The Last Superhero: A Novel That Exposes the Truth Behind Gaza
How Mark Urizar Uses Fiction & History to Challenge Media Narratives and Unmask Colonial Propaganda
“The Last Superhero: The Fight for Palestine” is not your usual fictional tale of capes and power—it’s a fearless hybrid that intertwines narrative fiction with searing political and historical analysis. Penned by Australian author Mark Urizar, the book’s protagonist, “Z,” isn’t a flying saviour or masked crusader. Instead, Z’s mission is radical in its simplicity: to dismantle the barriers of disinformation and pull truth from the rubble of media distortion.
Set against the ongoing conflict in Gaza and published shortly after the first anniversary of October 7, the novel confronts the distortions propagated by what Urizar describes as Zionist propaganda. It argues that Palestinians are too often reduced to hostile caricatures—“Hamas”—as a way to rationalise the atrocities against women, children, and defenceless civilians.
Urizar’s fusion of genres—melding superhero mythos with scripture, colonial history, and current events—serves a clear purpose. He seeks to show how religious texts and historical comparisons—ranging from Biblical prophecy to parallels with Nazi Germany—have been manipulated or misinterpreted to justify injustice. The narrative voice of Z provides a personal lens into this struggle, while the authorial commentary gives context, raising tough questions about media ethics, faith, and power.
Through his interviews, Urizar explains that fiction provides vital distance. By using a fictional but relatable character, he aims to give voice to the lives often silenced or overlooked—those caught in the shadow of mass media “narratives” that privilege some lives and erase others.
More than just a story, The Last Superhero is a call to action. It urges readers to look past propaganda, to question who controls the message, and to refuse to let silence or complicity be an option. For Urizar, truth isn’t merely an abstract goal—but a moral necessity.
📖 You can buy the book here: [The Last Superhero: The Fight for Palestine]
Source: Tehran Times