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sandwraith

Posts: 812
Registered: 7/19/05

Muslim characters in comics(general opinions please)
Posted: Jan 22, 2006 5:34 PM

Hey guys, most of you probably know that I'm Muslim and I've made that pretty obvious with lines like "Holy Muhammad's spit" and "Sweet Prophet". I was checking out Wikipedia and found a list of fictional Muslim characters,it was a short list, one of them was Dust from the New X-Men, an Afghan girl wearing a Burqa and all, and there was a link to an Islamic forum that wasn't too crazy about the character. Now...I know us Muslims aren't exactly the most liked people in the world right now but what do you guys think? I mean, at the top of my head,I can think of only two Islamic 'Heroes': Dust and...Arabian Knight from Marvel, and maybe that Turkish heroine who appeared in JLA way back and maybe just maybe David Said from Checkmate.Most of the rest are your atypical terrorist leaders and masterminds or victims of...Islamic tyranny. Is that how comic books and most Western media see Islam? Sorry to bring this topic up, but I really needed to get this off my chest. Peace be upon you, my fellow blood-thirsty Bat-fans.

Message was edited by: sandwraith

Message was edited by: sandwraith

solarhill

Posts: 856
Registered: 9/30/05

Re: Muslim characters in comics(general opinions please)
Posted: Jan 22, 2006 6:20 PM

I myself have no preconceived notions about the Islamic culture, I try to take it all in and not judge a group of people by the actions of the radicals that live in their society. I can't think of one hero aside from Dust. Well there is Aisha from The Losers over in the Vertigo Universe, I think she's a Muslim, she is one bad woman, and is not to be underestimated. Plus there was a character that showed up right as Stormwatch Team Achilles was ended and I'm pretty sure he was a Muslim as well. I can't think of his name right now, but you're right all of the Muslim characters I can think of off the top of my head are either terrorist or soldiers of fortune. Oh yeah the new Doctor in the Authority is or was a Muslim, I'm not sure if he changed after his enlightenment (the last Doctor didn't believe in a God), they haven't really gone into that yet, maybe when the new series starts.

Peace, and God Bless.
[smile]

jmcl89

Posts: 334
Registered: 3/3/05

Re: Muslim characters in comics(general opinions please)
Posted: Jan 22, 2006 6:20 PM

I liked the Muslim character who was the leader of the Justice League Elite. But I'd admit he was almost the only Muslim character I have come across in comics who was not a terrorist. I think there is a lot more room for more nuanced portrayals of the culture in the future.

sandwraith

Posts: 812
Registered: 7/19/05

Re: Muslim characters in comics(general opinions please)
Posted: Jan 22, 2006 9:15 PM

Problem is,most people who hear this will probably say that there's nothing much to write about a Muslim or Islamic character,but then I think of the Phantom Stranger and the Judeo-Christian references in his origin and more recently Brian K. Vaughan's Runaways that has a Judeo-Christian reference here and there. I'm not asking for a super popular Muslim superhero like Superman or Batman but at least one that has some respectabilty. Let's take Kitty Pryde for example. She's by far the most popular Jewish character in Marvel. She's not by any means an ultra-popular character, but everyone X-versed knows who she is and that she's Jewish

killface

Posts: 1,741
From: Oklahoma
Registered: 11/7/05

Re: Muslim characters in comics(general opinions please)
Posted: Jan 22, 2006 10:42 PM

Hey, I agree with you Sand Wraith.
I have to add to that... Just because some one is Islamic doesn't necessarily imply that they have to be Arabic. Last I checked three quarters of the Muslim world are not Arabs at all.

I would like to see more diversity all around. Race, Religion, even sexual orientation.

It seems everything is just pandering to Judao-Christian beliefs...Catholic to be more specific. On the topic of Muslim faith, it wouldn't be a stretch in anyway to adapt the already Christian overtones.

Peace be with you my brothers.

bcbdla

Posts: 7,394
Registered: 11/14/03

Re: Muslim characters in comics(general opinions please)
Posted: Jan 22, 2006 11:48 PM

It's rather difficult for non-Muslims to write a Muslim character without being stereotypical.
Most DC heroes from other nations and/or cultures are stereotypical.

sandwraith

Posts: 812
Registered: 7/19/05

Re: Muslim characters in comics(general opinions please)
Posted: Jan 23, 2006 12:47 AM

I disagree with the fact that non-Muslim writers can't write a good Muslim character though. I mean Greg Rucka isn't Jewish(to my knowledge) but he wrote a very good Judaism themed story for Kitty Pryde in an X-Men GN I read. I think its really a matter of interests...maybe us Muslims are just too boring or uptight to be portrayed in the seedy underbelly of the Superhero world? I agree with the fact that most Muslims aren't Arabs. I myself am a Malay-Indian Muslim. Hinduism isn't too widely regarded in comics either, but I guess Kama Sutra man did make Whose Line is it anyway?

sandwraith

Posts: 812
Registered: 7/19/05

Re: Muslim characters in comics(general opinions please)
Posted: Jan 23, 2006 12:48 AM

Killface,I'm starting to wonder if we came from the same Jati Village (reference to Years of Rice and Salt. Good book everyone)

clemsonchuck

Posts: 205
Registered: 1/19/06

Re: Muslim characters in comics(general opinions please)
Posted: Jan 23, 2006 6:12 AM

I believe Ra's Al Ghul was originaly Arabic, although clearly not Muslim. (The idea being that the cradle of western civilization began in the Middle East, so it would follow that the League of Shadows might start there as well). I guess most people know his name means something similiar to "the deamon's head" (not sure though). I agree that there is a serious lack of Muslim characters in comics, (as well as most other forms of entertainment media). As of late, its probably because most studios/publishers are too afraid. They fear a Muslim hero might create resentment from people (from who I don't know, rednecks I guess) or that a Muslim villian might be too insensitive. Frankly, I think that some interesting Muslim characters (heroes and villians) who make for a lot of good character and plot development. It might also give any character or book that deals with them a more contemporary sense of importance. I mean, think of a Muslim character who helps Batman go after some type of Muslim crime lord--or yes, I'll go there--international terrorist ring.

reway

Posts: 50
Registered: 11/13/04

Re: Muslim characters in comics(general opinions please)
Posted: Jan 23, 2006 9:37 AM

http://www.newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?s=d732da7b6deb62fd107be3114031cad2&threadid=56727

sandwraith

Posts: 812
Registered: 7/19/05

Re: Muslim characters in comics(general opinions please)
Posted: Jan 23, 2006 8:06 PM

that was a heartening post reway. As for a Muslim that helps Batman...I recall a Lebanese American character named David Said back during the whole Bruce Wayne:Fugitive storyline. He was a member of Checkmate(before the OMAC project) and helped Batman take down Ekin Tzu's awry drug cartel.Though I have doubts of Said's faith.

jgiannantoni05

Posts: 2,933
Registered: 6/24/05

Re: Muslim characters in comics(general opinions please)
Posted: Jan 23, 2006 8:34 PM

>Most of the rest are your atypical terrorist leaders and masterminds or victims of...Islamic tyranny. Is that how comic books and most Western media see Islam?
No!....ummm..nooo..nooo...don't read Detective Comics 590: An American Batman in London. j/k (great Wagner/Grant story btw, I didn't read it as a condemnation of Islam at all but rather terrorism)

Nice topic sandwraith. One of my favorite classes in undergrad was a course on Islam.

sandwraith

Posts: 812
Registered: 7/19/05

Re: Muslim characters in comics(general opinions please)
Posted: Jan 23, 2006 8:42 PM

thanks,though I'm starting to wonder why I put it under a Batman forum [confused]

.If anything,this seems more like a Superman or...Green Arrow topic.I'm curious as to how these Islamic classes are conducted in the States in college.Does it teach the history of Islam or it's rukun...what that word...pillars?Or does it go into the Nation of Islam ideas?I heard that there are some Muslims in the States that subscribe to that sect of the faith

jgiannantoni05

Posts: 2,933
Registered: 6/24/05

Re: Muslim characters in comics(general opinions please)
Posted: Jan 23, 2006 9:11 PM

>I'm curious as to how these Islamic classes are conducted in the States in college.Does it teach the history of Islam or it's rukun...what that word...pillars?Or does it go into the Nation of Islam ideas?I heard that there are some Muslims in the States that subscribe to that sect of the faith
I remember a Dr. Saritoprak taught it at my private liberal arts college. The course covered Muhammad and his life, the Quran, Muhammad's sucessors and the caliphate, the theology and practices (the pillars), the muslim community throughout history, the denominations or sects (mostly Shii and Sunni, but touched upon many others, not the Nation of Islam though).

Great course.

killface

Posts: 1,741
From: Oklahoma
Registered: 11/7/05

Re: Muslim characters in comics(general opinions please)
Posted: Jan 23, 2006 10:29 PM

>I'm curious as to how these Islamic classes are conducted in the States in college.Does it teach the history of Islam or it's rukun...what that word...pillars?Or does it go into the Nation of Islam ideas?I heard that there are some Muslims in the States that subscribe to that sect of the faith
I remember a Dr. Saritoprak taught it at my private liberal arts college. The course covered Muhammad and his life, the Quran, Muhammad's sucessors and the caliphate, the theology and practices (the pillars), the muslim community throughout history, the denominations or sects (mostly Shii and Sunni, but touched upon many others, not the Nation of Islam though).

Great course.

Yeah, that pretty well covers what I learned in Islamic Humanities. It was a really great summer course, included a three hour introduction and Q&A at our local Mosque. Islam - Peace through submission to the one and only God.

I'm not trying to start any fights by saying this, it's just a fact I ran into in this class, so if you are a born again Christian, please don't be offened.

The class would have gone a lot better had there not been so many Bible Beaters that signed up, just to learn how to argue with Islam. I have no complaints with students bringing Bibles to school, but just to do it so that you can say how Something Mohammad Preached doesn't Conform to the Bible really has nothing to do with Islamic Humanities. I can't tell you how completely INSECURE these kids were with their own faith, that they should argue with every point of Islam, in an Islam Humanities class. A Muslim girl in the class was constantly being harrassed, having to defend her faith. It was simply insulting to have people come to class just to instigate fights.

Once again, not trying to pick fights with the many respectful Christians out there. I love Christians just as much As Muslims, Hindi, etc. I know every religion has Zealots.

Peace.


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