Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Indian Comic Books
The Indian comic book market is finally opening up. Compared to other big Asian nations, India has always been under-represented in the field of comic books.
ACK comics has dominated the scene with its excellent retelling of Indian mythology - the Mahabharata and Ramayana especially - here's a useful link to that:
http://www.exoticindiaart.com/book/Comics/
However, Virgin comics are about to launch inside India with some more contemporary offerings. Here's their website with some people who are definitely going to be friends of Jalila:
http://www.virgincomics.com/
In particular, there's the extraordinary Snakewoman, created by HK film maestro John Woo. You can find out more here:
http://www.animationmagazine.net/article.php?article_id=5425
The idea of linking comic books to movie creators is so obvious in a way, bearing in mind the symbiotic relationship between the two, that it's a wonder the arrangement has not been made more explicit and promoted as such before - 'Director's Cut' is a perfect name for the line. Well done all at Virgin! I hate you!
Once again, Wikipedia has come up trumps and you can find out more here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Comics
On a more serious note, India has honoured its first female astronaut with her own comic book. Find out more here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4215974.stm
I've tried to get hold of this but haven't been able to - if someone can help, that would be great.
DC and Marvel have both tested the Indian market. There have been Indian Spidermen and Supermen for example - but neither really made the grade:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man:_India
It's possible that any chance they had was permanently destroyed by just about the worst movie of all time:
http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/s/superman-indian.html
If only I could get hold of a copy for my collection! It would be up there with my 1929 Indian version of Tarzan (it's true!)
But wait - Indian superhero movies are just about to get a whole lot better with Krrish! starring matinee hearthrob Hrithik Roshan. Find out more here:
http://www.dancewithshadows.com/movies/krrish-hritik-roshan-movie-preview.asp
ACK comics has dominated the scene with its excellent retelling of Indian mythology - the Mahabharata and Ramayana especially - here's a useful link to that:
http://www.exoticindiaart.com/book/Comics/
However, Virgin comics are about to launch inside India with some more contemporary offerings. Here's their website with some people who are definitely going to be friends of Jalila:
http://www.virgincomics.com/
In particular, there's the extraordinary Snakewoman, created by HK film maestro John Woo. You can find out more here:
http://www.animationmagazine.net/article.php?article_id=5425
The idea of linking comic books to movie creators is so obvious in a way, bearing in mind the symbiotic relationship between the two, that it's a wonder the arrangement has not been made more explicit and promoted as such before - 'Director's Cut' is a perfect name for the line. Well done all at Virgin! I hate you!
Once again, Wikipedia has come up trumps and you can find out more here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Comics
On a more serious note, India has honoured its first female astronaut with her own comic book. Find out more here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4215974.stm
I've tried to get hold of this but haven't been able to - if someone can help, that would be great.
DC and Marvel have both tested the Indian market. There have been Indian Spidermen and Supermen for example - but neither really made the grade:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man:_India
It's possible that any chance they had was permanently destroyed by just about the worst movie of all time:
http://www.stomptokyo.com/movies/s/superman-indian.html
If only I could get hold of a copy for my collection! It would be up there with my 1929 Indian version of Tarzan (it's true!)
But wait - Indian superhero movies are just about to get a whole lot better with Krrish! starring matinee hearthrob Hrithik Roshan. Find out more here:
http://www.dancewithshadows.com/movies/krrish-hritik-roshan-movie-preview.asp
