DC Comics' superheroes join forces with characters inspired by Allah

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**BrookM**

They are superheroes battling injustice and fighting evil the Islamic way, and they are teaming up with some of the west's biggest comic book icons. Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are among those joining forces with The 99, who personify the 99 attributes of Allah, according to Islamic tradition.

What will unfold on the pages of the collaboration between DC Comics in the US and Teshkeel Comics in Kuwait is yet to be seen, but the appearance of The 99 – who already appear in comics in the Muslim world – alongside archetypal American heroes would have been unlikely during the Bush years. DC Comics' president and publisher, Paul Levitz, believes the cross-cultural project is unprecedented.

He said: "It is a long-standing tradition for characters to meet others in the fictional world, and over the years a lot of the superheroes have been translated into Arabic, taking on ethnic elements. But this is a nice step forward. The most difficult creative test is when you are working with the least precedent and when you're trying to reach an audience that has a different cultural bias and different interests."

The mini-series will hit shops within a year, with links between the publishing firms easing the creative process.

Comic book aficionados have mainly responded positively to the news, although questions have been raised about how Wonder Woman's skimpy costume will fare in the Middle East.

One fan writes: "Maybe they can colour her differently in other markets so it looks like she is wearing a bodysuit. It would be cool if there was a line about Wonder Woman choosing to cover up out of respect for where she's going since she was an ambassador (I doubt they would have her take the more radical decision and not cover up as a feminist move)."

A few accuse DC Comics of betraying the US: "Muslim-pandering, anyone? Thank you, Time Warner, for showing us whose side you're on. I guess we can add you to the list of traitorous companies who have forgotten 9/11."

Unlike their western counterparts The 99 do not wear disguises, unless you count the burka-wearing Batina The Hidden, nor are they outsiders with secret identities. They are ordinary people who develop extraordinary abilities after coming into contact with mystical gems infused with power and wisdom.

Only Batina, one of five females, is fully veiled, and although characters pray or read the Qur'an, they are meant to appeal to children of all faiths.

The team behind The 99 includes comic book stalwarts Fabian Nicieza, Stuart Moore, June Brigman, Dan Panosian, and John McCrea, who have all worked at DC Comics and Marvel.

The 99 comics, which sell about 1m copies a year, enjoy a high profile in the Middle East. The adventures are to be made into an animated film, while the first of several 99-inspired theme parks has opened in Kuwait.

The creator of The 99 and founder of Teshkeel Media, Dr Naif Al- Mutawa, a psychologist by day, hopes his comics help dialogue and co-operation. Like Levitz, he is unsure of how the story will develop. "Are we going to have them working together from day one, or will they think the other is the enemy? Enemy number one is fear. You could open it with Obama's speech [in Cairo] with the two sets of superheroes watching it and having different reactions. There's plenty of possibilities."

About 23 heroes have been launched and there are more to come.

Mutawa said: "We're building the brand slowly.

"It's difficult to have any kind of reading or comic book culture here because there is a lot of stuff that doesn't come in or it's censored. Certain storylines don't work and some stuff, like magic, just isn't allowed."

source

**LuciusAR**

"Muslim-pandering, anyone? Thank you, Time Warner, for showing us whose side you're on. I guess we can add you to the list of traitorous companies who have forgotten 9/11."

What a pointless little troll.

**Orkeosaurus**

I'd like to see ninety-nine Allahs take on:

**Gwar!**

LuciusAR wrote:
"Muslim-pandering, anyone? Thank you, Time Warner, for showing us whose side you're on. I guess we can add you to the list of traitorous companies who have forgotten 9/11."

What a pointless little troll.

It is from the Guardian, it is almost as bad as the Telegraph or The Sun

**reds8n**

That comment is from The Guardian*.. really ?

Cause I've read the same article, almost word for word on various comic book sites over the past few days.

* The UK newspaper, not the Capt. America ripoff in blue and yellow who hung around with the newsboy legion and then project: Cadmus. The Grant Morrison revamp was, of course, great.

**Gwar!**

reds8n wrote:That comment is from The Guardian*.. really ?

Cause I've read the same article, almost word for word on various comic book sites over the past few days.

* The UK newspaper, not the Capt. America ripoff in blue and yellow who hung around with the newsboy legion and then project: Cadmus. The Grant Morrison revamp was, of course, great.

Nono, I assume it is some generic thing. Still, trust it to be on the Guardian.

**reds8n**

Ah, gotcha.

**Tyras**

Who exactly are they planning on marketing to? Women all over the Middle East are killed for western behavior, or "Non Islamic" behavior. Wonder Woman doesn't exactly fit the definition of Shia modesty for women. Hell you can get stoned for traveling with a man who is not a relative. Is DC going to reveal a previously unknown brother for her so she's not stoned to death?

Her outfit was contreversial in the US when the show first debuted. And that was, what?, the 70's/80's? Even a body suit as suggested would not go over well. Woman, and not just those forced to wear burkas, are supposed to hide their forms. Fergy and her lady lumps... err I mean Wonder Woman in a body suit would not pass the culture test.

If this is true it is a pretty stupid move on DC's part. While it may be reaching out to a previously untapped market it sure goes a long way to alienate others. Unless the Legion of Super Heros plans to travel back in time to join forces with Jesus or King David for equal time. Religion is not the best forum to venture boldly into with comics.

**dogma**

Tyras wrote:Who exactly are they planning on marketing to? Women all over the Middle East are killed for western behavior, or "Non Islamic" behavior. Wonder Woman doesn't exactly fit the definition of Shia modesty for women. Hell you can get stoned for traveling with a man who is not a relative. Is DC going to reveal a previously unknown brother for her so she's not stoned to death?

Presumably young Middle Eastern men living in nations that aren't particularly strict about Sharia in artistic rendition. So, Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, et al. There's a big difference between portraying a woman of obvious Western origin walking around in a body suit, and a woman actually doing so.

Tyras wrote:
Her outfit was contreversial in the US when the show first debuted. And that was, what?, the 70's/80's? Even a body suit as suggested would not go over well. Woman, and not just those forced to wear burkas, are supposed to hide their forms. Fergy and her lady lumps... err I mean Wonder Woman in a body suit would not pass the culture test.

You've never heard of acculturation? The Wonder Woman exported to the Middle East doesn't have to look like the Wonder Woman sold in the West.

Also, women (and men) are supposed to dress modestly (I'm assuming you're making a reference to Qu'ran) what this means specifically is a matter of cultural interpretation.

Tyras wrote:
If this is true it is a pretty stupid move on DC's part. While it may be reaching out to a previously untapped market it sure goes a long way to alienate others. Unless the Legion of Super Heros plans to travel back in time to join forces with Jesus or King David for equal time. Religion is not the best forum to venture boldly into with comics.

I'm guessing DC has done more market research than you have. And, even if they haven't, The 99 is a well established comic brand in the ME. They probably know what they've doing.

**BrookM**

40 of the 99 are women and only one has a burqa.

**Orkeosaurus**

I thought only 5 were women?

Or is that just of the one's revealed yet?

**George Spiggott**

This is the king of comics: Mecha Manga Bible Heroes

**Tyras**

dogma wrote:
Tyras wrote:Who exactly are they planning on marketing to? Women all over the Middle East are killed for western behavior, or "Non Islamic" behavior. Wonder Woman doesn't exactly fit the definition of Shia modesty for women. Hell you can get stoned for traveling with a man who is not a relative. Is DC going to reveal a previously unknown brother for her so she's not stoned to death?

Presumably young Middle Eastern men living in nations that aren't particularly strict about Sharia in artistic rendition. So, Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, et al. There's a big difference between portraying a woman of obvious Western origin walking around in a body suit, and a woman actually doing so.

Tyras wrote:
Her outfit was contreversial in the US when the show first debuted. And that was, what?, the 70's/80's? Even a body suit as suggested would not go over well. Woman, and not just those forced to wear burkas, are supposed to hide their forms. Fergy and her lady lumps... err I mean Wonder Woman in a body suit would not pass the culture test.

You've never heard of acculturation? The Wonder Woman exported to the Middle East doesn't have to look like the Wonder Woman sold in the West.

Also, women (and men) are supposed to dress modestly (I'm assuming you're making a reference to Qu'ran) what this means specifically is a matter of cultural interpretation.

Tyras wrote:
If this is true it is a pretty stupid move on DC's part. While it may be reaching out to a previously untapped market it sure goes a long way to alienate others. Unless the Legion of Super Heros plans to travel back in time to join forces with Jesus or King David for equal time. Religion is not the best forum to venture boldly into with comics.

I'm guessing DC has done more market research than you have. And, even if they haven't, The 99 is a well established comic brand in the ME. They probably know what they've doing.

I'm speaking from both experience and the copius amounts of cultural sensitivity training I had to take while deployed in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan with the United States Army. I have been to (as in stayed for at the minimum three months and at the maximum 14 months) Camp Doha Kuwait, Balad airbase in Iraq and Jalalabad Afghanistan. You are mistaken in your assesment of nations being less strict on Sharia law. Saudi Arabia still has women harrassed on one side of the spectrum and murdered on the other side for acting "too western". Kuwait doesn't see as many incidents, but they do still happen.

Will Wonder Woman look the same? I doubt it, as I stated before it just wouldn't fly over there. I think it's a bad move and frankly bad taste to mix religion with these iconic America comic book heroes. I wouldn't advocate them doing an Isreali series, or a Bhuddist series, or a Christian series either so don't even think of going the Islamaphobe route.

**gorgon**

Tyras wrote:I'm speaking from both experience and the copius amounts of cultural sensitivity training I had to take while deployed in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan with the United States Army. I have been to (as in stayed for at the minimum three months and at the maximum 14 months) Camp Doha Kuwait, Balad airbase in Iraq and Jalalabad Afghanistan. You are mistaken in your assesment of nations being less strict on Sharia law. Saudi Arabia still has women harrassed on one side of the spectrum and murdered on the other side for acting "too western". Kuwait doesn't see as many incidents, but they do still happen.

Turkey.

**Orkeosaurus**

Chicken.

**dogma**

Tyras wrote:
I'm speaking from both experience and the copius amounts of cultural sensitivity training I had to take while deployed in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan with the United States Army.

I've seen some of the material used in that training, and spoken to more than a few people that have been through it. It focuses on worst case scenarios, which is what its supposed to do.

Tyras wrote:
I have been to (as in stayed for at the minimum three months and at the maximum 14 months) Camp Doha Kuwait, Balad airbase in Iraq and Jalalabad Afghanistan. You are mistaken in your assesment of nations being less strict on Sharia law. Saudi Arabia still has women harrassed on one side of the spectrum and murdered on the other side for acting "too western". Kuwait doesn't see as many incidents, but they do still happen.

You missed my point. In some places (Yemen, Iran, and Syria for the most part) the provisions of Sharia extend to media control; in essence they conflate the prescription for modern dress with the ban on images of the profit to produce a ban on lewd portrayals of the human form. This is almost unheard of in those nations that are more comfortable with American culture; at least when that comfort is made manifest in men.

Objectification tends to transcend cultural boundaries.

Tyras wrote:
Will Wonder Woman look the same? I doubt it, as I stated before it just wouldn't fly over there. I think it's a bad move and frankly bad taste to mix religion with these iconic America comic book heroes. I wouldn't advocate them doing an Isreali series, or a Bhuddist series, or a Christian series either so don't even think of going the Islamaphobe route.

I don't see this as any different from invoking common religious allegory in pop culture nomenclature. This isn't any different from the use of the name Abaddon in the WH40k background.