Ardian Syaf is an Indonesian comic book artist. He has worked for DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Dynamite Entertainment.
In April 2017 he became embroiled in controversy for inserting hidden antisemitic and anti-Christian messages in X-Men Gold #1, for which his contract with Marvel Comics was terminated.Brown, Tracy (11 April 2017). "'My career is over now': Marvel terminates 'X-Men Gold' artist's contract amid controversy". Los Angeles Times.
Early life Ardian Syaf was born in Tulungagung, East Java, Indonesia.Khoiri, Agniya (10 April 2017). "Ardian Syaf, Komikus Tulungagung Pemikat DC Comics dan Marvel". CNN Indonesia. He first developed the desire to draw comics in his youth, after his father bought him his first comic. Among his influences are Hermann Huppen, a Belgian comics artist for whom Syaf has expressed admiration. He embarked upon a career as a professional comics artist in 2003, deciding that leaving his interest in drawing comics and working in a conventional job was not something he was willing to do.
Career Syaf started his career in 2007 with Dabel Brothers Publishing, illustrating The Dresden Files for 11 issues. Syaf's work on the 2008 graphic novel Welcome to the Jungle was nominated for the 2008 Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story, losing to Girl Genius."2009 Hugo Awards" . The Hugo Awards. Retrieved 13 April 2017. Take a Chance, written by novelist C. E. Murphy was published after that,Ferguson, David (October 3, 2016). . Irish Comic News. although it had been written and drawn first. Syaf later signed to the Spanish agency, Utopia Studio.Lam, Steve (2015). "Superman: Earth One Volume 3 – Interview With Artist Ardian Syaf". Bam! Smack! Pow!
At one point Syaf met an Irish screenwriter named Catie through Dabel Brothers, through which began to get work with Marvel Comics, his earliest book assignments involving the sharing of penciling duties with other artists, such as Jorge Molina on X-Men: Manifest Destiny: Nightcrawler #1 (May 2009), and Leonard Kirk on Captain Britain and MI13 #13 and 14 (July, August 2009). His earliest work for DC Comics was "The Origin of Congorilla" a backup story written by Len Wein that appeared in Justice League: Cry for Justice #1 (September 2009). He shared the art duties on Justice League of America (Vol. 2) #34 (August 2009) with Eddy Barrows, but its quality was decried by critics."Justice League of America #34" . Comic Book Roundup.Zawisza, Doug (24 June 2009). "Justice League of America #34". CBR.com.
In 2009, he signed a two-year exclusivity contract with DC. That contract ended in September 2011, though he indicated that it would be renewed, and that he would be drawing the Batgirl series as part of the company's 2011 reboot of its books, The New 52,Cohen, Jason (26 June 2009). "Justice League of America #34". Comics Bulletin. working with writer Gail Simone. During his run on that series, Simone set one storyline in an Indonesian neighborhood of Gotham City in order to exploit Syaf's experience.Johnston, Rich (12 April 2017). "Gail Simone On Her Batgirl Artistic Collaborator, Ardian Syaf". Bleeding Cool. Syaf drew eight of that series' first nine issues, receiving generally positive reviews from critics.Esposito, Joey (7 September 2011). "Batgirl #1 Review". IGN.Norris, Erik (12 October 2011). "Batgirl #2 Review". IGN.Elfring, Mat (9 November 2011). "Batgirl #3 – A Breath of Broken Glass Review". ComicVine.Nguyen, Minhquan (12 December 2011). "Batgirl #4 – Review". Weekly Comic Book Review. His artwork for the premiere issue in particular drew praise by Iann Robinson of CraveOnline for the manner in which Syaf adapted his style during different parts of the story, effecting a "light and airy" during the daytime scenes with Barbara Gordon, a darker, shadowy look for in-costume scenes, and a grainy, old-fashioned cinematic appearance for the flashbacks.Robinson, Iann (8 September 2011). "New 52 Review: Batgirl #1". CraveOnline.
When asked in a 2011 interview what projects he would like to work on, Syaf responded that he would like to draw Wolverine, as that is a character that he adores. He also stated that he would like to do a Tomb Raider story set in Indonesia, which would involve the superstitious beliefs of his home country.
Easter egg references and X-Men Gold controversy Syaf is known to engage in the practice of hiding Easter egg references to political figures in the backgrounds of his artwork. In Batgirl (Vol 4) #9 (July 2012), for example, Syaf included a storefront sign that referenced the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, although the text that accompanies the image of Widodo in Syaf's penciled artwork is covered by a caption in the final, published issue.Johnston, Rich (April 8, 2017). "Marvel Artist Ardian Syaf Hid Anti-Christian And Jewish Messages In This Week's X-Men Comic". Bleeding Cool.Simone, Gail (w), Syaf, Ardian (p), Cifuentes, Vicente (i). "In the Line of Fire". Batgirl (Vol. 4) #9 (July 2012). DC Comics.
In April 2017, Syaf was at the center of controversy for including multiple Easter eggs in X-Men Gold #1 (June 2017) that referenced the November 2016 Jakarta protests against Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, the governor of Jakarta, which were viewed by readers as anti-Semitic and anti-Christian. Being both ethnically Chinese and Christian in the Muslim-dominated Indonesia, where Christians and Chinese are targets of racism and discrimination, and only the second Chinese Christian governor of Jakarta since 1965,Harfenist, Ethan (August 17, 2014). "Jakarta Could Be Getting Its First Ethnically Chinese Governor". Vice News. Basuki had been the target of racism by Islamist hardliners. In a 27 September 2016 speech Basuki stated that some citizens were being discouraged from voting for him by politicians citing Verse 51 of the fifth chapter of the Quran out of context for political reasons. The verse, Quran Surah 5:51, or QS 5:51, is commonly translated in Indonesian as "Muslims should not appoint the Jews and Christians as their leader." The quran.com translation reads, "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.""Surah Al-Ma'idah (5:51)". quran.com. Retrieved April 9, 2017. Citizens and pundits reacted to Basuki's statement as an insult to the Quran, in part because one of the videos of the speech uploaded to the Internet was edited in a way that changed the meaning of his words.La Batu, Safrin (14 December 2016). "Accompanying text of Ahok video not intended as transcript: Buni Yani". The Jakarta Post."Buni Yani Questioned Again in Cyber Harassment Case" . Jakarta Globe. January 2017."Buni Yani, uploader of Ahok's blasphemy video, named suspect". The Jakarta Post. 23 November 2016La Batu, Saffrin (21 December 2016). "Court rejects Ahok video uploader’s pretrial motion". The Jakarta Post. Although Basuki publicly apologized for offending anyone with the remark, the resulting outcry over it led to calls for him to be arrested and prosecuted under laws prohibiting insult to religion. It also sparked protests, led by the hardline group Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), including one on 2 December 2016,France-Presse, Agence (2 December 2016). "Jakarta protests: Muslims turn out in force against Christian governor Ahok". The Guardian. which was attended by Syaf, who called it "memorable".MacDonald, Heidi (10 April 2017). "Indonesian Marvel artist Ardian Syaf to be disciplined after controversial X-Men Gold art references". Comics Beat. Basuki's blasphemy trial began on 13 December.Cochrane, Joe (13 December 2016). "Governor of Jakarta Issues Tearful Denial as Blasphemy Trial Opens in Indonesia". The New York Times.
On the double-page spread of Pages 10 and 11 of X-Men Gold #1, in which the Jewish X-Man Kitty Pryde appeals to a crowd of people for tolerance, Syaf's art places Kitty's head next to the word "Jewelry" on a storefront awning in the background, such that the last letters of the word are partially obstructed. The number "212", a reference to the 2 December protest, is prominently placed on another store's awning. The number "51" is seen on the baseball cap of one of the people in the crowd, and on the shirt of another, a reference to the Quranic verse 5:51 at the center of the Indonesia protests.Lovett, Jamie (April 8, 2017). "Marvel Releases Statement On Controversial X-Men Gold Art". ComicBook.com. The third panel on that spread features a male bystander with a shirt reading "AL M", which may be a reference to Al-Maidah 51, another way to designate the controversial verse.Riseman, Abraham (10 April 2017). "Marvel Was Rocked by a Weird Hidden Koranic Message This Weekend". Vulture. In the second panel of Page 12, the X-Man Colossus wears a shirt prominently displaying the text "QS 5:51". This led to an outcry on social media on Saturday, April 8, three days after the book's publication, by readers who viewed the verse as support of intolerance towards other religions. Syaf was also angrily denounced by Marvel writer G. Willow Wilson, a Muslim herself, who wrote an essay elucidating the verse and warning of the danger of the conservative Indonesian interpretation of it. The Easter eggs also drew negative reaction from Syaf's fellow Indonesian comics creators.
The perceived inappropriateness of these messages stemmed in part from the fact X-Men storylines have traditionally served as allegories warning of the dangers of bigotry since their creation in 1963 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (both of whom were Jewish themselves), with the characters themselves (including the Jewish Kitty Pryde and Catholic Nightcrawler, a former priest) serving as stand-ins for oppressed minority groups.Ching, Albert (April 9, 2017). "Marvel Responds to X-Men Gold Artist Controversy". CBR.com. Regarding the meaning of these details in his artwork, Syaf cautioned against believing what is read on social media, but encouraged readers to buy the issue, as it would become a rare collectible.Johnston, Rich (9 April 2017). "Ardian Syaf Tries To Explain What Happened Yesterday". Bleeding Cool. He eventually acknowledged the political nature of the hidden messages, though he denied that they were an expression of intolerance on his part, stating, "I don't hate Jews and Christians... I have a many good friends [among them] too." Syaf, who had previously posted a detail of the pencils for the double page spread on his Facebook page, removed them following the criticism leveled at him.Tan, Yvette (April 10, 2017). "Marvel will punish 'X-men' artist who snuck political references into the latest comic". Mashable. Marvel Comics released the following statement in response to the controversy: