Comic Series Introduces Positive Arab-American Character

Many comic fans know and respect Geoff Johns for his long history of bringing exciting comic book characters to life on the big screen and penning many great new series. However, few people realize that Johns has helped bring greater diversity into the comic world. As a man of Arab descent, he has introduced several Arab characters into the comic world including his newest character, Geiger. Geiger is a comic covering the life and times of Tariq Geiger, a man of partial Arab descent, and his world after a major nuclear war devastates America. After life moves underground, Geiger goes through a difficult experiment that changes him forever and makes it possible for him to leave the underground cities. The adventures he faces above ground take him to many new realms.

For example, he meets a character named Junkyard Joe, a 1972 Cold War war machine still roaming the devastated planet. In an upcoming new series, he meets a character named The Redcoat, an immortal who has been alive since the American Revolution. Their unique experiences and interactions drive a series that has people excited and talking about big awards for Johns and his artists like Bryan Hitch. However, this is far from the first character of Arab descent that Johns has created. He also produced the character Simon Baz during his Green Lantern run. Like with Geiger, Johns created a believable and sympathetic character, one that readers responded to very well. He drew on his experiences growing up in the Detroit area to infuse these characters with heart and real emotions.

Johns' skilled writing and intelligent character work help bring his comics to life and can help combat negative perceptions. Even if his comics only reach a small segment of the population, each lesson learned is a good one. While he's not trying to change the world overnight, making any progress is good; and he hopes to bring a more positive and realistic light to this community. While comics have always reflected and influenced culture, they are bigger than they've ever been and are likely to only expand. As a result, simple gestures like Johns' can help to make a big difference in even a few people's lives. Furthermore, Johns is intelligent enough not to preach to his audience. He simply presents realistic Arab-American characters and lets readers draw conclusions from their heroic actions.