Marvel's newest superhero emerges from the plight of war. Her powers include superhuman patience, the endurance of steel and heightened motherly instincts.
Meet Madaya Mom
She's a Syrian mother of five trapped inside the Syrian town of Madaya which has faced mass starvation, and grabbed international headlines, sadly, to little effect.
Madaya Mom battles hunger, depleting resources and violent threats on daily basis, desperately trying to feed mouths and provide safety amid the violent besiegement of her town.
ABC News and Marvel Comics, two Disney-owned companies, teamed up to tell Madaya Mom's story with a digital comic now available online, free of charge.
The comic is based on the true story of an anonymous woman ABC News' Lebanese producer Rym Momtaz came into contact with. The woman, unnamed for security reasons, has shared her experiences with ABC News through text messages and phone conversations.
Madaya Mom depicts raw insight into the dreadful reality of living under siege. "I didn’t want to do a war comic," said the Croatian artist, Dalibor Talajic, behind the illustrations. "I wanted to make a comic with a civilian point of view, where you’re really powerless."
Madaya has been an open-air prison since July 2015
The town is controlled by rebels and besieged by regime forces and their allies. Some 20,000 residents are on complete lock-down, with little communication with the outside world. They lack means of survival like food, medication and fuel. Aid convoys are rarely allowed in and people rely on smugglers who sell goods at exorbitant prices.
The National reports that famine and malnutrition have claimed the lives of over sixty people since the town came under total blockade.
Tragedy has cast a shadow on most families in Syria
Madaya mom has lost her father and two of her brothers.
Madaya Mom knows sacrifice all too well
Looking out for her children often comes at the expense of her own health.
The heart-breaking reality
"It's as if whether we exist or not doesn't make a difference"
Time and time again, the "big powers" fail to tackle the world's humanitarian crises.