DC Superheroes Partner with Teshkheel's 'The 99'

Hadya the Guide
of The 99.

The Teshkeel Media Group's ongoing fascination with merging the success and wit that serves as the foundation of western comics with middle eastern entertainment sensibilities appears one step closer to reality. The comics publisher, most notably for their original property The 99, has recently announced a partnership with DC Comics in an effort to cross-promote the superheroes of both universes. The 99 is the story of several teens whom from around the world discover mythical gems whose substantial power grants them the opportunity to server the greater good.

Tuning in the ninety-nine attributes or ethical characteristics the Quran says are held by Allah, the foundation of the comic's storytelling is chiefly that of enlisting individuals willing to represent humankind's greatest potential, while at the same time, recognizing its greatest pitfalls.

Teshkeel Media Group has been publishing The 99 for a couple of years now, and has developed a reasonable distribution pattern throughout Asian territories. With an animated program in development, either as a series or film [A.I. news: "Islam-themed Comic Earns Animation Treatment" (12/2008)], much is expected from the brand. Now, DC Comics is looking to get in on the action, announcing a cross-publishing initiative with Teshkeel Comics, which promises to see heroes from both The 99 and some of DC's most popular titles partnering up.

The characters of The 99 are a familiar bunch of at times dysfunctional teens, with difficult households, uneven tempers, and never-ending waves of anxiety. Fortunately for them, a large sequence of mythical gems awaken their potential to become much more than they ever imagined. Restoring order to a world ruled by fear is no easy task, but perhaps an encounter with a DC great such as Batman or Superman will help adjust things. Details have not yet been released on how The 99 and DC Superheroes will interact in comic-form; however, Teshkeel Media Group founder Naif Al-Mutawa is already brainstorming:

"Are we going to have them working together from day one, or will they think the other is the enemy?" The creator of The 99 continues: "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."

Al-Mutawa's comic has found a good size audience through Asia over the past three years, but the publisher is no doubt looking bigger and better. According to Al-Mutawa, the plan to build the brand through familiarization is still in progress, a plan that would certainly be aided with a few guest appearances from some of DC's most legendary detectives.

Left to Right: Hadya the guide;
Noora the light; and Jabbar
the powerful.

DC Comics has announced that experienced writer Fabian Nicieza will pen the mini-series in which the heroes of both crossover. Nicieza is a regular contributor to Teshkeel's The 99, but has also written for Cable (1993), Captain Marvel (1995), The Amazing X-Men (1995-1996), Troublemakers (1997), Gambit (1999), Hawkeye (2003), Cable & Deadpool (2004), New Thunderbolts (2005), and Azrael: Death's Dark Knight (2009) among dozens of others.

on Teshkeel Media Group: Teshkeel Media Group, KSC (www.Teshkeel.com) is one of the Middle East's leading developers of comic books, magazines, and other forms of children's entertainment.

Based in Kuwait, and with offices in New York, the company's mission is to provide positive, high-quality children's content in the region, including in print, electronic media, film, and television.

More on 'The 99' Comic/Animation:
"Islam-themed Comic Book The 99 Earns Animation Treatment" at AnimationInsider.net (12/2008)