US Readers Hooked on Indian Comics

[Guest guest]

US readers hooked on Indian comics

 

The Deccan Herald

Bangalore, June 3 (PTI)

 

[A bit off topic, but too fun not to post]

 

Batman, Superman and Spiderman may now have to

pack-up their hoods in the US as American fans of comics

appear to be hooked on to tales of characters inspired by

ancient Indian mythology.

 

The 'Ramayana Reborn' comic series, set against a

futuristic background, had sold over two lakh copies in

just four months since its launch in US. The 30-part

series, being published by Virgin Comics (the new

entertainment arm of British industrialist Sir Richard

Branson) is receiving a " very favourable response " , says

Samarjit Chaudhary, Vice President Marketing of Gotham

Comics, which has tied up with the former to publish its

titles.

 

The US readership numbers indicate Indian-inspired

content was picking up, be it Ramayana or titles 'Devi',

'Sadhu', 'Snake Woman', churned out by celebrities like

famous director Shekhar Kapoor and spiritual guru

Deepak Chopra. 'Devi' sales crossed the three lakh mark

while the 'Sadhu' and 'Snake Woman' had crossed the two

lakh mark in just four months, he said. " Indian-inspired

content has begun appealing to kids globally. Indians, I

think are one of the best story tellers in the world. We

know some of the best stories and we know how to tell

them well, " he added.

 

Repackaging of old tales and telling them in a " global

language " using a visual format was what turned the dice

in the favour of India, said Samarjit. It is the " freshness "

in the Indian tales that were appealing to the Western

readers, who hitherto had been brought up on a staple diet

of space heroes flying over the city, unleashing sticky

webs, careening walls, shooting down targets and

vanishing into the darkness of the night.

 

However, Virgin comics new titles like the 'Sadhu' takes

off in a different world, which are several light years

away from the Superman and Sideman's of the world.

Set in the background of the British Raj in India, the

protagonist, James arrives from the Western continent to

India to be part of the Queen's army that has been

entrusted the task of crushing a recent mutiny.

 

However, the tranquility of the Indian seas, the long

shadows thrown by its thick forest, the enigma of its

culture, endears him to India and he unconsciously finds

himself in a mission that he was destined to lead. The

Indian concepts of 'karma', 'destiny' and 'time' are the new

hinges on which these new stories move around.

 

Indian concepts like destiny being the controller versus

the Western notion that man creates his own destiny,

appears to have got these readers, who were looking for

deeper meanings in life, hooked on the Indian comic. " In

the entertainment industry, it is novelty or freshness that

drives the market, including comics, " he said.

 

The popular Indian concept of 'nagin' makes an

appearance as the 'Snakewoman' stalking the streets of

Los Angeles, to avenge the enemies. The images of the

'nagin' unleashing her venom may all be popular in India,

but in the West, it has a new appeal. On the other hand the

title 'Devi' has all the trappings of Goddess Durga or a

woman incarnated with supernatural powers, out to

avenge injustice. Dressed in a modern apparel, she wrecks

revenge in a contemporary set up.

 

" We find that characters like 'Sahdu', 'Devi',

Snakewoman', all have the potential to grow into comic

icons, down the line, if nurtured properly, " said Samarjit.

Right now India is witnessing a revival of home-grown

talent as several Indian creative minds have been roped in

to work on comic strips targeted at global readers.

" Writers, artists, visualisers with Indian background are

being roped in to co-produce these comic strips along

with international teams, " he said.

 

The comics loaded with Indian philosophy are being

lapped up both in India and abroad. " Today's kids are

more mature and looking for meaning and answers early

in life, " he added.

 

" Today's consumers of comics are extremely young,

mainly in the below 17 group. Hence, we need to talk in

their language, their idiom, their contemporary issue.

Why have images of bullock cart when we speak of

satellites, " he said.

Working on this cue, the Ramayana series has characters

carrying energised weapons as opposed to bows and

arrows. Virgin is also coming up with a series on master

blaster Sachin Tendulkar, he said.

 

from:

http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Jun32007/foreign200706035408.asp?

section=updatenews

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