The algebra of infinite crises

Why has DC Comics restarted its storylines? A comics nerd explains why ‘The Man of Steel’ is getting a suit of armour

For the last three months, Internet users everywhere had their newsfeeds bombarded with articles which read like The Onion mated awkwardly with MAD magazine, producing a baby obsessed with superhero fashion.

Normals among these readers wondered incredulously about the sudden flood of worldwide interest in whether Wonder Woman needs pants or Superman rocks his briefs.

But nerds knew what was coming. Boy, did we know. You see, it’s happened three times in the last 25 years. Only this time, they’re serious. DC Comics has destroyed the universe. Again.

Full report here Mint

India gets comic relief

We explore how worldwide comic favourites have been given a desi flavour 

When film-crazy Raj Patel showed up in Riverdale four years ago, little did Archie Comics fans realize that their favourite freckled redhead and his pals would soon make a trip to India. In issues No. 9 and 10 of World of Archie, the gang travels to Mumbai with Raj, where they have a brush with Bollywood, get a taste of samosas and vindaloo and wear kurtas, saris and lehengas. Archie and Co. aren't the only iconic comic book characters to get an Indian flavour. Last year, the entire Tintin series was translated into Hindi; and in 2004, Spider-Man came to India in the form of Pavitr Prabhakar. But how well does giving comic characters a desi twist work?

Maha market
Suresh Seetharaman, CEO of an animation company, says this is a smart way for Archie Comics to tap into a country like India, where they have a huge presence. "I assume that India is a key market for them. It looks like Archie is aggressively getting their product out and making inroads into different markets where they have a brand presence. Moreover, one of the most influential communities in the US is the Indian diaspora. So if you've introduced an Indian character to the series, it makes sense to have the characters travel India," he says.

Full report here Times of India 

A treat for comic fans

Now here’s a comic by comic fans and for comic fans, with content, presentation and graphics comparable to any international publication. JUMP is India’s first full-fledged monthly comic magazine targeted at the 18-30 male audience.

Each issue carries multiple titles, including content from some of the hottest comic writers and artists today. The artwork and storytelling is a mixture of American, Japanese and Indian styles, with a lot of tributes to comic stalwarts.

A recent issue features a tribute cover of the first issue of Superman published in 1938. Comic enthusiasts will be sure to notice the allusions to various international comics and movies like The Walking Dead, Army of Darkness, Zombieland etc. The season finale of JUMP, to be released on November 10, will also feature tributes to iconic characters from the Indian comic pantheon. Upcoming issues will also pay tribute to Indian horror movies of the 80s.

“We don’t just pay tribute to comic characters, but also to icons from real life,” says Suhas Sundar, a founding partner at Level 10 Comics. The fourth issue features a tribute to Rajnikanth, while their mascot Zula the Incorrigible bears an uncanny resemblance to Che Guevara.

Full report here Asian Age

Now, Archie comics in Indian avatar

The iconic red-haired Archie, a comic book heartthrob with a perpetually hassled look and two girlfriends, will soon be dancing to Bollywood numbers in the book’s Indian avatar published in Hindi and Malayalam. Seventy years after its birth in the US, 12 titles of the popular Archie comics will be published in 2011 by Variety Book Depot and distributed by EuroBooks, a leading publisher of children’s books in India, a release by the publisher said late Monday.

Commenting on the launch of the book in Hindi and Malayalam, Jon Goldwater, co-CEO of Archie Comics, said: “Archie Comics have entertained fans for several generations. We wanted to give our fans in India something they could relate to. The move is to bring in some Indian flavour to the comic. It will be the same Archie, the same Veronica and Betty but with a ‘desi’ twist.”

“Fans can now expect Archie and Veronica to dance to the popular Bollywood number ‘Aakhon ki gustakhiyaa’ or see the gang sing some popular songs like the college classic ‘Purani jeans’ and oldie ‘Kankariya maar ke jagaya’ as smart chicks walk past the brood,” he added.

The company plans to launch 36 titles by 2012.

Full report here Hindustan Times

Kapoor and Chopra to be animated?

Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra could be animated in a cartoon version of their rom-com Anjaana Anjaani.

The cartoon could follow plans for a series of comic books based on the two characters who meet when they are both on the verge of suicide, New Kerala has reported.

Producer Sajid Nadiadwala told the site: "A lot of us involved with this film felt the Priyanka and Ranbir characters will translate well into comic books.

"We are in negotiation. But I can't really talk about the project until all the deals are done."

Full report here Digital Spy

All things bright and beautiful

I follow Darwin's evolution theory up the stairs, and turn beside the bust of an Egyptian goddess (arguing with myself that it resembles Nefertiti) and psychedelic graffiti befitting a mafia catcall to reach illustrator Gaman Palem's cubicle in Loyola College, hidden among a crowd of painted canvasses and clustered comics.

A comic artist for the last eight years, Gaman has illustrated more than 100 Indian children's comics, working mainly on mythological subjects. “All of us grow up with mythology, and there's no pulling you away from it,” he says, adding, “And, I've always worked with children's books, and I enjoy it. The comics are always colourful and bright.”

Gaman's first series of eight picture books, The Golden Mythology Series, won the National Award for Excellence in Printing Children's Books, and the illustrator is now busy with his designs for the Government's Samacheer Kalvi English textbooks for Classes I to IX.

Full report here Hindu

Arya Babbar turns comic book writer

Bollywood actor Arya Babbar has embarked on a new career as he released his first comic book in Delhi on Wednesday, Sep 22. Arya launched his first graphic comic book titled Pushpak Viman, which, according to him, is a contemporary take on Hindu mythology.

"I like to write a lot. It is one of my stress busters. Moreover, I am a huge fan of mythological stories. I have been working on this book for the past three-and-a-half or four years. Pushpak Viman has been a major link between two biggest mythological epics Ramayana and Mahabharata," Arya told reporters during the comic book's launch at the Oxford Book Store here.

"I did a lot of research to get my facts right while I was writing the book. While most people know that after abducting Sita, Ravana had taken her to Lanka on the Pushpak Viman in Ramayana, not many know that in Mahabharata, Yudhisthira went to heaven on the same vehicle."

Full report here Hindustan Times

Obama, Palin on Archie comics cover

Ever imagined US President Barack Obama and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin sharing a milkshake? Well, they do in an upcoming edition of Archie comics.

Obama and Palin (Republican vice presidential candidate in the 2008 US elections), are reportedly dragged into a campaign battle between Archie Andrews and Reggie Mantle, who are both running for class president of Riverdale High in the December issue, the New York Post reported on Wednesday, Sep 22.

"Things aren't going so well for Archie," said the comic's editor-in-chief, Victor Gorelick.

Full report here Hindustan Times

Strip search

Now that comics are called graphic novels, grown-ups can openly go to the better bookshops and buy them

My childhood had little room for comic books, and my weak grasp of Phantom and Tarzan has been exposed more than once. But a new series of comic books emerged in the 1970s, respectable enough for the most strait-laced households. They were the Amar Chitra Kathas, stories from Indian history and mythology. We first saw them when they were sold to raise funds for the Hindu Temple of North America in New York. The price was $10, steep, but in an unquestionably good cause.

Our first one was Savitri. The cover showed the beauteous Savitri seated under a tree with Satyavan's head in her lap, watching Yama approach. We read that book over and over, and if I saw it today I would read it again. We bought only a dozen titles, but through diligent borrowing we read well over 100. Living as we did so far from our grandmother, without the Amar Chitra Kathas, we simply would not have inherited the stories that were due to us.

I still find comics irresistible. Every morning I check what Beetle Bailey is doing before I read the headlines, for laughs and also for a four-panel window into life. When I want to know what's really going on in the United States, Gary Trudeau's Doonesbury gives me the big picture more reliably than any editorial. When I want to understand children, Calvin and Hobbes enlightens me. Everything I need to know about business is in Dilbert.

Full report here Hindu

Return of the comics

Pages After a decade-long hiatus, the Indian comic industry is showing signs of revival, writes Ashwaq Masoodi

Be it the wit of the red turbaned Chacha Chaudhary or the bravery of super commando Dhruv, the Indian comic characters seem to have successfully revived their popularity, after a hiatus of nearly a decade.

The Indian comic industry saw a decline in sale and readership from around the mid 1990 to early 2004 but now the major publishers of comic books in the country are hoping better days.

"From 1997 to around 2003, because of the introduction of newer forms of media, our sale was affected...even our advertisers shifted. I wouldn’t say the industry is seeing a massive boom now...but it is growing steadily," Chairman Diamond Comics, Gulshan Rai said.

Indian comic characters like Billoo, Pinki, Doga, Maha bali, Bankelal, Chacha Chaudhary, Supandi, Dhruv, Nagaraj and many more have been entertaining the Indian audience for long now but after the entry of newer media like cartoon channels, internet, their demand fell.

"Sales went down from 5 lakh an issue to almost 50,000-60,000 and we are now again witnessing an upward trend," Raj Comics owner, Manoj Gupta said.

Full report here Tribune

Children create sketches for Gandhi comic book

Think Gandhiji’s values and teachings no longer apply in today’s day and age? Think again. A recently released comic book compilation showcases Gandhian values in contemporary times. What’s more is that the sketches in the book have been created by children and show their perception of Mahatma Gandhi in India 2010. The book has been released in English and Hindi versions.

New works
Titled Understanding Gandhi (English) and Gandhi Se Mulakat (Hindi), these books have been compilated from a ten-day comics campaign organised for children by World Comics India in collaboration with Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti. The participants were mainly from two orphanages — Arya Bal Graha and Chandra Arya Balika Graha (for boys and girls). However, some sketches from children across India have also been incorporated into the books.

The workshops were held in two phases. While the children produced comics on the life of Gandhi in the first session, the second part of the workshop produced sketches on Gandhian values in the contemporary world. Some important events that marked Bapuji’s life like the Dandi March, Non Cooperation Movement and his policy of Satyagraha find a place in the books.

Full report here Hindustan Times

Comics on the go

Indian comic book publishers are launching comics on mobile platforms. But will children tune in to the new media to read about the exploits of their favourite heroes, asks Hemchhaya De

Media may change, but old reading habits die hard. Armed with this belief, Indian comics are re-inventing themselves in the brave new world of mobile phones, iPads and other such platforms to draw readers, old and new, local and global.

Hence you can reconnect with your childhood favourites Chacha Chaudhry, Shikari Sambhu and other such ageless characters not only in the thumb-worn pages of comic books but also while edging your thumb back and forth on the touchscreen of your iPhone!

Take Amar Chitra Katha. It has just launched a series on Mother Teresa both in print and on mobile platforms. Founded in 1967, Amar Chitra Katha, which has sold 90 million copies till date, is keen on reaching a wider audience through the new media. ACK Media — an entertainment and education company for young audiences which now runs the series — is collaborating with service providers to offer readers access to their popular comics on mobile phones. For instance, Vodafone enables its subscribers to read Amar Chitra Katha comics, listen to popular stories, and download ring tones and wallpapers of their favourite characters on their cellphones.

Full report here Telegraph

After a hiatus, Indian comic book industry growing steadily

Be it the wit of the red turbaned Chacha Chaudhary or the bravery of super commando Dhruv, the Indian comic book characters seem to have successfully revived their popularity, after a hiatus of nearly a decade.

The Indian comic industry saw a decline in sale and readership from around the mid 90's to early 2004 but now the major publishers of comic books in the country are hoping better days.

"From 1997 to around 2003, because of the introduction of newer forms of media, our sale was affected...even our advertisers shifted. I wouldn't say the industry is seeing a massive boom now...but it is growing steadily," chairman Diamond Comics, Gulshan Rai said.

Indian comic characters like Billoo, Pinki, Doga, Maha bali, Bankelal, Chacha Chaudharay, Supandi, Dhruv, Nagaraj and many more have been entertaining the Indian audience for long now but after the entry of newer media like cartoon channels, internet, their demand fell.

Full report here DNA

Delhi HC refuses to entertain Archie's plea over copyright

The Delhi High Court has refused to entertain New York-based Archie Comic's petition over copyright violations in the country, citing lack of jurisdiction as the company does not have an office in India.

A bench headed by Justices Vikramajit Sen and Mukta Gupta, while rejecting the plea of the international company, said that the court has no jurisdiction to entertain the plea of the firm.

"On merits in the present case, as discussed above, even taking the pleadings and documents annexed thereto by way of amendment, this Court has no territorial jurisdiction to entertain the plaint," the court said.

The order of the court came over a petition of Archie Comic Publications challenging the use of mark 'ARCHIES' by Mumbai based Purple Creations.

The US firm submitted that this court has jurisdiction to try and entertain its plea as it is carrying on business in Delhi since 1979 and its comics are imported by Variety Book Depot in the city.

Full report here Deccan Herald

Comic realism

Classical Indian comics basically train young minds to suck up to the stereotypes of the status quo

Bahadur: I think we'll rest here and have our supper.
Sukhia: Not our last supper I presume!Operation Cancer, 1985.

The Bahadur series featuring the tall and lanky Indian kick-ass hero, clad in blue jeans and a saffron kurta, took off in the late 1970s under the auspices of Indrajal Comics, devoted to a medley of superheroes. Bahadur (The Brave) was the baby of Aabid Surty, a maverick Hindi writer and painter. Surty conceived Bahadur in 1976, published by Bennet and Coleman, the Times of India group.

Its popularity soon surpassed that of the western superhero gallery of Phantom, Mandrake and Tarzan. Surty's signature disappeared from the credit pages after a couple of years, to be replaced by Jagjit Uppal's name. Indeed, Surty has publicly claimed that he was cheated and pushed out, and in the absence of a written agreement, he could not sue the company.

A tribute to Mother Teresa

Amar Chitra Katha, a collection of timeless illustrated stories for the under-15 age group, recently launched an illustrated book on Mother Teresa to celebrate her 100th birth anniversary on August 26.
Known for stories based on epics and mythology, fables, folktales and about visionaries, Amar Chitra Katha has come up with a new title after four years.

“ACK Media is re-starting the launch of new titles in the Amar Chitra Katha series from August onwards. We will be launching a new title every two months now, with ‘Mother Teresa’ being the first one in the series”, said Savita Pai, VP- Product Management, ACK Media. “Mother Teresa was chosen as our come-back title because of the universality of the figure. And August 26 being her sentinel year was a perfect date to launch the book and take it to every kid and household for them to learn about a noble figure like Mother and learn from her great deeds.” The new Amar Chitra Katha on Mother Teresa is a 40 page story about the Mother life and has been created in association with the Missionaries of Charity.

Full report here New Indian Express

Archie Comics' gay character debuts

Considered every teen's bible, Archie Comics has a new twist in its cast. And no it's not another bombshell to give Veronica competition, neither is it a cool dude to make Archie nervous. The new character is Kevin Keller - a gay teen!

Embracing the changing attitudes towards homosexuality, the comic has taken a bold and positive step by introducing a gay character Kevin Keller, who will become a permanent member of Archie's gang.

Talking about the inspiration for the idea, Jon Goldwater, the co-chief executive of Archie Comic Publications revealed to Daily Beast, "We're batting story ideas around and Dan (artist) says, 'What if Veronica, who's able to get everything she wants, isn't able to get something? What if a new good-looking boy comes into town and Veronica wants to date him and he turns her down?'" Goldwater recalls in an interview. "And I say, 'Why would he do that?' And Dan says, 'Because he's gay.' And I say, 'Now that's funny. That's a good premise.' "

Full report here Hindustan Times 

New book on Mother Teresa's life

On the occasion of Mother Teresa’s birth centenary, comic book label Amar Chitra Katha has launched a special title, tracking the life and times of the nun of Albanian descent who later became an Indian citizen. This is the first title by the comic book label in four years.

Amar Chitra Katha (ACK) has come up with a special comic book on the life and works of the Mother titled 'Little Acts of Love'. The publishers believe that the best way to communicate with children is through the language of pictures. Since a picture speaks a thousand words, it’s the best way to convey Mother Teresa’s message to the youngsters. “We have come up with 25000 prints… that's the most for one book that we have come up with”, Sameer Patil, CEO, ACK.

This 32-page-book tells the story of Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu from her birth in Macedonia to her early years as a teacher and then moving on to her working career. Mother, from a very young age, was inclined towards helping people in distress. She volunteered to join the missionary in India and eventually landed in Calcutta, teaching at Loreto Convent. But what she wanted was to work for the people who needed God's help the most - the destitute and the helpless. It was a call from God, which she heard and answered.

Full report here IBN Live

Batman Comics Writer Renovates India's Ancient Epic

A Scottish comic books writer is telling one of the world's oldest stories as a new-age, sci-fi mythical narrative. The animated television series and video game, the creators say, will be like a "Psychedelic Lord of the Rings with Star Wars technology."

Unlike the Greek tragedies, the West is less acquainted with India's ancient epics. But this may soon change for at least one tale called "Mahabharata" -- a poem of nearly two million words about gods and kings, power-hungry relatives, and a climactic 18 day war.

Grant Morrison, author of comics like Fantastic Four, Batman and Superman, along with Indian artist Mukesh Singh, are putting a high-voltage spin on the Sanskrit saga dated somewhere between 5000 B.C. and 300 B.C.

Full report here Huffington Post

Family and friends

Cartoonist P. C. Balasubramaniam releases his collection of cartoons, Pheroze L. Vincent reports

Amidst his excited relatives and students, 24-year-old cartoonist-film maker-poet-actor Balasubramaniam released his collection of cartoons on August 20. The book, Cartoonism, was released by Chitrakala Academy president V. Jeevananthan, in the presence of RJ Selvaraj of Suryan FM and Rotarian V. S. V. Senthil at Hotel Sree Annapoorna, R.S.Puram.

Formerly a teacher of film studies and photography and PSG CAS' Visual Communication department, Balasubramaniam decided to compile his doodles after reading one of cartoonist Sudhir Dar's books a couple of years back. Captioned in Tamil, the book has cartoons on films, politics and life.

Bala, as his friends call him, admits he's a funny guy and his sense of humour has “positive and negative effects” on him. “I get my sense of humour from my mother. There's always some comedy happening at home,” he adds. His mother M. Seetha presented Jeevananthan the first copy of the book.

Full report here Hindu