By THE NAVIGATOR: Fatima
The Midas Flesh, Writer Ryan North, Artists Shelli Paroline & Branden Lamb
This current era of “Muslim girl Comic Heroism” didn’t begin with that geeky Pakistani teenager from Jersey City, as most would assume. A few months before Marvel released Ms. Marvel no. 1, indie publisher Boom! Studios released their first title on a new imprint. The Midas Flesh is a sci-fi adventure with a familiar story: A small rogue band of resistance fighters seek a powerful weapon to put an end to oppressive imperial powers. That is where the familiarity ends. The Midas Flesh stays true to the standards of its genre, but turn conventions on its head over and over. The eight-issue run features talking dinosaur scientists, Greek gods, and a deep mythology encapsulated in a richly creative universe.
The Midas Flesh is also home to one of the most dynamic and interesting women in modern comics. Fatima is the navigator aboard the Prospect, working with her captain Joey, and comrade/best friend/dinosaur Cooper. She’s a steadfast, principled lady with a strong sense of morality and a drive to combat injustice. We talk a lot lately about Badass Muslim Women changing the game. But Fatty is THE badass who set the stage for the amazing characters to follow.
What’s most amazing about Fatima is that as a black hijabi, her character isn’t boxed in by misogynistic or Islamophobic tropes. Her decisions and character development come naturally based on her personality and history. There are certainly things about her that ring Muslim, but it’s not her choice in clothing–it’s her ethics, her personality, and her power that define her as a badass Muslim girl in comics.
love this article, Hijabi & Muslimah Comic book characters…
Love these comics, and you dear sis for writing it! mashallah and keep it coming…