A Sikh Captain America? Why religious diversity matters in the comics universe

By DEEPA BHARATH Associated Press Captain America doesn t wear a beard and a turban and he s white Vishavjit Singh looked at the boy who uttered those words and then he looked at himself a skinny bespectacled turbaned bearded Sikh in a Captain America suit I wasn t offended because I knew that this kid was going to have this image of me a Sikh Captain America forever in his mind Singh explained This image has so much power to it that it opens up conversations about what it means to be American Vishavjit Singh who educates youth about Sikhism through his Captain Sikh America character poses for a portrait in costume at home in New York s Harlem neighborhood Friday May AP Photo Richard Drew Representation of non-Abrahamic religions and spiritual traditions particularly in the mainstream comics universe is minimal Even when they are portrayed in comics their presentation as Singh and others in the field point out is often inauthentic and sometimes negative Of late however comic book writers and academics who review the intersection of religion and comics observe a renaissance of sorts which they say is happening because people close to these faith traditions are telling these stories with a reverence and sincerity that resonate with a wider audience A Sikh superhero with a message Singh s journey to make that connection began after the attacks of Sept triggered anti-Sikh hate incidents Having faced hate and exclusion throughout his life he decided to spread his message of kindness and inclusion by capitalizing on the appeal of comics and superheroes an area where he ascertained Sikh representation to be virtually zero He suited up as Captain Sikh America in Manhattan for the first time in summer one year after a self-proclaimed white supremacist opened fire inside a Sikh temple in Oak Creek Wisconsin killing six and injuring four others New York s reaction to Captain Sikh America was joyous Strangers came up and hugged me Singh explained Police officers craved photos with me A couple required me to be part of their wedding ceremony I felt I had a certain privilege I d never had before In Singh gave up his full-time job to tour around the country to schools authorities agencies and corporations to share his story and educate youth about his lifestyle and faith He doesn t speak directly about religion but rather the core values of Sikhism I talk about equality justice and about the universal light being present in every speck of creation he noted Africana religions in comics Marvel s Black Panther heralded better representation for Africana religions in the U S according to Yvonne Chireau a professor of religion at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania However what is seen in Black Panther or other comics is a synthesis of different African religions and cultural practices she reported For example one page might talk about the Orishas divine spirits that play a key role in the Yoruba faith of West Africa while another might feature Egyptian gods One of the first superheroes with African religious roots Chireau noted was Brother Voodoo created in the s by Marvel publisher Stan Lee writer Len Wein and artist John Romita He was the first Haitian superhero The turn of the last century was a time of revival for Black-centric comics she commented adding that immigration from African and Caribbean countries including Haiti led to increased understanding of religious practices originating in those places It s definitely gotten a lot better and much more authentic because the people who are telling these stories care about those religious practices she noted Incorporating Black mythology and spirituality Brooklyn-born Haitian American comic book writer Greg Anderson Elys e noted he didn t learn about African and Caribbean religious traditions until he was a teenager Elys e was raised Catholic but he now considers himself agnostic For the past decade he s written comics about Is nana the son of Anansi the Spider the god of wisdom knowledge and mischief in the Akan religion of West Africa This image provided by Greg Anderson Elysee shows six covers from Greg Anderson Elys e s Is nana comics series about the adventures of the son of Anansi the Spider a god in the Akan religion of West Africa Greg Anderson Elys e via AP What drives his vision and his creativity Elys e noted is the need to see more Black mythology deities and spirituality showcased with the same level of respect as European fairy tales and Greek mythology When I went looking for anything on African spirituality in the bookstore I revealed it in the occult section as opposed to the religion or mythology section he revealed Common depictions of African faith as voodoo and witchcraft are colonialist narratives aimed at demonizing Indigenous spiritual practices he added When I started going to ceremonies and rituals I saw how much power there is in it When we know who we are whether you believe in the religion or not it fills you with delight a purpose and a sense of being Elys e is excited and relieved by the reaction to his work While this is entertainment you also don t want to offend those who believe in it and truly get so much power from it he noted Several of my portrayals of these religions in my comics may not be authentic but there is a level of research and respect that goes into every piece of it Zen comics that heal ground and center Zen Buddhism has informed much of John Porcellino s work For over three decades he has produced and self-published King-Cat Comics and Stories a largely autobiographical mini-comic series Porcellino was drawn to Buddhism in his s after what he describes as a period of intense mental suffering and vitality problems As a punk rock fan Porcellino saw commonalities between punk and Zen because they are both concerned with the essence of things rather than appearances Both are approaches of life simple yet nuanced This image provided by John Porcellino shows The Weight of my Bones by John Porcellino part of his King-Cat Comics and Stories his long-running series that reflects the author s Zen practice John Porcellino via AP He gave the example of a wordless story titled October featured in King-Cat s th issue that shows him as a high school aspirant walking home one night from school When he gets home his mom asks him to take the dog outside as he initiatives out he sees the stars It s the experience of being in everyday mundane life and then suddenly urgent through to selected kind of transcendence he stated Porcellino views these comics as a healing presence in his life They are an pivotal part of my spiritual practice he revealed Any time I have a major situation in my life my first reaction is to sit down and start making comics and put my focus into that It just helps ground me This image provided by John Porcellino shows Non-thinking by John Porcellino is part of his King-Cat Comics and Stories a long-running series that reflects the author s Zen practice John Porcellino via AP Why representation matters for children Teresa Robeson who wrote a graphic novel about the th Dalai Lama declared that even though her mother was Catholic and raised her in the faith her grandmother was Buddhist She grew up in Hong Kong with memories of relatives praying to Buddhist gods taking in the fragrance of burning incense and the sound of Buddhist chants Though she practices neither Catholicism nor Buddhism at this time Robeson jumped at the opportunity to tell the story of the Dalai Lama in graphic novel form because the book focused on a pivotal moment in the spiritual leader s life when he fled Tibet for India after the Chinese occupation