CAIRO — Egypt needs a superhero, and the entertainment industry has been busy obliging. Since the outbreak of the January 25 Revolution in 2011, Egyptians have seen swift changes at the political, economic, cultural and social levels. Many articles have been written about the need for a hero or leader to save the country from its current deadlock.

During Ramadan this year, a series called “The Hibiscus Man” hit Egyptian television. The show is about a normal man who is transformed into a flying superhero after a car accident. The state initially fights him until it becomes unable to fight crime by itself, at which point his supernatural intervention is required.

In early December 2014, an Egyptian Spider-Man made his first appearance on the street through the lens of photographer Hossam Farouk, who came up with the idea of “showing that even superheroes can't survive in Egypt.” Farouk photographed Atef Saad, dressed as Spider-Man, in an attempt to visualize what life might be like for a superhero in Egypt. He chose Spider-Man because his suit was the cheapest and easiest to find in stores.

Farouk's photos — posted to a Facebook page dedicated to the character — show Spider-Man trying to fit into everyday Egyptian society. He tackles the mundane, including running after a public bus that won't stop for people to board, working to try to make a living and praying at a mosque. Farouk highlights Egyptian society as rejecting anything unfamiliar or out of the ordinary, as when Spider-Man gets beaten up on the street.