Ramadan Mubarak if you’re observing—I’m running on fumes, but I had to get this to you: Brotherhood of the Wolf: The Lesser Evil is out now. You might ask, “Muslim characters, Islamic setting—is this only for Muslims?”
Not a chance.
Tolkien drenched Lord of the Rings in his Catholic worldview, yet it hooks anyone who loves a real story. Same here. In this 28-page Chapter 0, there’s not one Muslim character on-screen.
On purpose.
Nikephoros, a young Byzantine lord who will turn into Koja—the masked Ottoman Janissary murder machine of the main series—kicks off in Constantinople, no pandering required. This isn’t about “representation” checklists.
I’m the “anti-Miss Marvel”—forget slapping a hijab-less Muslim teenage girl into a cape and calling it deep. The Lesser Evil is dark fantasy with Islamic themes—deen, not demographics—crafted for anyone sick of predictable chosen ones, shallow girl-bosses, and endless Euro-fantasy slogs. It’s 15 pages of prose plus 13 pages of grayscale art by Aurelio Mazzara that’ll stick with you. Critics feel it:
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“Riveting… Hard to Put Down” – Midwest Book Review
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“Unlike Any Other” – Feathered Quill Reviews
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“Marvel and wince in equal measure” – Seattle Book Review
Claim It Here – print-only first edition, prices will rise.
Issue 1 and beyond will have Muslim characters aplenty, inshaAllah, but this standalone plants the seed. It’s a short, sharp, authentic tale that might just be right up your alley.
Wes Al-Dhaher
Creator, Brotherhood of the Wolf
P.S. Keep us in your prayers in these final nights of Ramadan.
P.P.S. The theme of The Lesser Evil is this Islamic fiqh principle: If one is overcome by two evils, one should choose the lesser of the two. This will be the key to Nikephoros’ transformation.
