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Well, maybe it won’t be that obvious, but certainly this “original comic book series” is an articulation of the growing interest of the American government in what it calls public diplomacy, since propaganda has acquired a much too negative connotation. By involving an “indigenous” media producer, AK comics, the US is attempting to avoid more acrid accusations such as “directional media” or “penetration.” AK’s mission, after all is “to fill the cultural and social gap that was created over the years between the West and East, by providing essentially needed role models—in our case, Middle Eastern superheroes. Ultimately, we are presenting to the entire world a strong and optimistic vision for a futuristic Middle East, void of war, violence and turmoil.”

Whether consciously or not, AK perceives a role for the media in a post-colonial society that is still wrought with the negative effects of imperialism and in desperate need of a savior. My sense, however, is that, so long as media outlets bear mission statements like this, their Middle East will be perpetually searching for their “futuristic vision”; otherwise, of course, companies like AK will run out of business once their audiences have no need for guidance through this dark, troubled, modernizing world.

AK’s Zein, however, may produce another effect across the region. As one blogger put it, “Finally I say! Finally the arabs are starting to invent stuff again. We all remember cool things like numbers, the abacus, the kebab… Now they are getting serious about superheroes. Zein is one of them. Long live Zein, the last Pharaoh!!”

Zein may represent a restructuring of what Sabry (2006) has called “the Arab present cultural tense.” Though his eponym, "the last Egyptian pharoah," is a bit retro, the hero nevertheless captures a particular response to various goings-on that are happening right now in the Arab political and cultural world, including the Palestine-Israel conflict. Even if it’s not entirely intentional, as AK’s owner put it, “it’s hard not to be inspired by what is going on. It’s part of our life—art from life, and life from art.” If the creation of Zein is truly informed by the Arab present cultural tense, “even the GODS will flee for their lives.” In an ironic way, let’s interpret this tagline loosely to define “GODS” as “AMERICANS” or, more specifically “AMERICAN PSYOPS WARRIORS.”

(For more info, see BBC's article, US Army to Produce Mid-East Comic)