Story Title: “Djiniri” in SuperHumanity Vol 1: The SuperAustralians #1
Djiniri Chapter & Script: Julie Ditrich
Djiniri Pencils: Marcelo Baez
Djiniri Inks: Marcelo Baez
Djiniri Colours: Marcelo Baez
Djiniri Letters:  Marcelo Baez
Other Contributors: Various Australian writers and artists on other characters
Cover: Jan Scherpenhuizen
Editor: Christopher Sequeira
Genre: Superhero
Synopsis: Twelve heroes. Twelve villains. One nation under threat. As mysterious attacks erupt across Australia, twelve extraordinary champions are forced onto a collision course with an enemy whose ambitions extend far beyond any single battle. Scattered across deserts, cities, mountains and coastlines, each hero must first confront their own challenge before discovering they are part of something far larger than themselves. The battle for Australia has begun but defeating twelve villains may only be the beginning.

The Story Behind the Story: When editor Christopher Sequeira invited me to contribute to Superhumanity Volume 1: The SuperAustralians, the concept was wonderfully ambitious. Twelve Australian writers and artists would each create an original superhero chapter set in a different part of Australia, with every story connected through an overarching narrative spanning twelve locations, twelve months, twelve astrological signs and a lightning rod.

Before creating the character, I chose the setting. I had previously travelled through the Pinnacles in Western Australia’s Nambung National Park and had never forgotten their extraordinary presence. They felt timeless, mysterious and unlike anywhere else I had visited. I knew this was where my story needed to begin.

Artist Marcelo Baez and I were equally enthusiastic about collaborating, and as we began exploring ideas together, something unexpected happened. Almost instantly, the idea of a genie appeared. Marcelo immediately embraced the concept, and together we began asking a simple question: how might an ancient Middle Eastern being find her place in contemporary Australia?

That single idea transformed everything. Rather than treating the genie as a visitor from mythology and folklore, I began exploring her as an immigrant carrying the weight of another culture into a new homeland. As my research deepened and Marcelo’s visual interpretation brought the character vividly to life, the story began growing beyond its original six pages. Even while writing the anthology chapter, I found myself quietly planting seeds for a much larger journey.

Looking back, I now realise that The SuperAustralians gave me something far greater than a single superhero story. It introduced me to Djiniri. From the moment she appeared, I sensed there was a much larger story waiting to be told. Sometimes a character doesn’t simply arrive to fulfil a brief—they arrive carrying the seeds of something far greater.