New Graphic Novel Uses Beauty and Power of Martial Arts to Highlight the Inner Strength and Mercy of Women
2014 Global Premiere of Jabal Entertainment’s ‘Blades of Hope’ Series at Middle East Film and Comic Con in Dubai to Impress Region’s Growing Base of Female Martial Arts Fans;
Series’ Female Creator to Break Bricks and Boards Onsite for Fans Attending Event
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The region is bracing for what is expected to be one of 2014’s most exciting and well-received graphic novel launches, ‘Blades of Hope’. ‘Blades’ is to be globally-premiered at the upcoming Middle East Film and Comic Con event taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre 3-5 April, according to its publisher.
The young adult graphic novel series highlights the inner strength of women through a celebration of martial arts, says ‘Blades of Hope’ publisher Jabal Entertainment, and co-creator, Ms. Paige Hartman.
The timing of the series launch could not be better, with the Gulf region’s female interest in martial arts surging, following a host of recently-concluded, regionally-hosted martial arts events, as well as Dubai’s Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum continuing on her competitive Tae Kwon Do medal winning pursuits.
“Blades of Hope shines the light on the inner strength laced by mercy found, but too often overlooked, in women. The series manifests and expresses this strength and mercy through the beauty and power of martial arts, a discipline that is taking on newfound levels of female interest in the region,” says Hartman, herself a US-certified school counselor and accomplished Tae Kwon Do enthusiast who will be conducting board and brick breaking displays for fans at the event’s Jabal Entertainment exhibition stand.
The Blades of Hope story takes place in a future where a world-changing event has brought chaos and social upheaval. An international martial arts festival is held to identify and select those who might serve as peacekeepers, when six female martial artists from different corners of the globe find themselves becoming a team that inspires all through heroic action and noble character.
“’Blades of Hope’ challenges readers because it asks the question: ‘Is there a hero in us all? The series reflects Jabal Entertainment’s belief that genre storytelling has evolved to reflect today’s impressions of women and the critical role they play in positively shaping the societies in which we live,” says US-based Sohaib Awan, founder of Jabal Entertainment and publisher of ‘Blades of Hope’ (Awan is also the creator of the internationally-acclaimed ‘Jinnrise’ from IDW Publishing).
A first for a comic book series, the stylish clothes worn by the protagonists will be produced and available for purchase. The articles of clothing will be functional, intended for every-day wear, and are not costumes or cosplay.
Blades of Hope will also highlight the cultural nuances of the nations visited. Based on extensive academic research, the series will offer accurate insights into the traditions of the characters’ homelands.
Jabal Entertainment last year unveiled two, now critically-acclaimed series – Jinnrise and Drawn – at the annual Middle East Film and Comic Con event in Dubai.
– ENDS –
Blades of Hope creator, Ms. Paige Hartman, can be followed on her blog: www.paigehartman.me
About Jabal Entertainment
Founded by Fictional Frontiers host Sohaib Awan, Jabal Entertainment plans to develop stories and characters on a cross-media platform. Through comic books, animation, film, and literature, the hope and scope of their effort is “creative bridge-building through storytelling”.
About Sohaib Awan
Sohaib I. Awan is the Host of Fictional Frontiers with Sohaib. Recognizing the dearth of serious pop culture discourse, Sohaib launched Fictional Frontiers in June of 2008. In addition to hosting duties, Sohaib serves as Executive Producer, Talent Supervisor and Liaison, Public Relations Director, and CEO of Fictional Frontiers.
Sohaib is also the founder and CEO of international transmedia company, Jabal Entertainment, LLC. He is the creator of IDW Publishing’s Jinnrise. The internationally-recognized series is Jabal’s first comic book series.
Prior to Fictional Frontiers, Sohaib was the founder and managing partner of The Law Offices of Sohaib Awan. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Richmond, his Juris Doctorate from Rutgers School of Law-Camden, and Management Certification from the Wharton School of Business (University of Pennsylvania).
In addition to his efforts on Fictional Frontiers, Sohaib is an active member in good standing of the District of Columbia Bar. He is a duly qualified and admitted attorney, with mediation and conflict resolution certification from the Community Mediation Center of Harrisonburg, VA.
Each week, Sohaib records a weekly audio segment for Random House’s Suvudu (www.suvudu.com) entitled Fifteen Minutes of Fiction…with Fictional Frontiers.
Sohaib is also a member of the Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA).
About IDW Publishing
IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. Renowned for its diverse catalog of licensed and independent titles, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry, including: Hasbro’s The TRANSFORMERS and G.I. JOE, Paramount’s Star Trek; HBO’s True Blood; the BBC’s DOCTOR WHO; Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Toho’s Godzilla; Wizards of the Coasts Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons& Dragons; and the Eisner-Award winning Locke & Key series, created by best-selling author Joe Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints, and Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studio.
IDW’s critically- and fan-acclaimed series are continually moving into new mediums. Currently, Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Disney are creating a feature film based on World War Robot, while Michael Bay‘s Platinum Dunes and Sony are bringing Zombies vs. Robots to film.
Visit IDWPublishing.com to learn more about the company and its top-selling books. IDW can also be found at http://www.facebook.com/#!/idwpublishing and http://tumblr.idwpublishing.com/ and on Twitter at @idwpublishing.
Media Contact
Melissa Mullen/Mohammed Aloul
Wallis Marketing Consultants
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
+971.4.390.1950