Below is the bulk, organized portion of an entry I started working on about two weeks ago. I'd titled it.
99 Reasons To Be Happy
I thought I had mentioned before The 99, but now I'm having difficulties finding a reference in the blog. The 99 is
* A superhero universe based on Islamic principles and the 99 names of Allah
* A Muslim X-Men/Xavier's School For Mutants (kinda)
* A superhero universe filled with characters of colour; adults, heroes, teenagers, people on the street.
* Epic.
You can go to the website and learn about Noor Stones, and the history of the creators, and read the bios of many characters. And, I sincerely hope some of you will, buy digital downloads of the comics themselves.
But I just want to talk about my utter excitement. They're currently using Paypal and Paypal Credit Authorization (for those who don't wish to have a paypal account) and you buy by the issue, so I'm no longer confused about what exactly I'm paying for and who I'm paying it too. So that since I discovered information on The 99, last year I think it was, I'm finally holding more than the free Origins issue in my hot little virtual hands.
It is surely no secret at all that I love superhero comics and no further secret that Marvel and DC have disgusted and/or disappointed me - so much so that I've turned away from them, stopped looking up trades, stopped wanting to know much of any damn thing going on with them.Aside: World of New Krypton aside, which is a Greg Rucka project for the moment, and is thus, as tantalizing to me, as water to a thirsty person.
Here is a world that's giving me what I want, the way I want it, multinational heroes with strengths and weaknesses and needs and friendships and ethics lessons outside of 5 minutes in a summer blockbuster movie.
Then today, I learned The 99 Will be meeting DC's Trinity and my heart sank.
I'd been so excited about The 99, that I couldn't finish writing an entry. I was too busy reading and buying more, talking it up to my siblings and holding on to my joy. And now my heart sinks.
I know business wise this is a big deal. And I have no doubt the creators feel tremendously proud. And that it will undoubtedly introduce The 99 to even more readers. But all I can think about is Milestone Comics and enfolding, and Static as the only character from an entire universe they seem to give a damn about over at DC.
But that's secondary to just plain horror. Just strong no. I don't want The 99 tainted by DC. By the way they let their colourists lighten the skin of Characters of Colour. I don't want something so good tainted by how DC treats non Christian religions. I don't want The 99 tainted by how DC treats women.
I'm so hurt and disappointed and crushed. Those words can't even really describe what I'm feeling.
The 99 is NOT The Great Ten's "Mother of Champions" OR Most Excellent Superbat. They shouldn't be associated with a franchise that treats cultures like that. The 99 shouldn't be associated with Nu'bia, or with Black Adam & Isis, who're occasionally black and predominantly
The idiots who made comments about never supporting a black superhero in 'mainstream comics' as linked to over at 4th Letter, I don't want them seeing The 99. I don't want them talking about my new heroes, flapping their gums and spitting out idiocy. They've got their heroes. White and 'pristine' (and over sexualized) and just for them. Why can't I have my heroes without them having even a dot of input and remarks and ugliness. If they'd never buy a book with a mainstream black hero, are they going to buy books with predominantly brown skinned heroes? With Muslim heroes? I don't want to hear about the filth and mockery and whatever else curdles and rots in their minds that they feel the need to type out on the internet. I don't want that near The 99.
Needless to say, even if I am Batman's girl, I won't be buying the mini-series. I sincerely hope it's not in continuity for The 99, but even if it is, I'll just miss whatever develops during those issues. And I desperately hope that it won't affect the story of The 99, or too much affect the characters I've grown so quickly to care about.
