Renowned comic book publisher Marvel fired Indonesian comic artist Ardian Syaf on Wednesday for incorporating religious-based imagery in the second and third issues of X-Men: Gold. The artist included an image of an individual wearing a shirt that said “QS 5:51,” referring to the following passage in the Qur’an:
O 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.
Syaf also included images of the words “212,” which is a symbol of protest against the Christian governor of Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, also known as Amok.
Syaf also drew a Jewish character in front of a jewelry store, representing the old polemic that the Jews love money, jewelry, and diamonds.
In response to his firing, Syaf said the following:
But Marvel is owned by Disney. When Jews are offended, there is no mercy.
Clearly, he is simply a peaceful, inclusive individual who harbors no animosity for Jews.