In search of the 99 Noor Stones, which supposedly contain the lost knowledge of the Library of Baghdad, Dr. Ramzi and his team battle evil forces and save the day. Adventures around this theme are what you can read about in the comics of The 99, Kuwait’s very own superheroes.

The 99 was started in 2006 by Teshkeel comics in Kuwait and its regional sales were reportedly second only to Superman. The superhero team features 99 characters from 99 different countries and each character’s powers reflect one of the traditional 99 attributes of Allah in Islam.

For fans of the 99 superheroes, you can very soon do more than just read about their travails; Teshkeel recently signed a multimillion dollar deal with Dutch media producer Endemol International, to create a new animated series based on The 99.

According to reports, the television series will be produced in India, and Endemol UK will undertake post-production services. Endemol International will hold worldwide television, online, mobile, and home video distribution rights.

For a comic with an estimated circulation of over 20,000 copies per issue, a global animation series is a big leap. “This is going to be the best,” the comic’s creator, Naif Al Mutawa told Kuwait Times. “This is going to be at the level of Spiderman and I feel very fortunate that we have achieved what we have been able to achieve.”

There is also much more on the cards for the comic; Teshkeel has signed a deal with Nestle, and soon The 99’s characters will be featured on Nestle’s water bottles.

Furthermore, a new theme park opening in February 2009 in Kuwait’s Jahra city will witness the launch of the Kuwaiti 99 hero, as the comic doesn’t have one.-AN