Jesus is coming to a morally grey comic universe, re-setting the standard as the original super hero

I grew up reading comics as a child in Brazil. I enjoyed popular American superheroes like Spider-Man, Batman, and the Avengers. I also loved international comics. I still enjoy the French comic Asterix and others from across Europe and Brazil.

I knew I wanted to be a cartoonist from the age of five. My first work was a detective comic strip that I created, published in local newspapers when I was eleven.

Based on my recollection, in Brazilian and French comics, humor is what sells. In Italy, westerns sell best. In Japan, there’s a comic (or ‘manga’) for everything. But from arriving in America as a 20-year-old, I have seen that comics about superheroes sell the most here. These days, most American comics go hand-in-hand with Hollywood–mainly Marvel and DC franchises.

Like many things, comics have changed a lot since I was young. One example that comes to mind for me is the Lone Ranger. When I was asked to draw him for a project, I researched and found the original creed his creators gave him in 1933, which stated his belief in responsibility, equality, accountability to a higher power, and fighting for what is right and true. I wasn’t sure The Lone Ranger I drew for this assignment was the same guy as the published version, because those writers never mentioned the attributes of the original character’s creed.

The new world of superheroes

Unsurprisingly, things have changed since 1933. Many of the themes addressed in comics have shifted dramatically, accelerated by the connection to Hollywood and American Culture. Issues like politics, mental health, diversity, inner demons and social justice are increasingly common in today’s comics.

During my time working on the Lone Ranger series, I also illustrated "The Action Bible", a fast-paced narrative version of the Christian Bible. It has been interesting to compare the themes in Jesus’ life story with the themes and characters in comics, and another fascinating chance to set them side by side comes in the upcoming production of "JESUS", an animated film about his life.

As I anticipate the release of the new animated "JESUS" film, I'm excited to see how modern and classic heroes will be reflected in the story of the man who lived in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago. Like modern heroes, Jesus was willing to cross barriers to bring unity. Many have made the historical argument that our modern concept of social justice only makes sense in the context of a culture that was once Christian. But in many ways, the world of the Bible feels more like the old world setting of traditional superhero comics.

The old world of superheroes

Part of the reason superhero comics have been so popular comes from history. After the First World War, American society was searching for new ways to escape the hardships of life post-war through entertainment.

An even bigger shift came with the Second World War. The first-ever cover of the "Captain America" comic depicted him punching Hitler. Suddenly, pre-existing characters like Superman and Batman seemed much more relevant to real life.

Given that context, the stories in these comics were about justice and the battle between good and evil. Superman, for example, comes from another planet with amazing abilities, and saves the world from bad guys. Drawing the line between that story and the story of Jesus is not very difficult!

Spider-Man is even more like Jesus. Isaiah chapter 53, an Old Testament prophecy about Jesus, describes Him as a physically unimpressive man, rejected and despised, taking on the suffering that otherwise would have come to others.

Similarly, Spider-Man started off as a weak, nerdy kid. He caught colds, had problems with his aunt and his girlfriend, and was ridiculed in school. Those were the things that made him great to me, because I could sympathize with him.

When Spider-Man put on his suit, he zipped around, taking down bad guys. But the interesting thing was that, even as he kept the streets safe, writers always seemed to find a way to make his life miserable anyway! He was misunderstood by the media, and unlucky in his personal life. He took on so much for others, and always seemed to bear the cost himself.

Though Jesus did not wear a special suit, He also served others in a sacrificial way–and at the greatest cost to himself.

Superheroes and the grey area

These days, superheroes are often morally grey characters. The line between right and wrong is thinner and always in question. For example, James Bond is a womanizer–a terrible role model for kids. But he has a cool British accent and beats up bad guys, so we like him anyway. There are more grey areas now, and even villains are more complicated to interpret. 

In fairness, gray areas have always been part of the superhero genre. From Batman and Spider-Man to mainstream movie heroes like Liam Neeson’s character in Taken, many of our modern-day heroes tend to be vigilantes, out for revenge.

The astounding thing about Jesus is his meekness and humility, even in the face of suffering.

The astounding thing about Jesus is his meekness and humility, even in the face of suffering. He told his disciples that if someone hits them in the face, they should turn the other cheek, allowing the person to strike again. He also taught them that if someone makes them walk a mile, they should walk two. He told them not to overcome evil with evil, but with good; not to hit back, but to depend on God for justice.

In the Christian story, Jesus has power. He walks on water, heals people, turns water into wine, and even raises the dead. But he also has more profound powers, such as offering forgiveness and redemption and eternal life.

Again, I am reminded of Isaiah chapter 53: “He was oppressed and afflicted yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” The prophecy says, “The punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

His approach could not be more different from that of the Hulk or Batman. I think of heroes like Jackie Chan in many of his movies. We love the guy who looks unremarkable at first, then speaks up and fights back. If we are honest, that is what we want to see Jesus do.

In fact, according to the Bible, that is what Jesus will do. In the last book of the Bible, the author describes an image of Jesus riding on the clouds on a white horse, head covered in crowns, with armies following behind him. The picture is of Jesus bringing ultimate justice, taking down the forces of evil in the world once and for all. It would make an amazing comic book cover!

I have drawn Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, and many other superheroes, each one requiring my full dedication to portray. But the Action Bible was the most significant work of my career. Portraying Jesus is an immense privilege, and I am pleased to see that the makers of the new animated "JESUS" film are committed to displaying his unique character the same way the biblical writers did. In that ancient setting, full of good and evil, bullies and heroes, the new "JESUS" film will portray a superhero of sorts–one unlike any of the others.

Sergio Cariello is a Brazilian-American comic book artist. He has done work for many major comic publishers through his career, including Marvel Comics and DC Comics, as well as popular independent companies like CrossGen Comics and Dynamite Entertainment.