New Muslim comic book superhero on the way (wheelchair)

[ensho]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100926/ap_on_en_ot/us_muslim_superhero;_ylt=AoLlecYex4keNf1RdDw_rM.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNvM3B2cDBrBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwOTI2L3VzX211c2xpbV9zdXBlcmhlcm8EY2NvZGUDbW9zdHBvcHVsYXIEY3BvcwMxMARwb3MDNwRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX2hlYWRsaW5lX2xpc3QEc2xrA25ld211c2xpbWNvbQ--


Comic book fans will soon be getting their first glimpse at an unlikely new superhero — a Muslim boy in a wheelchair with superpowers.

The new superhero is the brainchild of a group of disabled young Americans and Syrians who were brought together last month in Damascus by the Open Hands Intiative, a non-profit organization founded by U.S. philanthropist and businessman Jay T. Snyder.

The superhero's appearance hasn't been finalized, but an early sketch shows a Muslim boy who lost his legs in a landmine accident and later becomes the Silver Scorpion after discovering he has the power to control metal with his mind.

(I tried to post the pic, it wouldn't go. the super wheelchair is neat)

-snip-

Snyder says he was inspired by President Barack Obama's effort to reach out to the Muslim world in his January 2009 inaugural address. Last month, Snyder flew 12 disabled Americans to Damascus to meet their Syrian peers, and one of their main goals was to come up with ideas and story lines for the new superhero.

"The only limit was the imagination these kids had — the opportunity for a great story," said Snyder, a comic book collector who heads HBJ Investments LLC. "They helped create something by their combined talents, and that becomes a gift to the world."

Devarajan found the young people's imagination to be quite amazing.

-snip-

Initially, 50,000 Arabic-language comics will be distributed throughout Syria, and subsequent issues will be distributed elsewhere in the Middle East, Snyder said. The comic will also be available worldwide for free in digital formats through the Open Hands and Liquid Comics websites.

-long snip-
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another good thing that was spurred by Obama

[el_bryanto]

1. Good on them - kind of reminds me of Wiz Kid from the X-Terminators

Sort of a 19th tier x-book, except he was asian, not muslim.

Still pretty obscure character, and this new kid has a much better name.

Bryant

[ceile]

2. very cool n/t

[digitaln3rd]

3. This is clearly an attempt

This is clearly an attempt by the EVIL MUSLIM LOBBY so that they can lure the American people into a false sense of security and build victory mosques on every street corner in the US before they more and and claim Ground Zero for their own.

Those jerks!

[tblue37]

4. How long will it take the Texas group that approves their textbooks

to pass a resolution forbidding the inclusion of Muslim superhoeroes from US history--and demand the inclusion of Christian superheroes?

[Greyskye]

5. Here's the pic:

[ensho]

6. great. thanks for posting the pic - I couldn't make it work

maybe the comic will start a fad in upgrading and making wheelchairs personal and interesting.

[BoWanZi]

7. I'm fine with the wheelchair aspect but why is it important to dwell on the Muslim angle?

I have never ever thought about or wondered about various superhero's religion and/or race before. Just seems unimportant.

The wheelchair angle is interesting and a good back story though.

I just think that a comic publisher concentrating on a superhero's religion is just going to narrow their intended mark way too much. Leave the religion out and you will reach a much wider audience.

[ensho]

8. are they 'dwelling' ? there are more muslim kids in wheelchairs

then any other. why not a super hero for them.

they need two super heros - add girls in wheelchairs.