and introspection.
At the heart of Naraghi’s creative journey is an acute awareness of culture’s interplay with narrative. His Iranian heritage enriches not only the settings of his stories but their soul and texture. Whether exploring Persian mythology or crafting tales grounded in human connection, he approaches his material with care, striving for representation that is thoughtful rather than tokenistic. His characters breathe with authenticity, offering glimpses of multitudes that speak across borders.
Naraghi’s ventures span genre, style, and form, from literary comics to flash fiction and everything in between. This versatility challenges the reader—and perhaps himself—to reframe the boundaries of storytelling. Yet whether he is collaborating with artists, experimenting with narrative devices, or navigating the complexities of genre, his work retains a singular focus: to tell stories that matter. Stories that linger long after the final panel has been read, leaving us with questions worth asking and truths worth holding close.
Your graphic novel “Persia Blues” blends Persian mythology with modern storytelling. What inspired this unique fusion?
I always wanted to use the rich mythology and literary characters of ancient Persia in a story, but could never quite craft a genre story that didn’t come off as a cheap Hollywood version of the source material. At the same time, I really enjoyed writing slice-of-life stories, and even had a couple of short autobiographical comic stories published about growing up in Iran. But I didn’t want to write a memoir, because I felt the excellent “Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi had already covered that subject matter superbly. And then it hit me to combine both of my interests and strengths into one complex narrative, where the story jumps back and forth between modern concerns and fictional mythological adventures, and thus Persia Blues was born.
“Lifelike” is a collection of slice-of-life stories. How did you select the narratives, and what themes connect them?
Lifelike started out as a serialized webcomic, and was rather freeform in its development. Some of the stories were drawn from my own personal experiences, some were written specifically to the strengths and interests of the artists I wanted to work with, and yet others were an excuse for me to experiment with different narrative devices. My only criteria were for the stories to be based in reality, and the themes to be the universal ones we all experience and want to explore further in art: love, loneliness, compassion, betrayal, and the like.
Collaborating with artist Brent Bowman on “Persia Blues” resulted in a visually rich narrative. How did this partnership influence the storytelling?
I had known and worked with Brent for many years prior to collaborating on Persia Blues, and we had (and still have) a very easy working relationship. We’re sympatico in many ways. Plus, it helps that he lives just a short distance from me, so we could get together in person and hash out story beats, visual elements, etc. He’s a very versatile artist, and since I knew I wanted to have two distinct looks to the art to differentiate between the mythology and the modern settings of the story, he was the perfect choice. Often times, his designs or interests would influence my script in subtle ways, such as changing the setting for a scene so that it would play into his strengths and give him something to draw that he was excited about.
Your work spans various genres, from horror to historical fiction. How do you approach genre diversity in your writing?
As a lifelong fan of comic books and graphic novels, and an avid reader in general, there are certain genres I’m really drawn to, such as fantasy, science fiction, and superheroes. So naturally those are areas I am excited to explore in my stories. But there have been times where I’ve been presented with the opportunity to work in a genre I’m not well-versed in, such as horror, and in those cases it’s the challenge that intrigues me. Can I get over my fears and self-doubt and tell a compelling story in a genre that’s outside my comfort zone? Plus, I enjoy the process of researching genres I’m not overly familiar with.
As an Iranian-American author, how does your cultural background shape the narratives and characters in your comics?
From a narrative perspective, I think it’s more subconscious than overt. I tend to bring a bit of my immigrant experience – feeling like a stranger in a strange land, culture shock, humorous misunderstandings, slightly different values or interests – to many of my projects. As far as characters, I‘ve always tried to leverage multiculturalism when populating my stories. Even for me, it’s so easy to default to writing every character as white and straight, when they could just as easily be representative of a different culture or community, without that becoming their sole defining characteristic. And since positive representation of Iranians is still not that common in popular media, I try to do my part to showcase our rich and complex community.
Beyond comics, you’ve written articles, reviews, and flash fiction. How do these different writing forms influence your approach to storytelling?
This is a good question! I tend to be on the verbose side, so self-editing is always top of mind when I’m writing. Comics rely heavily on dialogue, flash fiction is all about brevity and precision, articles need to convey facts and emotions equally well. Struggling with the different needs of these different writing forms has helped me hone that editing skill, and always asking myself “What do I want to accomplish with this specific piece, and what’s the best way to do that?”
What advice would you offer aspiring authors looking to break into the comic book industry?
Honestly, I would say consider a different field, as the comic book publishing world is highly competitive, with grueling expectations and a pay model that’s about four decades behind the times. But if you’re still interested and passionate about the medium, then I would say the best thing you can do is find an artist to collaborate with and simply make a comic. No editor is going to read a comic book script from a new author; they simply don’t have the time. Nothing is a better calling card in this business than a completed book that you can show them (whether online or in print), especially one that has garnered some praise and/or a following. Unlike the traditional publishing world, self-publishing is not a dirty word in comics, in fact it’s often seen as a badge of honour.
