But though the comic takes its cues from manga culture, "Gold Ring's" author hopes its wide-eyed characters will promote an entirely different culture, half a world away in the United Arab Emirates.  "I think it's a very dangerous signal that we're sending to children if we don't present our own forms of entertainment," says Qais Sedki, the former IT consultant who created "Gold Ring."  Using manga to promote Arabic traditions maybe something of a paradox, but for Sedki the artwork is essential to getting youngsters hooked on home-grown stories told in classical Arabic.  "Unless we produce things like this, it's almost like saying 'if you want anything cool, you have to look elsewhere,'" he told CNN.  "I don't want children growing up in that kind of culture. We have our own content; we have our own things that can be considered cool."  Though slow on the uptake, the Middle Eastern region is no stranger to creating its own comic books, most notably the Islam-inspired "The 99," developed by a Kuwaiti psychologist.  But while "The 99" uses the contemporary American superhero style of Marvel or DC Comics, Sedki employs traditional Arabic characters and storytelling, catapulting them into a manga format he says makes them more accessible.  "I've always had a fascination with Japanese culture, not just the pop culture part, but the way they are -- the work ethic, their arts, their theology, their history.  "Manga and animation are also in the mix. In the UAE, my generation grew up with the stuff, so we're very accustomed not just to the aesthetic, but to the quirks in manga that are very Japanese."  To authentically capture the Japanese style, Sedki approached two of Japan's best-known manga artists; a female duo known by their collective pen name Akira Himekawa who have worked on classics such as "Astro Boy" and "The Legend of Zelda."  "They are such an important part of this project," says Sedki. "In Japan, the artists are also the writers, and they have their own following."
A gunshot echoes across the stadium as a robot bird, carrying a gold ring in its talons, swoops through the air, hotly pursued by a cast of falcons.From his hiding place, 15-year-old Sultan watches,