AI Generated Summary
- On a bustling street in Manhattan, amidst the usual swirl of camera flashes and tourists, a peculiar sight once stopped a child in his tracks.
- From the temples of Punjab to the mystical jungles of Africa, the world of comics is experiencing what scholars call a “renaissance of representation.
- “In that moment, I felt accepted — even celebrated — in a way I never had before,” he said.
On a bustling street in Manhattan, amidst the usual swirl of camera flashes and tourists, a peculiar sight once stopped a child in his tracks. “Captain America doesn’t wear a beard and a turban — and he’s white,” the boy remarked. Standing before him was Vishavjit Singh: slim, bespectacled, bearded, and proudly wrapped in a blue, red and white superhero suit — with his turban crowning the look.
Singh, a Sikh cartoonist and activist born to immigrant parents, wasn’t surprised. Nor was he offended.
“I knew this kid would remember me,” Singh said in an interview. “A Sikh Captain America — that image stays with you. It opens up a conversation about identity, belonging, and what it means to be American.”
Singh’s unique embodiment of a Sikh superhero has become more than just cosplay — it’s a mission. One born from pain, perseverance, and the power of storytelling.
Fighting Hate with a Shield of Inclusion
The seeds of Singh’s transformation were planted after the September 11 attacks, when hate crimes against Sikhs surged across the U.S. Singh had faced discrimination before, but what followed 2001 was a tide of open hostility. Then, in 2012, a white supremacist shot and killed six people at a gurdwara in Wisconsin.
That tragedy compelled Singh to act. The next summer, he donned his Captain America suit and stepped onto the streets of New York. The reaction stunned him. Strangers hugged him. Police officers asked for selfies. A couple invited him to their wedding.
“In that moment, I felt accepted — even celebrated — in a way I never had before,” he said.
Singh left his corporate job in 2016 to become a full-time ambassador of inclusion. Through school talks, workshops, and public appearances, he brings Sikhism’s universal values — equality, justice, and compassion — to the forefront, all without preaching religion.
A Broader Movement for Representation
Singh is part of a global shift in comics and pop culture. Where once superheroes followed a narrow mold — mostly white, male, and from Abrahamic traditions — new voices are emerging, challenging stereotypes and diversifying the spiritual fabric of the genre.
From the temples of Punjab to the mystical jungles of Africa, the world of comics is experiencing what scholars call a “renaissance of representation.”
In the U.S., Marvel’s Black Panther introduced millions to African mythology, blending Yoruba, Egyptian, and Haitian traditions. Haitian-American writer Greg Anderson Elysee has brought Anansi the Spider God into modern storytelling through his comic series Is’nana, offering a dignified portrayal of African spirituality often demonised in Western narratives.
“Too often, African beliefs are pushed into the ‘occult’ section,” Elysee said. “But these stories are full of wisdom, beauty and power.”
Buddhism, Zen and the Power of Everyday Spirituality
In Illinois, John Porcellino quietly creates comics that heal. Influenced by Zen Buddhism, his long-running series King-Cat Comics and Stories draws spiritual meaning from ordinary moments — a walk home from school, a glimpse of stars.
“It’s about transcending the mundane,” Porcellino said. “These comics ground me. They are part of my spiritual practice.”
India’s Own Comic Renaissance
Back home, India’s Amar Chitra Katha (ACK) has been introducing children to their cultural roots since 1967. The Mumbai-based company, founded by Anant Pai, began with Hindu mythology but soon expanded to include Sikh gurus, the Buddha, Jesus Christ, and even Jain and indigenous traditions.
ACK’s managing editor, Reena I Puri, acknowledges past missteps — such as colourism in illustrations — but says the company is evolving.
“We’ve educated ourselves,” she said. “Our ancient texts were far more inclusive than we often portray them. We’re correcting that.”
These comics remain popular among the diaspora, as parents seek cultural continuity in a globalized world.
Stories as Mirrors and Windows
For children, representation in comics is more than entertainment — it’s identity affirmation. Author Teresa Robeson, who penned a graphic novel on the Dalai Lama, says such stories serve as both mirrors for children to see themselves and windows to understand others.
“When kids don’t see anyone who looks or prays like them, it sends a silent message,” Robeson said. “But comics can change that.”
From the streets of Amritsar to the classrooms of New York, that change is happening — often led by those like Vishavjit Singh. As Captain Sikh America, he isn’t trying to replace the old superheroes, just to remind the world that heroes wear turbans too.
And sometimes, all it takes to spark a conversation is a little boy, a beard, and a different kind of shield.
