American Indians Go Graphic
SUPER INDIANS AND SUPER KIDS
Arigon Starr’s Super Indian set the foundation and standard for modern Indigenous superhero comics in 2011. Since then, there has been an explosion of American Indian authored superheroes, increasing Indigenous presences in the comic genre. These representations reimagine superhero tropes through American Indian and Native Nation-specific storytelling modes, contemporary experiences, and satire. These characters and teams create space for Indigenous youth to see themselves as powerful and complex protagonists. Beyond entertainment and inspiration, they also serve as tools of cultural reclamation and education—blending historic knowledge with pop culture to assert American Indian fantasy and presence in a genre that long ridiculed them.
Deforest, Dale (Diné/Navajo citizen). Hero Twins #1. ATCG Media, 2017. Lilly Library, Duke University.
In Hero Twins, Deforest shows how to pay homage to sacred oral stories while honoring the limits of what can be shared publicly, here Diné Bahane’, or the Navajo creation story. This origin story of the twins, Monster Slayer and Born For Water, centers their mother, Changing Woman—a celestial being re-imagined by Deforest—as she fights to protect her people while Diyn Dinée (Holy People) convene to decide the twins’ fate.
Odjick, Jay (Algonquin citizen) and Patrick Tenascon (Algonquin citizen). Kagagi: The Raven. Edited by Mike Kalvoda. Arcana Comics, 2010. Lilly Library, Duke University. Label written by Marie Rosine Tuyikunde.
We see Matthew Carver's troubled expression and clenched fist surrounded by figures, conveying his inner turmoil with the words “a lot on my mind.” Matthew is a sixteen-year-old Algonquin boy grappling with his first crush, the death of his parents, a school bully, and his destiny as the Kagagi. We see both the teenage-mundane and exceptional challenges Matthew must overcome in his youth and the personal cost of becoming a hero.
Edwards, Jen Murvin (non-Native) Chickasaw Adventures. Illus. by Tom Lyle. White Dog Press, 2019. Lilly Library, Duke University.
Chickasaw Adventures is a historical adventure comic series created by the Chickasaw Nation. It follows Johnny, a modern Chickasaw teen who becomes a time-traveling hero, witnessing key events in Chickasaw history. The comic blends action and sci-fi to offer a powerful educational tool that frames history through the lens of Indigenous empowerment and adventure. The Chickasaw Nation also hosts summer camps where children create their own comics, starring themselves as the heroes.
Tso, Theo (Pauite Tribe citizen). Indigenous Defender Captain Paiute of the Soutwest. Natie Realities, 2015. Courtesy of Prof. Courtney Lewis.
Captain Paiute introduces Luther Pah, a tribal hydrologist turned superhero, empowered by the Paiute water spirit, Pah. The comic confronts environmental threats and cultural erasure with humor and action. Captain Paiute embodies American Indian resilience, serving as a protector of land, water, and American Indian peoples across the Southwest. Tso's work offers American Indian youth a hero who reflects their heritage and contemporary challenges.
Starr, Arigon (Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma citizen). Super Indian Vol. 1 and 2. Wacky Productions Unlimited, 2012. Lilly Library, Duke University. Label written by Jonathon McClean.
The Super Indian series takes on the tropes of Superman and classic superhero comics and upends them to showcase (with a wry American Indian-style humor) its titular hero Super Indian, his friends, family, community, villains, and “rez life.” It features Hubert Logan, a rez kid turned reluctant superhero after he eats tainted commodity cheese laced with "Rezium." The story was originally developed as a radio show and has since expanded to include web and print comics.
Proudstar, Jon Santanta (Pascua Yaqui Tribe citizen). Tribal Force #1. Vol. 1, Issue 1. Illus. by Chris Williams (non-Native). Machine Comix, 2023. Lilly Library, Duke University. Label written by Meghan Kelly.
In this drab, green and gray scene filled with mold, cracks, and water stains, an abusive foster situation is apparent. We see a young girl, Nita, who protects herself by dreaming up spiritual worlds and the superhero Thunder Eagle. Unfortunately, these worlds are under attack, so Thunder Eagle and his friends work to save them. Through this story, Proudstar uses classic superhero comic styling to seamlessly add much-needed Native representation to superhero stories.
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