99
The 99 is the world’s first superhero team based on Islamic culture and history.
Filmmaker: Amir Amirani
Hear the words Wham, Pow, Krash and you know you have entered the surreal world of comics. This two-dimensional universe is populated by super heroes with super powers.
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But one man, Naif Al-Mutawa, decided to take on the Hulk, Spiderman and Captain America in an ideological battle to prove that being the biggest, strongest or greenest can be outwitted by other, less obvious attributes.
NaIf got his inspiration from the Quran and calls his superheroes the 99 – after the ninety nine attributes of Allah.
He created a better world, where generosity, mercy, culture, and wisdom can triumph over brute strength.
Although Naif, by his own admissions, is a long way from a super hero’s physique, there are autobiographical similarities. The main hero, Dr Ramzi Razem is – like the creator – a Kuwaiti psychologist.
With a Kuwaiti coming up with the idea in London, storylines written in New York and art work done in Northern Ireland the 99 already have a global network of power to draw on.
After wide acclaim across the Middle East, the comic book series is now hitting the US.
Filmmaker Amir Amirani talked with Naif Al-Mutawa, to find out where he got his inspiration for the series of the first superhero team based on Islamic culture and history.
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Published On 1 Feb 2009