tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284661635188679438.post9135774648130844343..comments2023-10-28T09:18:36.494-04:00Comments on Method to the Madness: Islamic Superheroes?Saratuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15444322081856808447noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284661635188679438.post-21557538538378908552010-10-31T11:38:19.299-04:002010-10-31T11:38:19.299-04:00@Saratu
Thanks! I understand where you're com...@Saratu<br /><br />Thanks! I understand where you're coming from now that you've elaborated.<br /><br /><i>Is that what The 99 is meant to counteract, though, by seeking a 26-part animated series on its Islamic superheroes?</i><br /><br />Yes I believe so. I see where you're coming from and as a Muslim I'm constantly frustrated by this need to show a face of moderate Islam and to save Islam from the hands of extremists. You see, kids growing up in this current climate may (and most likely will) face confusion as to what exactly Islam is and what the religion means to them. I don't know if I'm being coherent at all, but I see the importance of the 99 in showing Muslim kids that Muslims can be superheros as well. I don't care much for the politics and the larger scene to be really honest.<br /><br />I'd say most Western comics are geared towards white male audiences (things are changing though) but by reading comics from other parts of the world translated into English destroys this view. From reading Japanese comics I was pleased to discover that there are comic geared to specific audience and though Japanese comics are not without their problems, it's great to read a rom-com in comic format. The 99 is not a Western comic as far as I know, the man who came up with the idea is Middle Eastern isn't he? I don't see the 99 as being geared towards the white male audience.<br /><br />While I agree that both Islam and Africa are not chasing the same ghosts. Both still generally have negative images. That's why I drew the comparison. I'd say Africa sometimes gets the dictatorial and anti-women meme once in a while.<br /><br />I'm equally wary when someone stands up to speak for a particular group especially when the person is not part of said group. I understand that you're wary but people who just get the end product and fall in love with the characters and the plot will tell a different story.cosmicyorubahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16913395879445418408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284661635188679438.post-29749011221536953492010-10-27T13:14:43.271-04:002010-10-27T13:14:43.271-04:00@ eccentric - Cool name!
It seems my last comment...@ eccentric - Cool name!<br /><br />It seems my last comment to you was eaten up by the Google machine, so here goes again.<br /><br />It's a right shame -- if evidence of marketing brilliance, to be honest -- that the terrorist groups use comic books and such things to spread propaganda to support their activities. Is that what The 99 is meant to counteract, though, by seeking a 26-part animated series on its Islamic superheroes? <br /><br />It'll be nice if this reaches Pakistani/Afghan kids and shows them another way of seeing moderate Islam. Whatever works, I say. I'm more annoyed by the desire to "save" Islam from "extremist elements". Who put Islam into extremist hands? Majority of Muslims aren't extremists, and this has always been the case. There are more Muslims in Indonesia alone than you'll ever find in the mountains of Afghanistan and perhaps in the entirety of those Middle Eastern countries that prove to be a thorn in the Western world's side. This is not to say, of course, that Pakistan and Afghanistan, et al, don't have real issues with fundamentalists, but framing it that way makes more sense than to claim falsely than an entire religion of some billion or so adherents is overrun with fundamentalism. It's the falling into of the "save Islam" narrative that I find most irritating.<br /><br />I'm sure you'd agree that comic books are mostly oriented towards the white male, hence what you've noticed, but so is most forms of media (Not unlike the porn industry, no? :-D). That's changing little by the little in all aspects of media, I'd say, but I'm far from a comic book fanatic so you'd know better than me.<br /><br />I think that having African superheroes is very different an issue from this situation, mostly because I don't think both Islam and Africa are chasing the same ghosts here. Africa is battling the "land of forests, wild animals, and diseases and war" meme, while Islam is facing the "dictatorial, anti-modernity, and anti-women" meme, and the only similarity between both Africa and Islam is the fact that most people who are African or Islamic are not white. And it matters mostly what the makers of African action hero comic books say they want to achieve.<br /><br />As a general matter, it's worth adding that, considering all that non-whites and non-males have had to go through in terms of representation -- from Dahomean women warriors and Venus Hottentot to the cruel inhumanity the Aborigines underwent under the white Australians and Tuskegee -- I admit to always being wary when someone decides they'll try to speak for a particular group. I'm always, always more concerned with intention and the narrative that drives efforts like these than with the eventual product. I'm sure The 99 will be a nice, well-done comic book, but the fact that someone thought this necessary to do is worrying.Saratuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15444322081856808447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284661635188679438.post-32013020935100819582010-10-25T10:50:16.093-04:002010-10-25T10:50:16.093-04:00@Fluts - I NEVER said that Islam and Judaism is ex...@Fluts - I NEVER said that Islam and Judaism is exempt in having issues - I'm bemused by all religions :-) My greater point was that Christianity has been the most marketed of religions, while the others kept their aloofness. And I question this mainstreaming of Islam, as I do the mainstreaming of all religions. The whole thing about J-Street lobbyists in DC and politics is a bit besides the point.<br /><br />I know religions don't achieve full aloofness, and can't, to mainstream culture, but I am saying they should try to rise above it, and not, say, have a cartoon with Jesus in it, or a comic book with Islamic characters. I think it's all quite silly, and religions shouldn't be silly. Recording a sermon isn't the same as creating a rap song or Jesus the superhero cartoon type stuff that I think of as nonsense. I'm just being old-fashioned, I admit, but this is my blog and a vehicle for personal views.<br /><br />As for the last paragraph, I think you misunderstand me. Who do you think I'm talking about when I say "the ignorant"? Not knowing need not equate to ignorance. I'm more annoyed by the "Muslim=Terrorist" group than the "um... so what's a Quran again?" crew. I prefer the latter, because they know they don't know. People that don't know, and yet nod along to what some idiot on Fox says because it gives them their superiority fix are the ignorant ones, and the ones that, I feel, one can't really appeal to. And, as it were, they're the ones who're kicking up the now-pervasive narrative of Islam being "captured by extremists".<br /><br />Lastly, I think I made this clear on my post, but I have a problem with the intention driving the creation of the comic book. I'm sure the comic book will be well done. I'm more worried that someone found it necessary to do in the first place.Saratuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15444322081856808447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284661635188679438.post-54598745790068763672010-10-25T10:26:02.147-04:002010-10-25T10:26:02.147-04:00I'm going to have to disagree with you. While...I'm going to have to disagree with you. While I agree there is a lot to question when it comes to comic books and religion, this did not seem like a marketing ploy to convert the masses. Rather it seemed, more than anything, a way to present Middle Eastern/Arab/Islamic/Etc populations in a way that shows positive aspects (as opposed to the typical comic book portrayal as the evil, dark people). It didn’t seem to be just directed at an American audience, but primarily at an already Muslim audience.<br /><br />Along with this, I realize that Christianity has a coca-cola image, but you should be careful to only point out Christianity’s “flaws” while stating Judaism and Islam are exempt from this. I can think of a number of marketing ploys by Jewish groups that promote being Jewish in a way that is “hip” (Eg. Rap songs, t-shirts, branding, children’s television, etc). No, they’re not open to converts, but at the same time they are definitely all about promoting their religion/culture. Look at how much American Jewish Organizations spend on Lobbying in DC. They’re 1.7% of the American population, though amazingly enough they are probably one of the best understood/taught/etc groups in America (And I’m not saying it’s perfect and they don’t experience discrimination, but I am saying there is more understanding towards this group than probably any other group). Every religion throughout the centuries has had its own way of promoting itself (Through religious objects, pilgrimage sites, stories, literature, war, blood, violence, torture, and general craziness). Islam I can’t speak as well to, but there can be no question of at the very least utilizing new mediums and technologies to promote Islam. Examples include: The printing of the Qur’an in Egypt in the 1800’s (Caused a big hullaballoo) or Cassette tapes used to promote sermons of leaders in exile (such as Khomeini), television networks, Marketing, Islamic Fashion companies and shows, etc.<br /><br />Also, while religion can pretend to be aloof from mainstream culture, it never actually achieves that. Whether it directly engages with the elements of mainstream culture or actively chooses not participate, it’s interacting with and responding to the cultural elements around it. Also, other than the few religious scholars, almost no one ever has the full story on a religion. It doesn’t work that way. There are a multitude of interpretations to almost any Qur’anic verse or Hadith. Even some of the most studied religious scholars would likely say they had 10 lifetimes worth of studying before they truly understood Islam, and even then it would be with omissions. So to worry about the omissions is rather pointless. Any medium of communication, be it writing, speaking, sermons, etc is going to have omissions. <br /><br />To respond to your last paragraph, I have to disagree again. I’m always rather amazed that it’s those ignorant people that probably 70% of the time, at least are willing to listen to what I have to say. Yeah, they ask some rather ignorant questions, but that’s exactly what it is, ignorance. Personally what I find much scarier are the people that have had the opportunities to combat ignorance, are cosmopolitan and educated, and still harbor stereotypes and judgments towards entire groups. <br /><br />Finally, I get the feeling that neither of us has read this comic series, so while we can make our opinions based on the article in the guardian, it still won’t do us much good. So I offer to you the advice and literary criticism my father always used to offer me: “If you want to know what to think of something then read it, damn it, read it.”Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05164763358885383864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8284661635188679438.post-9960173537622446432010-10-25T06:57:07.813-04:002010-10-25T06:57:07.813-04:00The 99 has been around for a while now and I appre...The 99 has been around for a while now and I appreciate the idea behind it. I think it's more than just "absolving the ignorant of the burden of their ignorance". It's about bringing a new kind of superheroes to kids and fans of comic book. I don't know if you read the article that mentioned how kids in parts of the Middle East are getting cards of suicide bombers and these are the people they look up to as heroes. The 99 was created to give these kids another kind of Muslim heroes to look up to.<br /><br />I'm a comic book lover. I've read comic books since forever and now I'm an adult I constantly rail against the depictions of women and "minorities" in comic books. I'm grateful that there is a comic book with multicultural Muslim heroes because it's a change and breath of fresh air. I'd be just as thrilled if there was a comic with African superheroes! This is what the 99 means to me ^^<br /><br />I got the feeling that you believe the 99 was created for the Western audience, though I'm not too sure about this. Either way as far as I know the 99 was created for Muslim kids.cosmicyorubahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16913395879445418408noreply@blogger.com