A Pakistani creative designer Umair Najeeb Khan, 25 is introducing a series of local superheroes in his new creative project. His superheroes reflect Pakistan’s diverse ethnicities and cultures, innovative concept, which is making rounds on social media these days.
Umair Najeeb has designed a series of 12 superheroes, each from a different region of the country. In his interview with a local publication, he asserted that he has a fascination for superheroes and always wanted to see them in Pakistan. Adding that “I did another personal project based around 6 ethnicities and their cultures.
I loved how well it was received by people, it made me want to do more along those lines and the idea just popped from there. I started working on Marvi, my first character, and the list just kept growing from there.”
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So far he has released four characters but more is to come in upcoming days. Marvi, a combatant from Sindh is the first superhero character. “Marvi is a part of a team of twelve superheroes. I plan to reveal each character, every couple of days,” asserted Khan.
Marvi
Marvi is a Sindhi school teacher by day and vigilante by night. She wears a shirt with traditional rali design and fights to seek justice.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2UWbqxn3du/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Sofyan
The second character is Sofyan, apparent by his name is a Seraiki time traveler from Bahawalpur. He is a low-key nawab and crime fighter. Sofyan traveled centuries in time to save his city in shambles.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2ZZS9MHiJK/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Bazira
Bazira, a Pashtun girl and youngest in the clan of superheroes, possess supernatural ability to predict the future. A tech-savvy student, Bazira will use her precognitive visions, to change what is to come in the future.
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Raad
The most recent addition to the team is the electrifying duo of twin brothers Shahnawaz and Shahvez hailing from Rawalpindi and Islamabad. A duo that has an intense hatred for each other possess the ability to produce electricity.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2jmoHenURF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Afsoon
A girl from Gilgit-Baltistan can morph into markhor. Named as ‘Protector of Mountain’ by local villagers, she has re-emerged to defeat her rivals.
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Khan asserted that the distinguishing feature of his superheroes series is the inclusivity. His superheroes come in every shape, size, and color, not just restricted to the ethnicities and cultures only. Adding that, Pakistan has a very rich culture that usually does not get highlighted or if it does, it isn’t enough. I want to bring that to the forefront with these and produce new content of course.”
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He explained his multistep process for creating the characters adding that there are three layers to all the characters. The ethnicities and the region of origin being the first, then comes the physical details, and then the last layer consists of their shared goal: being Pakistani and fighting for Pakistan.
The first part of the story focuses on their background story and in the second part, they come together later on in the story with a few more characters.