‘The99’ Poised to Conquer the World
The99 is a comic book published by Kuwait-based Teshkeel Media about super-powered beings, each also embodying one of 99 global values, hailing from 99 countries, coming together to battle evil. They debuted in May 2006 as a one-shot released throughout the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region, with an ongoing series debuting the following September. North American editions began to see print in 2007. The books appear in seven languages including English, Arabic, Hindi, Malaysian and French
The book is edited by former Marvel Comics editor and colorist Marie Javins and is mostly written by comics veteran Stuart Moore. Drawn in a Western style, it could pass as a title from most of the major North American publishers. The subject matter, though, is heavily influenced by Islamist values including the number 99, which defines the number of attributes the Quran, says are possessed by Allah.
Forbes named The99 as one of the “Top 20 Trends Sweeping the Globe”. On Monday, Endemol has announced a deal that will have them produce an animated series based on the comic. Additionally, plans call for six The99-themed amusement parks with the first set to open in Kuwait come January.
The animated series will be created in India with post-production done at Endemol’s United Kingdom facilities. Both Endemol and Teshkeel are contributing funds to cover costs until revenues begin flowing. Teshkeel has raised $23 million from private investors and has yet to show a profit according to the Wall Street Journal.
In a profile, Teshkeel’s Naif Al Mutawa explained that he founded the company in response to a lack of children’s publishing in the Middle East. "I’m hoping that it will be the next Pokémon," Mutawa told the WSJ.
Ynon Kreiz, CEO of Endemol told the paper, "The subject matter and angle here give us a chance to really stand out.. Kreiz knows something about entertainment properties after years at FoxKids.
In addition to animation and theme parks, The99 will be found on Earlier this fall; Nestlé SA bottled water sold in the MENA region. Not bad for a company that sells a million copies total throughout MENA and Asia, miniscule compared with North American companies.
The WSJ noted, “Censors in Saudi Arabia, the largest market in the Middle East, banned The99 its first year off the presses for what they called ‘un-Islamic’ content. Some Arabic-language newspapers have refused to run serialized versions of the books.”
Bahrain-based Unicorn Investment Bank helped finance Teshkeel and took seats on the company’s board. With Unicorn’s board of Shariah scholars tacitly approving the investment, the Saudi complaints were rendered null.In a profile, Teshkeel’s Naif Al Mutawa explained that he founded the company in response to a lack of children’s publishing in the Middle East. "I’m hoping that it will be the next Pokémon," Mutawa told the WSJ.
Ynon Kreiz, CEO of Endemol told the paper, "The subject matter and angle here give us a chance to really stand out.. Kreiz knows something about entertainment properties after years at FoxKids.
In addition to animation and theme parks, The99 will be found on Earlier this fall; Nestlé SA bottled water sold in the MENA region. Not bad for a company that sells a million copies total throughout MENA and Asia, miniscule compared with North American companies.
The WSJ noted, “Censors in Saudi Arabia, the largest market in the Middle East, banned The99 its first year off the presses for what they called ‘un-Islamic’ content. Some Arabic-language newspapers have refused to run serialized versions of the books.”
Bahrain-based Unicorn Investment Bank helped finance Teshkeel and took seats on the company’s board. With Unicorn’s board of Shariah scholars tacitly approving the investment, the Saudi complaints were rendered null.