Research

Book Project

Adrienne’s first book project is part cultural history of the superhero genre and part critical analysis of contemporary visual media featuring post-9/11 and post-Arab Spring superheroes. Both 9/11 and the Arab Spring changed the state of Arab and Muslim representation in American superhero comic books.

Between 2001 and 2011, Sooraya Qadir, Josiah al-hajj Saddiq, Danny Khalifa, Faiza Hussain, Bilal Asselah, and Monet St. Croix were introduced as or retroactively made Arab and Muslim superheroes (Dust, Josiah X, Ibis the Invincible, Excalibur, Nightrunner, and M) in comics published by DC and Marvel. Between 2011 and now, Arab and Muslim American creators (writers, artists, and editors) introduced Lebanese and Muslim American Simon Baz (2012), Pakistani and Muslim American Kamala Khan (2014), and mixed Egyptian American Khalid Nassour (2015) as Arab and Muslim American superheroes (Green Lantern, Ms. Marvel, and Doctor Fate).

Adrienne won a Lucy Shelton Caswell Research Award from the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum at The Ohio State University in support of this work. She wrote about her research trip for their blog.