""The 99", (Warning Touchy Subject in Parts) " Topic

I do not follow comic books much, but tonight I was watching the PBS show called "Wam Bam Islam" about efforts of a Kuwaiti want to launch a comic book called "The 99" which is about Superhero's based on the nine principles of Islam.

Now I was going to posting this to the lounge (but it is down) to avoid a food fight and do not want to get into the views on religion but more interested in comic book aspect of the series, the upcoming commercial animation (Tom Hanks does the voice of the Doctor who kind of finds these Heroes) which by the way I just saw is on hold in the United States but set to run to 60 million viewers in Europe and the Middle East in 2012.

I personally see no difference between "The 99" and some Japanese Anime about spiritual based cartoons or comics. They have some marketing agreements on board for next year as well.

I think I can see his (Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa) vision as I lived in the region several times over the years and kids are kids and the ones I meet know all the US super heroes, and often had US based comic books. It was one of the most requested items kids of friends in Lebanon would ask me to bring back. I understand where he is coming from trying to make a new breed of heroes from the Islamic world.

The premise of the story link line is well documented in the special.
Here are a few background articles of interest:
link
link
So the question is if the comic was here in the United States or elsewhere would you be interested, how about the cartoon? Would you game it?

I do not do SiFi or Hero or RPG so for me it is not that much of interest outside of Star Wars. Which FWIW is sooo based on Joseph Campbell's "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" and the power of Myth.
link
I read it while in Germany as a young soldier and it was not until about 10 years later learned of the large influence it had on George Lucas. I always thought the original Star Wars was a rip off of Wings from 1939.

I probably would not be as interested in Hoth at all if it were the concept of combined arms that is so stressed in Military Operations that I taught over the years.

Anyhow for those of you into it what do you think? Is it a possible wargaming and comic and anime concept worth looking at?

I thoughts on Anime that I have seen is more are a marketing attempt by Japan to sell toys and games.
VR
James Mattes

Now I was going to posting this to the lounge (but it is down)

You already have (and it isn't)

Must be my ISP I can't access the lounge right now for some reason.

VR
James Mattes

So we're not discussing ice cream then.

Definitely might be interested in seeing the comic and/or cartoon. It sounds like an excellent example of a cartoon springing from a different cultural meliu than the typical Americal comics, or Japanese animation.

As for whether it has gaming applications, I'll wait until I see it, though it definitely has potential.

I should say though, that your opinion of Anime doesn't doesn't remotely capture the extent of it's popularity and cultural presence in Japan. I don't deny that the product and licensing of anime IP is huge business, but anime and Manga are so much bigger and reach a much wider age audience than comics and cartoons here in the USA.

I recently discovered the wealth of French-language Historical Graphic Novels (or BDs as they call them.) For the last 30-40 years they have been pumping out these hard cover books covering anything from the Vendee to Alexander the Great, to the Aztecs to Ancient Greece, Rome or Egypt. I am not talking Manga or Anime stuff here – these are mostly realistically drawn stories that [seem to] be [for the most part] accurately drawn and written. There are fantastical elements on occasion but for the most part they are quite good. They are a nice change from North American comics which are all just Super Heroes or the tame Conan comics (and similar.)

Like I said just my opinion, my wife is a huge fan always has been she is Korean American and can tell me every charter and series out there and the plot line. She got me watching the cartoon channel after many years. Loved Samurai Jack and she liked some series I cannot remember right now. She and her entire family read many different type of comic books in Korean. It is a huge market and part of what I am saying about the 99. There was very little of that in the Islamic word and particularly in the Middle East outside of US Knock offs and translations.

VR
James Mattes

I would welcome any interesting setting regardless of the foundation.

An interesting thought though…I am unfamiliar with Islam and maybe it is just me but aren't there 5 principles of Islam? Splitting hairs and again I have more change in my pocket than actual knowledge of Islam to debate with…but if it is 5 and not 9 there would be more issues at hand.

Sounds like an interesting setting.

I don't do super gaming so probably not, in my in my 28mm sifi skirmish heyday I would have looked at the miniatures for use in other games.

I'm honestly not offended by anyone gaming anything really. If you want to play Get into my Van the pedophile CMG I wouldn't bat an eye.

At the end of the day it is a game to me.

The other question is doesn't Islam ban the use of the human image? I can't see how you can do a superhuman comic book and not depict people.

Vince

I can't see any kind of controvery with that theme. Islam and Sci-Fi has been explored before, examples are the Haqqislam faction from the Infinity game and of course the Cyberpunk novel "When Gravity Fails".

"If you want to play Get into my Van the pedophile CMG I wouldn't bat an eye"

…whoa…hell of an example…sounds like Spinespur to me :)

I remember hearing about this years ago – I had no idea it had taken off to such an extent. I really should see if there are any collected editions I can pick up. Can't find anything available on Amazon, but apparently there was a 6-issue crossover with the JLA.

Cherno, you may also be interested in the works of Jon Coutenay Grimwood, especially his "Arabesk" trilogy; alt-hist slightly-cyberpunk crime noir set in Alexandria apparently at some point in the 21st century. Transhumanism meets islamic law.

For gaming The 99, I don't see why any existing set of Superheores rules wouldn't do. Miniatures might be a different matter – They don't seem to be the traditional spandex-clad types.

VCarter – I'm no expert but I think opinion is divided in the Islamic world over the use of illustration.

We do, after all, have plenty of portraits of various Ottoman Sultans.

Pictures of the Prophet are however, very much forbidden.

There are 5 pillars of Islam – monothesism, prayer, fasting, charity and pilgrimage

I believe the 99 principles are more on the line of guidelines

The proscription against images relates to Mohammed – the Prophet forbade images to avoid idolatry

I knew it was five from what I have read but I thought maybe I missed something or there were other considerations…didn't want to start a fight over such a thing…the number does not matter it is the idea of the Islamic foundation for a character that is at hand and that sounds as interesting as any other…perhaps the answer to world peace is including everyone equally in comic books, a common ground?

:)

Yes guys I misspoke when I posted initially above, it should be the "ninety-nine attributes of Allah,"

VR
James Mattes

Sounds like an interesting idea, really. I mean, when well done, superhero stories (especially their origin stories) are really about how to be a better person.

The reason that I don't like Superman is that he's too perfect. Batman is NOT a nice person, and you see that reflected in the character over the years. Tony Stark is an alcoholic womanizer, but he still tries to do the right thing after an epiphany. Same for Wolverine.

For the christian version of 'the 99,' see rhjunior.com/FoH

Personally I wouldn't be interested in reading a comic based on the subject. The news and television programming are saturated with middle-east and Islam and I'm rather tired of the subject.

I don't think it would be a very good idea for an author or artist to take on the subject. Especially after what's happened to other artists who have used images based on Islam.

Well, The 99 franchise is strongly based in the Islamic Middle East and AFAIK the creators, including the spokesperson Naif Al-Mutawa, are still alive and kickin'. Even though the comix not only feature drawings of humans but of female humans who don't wear burkhas (albeit ones that generally don't seem to posses the Most Common Super Power*).

Offical English page for the comic is here, I understand:
the99.org

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*) link

Lucas was influenced by more than merely "Hero with a thousand faces" and "wings" (1939). The Death Star bombing run is very influenced by a failed torpedo attack from the battle of Midway.
He was also influenced by Hidden Fortress, and Leni Riefenstahl's work (the medal ceremony of ep4 being a notable *cough* 'homage' *cough*.
He's like Dan O'Bannon (famous quote "I didn't steal ALIEN from anyone – I stole it from EVERYONE!") in that way.

A lot of the anime seen in the west ARE designed purely to shift toys – just like many other western cartoons over the years.
He-man? Toy sales.
GI Joe – Toy sales.

No difference between these and Card Captor Sakura, Beyblades, Pokemon or Transformers, really.

I dunno, SonofThor, I think you could get away with writing a series about how to be a better person, centered around the pillars of the faith that the author professes.

That's all a superhero really is. The problem is that we don't see many well-done superhero stories anymore. At least not ones done by American media.

Case in point: The Iron Man movie (the first one) was a much better story before he finished the suit than after.

This one is great… YouTube link
Comic? No interest.