When the DC universe of superheroes was reintroduced last year one of the commitments from the company was diversity. Cyborg, a black hero, was promoted to the Justice League; Bunker, a new Teen Titan, is Mexican and gay; and female or minority-group characters were the headliners in many series.
DC is continuing that push with the introduction of Simon Baz, an Arab-American from Michigan, who finds himself wearing a Green Lantern power ring. His story unfolds in issue No. 0 of “Green Lantern,†which is part of a mont-long zero-issue event from DC Comics, that promises to shed light on the new back stories of its heroes. “Green Lantern†is written by Geoff Johns, who drew upon his own Leb anese ancestry and Michigan roots for the character. “This is such a personal story,†Mr. Johns told The Associated Press.
The story opens with Simon, as a child with his sister and parents, watching the events of 9/11 unfold on television. The next day, an Islamic Center is defaced with graffiti that says “Go home†and “Murderers.†Ten years later, the comic depicts him being detained by airport security for a “routine†search and, now, a run-in with the law, makes him a national security concern. His interrogation is interrupted by the emerald power ring of Green Lantern, which whisks him away. The story, to be sure, is to be continued in coming months. On Saturday, Mr. Johns will make an appearance at the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, Mich., to discuss the character and his career.
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