Comic books and religion

Washington Post: An author looks to the Koran for 99 Superheroes

To go back to writing after all that education, it would have to be something big, something with the potential of Pokémon, the Japanese cartoon that was briefly banned by Saudi religious authorities. God would have been disappointed by that, he thought; God has 99 attributes, or names, including tolerance.

“And then the idea formed in my mind,” Mutawa said. “Heroes with the 99 attributes.”

He mixed his deep religious faith, business acumen and firsthand experience with other cultures — his childhood summers were spent at a predominantly Jewish camp in New Hampshire — to create The 99, a comic-book series about superheroes imbued with the 99 attributes of God. Those traits represent one of Islam’s most recognizable concepts.

Mutawa’s superheroes are modern, secular and spiritual, moving seamlessly between East and West. They come from 99 countries and are split between males and females.

On a less edifying note, you can check out the religion of comic heroes at comicbookreligion.com. Anglican/Episcopalian heroes are listed here. Did you know that Elastigirl (aka Mrs. Incredible) is am Episcopalian? Hmmm. Besides her strength and stretching superpowers she is “an accomplished pilot and displays deduction skills and cunning.”

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