A Muslim superhero that has already featured in a series of action-packed comic books is set to make his debut in a 3D animated series with the goal to inspire ethnic equality and convey positive messages by embracing the universal values of humanity, justice and tolerance.
Buraaq, the first Muslim superhero by Muslim artists, has been co-created by Adil and Kamil Imtiaz of SplitMoonArts, which was founded in December 2010.
The duo, who grew up reading Marvel and DC comic books and drawing comics for fun, realised that there were very few Muslim characters in mainstream entertainment. This led them to create ‘Buraaq’ with the goal of countering the negative portrayal of Muslims in the media and changing the way they are perceived.
The first issue of Buraaq was met with a positive response from international readers upon its release in San Jose, California in January 2011. In an effort to take the superhero to the next level, a crowdfunding campaign was launched through LaunchGood for the Buraaq 3D animated series The Rise of a Hero.
Buraaq is the alter ego of Yusuf Abdallah, an operations director of a large relief organization who resides in the fictional Nova City. He goes on adventures to different parts of the world, using his powers of super strength, flying and ability to control the elements.
“Our central theme always revolves around Islamic values that are universal and a moral code that is inherent in all major religions. This, of course, is packaged with the elements of mystery, action and adventure,” said SplitMoonArts in a statement. “We want readers to have fun and at the same time be reminded of our higher purpose in this life. We like to stay away from ambiguity and convey a clear, positive and inspirational message.”
