A new superhero: Muslim boy on wheelchair

The new superhero was conceptualised by a group of disabled young Americans and Syrians who met in Damascus last month. The youngsters,brought together by non-profit organisation Open Hands Initiative,had to come up with ideas and story lines for the new superhero.

Initially 50,000 Arabic-language comics will be distributed throughout Syria,followed by West Asia,Open Hands Initiative founder US philanthropist Jay Snyder said. The comic will also be available globally in digital formats free of cost through the Open Hands and Liquid Comics websites.

It would be the first in a series of comics with international superheroes,Liquid Comics co-founder and CEO Sharad Devarajan said.

While one of the superheroes in the series will have disabilities,others that will follow will not,Devarajan said. He said that almost all the characters being planned “are based on the seeds that were created by these kids together in the Damascus trip”.

Devarajan said none of the young people wanted the hero’s power to be something that cured disabilities. “They were empowered by their own disabilities,and they should not be seen as a source of weakness,” he said,adding that he found the young people’s imagination amazing.

“Each of their ideas was so originally distinct,whether the Syrian kids or the US kids. One girl wanted to have the power to combine the energy of the moon and the sun,” he added.

The 12 American children were selected by The Victor Penada Foundation,a non-profit educational organisation that promotes the rights of young people with disabilities.