Islam comic tackles critics

COMIC book fans might call it a great origin story: in the aftermath of 9/11, a Muslim man creates a comic book, The 99, inspired by the principles of his faith.

It builds a global audience and investors contribute millions for it to continue and expand.

But in two vastly different cultures, Naif al-Mutawa’s tale hits a few roadblocks: censorship from Saudi Arabia, home to the main Muslim holy sites; and in the US, a struggle to build an audience where free expression has been hampered by a post-9/11 rise in suspicion and scrutiny of all things Islamic.