Islam-Inspired Comic Superheroes, Lauded by Obama Heads to USA

BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK
By Tamara Walid

Widad is one of several new Islamic superheroes

ABU DHABI -- Even U.S. President Barack Obama took notice of them. Now, New Yorkers may do, too, as the Arab world’s first superheroes make their screen debut at the New York Film Festival. Naif Al-Mutawa yesterday presented “THE 99,” his series starring supernatural characters. They are based on the 99 attributes of Allah mentioned in the Koran, such as wisdom, generosity and tolerance. The comics have made a “dent” in how the religion is perceived globally, he says. In his April 2010 speech at the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship in Washington, Obama praised “THE 99” and its creator for spreading tolerance, saying the comic books were “most innovative” and “captured the imagination of so many young people.” [link]