The debut of Marvel’s new comic series, X-Men Gold, wasn’t as smooth as the company would have liked. The issue itself was well-received and a solid debut, however the controversy surrounds the art by Ardian Syaf.
It can be very easy for reporting on stories such as this to get out of hand, and so it’s important to report only the facts and avoid any unwarranted speculation. With that said, let’s take a look at what all the controversy is about.
The first instance people found an issue with, is the text on Colossus’ t-shirt in one panel, reading: “QS 5:51”. People have interpreted this as a direct reference to Qur’an Surah 5:51, which contains a very anti-Christian and Jewish message.
“Oh you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you – then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.”
The second instance, is with regards to a panel featuring Kitty Pride, in which a shop to her right reads 212. Which has been seen as by some as a reference to the “212 Protest” in Indonesia, where Muslims held a rally to denounce Jakarta’s second-ever Christian governor on December 12.
The tweet pointing out these hidden messages can be found here.
@MarkPaniccia Are you aware that Adrian Syaf included bigoted messages in X-Men Gold #1? This shouldn't be allowed. https://t.co/qIyjYgqT5Q pic.twitter.com/drPjBFWYsh
— DJ Rogers (@faluians) April 8, 2017
Marvel had this to say on the matter:
“The mentioned artwork in X-Men Gold #1 was inserted without knowledge behind its reported meanings. These implied references do not reflect the views of the writer, editors or anyone else at Marvel and are in direct opposition of the inclusiveness of Marvel Comics and what the X-Men have stood for since their creation. This artwork will be removed from subsequent printings, digital versions, and trade paperbacks and disciplinary action is being taken.”
And soon after, Syaf himself put a statement on Facebook, suggesting that Marvel had indeed have taken disciplinary action, as well as providing an explanation of sorts for the hidden messages.
Marvel has since terminated Syaf’s contract, in a statement obtained by CBR saying the following:
“Marvel has terminated Ardian Syaf’s contract effective immediately. ‘X-Men Gold’ #2 and #3 featuring his work have already been sent to the printer and will continue to ship bi-weekly. Issues #4, #5, and #6 will be drawn by R. B. Silva and issues #7, #8, and #9 will be drawn by Ken Lashley. A permanent replacement artist will be assigned to ‘X-Men Gold’ in the coming weeks.”
At the end of the day, I’m just reporting the facts behind what happened here, and don’t feel as though I have enough experience or knowledge to give an opinion on the situation that is both fair and valid.
What do you think of this situation? Be sure to tell us your thoughts in the comment section below.