Egypt has its own superhero, and the comic book crime fighting Qahera is a hijab wearing crime fighter taking on prejudice and representing strength.

Created by Deena Mohamed, the character was started as a web comic as a way to respond to frustrations at the time. The web comic has gained a following world-wide, not just in Egpyt. The popularity has grown to the point it’s moved from digital to print.

Qahera is the Arabic word for Egypt’s capital, Cairo and also means the conqueror or the vanquisher. An appropriate name for a character whose donning of a hijab is to fight the stereotype that women who wear the Islamic attire can’t also be strong.

The comic is written in English as Mohamed had a Western audience in mind from the beginning, another reason for the hijab. The character is partially a response to the backlash to Islam and meant to address that. In a recent story, that was the main plot with western women calling the outer-wear a sign of “oppression.”

The character also takes on the increase of sexual harassment and attacks on women in the streets of Egypt. An issue that’s been on the rise in recent years. She’s taken up arms, literally with a sword, to battle the issue.

Lately the web comic has taken on more recent history, paying tribute to the women who took part in the 2011 uprising protests.

A fine example of a comic series documenting recent experienced history through the guise of a superhero.