Why not a Muslim superheroine comic?

There's a few. Pretty sure Captain America and Superman both are. Nightcrawler is a big one, even becoming a priest for a time. As for non-Christian, you have quite a few Jewish characters. The Thing, Shadowcat, and I think Batwoman.

Edit: Oh, and I just remembered a Muslim superheroine. M, from X-Factor. I don't think anybody mentioned her yet.

edited 8th Feb '13 12:25:56 AM by Lascoden

I just think when things like this are done, they need to not look like a gimmick. Racial or religious caricatures are sort of disrespectful.

Anyone who writes characters like that need to make sure it's in the background abut as much as, say, the Jewish superheroes, rather than trying to find an excuse to mention it every other page.

You mean this lady?

EDIT: Ho? There are more Muslim characters in the Marvelverse than I expected.

edited 8th Feb '13 3:03:43 AM by MarqFJA

What Bark said basically. :o Having it influence the character is good, having it define them is not so good.

I'd argue that some people would say their faith defines them.

Yeah, Monet. She's been a part of Peter David's X-Factor since the beginning. Not read a ton of the book, but what I did seemed pretty good. It was mentioned once or twice, nothing negative, and there's a lot more to her character then that.

Also, I forgot that Josiah X was Muslim. I don't think he's been in anything for years, though. And the Colonel...yeah, not the most positive portrayal.

Quite aptly put. Look at Church Militant, Badass Preacher, Warrior Monk, and other religion-based character types for example.

edited 9th Feb '13 3:15:54 AM by MarqFJA

Comraid: True. :/ But I think there are quite a lot of Muslim characters defined by their religion. :p

Yeah, it's the author's story and they can do what they want with it, but in the long run and all.

That can get racially insensitive.

M was Muslim and it came up sometimes in eating choices, but she isn't defined by her religion in any way. She is a well rounded character outside of that.

She also has a redonkulous number of super powers.

edited 20th Feb '13 9:39:57 PM by shimaspawn

Sure, and I've met people like that, but they don't sell comic books.

You have to take your audience into account. I mean sure, I guess a muslim character who doesn't stop prattling on about their religion could perhaps get popular in primarily muslim countries, but in the west? Most likely not. Hell, if there was a rabid christian crusader who never stopped ranting about the grace of god in every sentence, people may not hate him, but he'd never really be a popular character.

Most folks don't like one-dimensional people, even if their religion is that one dimension. The only people that like characters like that are people who like the one dimension that character represents.

Personally, I'd say that's the reason I've never been into "superhero" characters. Most of them aren't terribly deep.

"...I guess a muslim character who doesn't stop prattling on about their religion could perhaps get popular in primarily muslim countries..."

About as popular as a character rattling on and on about their Christianity would be in the US...

A character being "defined by X" does not equate to being one-dimensional, unless we're using different definitions. The one I'm using is "X is a strong influence on much of the character's traits and/or behavior, not just simply a trivia point". Compare the non-flanderized depictions of Nightcrawler from X-Men.

I think we are using different definitions. If a character is complex, then by definition they arent defined by any one thing.

Then what do you call "X influences much/most of the character's traits, but not in such way that he ends up being one-dimensional"?

edited 22nd Feb '13 9:55:51 AM by MarqFJA

In a comic book? "Impossible"

I think they got a pretty good balance when it came to Nightcrawler and his faith.

So pretty poplar then?

edited 22nd Feb '13 2:18:03 PM by joeyjojo

Good point - Chick Tracts prattle on about religion endlessly and they're popular - snark bait :)

Outside the rather narrow demographics of evangelists using 'em to try and bump up their witness-for-Christ-rating and folks taking the piss, not so much though.

Indeed. And a character who constantly talks about how awesome Christianity is may well not be that much of an attraction even to fundamentalists if he doesn't actually do anything that's cool. Though if he punches people for Christ, that may be a different matter :)

edited 22nd Feb '13 2:51:40 PM by betaalpha

I think you guys are rather overestimating the zealotry of America. Consider your audience here, comic book readers. Comic book readers don't exactly contain a majority of aggressively religious christians in America. They contain nerds, and amongst american nerds, I'd say that "Other" is probably the majority. Agnostics, Atheists, people who are Irreligious, I'd venture to say that's the majority religious affiliation of nerds and comic book readers.

I've never met anyone who actively reads chick tracts, everyone I've ever met IRL who's ever even heard of them thinks they are ignorant trash. I'd venture to say that fanatical christians are on the downslope in America, and only get as much attention as they do because of how vocal and offensive they are. You have old people who are Christian and set in their ways, sure, but how many of them read comic books? Amongst the youth population of America, Christianity is pretty much at a cross-section where I would say it is no longer dominant.

edited 22nd Feb '13 2:43:08 PM by Barkey

Personally, I'd pay to see Dust get her own series. Her being a Captain Ehtnic isn't really that big a deal to me, I just like her character enough to literally try and read every comic she's been in.

Y'know, there's something bugging me about all these Muslim superheroines - have ANY of them ever taken the Hajj? Ok, so you have to take it at least once in your life, and women can't go unless they're accompanied by their father, brother, or husband, and non-Muslims aren't allowed to go, but you'd think at least ONE comic would address it.

You must write this...

Even better: saves the day from being totally ruined (with great loss of life). Well, decent crowd control would save lives, for starters — particularly if the authorities have messed up. Again. -_-

Or, chasing up the idiot who took a bribe to look the other way and deliberately let some unscrupulous bastards screw pilgrims over — and, busting their chops for good measure.

So- an ordinary heroine, not a super-hero?