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community weblog
Nothing's worse than saying goodbye
Marjane Satrapi. Iranian-French artist, author of Persepolis comics (she disliked calling them "graphic novels") , and Oscar-nominated director is dead at 56. Elected in 2024 to the French Académie des Beaux-Arts, refused the Légion d'honneur in 2025 "citing French hypocrisy toward Iran."
posted by Conceptual Nomad on Jun 04, 2026 at 7:02 AM
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So young but oh what a legacy she left.
posted by Kitteh at 7:05 AM
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posted by wicked_sassy at 7:06 AM
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What a terrible loss and a sad end. Persepolis really opened my eyes and mind when it came out. So different in terms of graphic style and storytelling.
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posted by the sobsister at 7:07 AM
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posted by dlugoczaj at 7:16 AM
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posted by humbug at 7:23 AM
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posted by tommasz at 7:23 AM
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posted by pipstar at 7:24 AM
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posted by Wobbuffet at 7:26 AM
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I recently read Persepolis. It is the only graphic novel that I have been able to get through--and absolutely loved it. Brilliant story telling all the way.
posted by tarantula at 7:33 AM
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...members of her entourage said Thursday
What does entourage really mean in French? In any case, I'm gratified to know she had such people.
Since he died, Satrapi's Instagram page consisted almost exclusively of a series of images spelling out "For I lost the love of my life"
https://www.instagram.com/marjanesatrapi/?hl=en
She innovated with this medium too.
posted by amtho at 7:33 AM
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posted by limeonaire at 7:40 AM
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posted by HypotheticalWoman at 7:40 AM
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Wow.
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posted by Rykey at 7:40 AM
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posted by ZeusHumms at 7:40 AM
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posted by buffalo at 7:45 AM
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posted by sixo33 at 7:46 AM
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So sad. She was a great artist.
posted by mumimor at 7:49 AM
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posted by clew at 7:52 AM
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posted by postcommunism at 8:01 AM
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posted by ishmael at 8:05 AM
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Damn. That hits hard. 56 is way too young.
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posted by Smedly, Butlerian jihadi at 8:05 AM
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posted by dismas at 8:08 AM
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I can't help but be afraid that "died of sadness" is a euphemism for suicide.
My son read Persepolis and really liked it, he told me I should read it. I put it down partway through the second volume, can't recall why... I need to finish it.
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posted by caution live frogs at 8:12 AM
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in a better timeline Satrapi lived a longer life with happiness, and was able to visit her place of birth because in a better timeline the stupidest wars aren't happening and the cruelest most violent people aren't the ones in charge
rest in power, you told a story that reached millions and that is a gift
posted by runsrealgood at 8:16 AM
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posted by Token Meme at 8:21 AM
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Loved Persepolis and learned much from it.
posted by rongorongo at 8:21 AM
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If you'd asked me yesterday if I would cry when Marjane Satrapi passed away I would have been like "maybe? idk" but the answer was definitely, in fact, yes. I read the news and burst into bitter tears. This news hit me like a fucking truck. I admired her SO much and for her to die so young, of grief, my god. This was a person who just knew how to be human on a level I can't even pretend to be able to emulate. What a towering legacy she leaves behind. What a time to have her leave us. I can't even be coherent about this news at this moment.
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posted by potrzebie at 8:31 AM
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Her work was powerful. Sad to hear.
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posted by SystematicAbuse at 8:45 AM
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I am heartbroken. She was such an important artist to me.
posted by Thivaia 2.0 at 9:08 AM
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Damn, I loved Persepolis.
posted by evilDoug at 9:10 AM
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posted by mcdoublewide at 9:13 AM
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posted by Rudy_Wiser at 9:14 AM
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posted by rikschell at 9:15 AM
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Too sad today. RIP.
posted by 2N2222 at 9:30 AM
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posted by soundofsuburbia at 9:35 AM
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posted by JoeXIII007 at 9:38 AM
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posted by lekvar at 9:41 AM
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posted by mersen at 9:53 AM
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posted by YellowSuB at 10:00 AM
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posted by jquinby at 10:03 AM
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The obituary article on Animation Magazine's website included a link to an interview during the Persepolis film press junket about how she became the film's director, which made me smile.
Q: How did the graphic novels then turn into a movie?
A: Well that was a mess because I never wanted to do that and I always thought it was a very bad idea. I still do. (...) But I made it because a friend of mine wanted to become a producer and I was like 'I want to work with my best friend Vincent and I want the studio in Paris and I want this and want that and [something in French]' and he said "Yeah okay' and then I was like 'Shit, now I have to do it.' So that is how it started.
posted by neuracnu at 10:08 AM
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posted by greytrench at 10:12 AM
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posted by Windopaene at 10:13 AM
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posted by GenjiandProust at 10:14 AM
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2024 interview with images of some of her work, in The Guardian.
posted by paduasoy at 10:22 AM
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It will take some time to process this. I am just stunned even to think that she is gone. Marjane Satrapi has been and still is such an inspiration for me and for so many others. I had unconsciously assumed she was indestructible.
posted by abraxasaxarba at 10:28 AM
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posted by ltl at 10:34 AM
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Yeah, I thought we would have more time.
This one hits hard for multiple reasons, but I think part of why it's so hard for me is that I'm mourning the inspiration her work gave me at a formative time in my artistic life. I've mostly been making abstract art and writing songs in recent years, but part of me still wants to realize that youthful dream of making the kind of deeply honest comics and graphic novels that live up to her example.
I also wish the world were different right now and that the specific things happening in the world weren't breaking the hearts of people who are already vulnerable. I don't know how she felt about recent world events but it can't have been good, on top of all the other trauma and heartbreak.
It also makes me think about one of my dearest friends, another writer and comics artist and editor, who died of a broken heart as well.
It's just a lot.
posted by limeonaire at 10:42 AM
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Gutting. Her work is marvelous, and I wish there could be more of it. She brought such fierce love and keen observation to her art.
posted by EvaDestruction at 11:05 AM
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This is so sad. My best friend from college is Iranian and he told me I should read Persepolis. The whole history of that place is just heartbreaking, from Mossadegh up until now, and Satrapi illuminated that with such a fierce, human lens.
posted by number9dream at 11:09 AM
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Oh my gosh.... so tragic. Rest in Peace ✨️ ✨️
posted by mxjudyliza at 11:18 AM
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posted by adamsc at 11:19 AM
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posted by kitten kaboodle at 11:21 AM
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posted by fridgebuzz at 11:23 AM
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posted by brujita at 11:27 AM
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Such a loss. So young. Her mind and her artistic eye were such gifts that she shared with the rest of us. I'm attending a Comic Art Festival in Toronto this weekend and I suspect it's going to feel a bit heavy because of her passing. She'll be missed.
posted by Fizz at 11:28 AM
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posted by Going To Maine at 11:32 AM
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We were so blessed by her life.
posted by y2karl at 11:44 AM
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posted by UltraMorgnus at 11:58 AM
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posted by Phlegmco(tm) at 12:23 PM
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Loved Persepolis, loved Satrapi for the collaboration with Nez Magazine.
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posted by The Ardship of Cambry at 12:27 PM
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Oh no! :(
So very young!
and what a talented and powerful writer and artist!
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 1:00 PM
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posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 1:07 PM
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posted by Lawn Beaver at 1:51 PM
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posted by ikahime at 2:05 PM
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Oh no. A terrible loss; a great legacy.
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posted by jokeefe at 2:10 PM
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posted by dougfelt at 2:11 PM
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posted by AwkwardPause at 2:14 PM
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posted by ursus_comiter at 3:38 PM
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posted by UhOhChongo! at 4:04 PM
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This is so sad.
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posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 4:08 PM
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Persepolis was an amazing work and one of the first that I read that didn't involve super-heroes or drugs and sex.
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posted by jabo at 4:20 PM
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posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 5:46 PM
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posted by lepus at 6:45 PM
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Persepolis is incredible, one of the all time great graphic novels (the movie version is worthy too). Up there with Maus and Fun House. Great window into Iranian culture and history without being didactic.
posted by TurnKey at 6:51 PM
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posted by Lesser Spotted Potoroo at 7:14 PM
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posted by storybored at 7:19 PM
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posted by maniabug at 7:21 PM
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For Marjane, I wish you all to look into a little book she also made, "Embroideries"...it is an elegantly funny window into how we tranform ourselves to get what we want, what we think we want, what other people want...
I quote from the Guardian article linked above: "When you are Iranian, what people expect from you is to talk about murder, mayhem, misery, veils and the atom bomb. If you're an English director, do you always have to make films about the miners' strike or the queen? No. You can also make comedy. Expecting us to stick to a certain subject is taking our humanity away from us ... We're not only suffering – we're human, we like to laugh and think up surreal stories, too."
Too soon, but thank you so much for what you shared with us.
posted by winesong at 8:06 PM
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posted by Barbara Spitzer at 10:47 PM
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posted by Coaticass at 3:09 AM
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Dammit. I loved Persepolis so much I bought the 4 volume French version and she signed v.1 for me. Adieu.
posted by cindywho at 4:04 AM
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Of all the beauty and profundity she left behind, the first thing I thought of was this:
After I watched the movie version of Persepolis I never heard Eye of the Tiger the same way again.
Merci.
posted by pianoblack at 5:59 AM
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posted by wintermute2_0 at 8:19 AM
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posted by rhamphorhynchus at 2:02 PM
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posted by gudrun at 8:21 PM
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