Loading ...6 Arab Superheroes You Need to Know About
By: Pamela Dimitrova / Arab America Contributing Writer
Every child has heard of Superman, Batman, and Captain America, but how many of them can name an Arab superhero? For the past few years, publishers, both regional and international, introduce mighty superheroes to inspire all generations of Arab kids. Here are 6 superheroes you should totally know about:
Simon Baz (Green Lantern) – DC Comics
Simon Baz is the first Muslim member of the Green Lantern Corps. His Lebanese heritage was inspired by co-creator. Geoff John’s own Lebanese background.
Simon Baz is a Lebanese American who was born in Dearborn, Michigan. When he was ten years old, he and the rest of his family watched their television in horror as airplanes flew into the World Trade Center. As he grew up he and his Muslim family found themselves falling under intense suspicion and ostracism in the days, months and years following the attacks.
After losing his job, Simon finds himself involved in different illegal actions, before getting recruited by the Green Lantern Corps and becoming one of the bravest superheroes in the DC Universe.
Bashir Bari (Silver Scorpion)
Based on the creative ideas of a group of disabled students from America and Syria, the Silver Scorpion tells the story of a teenager, Bashir Bari, who loses his legs in a tragic accident triggered by violent gangsters. Consumed with anger and grief, Bashir retreats into a world of isolation, resentful of the pitiful looks and whispers of strangers. When he accidentally witnesses the murder of Tarek, a mysterious local metalsmith, Bashir is unwittingly chosen as the new guardian of an ancient power that has remained hidden for centuries and lets him manipulate metal with his mind.
The comic was launched in Arabic and in English in 2011.
Qahera – Webcomic by Deena Mohamed
Qahera is a hijabi Egyptian superhero in Cairo and illustrates the struggles Muslim women face on a day-to-day basis. The comic is feminist from a specifically Muslim perspective and touches on various subjects such as misogyny, street harassment, and Islamophobia. Though first published in English only, it is now available in both English and Arabic.
Denna Mohamed, creator of the comic was inspired by her real-life experiences of sexual harassment and white savior ideologies that Egyptian women experience every day.
Qahera was met with an enthusiastic response, as its novel treatment and representation of women in hijab received praise and academic interest. Reviews describe it as ‘dynamic, thoughtful, and witty’,[6] with ‘a new kind of superheroine with a visible difference’.[7] Some credit its popularity to this new representation of Muslim women as ‘Qahera embodies Egyptian women’s ability to cultivate their own meaning of ‘feminism’, and their own power to defeat sexism and the problems that come with it’.[6] This different bodily representation is central to understanding Qahera’s power as her hijab becomes another weapon against western prejudice and Arab patriarchy
Ibis the Invincible
Ibis the Invincible is Prince Amentep, a superhero and powerful sorcerer. Born a Prince of Egypt, he was given the Ibistick by Thoth. His partner and love is the princess Taia. When the Black Pharaoh usurped his throne and wounded Taia, Ibis placed both of them in suspended animation to heal and they were revived in the present. He has been a member of the All-Star Squadron and the Squadron of Justice.
Latifa – NA3AM (New Arab Media)
Latifa (meaning ‘kind’ in Arabic) is the first of seven heroines from the company’s Saudi Girls Revolution comic and video game universe to be revealed. She’s a lone vigilante patrolling the war-torn wasteland she once called home, slaughtering any and all invading mutant hordes that enter her path. Orphaned during the New Neom Wars, she has no family and no friends. She is fiercely independent. Afraid of nothing.
Al-Saud, the author of the comic,said it was important for him to make stories about women that are not centered on a man, but he also wanted to keep a balance.The sword Al-Faisal is robotic with male energy, and is a metaphor for her father, whom she lost as a child.
Emara
Emara follows a girl who struggles, as most heroes do, to balance both halves of her life. By day, she’s Moza, the 19-years-old the diligent daughter of a baker, Maitha. Together they work to make their family business successful. By night, she’s Emara, faithful hero of Emiratis, whose arms can transform into laser cannons, grappling hooks, and other useful tools. She might get some help from a fellow hero, Dhabian, but she makes it clear that she works solo.
Clad in a navy blue headscarf, a green, white and gold costume, a cape lined with red, and golden specs inspired by the burqa (a traditional, metal-like cloth worn around the eyes by Emirati women), Emara fights crime on the busy, bustling streets of the UAE.
Kahina Eskandari (Iron Butterfly)
Kahina Eskandari is a Palestinian with the ability to move and shape metal and metallic objects. In fact, her codename Iron Butterfly comes from the awesome medieval style plate armor she wears into battle, which comes with huge angel wings that allow her to fly by levitating herself. While she is a corporate translator by day, by night she is the field commander of the Shadow Cabinet, a crew of crime-fighters in Dakota.
Although her origins are unclear, it is known that her family was murdered and that she is seeking to avenge them. She was inspired to join Shadow Cabinet after listening to the words of Dharma, the team’s leader who preached about global justice. In addition to being field commander, she is also shown to be a genius tactician and great with a sword.
Introduction:
Every child has heard of Superman, Batman, and Captain America, but how many of them can name an Arab superhero? For the past few years, publishers, both regional and international, introduce mighty superheroes to inspire all generations of Arab kids. Here is a lsit of 6 superheroes you should totally know about, cosntructed by Pamela Dimitrova, Arab America Contributing Writer.
