ISLAMIC INVASION WATCH:Islamic-themed comic book comes to Chicago

Batman has brains, Superman has brawn, but Mumita has a great kick.She's part of the superhero cast of "The 99," an Islamic-themed comic book that debuts in select U.S. cities today, including Chicago."Every child is looking for a superhero," said Firas Ahmad, an editor at Islamica magazine. "When I grew up, the people from my cultural background were always the bad guys in comics."
Already a hit overseas, "The 99" features superheroes from around the globe using their superpowers to battle forces of evil.
While [[[[Mumita the """Destroyer"""]]]](where you expecting a different name...????) relies on her martial arts expertise, Jabbar the Powerful brandishes his muscles. Other characters- Widad the Loving, Noora the Light, Bari the Healer-capture superheroes' softer side."'The 99' has strong female and male superheroes," said creator Naif Al-Mutawa. "I didn't want a comic book where the boys break the bones and the girls mend them."Like Batman and Superman, the cast of "The 99" aren't overtly religious. They don't pray or quote the Quran, but promote universal values such as goodness and love.But each superhero embodies one of the 99 attributes that Muslims ascribe to Allah.
Matt Streets of Graham Crackers Comics downtown said most superheroes flex their muscles, not their religion, though The Thing has come out Jewish and some consider Spider-Man a mainline Protestant.And earlier this year, Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Comics teamed with spirituality author Deepak Chopra to create stories based on Asian mythology."Comic books use religious themes but don't claim a specific religion because they don't want to alienate anyone or limit their audience," Streets said.Only a few Chicago stores are carrying "The 99." It can also be purchased online at
http://www.the99.org/
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/606241%2CCST-NWS-comics17.article
As in the days of Noah...