Indian comics
Encyclopedia
Indian comics are comic book
s and graphic novel
s associated with the culture
of India
. India has a long tradition of comic readership, characters from centuries-old myths and folktales have adorned the covers of children's comic books in India for decades. Indian comics
often have large publication; however, the industry still remains immature compared to that of Japan
, which is the world's largest producer of serious graphic novels
and animation
. Due to widespread use of English language
, Indian comics and graphic novels tend to be more stylistically similar to western comics, than the manga
, manhwa
and manhua
of India's Asian neighbours.
India hosted its first ever Comics Convention along the lines of the legendary San Diego Comic-Con International in 2011 February . Anant Pai, affectionately known as "Uncle Pai," is credited with helping to launch India's comic book industry in the 1960s with his "Amar Chitra Katha" series chronicling the ancient Hindu epics Mahabarata and Ramayana.
in India is more recent than the European, American and Japanese industries, but is nevertheless almost 60 years old. Despite the publication of about 100 million copies a year, comics in India are still largely dominated by American characters, and local production remains marginal. One of earliest attempts is by comic magazine Chandamama
. Chandamama has published in more than 5 languages since 1947. It developed from the adaptations of the Ramayana
and the Mahabharata
in the 1960s, to educational comics for children, caricature
s in print media, and adaptations of American
superhero
es.
One of the early Indian comic authors was Aabid Surti, who published the first 3 panel strips Dhabbuji based on the protagonist who is a lawyer by profession and is witty, in the magazine Dharmayug. In the 1970s he also created a character Bahadur
for Indrajal Comics
which proved to be quite popular and could compete with other characters like Phantom
and Mandrake
which was also published in the magazine. Around the same time Pran Kumar Sharma
published the comic Daabu. However, these first experiments remained the only ones in India in the 1960s, since Indian magazines almost exclusively published American strips on their pages. Pran created, however, numerous strips, like Shrimatiji, Pinki, Billoo
and the popular Chacha Chaudhary
in the 1970s. These comics continued to be inspired mainly by newspaper strips, and popular early superhero based western comics. Unlike in Japan, where comics were quickly recognised as a potentially mature medium, comic readership remained confined to children, and content remained largely conservative and un-intellectual.
Among local languages, cartoon strips and comic books thrived, especially in West Bengal
. Pratulchandra Lahiri created two strips on a regular basis, for the Jugantar
newspaper in Bengali
and for the Amrit Bazar Patrika in English
. Narayan Debnath
created local strips that were published as books from Kolkata
. Among his creations, Nonte Phonte
and Handa Bhonda
are still in circulation, and have spawned animated films. Another one of his creations, Batul The Great
is one of India's earliest superheroes as it was conceived during the sixties. Mayukh Choudhury was another comics author who did stories in the action/adventure and historical genres, published in Bengali. Most of both their work was published by Deb Sahitya Kutir, Koldgffaskata, from 60s-80s. Tushar Kanti Chatterjee is another pioneer comics author from Bengal, whose detective comics were serialized in the Bengali magazine Shuktara.
and series like The Adventures of Tintin
. In 1967, the editor Anant Pai of the India Book House
, launched the series Amar Chitra Katha
, the objective of which was to transmit to children the great stories of historical figures
and of those in religious texts of Hinduism
, Buddhism
, Sikhism
, Jainism
and Christianity
. The life of Krishna
was the first in the series, joined rapidly by the Ramayana
and the Mahabharata
. The collection now has 426 volumes. This success inspired other publishing houses who launched their own series on their own themes: Dreamland Publications and Diamond Comics at New Delhi
, and Jaico Publishing House
at Mumbai
. Some publishing houses specialized in making comics for the Indian diaspora, like the Chakra collection, the Cultural Institute for the Vedic Arts of New York
. This last collection, which sells mainly in South Africa
, Kenya
and North America
, competes with its contemporaties by adoting a very dynamic style, similar to manga
.
Anant Pai and India Book House
launched in the beginning of the 1980s, the first Indian comic magazine for children, called Tinkle
, which was a big success. Tinkle
diversified on the educational themes developed by Amar Chitra Katha
, including science, contemporary culture, etc. The magazine introduced numerous recurring heroes like amusing Suppandi, Mooshik the adorable mouse, Kalia the crow and the malicious minister Tantri. Tinkle has a Marathi
or Maharashtrian
influence in many of the names of characters and storylines. In the 1980s, Target
, a children and youth magazine published two page comics. Detective Moochwala
by Ajit Ninan
and Gardhab Das
, the singing donkey, by Neelabh & Jayanto, were its most popular characters. Target
magazine was an innovator as its artwork was original and of a high quality for its time. Manjula Padmanabhan
, one of the few Indian female comic authors, did illustrations for Target. She also created a female comic character called Suki which was serialized in Sunday Observer in the 1980s. Another notable Indian comic publishing house is Raj Comics
, home of characters such as Nagraj, (a superhero who has subsequently made the transition to television), Doga
, Super Commando Dhruva
, Parmanu
and various others.
In Tamil Nadu, Alagar comics is the most famous one. Its available in both English and Tamil.
In Kerala state, Comic digest books (such as Balarama, Poompatta, Bobanum Moliyum, Balabhumi, Balamangalam
) are very popular among the urban and the rural people, but the reading remain confined to children. The content includes short stories, translations of Classic novels, Malayalam novels, moral stories, crosswords, science experiments, rhymes, and games etc. and illustrated stories developed in-house or imported. These digests had produced popular characters such as Mayavi
, Dinkan, and Soothran
. It is important note that most of the people of Kerala considers Comic digest book only as a kid stuff.
s of Indian origin. Indian law and democracy permits the journalists and cartoonists to discuss current affairs with reasonable freedom. Among the most famous caricaturists are Joseph Arul Raj, Ashok Dongre and Neelabh Bisen. With the advent of India's potential and demand of quality comics, but lack of institutes for the speciality in comics art, Mr. Anupam Sinha has launched his own Anupama Academy Of Art for specialisation in departments of creation of comics. He is renowned for illustrating some of the best Indian comics. Currently his weekly strip superhero "Rudra" is being hailed as trend setting in hindi
newspapers like Dainik Jagran
. Ashok Dongre is well known for his Comic Strip SWAMI based on the Infotech Business in India. Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray
was also a caricaturist when he was young, and has worked for 'The Free Press Journal', where cartoonist R.K.Laxman has also worked. Bal Thackeray also ran a magazine called 'Marmik', which used cartoons and strips to propagate his political agenda.
In Kerala, cartoonist V.T.Thomas, popularly known as 'Toms', created satirical comics. A legend in his state, his most famous characters are the prankster kids 'Boban & Molly'. He started his career with the newspaper 'Malayala Manorama'. However, he was later engaged in a copyright issue with the paper, and the court case was heard in the Supreme court of India. He then started his own magazine for his comics, which continues to be published today. Rajneesh Kapoor is one of the few Indian contemporary cartoonists who does a regular newspaper strip in English, called 'This is Our Life'.
's Virgin group, and India's Gotham Comics, led to a new company, Virgin Comics, geared towards creating new lines of comics rooted in Indian mythology
and Indian history. The first series of comics were published in 2006, to mixed critical reviews. The main icon of Virgin Comics was the superhero Devi, but other series included a fantasy adaptation of the ancient Ramayana
epic, a series based on the life of a supernaturally adept Sadhu
, as well as many comics set outside India. All series so far have followed the western style of comic storytelling and art, focusing on the typical 22-page full colour format. This reflects how many of Virgin Comics creative team were inspired by the more mature western comics becoming available in India during the 90s, such Frank Miller
's gritty Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
. In 2009, the Virgin Group pulled out of Virgin Comics, and a new company Liquid Comics has taken over with the same core team of Gotham Chopra, Shard Devarajan, and Suresh Seetharaman. See:
are an International comics company with an Indian partner who have taken Indian mythology as the inspiration for their comic series. Their premier series DevaShard is an embellishment on the life of Karna and their future titles will be based around other integral characters from the Mahabharata. All stories are based in a fictional world based on a mythological idea of the Earth 7,000 years ago named Bhumi. The artwork in the comics has been produced by a truly international team featuring artists from both the Eastern & Western hemispheres.
DevaShard launched for the first time in India just before Diwali in October 2008. See:
is a comic book company that is operated by the Indian Singaporean diaspora. The company has creative studios in India, and is led by creative director Sudhir Sehgal. Having published comics in Singapore, the company plans to enter the Indian, Malaysian and European market. In contrast to Virgin Comics, the company is oriented toward the eastern market, and seems to contain some manga inspired artwork, as seen on the cover of Mythology
issue one, which features the classic manga style facial art. In press releases, the company claims it will create a unique Indian style of comic art. Four series have so far been developed. See:
.
Campfire publishes its graphic novels in four categories: Classics, Biography, Mythology, and Originals. Campfire currently has a collection of more than 25 titles, and is poised to increase its output over the coming months. Some of their most popular titles include Photo Booth: A Graphic Novel
, Kidnapped, Conquering Everest: The Story of Hillary and Norgay, and 400BC: The Story of the Ten Thousand. After re-creating the classics for a new generation of readers, their current goal is to produce high quality graphic novels using stories from Indian mythology. A list of their currently available titles is below:
• Kim
• Alice in Wonderland
• The Wright Brothers
• Legend: The Labours of Heracles
• Gulliver’s Travels
• Harry Houdini
• Journey to the Centre of the Earth
• Kidnapped
• A Christmas Carol
• King Solomon’s Mines
• The Lost Continent
• Master of the World
• Moby Dick
• Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc
• Robinson Crusoe
• Romeo and Juliet
• Stolen Hearts: The Love of Eros and Psyche
• Swiss Family Robinson
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
• The Call of the Wild
• The Hound of the Baskervilles
• The Invisible Man
• The Land that Time Forgot
• Frankenstein
• The Merchant of Venice
• The People that Time Forgot
• The Prince and the Pauper
• The Prisoner of Zenda
• The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
• The Time Machine
• The Wind in the Willows
• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
• Don Quixote Part 1
• Treasure Island
Already very popular with comic review websites, Campfire Graphic Novels have received good notices from the internet community for their engaging storytelling and high quality artwork, as well as being featured in print based review articles across the world. Campfire is also very active in promoting reading and the graphic novel format. They often conduct popular interactive workshop sessions on the topics of reading and illustration. Campfire Graphic Novels also have a major presence at International Book Fairs and Comic Conventions around the world.
was founded in 2009. Level 10 owns a flagship publication titled Comic Jump that is targeted at the 18-30 male audience. They experiment with a number of genres, namely The Rabhas Incident which is a zombie
thriller, Shaurya which is about five young people with superhuman
qualities, Cricket
fantasy series Batu-Gaiden, Daksh and Odayan which are noir
and dark hero themed titles. Other titles include Northern Song and Sando. They have also published creator-owned titles.
medium, which is mostly dedicated to short online comedy strips, has also been used by a small number of Indian artists or writers. Badmash is created by and aimed at the Indian diaspora
. This format is expected to expand due to ICT literacy, large numbers of white-collar worker
s, and internet penetration in India. "Curry Bear Comics" is another popular Indian webcomic that revolves around three South Asian college kids and their white friend. This comic is aimed more at Indian College students living in America. Another popular Indian webcomic "Fly, You Fools!
" is aimed at Indian residents, and deals with the daily irritations of life in India. The Indian blog "Daily Humor" also publishes webcomics and was featured on one of India's premiere blogs "India Uncut
". Webcomics afford an outlet for artists who do not wish to distribute via published media.'Savita Bhabhi
', a webcomic, is possibly the first pornographic comic in India. 'Arbit Choudhury
', another webcomic, is regarded as the World's 1st MBA Comic Character. "Sunny Kris", a webcomic focusing on Indian workplaces through its five characters is another new addition to the growing list of independent webcomics. "Spicy Desi" is yet another newcomer to this ever evolving genre. It's focus is to show South Asian lifestyle from a western perspective. "Kinnari" a fantasy web comic set in ancient India is aimed at a wider group of viewers. Self publishing of single panel gags and other cartoons by Indian cartoonists is gaining momentum. IndianWebComics lists and discuss works by Indian web comic artists and cartoonists.
In 2002 the comic industry published a minor cult comic based upon contemporary Indian culture. Slave Labor Graphics
of San Jose California published Bombaby the Screen Goddess
. The comic introduced a character by the name of Sangeeta, who doubled as a dutiful daughter by day, and as a reincarnated Hindu goddess by night. The comic did not meet wide distribution, although it received acclaim and was featured in Time Magazine.
Although large western comic houses such as Marvel had used Indian superheroes and characters in the past, (such as Timeslip
, Karima Shapandar
, Neal Shaara
, Indra
and Captain Nemo), this was probably the first comic series to use an Indian character as its main protagonist. Other comic artists started similar projects, such as Grant Morrison's Vimanarama
comic, and Marvel's Spider-Man: India
project, which was the first major release by a large comic company, introduced India-based artists talent to the mainstream, and which was published in India by Gotham Comics. The title was inspired by the success of American comics in India.
Japanese manga artists have also produced numerous series with Indian themes, including the use of yogic
terminology in Naruto
, the Kushan Empire
in Berserk
, and numerous references to common gods and demons which Japan and India share thanks to the commonality of Buddhist influence in the two countries. A great many manga series are inspired by Journey to the West
, the classic Chinese tale of Buddhist monks on pilgrimage to India. Some manga series which have Indian themes central to the plot are; the Buddha
manga, Earth Girl Arjuna
, Saiyuki and RG Veda
. See:
More recent developments within Indian publishing include the use of foreign editors and writers. Campfire, based in New Delhi, recently published three original graphic novel titles written by Lewis Helfand, Mark Jones, and Sidney Williams. 400BC: The Story of the Ten Thousand, Photo Booth: A Graphic Novel
, and Dusk Society were commissioned by, writer and editor, Mark Jones.
, by Sarnath Banerjee
, which was widely advertised as India's first graphic novel, followed by a second foray in 2007. However, a 60 page comic called River of Stories
by Delhi based artist Orijit Sen, published in 1994 by Kalpavriksh, about the Narmada Dam Projects controversy, is an important precedent and can be regarded as one of the early Indian graphic novels. Kashmir Pending
by Naseer Ahmed, and The Believers
by Abdul Sultan, both dealing with Islamic militancy, were released by Phantomville
, Sarnath Banerjee's company. Chennai-based Blaft Publications has entered the graphic novel arena with the publication of Moonward (2009), by George Mathen a.k.a. Appupen. See:
The Classic Popular-Amar Chitra Katha (1967-2007), by Nandini Chandra, Yoda Press, 2008. ISBN 81-903634-3-3. The book analyses the ideological sources, objectives and the influence of Amar Chitra Katha
comics in the cultural politics of India. It is possibly the first book length discussion of Indian comics.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s and graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
s associated with the culture
Culture of India
India's languages, religions, dance, music, architecture, food and customs differ from place to place within the country, but nevertheless possess a commonality....
of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. India has a long tradition of comic readership, characters from centuries-old myths and folktales have adorned the covers of children's comic books in India for decades. Indian comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
often have large publication; however, the industry still remains immature compared to that of Japan
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
, which is the world's largest producer of serious graphic novels
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
and animation
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
. Due to widespread use of English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Indian comics and graphic novels tend to be more stylistically similar to western comics, than the manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
, manhwa
Manhwa
Manhwa is the general Korean term for comics and print cartoons . Outside of Korea, the term usually refers specifically to South Korean comics. The term, along with manga, is a cognate of the Chinese manhua...
and manhua
Manhua
Manhua are Chinese comics originally produced in China. Possibly due to their greater degree of artistic freedom of expression and closer international ties with Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan have been the places of publication of most manhua thus far, often including Chinese translations of...
of India's Asian neighbours.
India hosted its first ever Comics Convention along the lines of the legendary San Diego Comic-Con International in 2011 February . Anant Pai, affectionately known as "Uncle Pai," is credited with helping to launch India's comic book industry in the 1960s with his "Amar Chitra Katha" series chronicling the ancient Hindu epics Mahabarata and Ramayana.
Early years
The distribution of comicsComics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
in India is more recent than the European, American and Japanese industries, but is nevertheless almost 60 years old. Despite the publication of about 100 million copies a year, comics in India are still largely dominated by American characters, and local production remains marginal. One of earliest attempts is by comic magazine Chandamama
Chandamama
Chandamama in Kannada and Telugu means moon. It may refer to:* Chandamama, an Indian monthly magazine focused on kids and youngsters* Chandamama , a Malayalam film starring Kunchacko Boban...
. Chandamama has published in more than 5 languages since 1947. It developed from the adaptations of the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
and the Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
in the 1960s, to educational comics for children, caricature
Caricature
A caricature is a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness. In literature, a caricature is a description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others.Caricatures can be...
s in print media, and adaptations of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es.
One of the early Indian comic authors was Aabid Surti, who published the first 3 panel strips Dhabbuji based on the protagonist who is a lawyer by profession and is witty, in the magazine Dharmayug. In the 1970s he also created a character Bahadur
Bahadur (Comic character)
Bahadur was a comic book hero published by Indrajal Comics and created by Aabid Surti in 1976. Although it had been initially created by Aabid Surti a few years earlier, it was finally offered to Indrajal Comics. Aabid Surti was at that time freelancing for Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.. After he...
for Indrajal Comics
Indrajal Comics
Indrajal Comics was a series launched by the publisher of The Times of India, Bennet, Coleman & Co in March 1964. The first 32 issues contained Lee Falk's The Phantom stories, but thereafter, the title alternated between various King Features characters, including Lee Falk's Mandrake, Alex...
which proved to be quite popular and could compete with other characters like Phantom
The Phantom
The Phantom is an American adventure comic strip created by Lee Falk, also creator of Mandrake the Magician. A popular feature adapted into many media, including television, film and video games, it stars a costumed crimefighter operating from the fictional African country Bengalla.The Phantom is...
and Mandrake
Mandrake the Magician
Mandrake the Magician is a syndicated newspaper comic strip, created by Lee Falk , which began June 11, 1934. Phil Davis soon took over as the strip's illustrator, while Falk continued to script. The strip was distributed by King Features Syndicate.Davis worked on the strip until his death in 1964,...
which was also published in the magazine. Around the same time Pran Kumar Sharma
Pran Kumar Sharma
Pran Kumar Sharma , better known as Pran, is one of the most successful Indian cartoonists, best known as the creator of Chacha Chaudhary .-Early life and education:...
published the comic Daabu. However, these first experiments remained the only ones in India in the 1960s, since Indian magazines almost exclusively published American strips on their pages. Pran created, however, numerous strips, like Shrimatiji, Pinki, Billoo
Billoo
Billoo is a popular Indian comic character created by Pran Kumar Sharma. It is published by Diamond Comics. The character was created in 1973....
and the popular Chacha Chaudhary
Chacha Chaudhary
Chacha Chaudhary is a popular Indian comic book character, created by cartoonist Pran. The comic comes in ten Indian languages including Hindi and English and has sold almost ten million copies. Chacha Chaudhary has also been made into a television series with Raghuvir Yadav playing...
in the 1970s. These comics continued to be inspired mainly by newspaper strips, and popular early superhero based western comics. Unlike in Japan, where comics were quickly recognised as a potentially mature medium, comic readership remained confined to children, and content remained largely conservative and un-intellectual.
Among local languages, cartoon strips and comic books thrived, especially in West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. Pratulchandra Lahiri created two strips on a regular basis, for the Jugantar
Jugantar
Jugantar or Yugantar was one of the two main secret revolutionary trends operating in Bengal for Indian independence.This association, like Anushilan Samiti started in the guise of suburban fitness club. Several Jugantar members were arrested, hanged, or deported for life to the Cellular Jail in...
newspaper in Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
and for the Amrit Bazar Patrika in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. Narayan Debnath
Narayan Debnath
Narayan Debnath is the creator of popular Bengali comics including Batul The Great, Handa Bhonda and Nonte Phonte. Having contributed to the early development of Bangla comics and its growth in a career spanning more than fifty years, he is still read in West Bengal, India and Bangladesh...
created local strips that were published as books from Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
. Among his creations, Nonte Phonte
Nonte Phonte
Nonte Phonte , also spelled as Nonte Fonte, is a Bangla comic-strip creation of Narayan Debnath which originally was serialized for the children's monthly magazine Kishore Bharati...
and Handa Bhonda
Handa Bhonda
Handa Bhonda , also referred to as Hada Bhoda is a Bangla comic-strip creation of Narayan Debnath which originally was serialized for the children's monthly magazine Shuktara. The comics have appeared in book form...
are still in circulation, and have spawned animated films. Another one of his creations, Batul The Great
Batul The Great
Batul, Bantul, or Batul the Great ,or Bantul the Great , is a popular Bengali comic strip character created by Narayan Debnath. It first appeared and still appears in a children's magazine called Shuktara and is widely read, not only by children but by adults as well...
is one of India's earliest superheroes as it was conceived during the sixties. Mayukh Choudhury was another comics author who did stories in the action/adventure and historical genres, published in Bengali. Most of both their work was published by Deb Sahitya Kutir, Koldgffaskata, from 60s-80s. Tushar Kanti Chatterjee is another pioneer comics author from Bengal, whose detective comics were serialized in the Bengali magazine Shuktara.
Middle years
Comics of this era were influenced by the popularity of Archie comicsArchie Comics
Archie Comics is an American comic book publisher headquartered in the Village of Mamaroneck, Town of Mamaroneck, New York, known for its many series featuring the fictional teenagers Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle and Jughead Jones. The characters were created by...
and series like The Adventures of Tintin
The Adventures of Tintin
The Adventures of Tintin is a series of classic comic books created by Belgian artist , who wrote under the pen name of Hergé...
. In 1967, the editor Anant Pai of the India Book House
India Book House
India Book House Pvt. Limited is an importer, distributor and publisher of books and magazines in India.Formed in 1952, India Book House published paperback editions of children's authors such as Enid Blyton and Frederick Forsyth, as well as magazines such as Tintin and Asterix, often in Indian...
, launched the series Amar Chitra Katha
Amar Chitra Katha
Amar Chitra Katha Stories") is one of India's largest selling comic book series, with more than 90 million copies sold in 20 Indian languages. Founded in 1967, the imprint has more than 400 titles that retell stories from the great Indian epics, mythology, history, folklore, and fables in a comic...
, the objective of which was to transmit to children the great stories of historical figures
History of India
The history of India begins with evidence of human activity of Homo sapiens as long as 75,000 years ago, or with earlier hominids including Homo erectus from about 500,000 years ago. The Indus Valley Civilization, which spread and flourished in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent from...
and of those in religious texts of Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
, Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, Sikhism
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
, Jainism
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
and Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. The life of Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
was the first in the series, joined rapidly by the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
and the Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
. The collection now has 426 volumes. This success inspired other publishing houses who launched their own series on their own themes: Dreamland Publications and Diamond Comics at New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, and Jaico Publishing House
Jaico Publishing House
Jaico Publishing House publishes books in a range of subjects, and is a major publisher in India. Jaico was founded in 1946 by Jaman Shah as a book distribution business for U.S. paperback publishers...
at Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. Some publishing houses specialized in making comics for the Indian diaspora, like the Chakra collection, the Cultural Institute for the Vedic Arts of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. This last collection, which sells mainly in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, competes with its contemporaties by adoting a very dynamic style, similar to manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
.
Anant Pai and India Book House
India Book House
India Book House Pvt. Limited is an importer, distributor and publisher of books and magazines in India.Formed in 1952, India Book House published paperback editions of children's authors such as Enid Blyton and Frederick Forsyth, as well as magazines such as Tintin and Asterix, often in Indian...
launched in the beginning of the 1980s, the first Indian comic magazine for children, called Tinkle
Tinkle
Tinkle is an Indian monthly magazine, published mainly in India. Originally owned by the India Book House, the Tinkle brand was acquired by ACK Media in 2007. The Magazine contains comics, stories, puzzles, quizzes, contests and other features targeted at school children, although its readership...
, which was a big success. Tinkle
Tinkle
Tinkle is an Indian monthly magazine, published mainly in India. Originally owned by the India Book House, the Tinkle brand was acquired by ACK Media in 2007. The Magazine contains comics, stories, puzzles, quizzes, contests and other features targeted at school children, although its readership...
diversified on the educational themes developed by Amar Chitra Katha
Amar Chitra Katha
Amar Chitra Katha Stories") is one of India's largest selling comic book series, with more than 90 million copies sold in 20 Indian languages. Founded in 1967, the imprint has more than 400 titles that retell stories from the great Indian epics, mythology, history, folklore, and fables in a comic...
, including science, contemporary culture, etc. The magazine introduced numerous recurring heroes like amusing Suppandi, Mooshik the adorable mouse, Kalia the crow and the malicious minister Tantri. Tinkle has a Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
or Maharashtrian
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
influence in many of the names of characters and storylines. In the 1980s, Target
Target (magazine)
Target was a popular Indian children's magazine that was published monthly in English from 1980 to 1995. It featured a mix of reader contributions, stories from regular writers, do-it-yourself articles and several popular comic strips.-History:...
, a children and youth magazine published two page comics. Detective Moochwala
Detective Moochwala
Detective Moochwala is an eponymous Indian magazine comic strip created by the well-known Indian cartoonist Ajit Ninan. The strip chronicles the adventures of Moochwala, a fictional detective, and his dog Pooch who solve several crimes armed with high tech equipment and a little...
by Ajit Ninan
Ajit Ninan
Ajit Ninan is a well-known Indian political cartoonist, best known for drawing the Centrestage series of cartoons in India Today magazine and Ninan's World in the Times of India....
and Gardhab Das
Gardhab Das
Gardhab Das created by cartoonists brothers Neelabh and Jayanto Banerjee was a comic section run in the Indian youth magazine Target. The main character Gardhab Das had a donkey face and was always depicted wearing a kurta and pajamas. His main trait was his singing or lack of it. He was a...
, the singing donkey, by Neelabh & Jayanto, were its most popular characters. Target
Target (magazine)
Target was a popular Indian children's magazine that was published monthly in English from 1980 to 1995. It featured a mix of reader contributions, stories from regular writers, do-it-yourself articles and several popular comic strips.-History:...
magazine was an innovator as its artwork was original and of a high quality for its time. Manjula Padmanabhan
Manjula Padmanabhan
Manjula Padmanabhan is a playwright, journalist, comic strip artist, and children's book author responsible for the play Harvest. She has also written such plays as Lights Out! ,Hidden Fires The Artist's Model and Sextet .Born in Delhi to a diplomat family in 1953, she went to boarding school in...
, one of the few Indian female comic authors, did illustrations for Target. She also created a female comic character called Suki which was serialized in Sunday Observer in the 1980s. Another notable Indian comic publishing house is Raj Comics
Raj Comics
Raj Comics is an Indian comic book line published by a division of Raja Pocket Books.Raj Comics' best-known characters include Nagraj, Super Commando Dhruva, Doga, Parmanu, Shakti, Bhokal and Super Indian.-History:...
, home of characters such as Nagraj, (a superhero who has subsequently made the transition to television), Doga
Doga (comics)
Doga is a hero character appearing in Raj Comics, published and distributed across India. Created by Tarun kumar Wahi, Sanjay Gupta & artist Manu in the year 1992, Doga is the first and the only antihero character in Raj Comics...
, Super Commando Dhruva
Super Commando Dhruva
Super Commando Dhruva is a fictional superhero in comic books published by Raj Comics. The character first appeared in "Pratishodh Ki Jwala" and was created by writer and artist Anupam Sinha...
, Parmanu
Parmanu
Parmanu is a fictional Indian superhero published by Raj Comics.-Fictional character background:Vinay was a highschool student when he saw some criminals kill his classmate during exams. He took an oath to revenge her death. He found the revolver that was used as the murder weapon. The killer was...
and various others.
In Tamil Nadu, Alagar comics is the most famous one. Its available in both English and Tamil.
In Kerala state, Comic digest books (such as Balarama, Poompatta, Bobanum Moliyum, Balabhumi, Balamangalam
Balamangalam
Balamangalam is a children's fortnightly magazine in Malayalam. It is published in Kannada also.The magazine, which features stories, cartoons, and comics, emphasizes moral values and aims at enhancing knowledge through humor and hobbies....
) are very popular among the urban and the rural people, but the reading remain confined to children. The content includes short stories, translations of Classic novels, Malayalam novels, moral stories, crosswords, science experiments, rhymes, and games etc. and illustrated stories developed in-house or imported. These digests had produced popular characters such as Mayavi
Mayavi
Mayavi is a Malayalam language comics strip appearing in the Indian children's weekly Balarama owned by Malayala Manorama group. The comics is written by Mohan and illustrated at first by Pradip Sathe. Artist Mohandas took over the job of drawing the series after Balarama became a biweekly...
, Dinkan, and Soothran
Soothran
Soothran is a fictional funny animal, the titular hero of the Malayalam language comic series Soothran appearing regularly in children’s weekly Balarama owned by the Indian media giant Malayala Manorama....
. It is important note that most of the people of Kerala considers Comic digest book only as a kid stuff.
The newspaper medium
In the 1990s, newspapers started publishing more caricatureCaricature
A caricature is a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness. In literature, a caricature is a description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others.Caricatures can be...
s of Indian origin. Indian law and democracy permits the journalists and cartoonists to discuss current affairs with reasonable freedom. Among the most famous caricaturists are Joseph Arul Raj, Ashok Dongre and Neelabh Bisen. With the advent of India's potential and demand of quality comics, but lack of institutes for the speciality in comics art, Mr. Anupam Sinha has launched his own Anupama Academy Of Art for specialisation in departments of creation of comics. He is renowned for illustrating some of the best Indian comics. Currently his weekly strip superhero "Rudra" is being hailed as trend setting in hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
newspapers like Dainik Jagran
Dainik Jagran
Dainik Jagran is a Hindi language daily broadsheet newspaper in India. According to the IRS Q1 2010, Dainik Jagran ranks No. 1 among the dailies with a Total Readership of 54,254,000.-Overview:...
. Ashok Dongre is well known for his Comic Strip SWAMI based on the Infotech Business in India. Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray
Bal Thackeray
Bal Keshav Thackeray , popularly known as Balasaheb Thackeray, is an Indian politician, founder and chief of the Shiv Sena, a right-wing Hindu nationalist, and Marathi ethnocentric party active mainly in the western Indian state of Maharashtra.Born in Pune, Thackeray began his professional career...
was also a caricaturist when he was young, and has worked for 'The Free Press Journal', where cartoonist R.K.Laxman has also worked. Bal Thackeray also ran a magazine called 'Marmik', which used cartoons and strips to propagate his political agenda.
In Kerala, cartoonist V.T.Thomas, popularly known as 'Toms', created satirical comics. A legend in his state, his most famous characters are the prankster kids 'Boban & Molly'. He started his career with the newspaper 'Malayala Manorama'. However, he was later engaged in a copyright issue with the paper, and the court case was heard in the Supreme court of India. He then started his own magazine for his comics, which continues to be published today. Rajneesh Kapoor is one of the few Indian contemporary cartoonists who does a regular newspaper strip in English, called 'This is Our Life'.
Virgin Comics' foray
In 2006, a partnership between Richard BransonRichard Branson
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies....
's Virgin group, and India's Gotham Comics, led to a new company, Virgin Comics, geared towards creating new lines of comics rooted in Indian mythology
Hindu mythology
Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...
and Indian history. The first series of comics were published in 2006, to mixed critical reviews. The main icon of Virgin Comics was the superhero Devi, but other series included a fantasy adaptation of the ancient Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
epic, a series based on the life of a supernaturally adept Sadhu
Sadhu
In Hinduism, sādhu denotes an ascetic, wandering monk. Although the vast majority of sādhus are yogīs, not all yogīs are sādhus. The sādhu is solely dedicated to achieving mokṣa , the fourth and final aśrama , through meditation and contemplation of brahman...
, as well as many comics set outside India. All series so far have followed the western style of comic storytelling and art, focusing on the typical 22-page full colour format. This reflects how many of Virgin Comics creative team were inspired by the more mature western comics becoming available in India during the 90s, such Frank Miller
Frank Miller (comics)
Frank Miller is an American comic book artist, writer and film director best known for his dark, film noir-style comic book stories and graphic novels Ronin, Daredevil: Born Again, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City and 300...
's gritty Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is a four-issue comic book limited series written and drawn by Frank Miller, originally published by DC Comics under the title Batman: The Dark Knight in 1986. When the issues were released in a collected edition later that year, the story title for the first issue...
. In 2009, the Virgin Group pulled out of Virgin Comics, and a new company Liquid Comics has taken over with the same core team of Gotham Chopra, Shard Devarajan, and Suresh Seetharaman. See:
- Devi
- The SadhuThe SadhuThe Sadhu is a comic book series based on the character of the same name. The Sadhu was created by Gotham Chopra and Jeevan Kang and the series is part of the Shakti line of comics published by Virgin Comics....
- Snake Woman
- Ramayan 3392 A.D.
- End of Story
- The Asura AnaloguesThe Asura AnaloguesThe Asura Analogues is a series of comics from Virgin Comics, that re-tell stories of the Asura demons prevalent in eastern Hindu and Buddhist mythology, as well as horror stories in general.-Virulents:...
- India AuthenticIndia AuthenticDeepak Chopra's India Authentic is a series of one-shot comic books from Virgin Comics which re-tell the iconic myths and legends of India for a global audience. The series has been created by Deepak Chopra , who also presents the foreword for each issue. The first five issues were collected as...
- The Master BlasterThe Master BlasterThe Master Blaster is a yet to be published comic book created by Virgin Comics. It will be illustrated by Jeevan Kang.-Synopsis:The Master Blaster is the sporting nickname of cricket star Sachin Tendulkar. The series will feature him as a protagonist, battling demons, using a sword that...
- Seven Brothers
- Guy Ritchie's GamekeeperGuy Ritchie's GamekeeperGuy Ritchie's Gamekeeper is a comic book series from Virgin Comics and film director Guy Ritchie. Warner Brothers has acquired the rights to the series for Silver Pictures to produce and Ritchie to direct.- Credits :...
- Walk-InWalk-In (comic)Walk-In is a comic book series, published starting in 2006, created by musician David A. Stewart, Jeff Parker, and Ashish Padlekar. The series is part of Virgin Comics' "Virgin Voices" line, the purpose of which is to let artists from other mediums create comics.-Plot summary:Ian Dormouse is a...
- Voodoo ChildVoodoo Child (comic)Voodoo Child is a comic book limited series published by Virgin Comics, and created by Nicolas Cage and his son Weston Coppola Cage.The series is written by Mike Carey with art by Dean Hyrapiet. The cover for the premiere issue was created by Ben Templesmith.-Synopsis:The story revolves around the...
- The StrandedThe Stranded (comic)The Stranded is an American comic series created by Virgin Comics, and published by Diamond Comics.The series is in collaboration with the Sci-Fi Channel...
- Dock WalloperDock WalloperDock Walloper is a current comic book series from film star Edward Burns and Virgin Comics.-Credits:Dock Walloper was created by Edward Burns and is written by Burns and Jimmy Palmiotti, with art and color by Siju Thomas.-Synopsis:...
- Masked Magician
- Shadow HunterShadow Hunter (comics)Shadow Hunter is a three issue comic book limited series by Virgin Comics and porn star, entertainer and author Jenna Jameson. It is part of Virgin Comics' Voices line, which allows celebrities to create their own comic books. The story was conceptualized by Jenna Jameson and Witchblade writer...
Fluid Friction's foray
Fluid Friction ComicsFluid Friction Comics
Fluid Friction Comics is a Hong Kong comic book based comic book company with subsidiary offices in the UK. Founded in 2006, their debut title DevaShard launches worldwide in July - August 2008.-History:...
are an International comics company with an Indian partner who have taken Indian mythology as the inspiration for their comic series. Their premier series DevaShard is an embellishment on the life of Karna and their future titles will be based around other integral characters from the Mahabharata. All stories are based in a fictional world based on a mythological idea of the Earth 7,000 years ago named Bhumi. The artwork in the comics has been produced by a truly international team featuring artists from both the Eastern & Western hemispheres.
DevaShard launched for the first time in India just before Diwali in October 2008. See:
- DevaShardDevashardDevaShard is a manhua series projected to run for a total of 25 graphic books, with each book being 52 pages long. The first book in the series is DevaShard: At First Light It is the first publication from Fluid Comics....
- Fluid Friction Comics Official Website
- Fluid Friction Comics' Launch in India
Illustrated Orchids' foray
Illustrated OrchidsIllustrated Orchids
Illustrated Orchids is a subsidiary of Singapore based Arbiter Technologies Pte Ltd which focuses on publishing comic books in India, Singapore, Malaysia and Europe. Its stated goal is to create an animation style unique to India, and at least one series is influenced by the manga, manhwa and...
is a comic book company that is operated by the Indian Singaporean diaspora. The company has creative studios in India, and is led by creative director Sudhir Sehgal. Having published comics in Singapore, the company plans to enter the Indian, Malaysian and European market. In contrast to Virgin Comics, the company is oriented toward the eastern market, and seems to contain some manga inspired artwork, as seen on the cover of Mythology
Mythology (Indian comic)
Mythology is a comic book created by Illustrated Orchids, based upon the legends of India. It will be available in Singapore, India, Malaysia and Europe.-See also:*Fluid Friction Comics*Santa Banta & Trendy*Bollywood*Hawk*Diamond Comics*Raj Comics...
issue one, which features the classic manga style facial art. In press releases, the company claims it will create a unique Indian style of comic art. Four series have so far been developed. See:
- MythologyMythology (Indian comic)Mythology is a comic book created by Illustrated Orchids, based upon the legends of India. It will be available in Singapore, India, Malaysia and Europe.-See also:*Fluid Friction Comics*Santa Banta & Trendy*Bollywood*Hawk*Diamond Comics*Raj Comics...
- Santa Banta & Trendy
- BollywoodBollywood (Indian comic)Bollywood is a comic book created by Illustrated Orchids, based upon the Bollywood film industry and its stars. It will be available in Singapore, India, Malaysia and Europe.-See also:*Mythology*Santa Banta & Trendy*Hawk*Diamond Comics*Raj Comics...
- Hawk
Campfire's entry
In 2009, an ambitious new company entered the graphic novel market. Based in New Delhi, India, Campfire Graphic Novels has a distribution network with several major publishing houses around the world such as Random HouseRandom House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
.
Campfire publishes its graphic novels in four categories: Classics, Biography, Mythology, and Originals. Campfire currently has a collection of more than 25 titles, and is poised to increase its output over the coming months. Some of their most popular titles include Photo Booth: A Graphic Novel
Photo Booth: A Graphic Novel
Photo Booth: A Graphic Novel is a single story graphic novel created by writer Lewis Helfand, artist Sachin Nagar, colourist Prince Varghese, and editors Mark Jones and Aditi Ray...
, Kidnapped, Conquering Everest: The Story of Hillary and Norgay, and 400BC: The Story of the Ten Thousand. After re-creating the classics for a new generation of readers, their current goal is to produce high quality graphic novels using stories from Indian mythology. A list of their currently available titles is below:
• Kim
• Alice in Wonderland
• The Wright Brothers
• Legend: The Labours of Heracles
• Gulliver’s Travels
• Harry Houdini
• Journey to the Centre of the Earth
• Kidnapped
• A Christmas Carol
• King Solomon’s Mines
• The Lost Continent
• Master of the World
• Moby Dick
• Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc
• Robinson Crusoe
• Romeo and Juliet
• Stolen Hearts: The Love of Eros and Psyche
• Swiss Family Robinson
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
• The Call of the Wild
• The Hound of the Baskervilles
• The Invisible Man
• The Land that Time Forgot
• Frankenstein
• The Merchant of Venice
• The People that Time Forgot
• The Prince and the Pauper
• The Prisoner of Zenda
• The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
• The Time Machine
• The Wind in the Willows
• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
• Don Quixote Part 1
• Treasure Island
Already very popular with comic review websites, Campfire Graphic Novels have received good notices from the internet community for their engaging storytelling and high quality artwork, as well as being featured in print based review articles across the world. Campfire is also very active in promoting reading and the graphic novel format. They often conduct popular interactive workshop sessions on the topics of reading and illustration. Campfire Graphic Novels also have a major presence at International Book Fairs and Comic Conventions around the world.
Level10 Comics' entry
Based out of Mumbai, Level10 ComicsLevel10 Comics
Level 10 Entertainment is a comic publishing company based out of Mumbai, India. Founded in late 2009 by Shreyas Srinivas and Suhas Sundar, the company started publishing comic books for the teen audience in April 2010. Its flagship monthly publication JUMP is India's first full-fledged comic...
was founded in 2009. Level 10 owns a flagship publication titled Comic Jump that is targeted at the 18-30 male audience. They experiment with a number of genres, namely The Rabhas Incident which is a zombie
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
thriller, Shaurya which is about five young people with superhuman
Superhuman
Superhuman can mean an improved human, for example, by genetic modification, cybernetic implants, or as what humans might evolve into, in the near or distant future...
qualities, Cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
fantasy series Batu-Gaiden, Daksh and Odayan which are noir
Noir
Noir is the French word for black. It may refer to:- People :* Noir , Danish Dj & Producer. Owner of Noir Music...
and dark hero themed titles. Other titles include Northern Song and Sando. They have also published creator-owned titles.
Webcomics
The increasingly popular webcomicWebcomic
Webcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
medium, which is mostly dedicated to short online comedy strips, has also been used by a small number of Indian artists or writers. Badmash is created by and aimed at the Indian diaspora
Non-resident Indian and Person of Indian Origin
A Non-Resident Indian is an Indian citizen who has migrated to another country, a person of Indian origin who is born outside India, or a person of Indian origin who resides permanently outside India. Other terms with the same meaning are overseas Indian and expatriate Indian...
. This format is expected to expand due to ICT literacy, large numbers of white-collar worker
White-collar worker
The term white-collar worker refers to a person who performs professional, managerial, or administrative work, in contrast with a blue-collar worker, whose job requires manual labor...
s, and internet penetration in India. "Curry Bear Comics" is another popular Indian webcomic that revolves around three South Asian college kids and their white friend. This comic is aimed more at Indian College students living in America. Another popular Indian webcomic "Fly, You Fools!
Fly, You Fools!
Fly, You Fools! is an Indian webcomic released under a Creative Commons license. Photographs of real persons and places are used along with text after minimal digital alterations to create each panel. The comics attempts to take a sarcastic look at the daily life and popular culture. It was started...
" is aimed at Indian residents, and deals with the daily irritations of life in India. The Indian blog "Daily Humor" also publishes webcomics and was featured on one of India's premiere blogs "India Uncut
India Uncut
India Uncut is a popular Indian weblog turned website published by Bastiat prize winner Amit Varma.The original India Uncut began as a blog in December 2004. Amit Varma was then managing editor of Cricinfo, but decided to shift to being a consultant so that he would have more time to do his own...
". Webcomics afford an outlet for artists who do not wish to distribute via published media.'Savita Bhabhi
Savita Bhabhi
Savita Bhabhi is an Indian pornographic cartoon character and has earned a recognition as India's first porn star. The character named Savita is depicted as an attractive promiscuous housewife who is ignored by her husband and engages in sexual adventures. The suffix bhabhi is commonly attached...
', a webcomic, is possibly the first pornographic comic in India. 'Arbit Choudhury
Arbit Choudhury
Arbit Choudhury is a coming of age webcomic run in the format of a comic strip from India.- Plot :The plot of each comic strip revolves around the protagonist named "Arbit Choudhury" who is an MBA student. Choudhury is a common Indian surname while the word "Arbit" refers to the arbitrary ways of...
', another webcomic, is regarded as the World's 1st MBA Comic Character. "Sunny Kris", a webcomic focusing on Indian workplaces through its five characters is another new addition to the growing list of independent webcomics. "Spicy Desi" is yet another newcomer to this ever evolving genre. It's focus is to show South Asian lifestyle from a western perspective. "Kinnari" a fantasy web comic set in ancient India is aimed at a wider group of viewers. Self publishing of single panel gags and other cartoons by Indian cartoonists is gaining momentum. IndianWebComics lists and discuss works by Indian web comic artists and cartoonists.
Non-Indian writers' work
Slave Labor Graphics
Slave Labor Graphics is an independent American comic book publisher, well-known for publishing darkly humorous, offbeat comics.-Company history:...
of San Jose California published Bombaby the Screen Goddess
Bombaby the Screen Goddess
Bombaby the Screen Goddess is a fictional character published in a comic book of the same name written by Antony Mazzotta and published by Slave Labor Graphics...
. The comic introduced a character by the name of Sangeeta, who doubled as a dutiful daughter by day, and as a reincarnated Hindu goddess by night. The comic did not meet wide distribution, although it received acclaim and was featured in Time Magazine.
Although large western comic houses such as Marvel had used Indian superheroes and characters in the past, (such as Timeslip
Timeslip (comics)
Timeslip is a fictional mutant character, a Marvel Comics superhero and the last addition to the New Warriors before the cancellation of their original series. Timeslip first appeared in New Warriors #59 and was created by Evan Skolnick and Patrick Zircher.-Origin:Rina Patel is an Indian mutant,...
, Karima Shapandar
Karima Shapandar
Omega Sentinel is a fictional character associated with the X-Men and its spinoff Excalibur. She first appeared in X-Men Unlimited, vol...
, Neal Shaara
Neal Shaara
Neal Shaara, also known as Thunderbird, is a Marvel Comics superhero, who was briefly a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Leinil Francis Yu, he first appeared in X-Men vol. 2 #100 ....
, Indra
Indra (comics)
Indra is a fictional character who currently appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. A teenage mutant, Indra attended the Xavier Institute before its closing and is a member of the X-Men's training squad. He first appeared in New X-Men: Academy X #7.-Alpha Squadron:Paras Gavaskar is...
and Captain Nemo), this was probably the first comic series to use an Indian character as its main protagonist. Other comic artists started similar projects, such as Grant Morrison's Vimanarama
Vimanarama
Vimanarama is a three-issue comic book mini-series written by Grant Morrison, with art by Philip Bond, and published by the Vertigo imprint of DC Comics.-Synopsis:...
comic, and Marvel's Spider-Man: India
Spider-Man: India
Spider-Man: India is a comic book originally published in India by Gotham Entertainment Group in 2004, retelling the story of Marvel Comics' Spider-Man in an Indian setting. It ran for four issues, which were later also published in the United States in 2005 and collected into a trade paperback...
project, which was the first major release by a large comic company, introduced India-based artists talent to the mainstream, and which was published in India by Gotham Comics. The title was inspired by the success of American comics in India.
Japanese manga artists have also produced numerous series with Indian themes, including the use of yogic
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
terminology in Naruto
Naruto
is an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
, the Kushan Empire
Kushan Empire
The Kushan Empire originally formed in the early 1st century AD under Kujula Kadphises in the territories of ancient Bactria on either side of the middle course of the Oxus in what is now northern Afghanistan, Pakistan, and southern Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.During the 1st and early 2nd centuries...
in Berserk
Berserk (manga)
is a manga series written and illustrated by Kentaro Miura. Set in a medieval Europe-inspired world, the story centers around the characters of Guts, an orphaned mercenary, and Griffith, the leader of a mercenary band called the...
, and numerous references to common gods and demons which Japan and India share thanks to the commonality of Buddhist influence in the two countries. A great many manga series are inspired by Journey to the West
Journey to the West
Journey to the West is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. It was written by Wu Cheng'en in the 16th century. In English-speaking countries, the tale is also often known simply as Monkey. This was one title used for a popular, abridged translation by Arthur Waley...
, the classic Chinese tale of Buddhist monks on pilgrimage to India. Some manga series which have Indian themes central to the plot are; the Buddha
Buddha (manga)
is a manga drawn by Osamu Tezuka and is Tezuka's unique interpretation of the life of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. The critically acclaimed series is often referred to as a gritty, even sexual, portrayal of the Buddha's life. Buddha received the 2004, 2005 Eisner Award...
manga, Earth Girl Arjuna
Earth Girl Arjuna
is a Japanese animated television series created by Shoji Kawamori. The series follows Juna Ariyoshi, a high school girl chosen to be the "Avatar of Time" and entrusted with saving the dying Earth....
, Saiyuki and RG Veda
RG Veda
is a manga created by Clamp, consisting of ten volumes in all. It was first published in Japan in 1989 as Clamp's debut manga. The story features elements of Vedic mythology; the title itself imitates Rigveda, the name of one of the four Vedas. The series is known for its extravagant and richly...
. See:
- Bombaby the Screen GoddessBombaby the Screen GoddessBombaby the Screen Goddess is a fictional character published in a comic book of the same name written by Antony Mazzotta and published by Slave Labor Graphics...
- VimanaramaVimanaramaVimanarama is a three-issue comic book mini-series written by Grant Morrison, with art by Philip Bond, and published by the Vertigo imprint of DC Comics.-Synopsis:...
- Spider-Man: IndiaSpider-Man: IndiaSpider-Man: India is a comic book originally published in India by Gotham Entertainment Group in 2004, retelling the story of Marvel Comics' Spider-Man in an Indian setting. It ran for four issues, which were later also published in the United States in 2005 and collected into a trade paperback...
- BuddhaBuddha (manga)is a manga drawn by Osamu Tezuka and is Tezuka's unique interpretation of the life of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. The critically acclaimed series is often referred to as a gritty, even sexual, portrayal of the Buddha's life. Buddha received the 2004, 2005 Eisner Award...
- RG VedaRG Vedais a manga created by Clamp, consisting of ten volumes in all. It was first published in Japan in 1989 as Clamp's debut manga. The story features elements of Vedic mythology; the title itself imitates Rigveda, the name of one of the four Vedas. The series is known for its extravagant and richly...
- Earth Girl ArjunaEarth Girl Arjunais a Japanese animated television series created by Shoji Kawamori. The series follows Juna Ariyoshi, a high school girl chosen to be the "Avatar of Time" and entrusted with saving the dying Earth....
- The Monkey KingThe Monkey King (manga), also known as Katsuya Terada's The Monkey King, is a dark fantasy manga series, written and illustrated in full color by Katsuya Terada.- Story :...
- Saiyuki
- SprigganSpriggan (manga)is a manga series written by Hiroshi Takashige and illustrated by Ryōji Minagawa during the early 1990s. It was initially released as Striker in the North American English translation, as it is the English translation of the word Spriggan from Celtic.Spriggan takes places in the last years of the...
- NarutoNarutois an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
- BerserkBerserk (manga)is a manga series written and illustrated by Kentaro Miura. Set in a medieval Europe-inspired world, the story centers around the characters of Guts, an orphaned mercenary, and Griffith, the leader of a mercenary band called the...
- Legend of Heavenly Sphere ShuratoLegend of Heavenly Sphere Shurato, is a Japanese manga created, written and illustrated by Hiroshi Kawamoto and later adapted to anime by Tatsunoko Production. It ran 38 episodes on TV Tokyo from April 6, 1989 to January 18, 1990 and also spawned a 6-episode OVA series named , that ran from August 16, 1991 to March 16, 1992...
More recent developments within Indian publishing include the use of foreign editors and writers. Campfire, based in New Delhi, recently published three original graphic novel titles written by Lewis Helfand, Mark Jones, and Sidney Williams. 400BC: The Story of the Ten Thousand, Photo Booth: A Graphic Novel
Photo Booth: A Graphic Novel
Photo Booth: A Graphic Novel is a single story graphic novel created by writer Lewis Helfand, artist Sachin Nagar, colourist Prince Varghese, and editors Mark Jones and Aditi Ray...
, and Dusk Society were commissioned by, writer and editor, Mark Jones.
Graphic novels
In addition to the recent development of more mature comics, in 2004, Penguin published CorridorCorridor (graphic novel)
Corridor is an Indian graphic novel, written and illustrated by Sarnath Banerjee, set in contemporary Delhi. A shop owner by the name of Jehangir Rangoonwalla interacts with other residents of Delhi that all visit his shop.-Plot summary:...
, by Sarnath Banerjee
Sarnath Banerjee
Sarnath Banerjee is an Indian graphic novelist, artist, and film maker.-Biography:Banerjee was born in Calcutta and lives and works in Delhi, India. He studied image and communication at Goldsmiths College, University of London....
, which was widely advertised as India's first graphic novel, followed by a second foray in 2007. However, a 60 page comic called River of Stories
River of Stories
"Kujum Chantu, the Universe, lay on her back..." so begins River of Stories, regarded as one of the first Indian graphic novels, written and illustrated by Orijit Sen. This short work tells the story of the environmental, social and political issues surrounding the construction of the controversial...
by Delhi based artist Orijit Sen, published in 1994 by Kalpavriksh, about the Narmada Dam Projects controversy, is an important precedent and can be regarded as one of the early Indian graphic novels. Kashmir Pending
Kashmir Pending
Kashmir Pending is a graphic novel written by Srinagar-based Naseer Ahmed, and published by Phantomville. It tells the story of several characters in Kashmir and deals with strife in the region. The book met with positive reviews, praising the handling of the subject, characterisations, and art.-...
by Naseer Ahmed, and The Believers
The Believers (graphic novel)
The Believers is a graphic novel written by Abdul Sultan P P with illustrations by Partha Sengupta, and published by Phantomville. It tells the story of two brothers living in two extremes from the Malappuram region of Kerala, one of whom returns to find his brother has engaged in extremist...
by Abdul Sultan, both dealing with Islamic militancy, were released by Phantomville
Phantomville
Phantomville is a graphic novel company set up by writer/artist Sarnath Banerjee and Anindya Roy. Its aim is to provide a platform for Indian writers and artists to produce mature graphic novels.-Related works:* Corridor...
, Sarnath Banerjee's company. Chennai-based Blaft Publications has entered the graphic novel arena with the publication of Moonward (2009), by George Mathen a.k.a. Appupen. See:
- River of StoriesRiver of Stories"Kujum Chantu, the Universe, lay on her back..." so begins River of Stories, regarded as one of the first Indian graphic novels, written and illustrated by Orijit Sen. This short work tells the story of the environmental, social and political issues surrounding the construction of the controversial...
- CorridorCorridor (graphic novel)Corridor is an Indian graphic novel, written and illustrated by Sarnath Banerjee, set in contemporary Delhi. A shop owner by the name of Jehangir Rangoonwalla interacts with other residents of Delhi that all visit his shop.-Plot summary:...
- The Barn Owl's Wondrous CapersThe Barn Owl's Wondrous CapersThe Barn Owl's Wondrous Capers is a 2007 graphic novel by Indian graphic artist Sarnath Banerjee. It is the author's second graphic novel after Corridor, which was widely advertised as the first Indian graphic novel.-Plot introduction:...
- The BelieversThe Believers (graphic novel)The Believers is a graphic novel written by Abdul Sultan P P with illustrations by Partha Sengupta, and published by Phantomville. It tells the story of two brothers living in two extremes from the Malappuram region of Kerala, one of whom returns to find his brother has engaged in extremist...
- Kashmir PendingKashmir PendingKashmir Pending is a graphic novel written by Srinagar-based Naseer Ahmed, and published by Phantomville. It tells the story of several characters in Kashmir and deals with strife in the region. The book met with positive reviews, praising the handling of the subject, characterisations, and art.-...
- Deepak Chopra's BuddhaDeepak Chopra's BuddhaDeepak Chopra's Buddha is a comic book on the life of Buddha, featuring artwork by Virgin Comics artists, written by Deepak Chopra.It was adapted into a comic mini-series from Chopra's 2007 novel Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment, with art by Harshvardhan Kadan....
- The Beginnings - Malayalam
- Kari
- Deepak Chopra's Kama SutraKama SutraThe Kama Sutra is an ancient Indian Hindu text widely considered to be the standard work on human sexual behavior in Sanskrit literature written by Vātsyāyana. A portion of the work consists of practical advice on sexual intercourse. It is largely in prose, with many inserted anustubh poetry verses...
- The Hotel at the End of the World
- Moonward
- Delhi Calm
- Bhimayana
- LIE: A Traditional Tale of Modern India
Comic Con India
A comics convention was held at Dilli Haat, New Delhi, on Feb. 19-20, 2011. The convention was a first for India, and took the San Diego Comic Con as its inspiration.Publishers
- Amar Chitra KathaAmar Chitra KathaAmar Chitra Katha Stories") is one of India's largest selling comic book series, with more than 90 million copies sold in 20 Indian languages. Founded in 1967, the imprint has more than 400 titles that retell stories from the great Indian epics, mythology, history, folklore, and fables in a comic...
- Bungalow Publishing
- Blaft Publications
- Campfire
- Chandamama ClassicsChandamamaChandamama in Kannada and Telugu means moon. It may refer to:* Chandamama, an Indian monthly magazine focused on kids and youngsters* Chandamama , a Malayalam film starring Kunchacko Boban...
- Chitra Bharti KathamalaChitra Bharti Kathamala-Brief history:Chitra Bharti Kathamala was a popular Indian Comic publication during the early 80s. It was the comic publication line of one of the India's biggest publishers of Engineering and technical books - S.Chand and Company Ltd, New Delhi...
- Chunnu Comics
- Comix.India
- Deb Sahitya Kutir
- Dhoomketu Comics
- Diamond ComicsDiamond ComicsDiamond Comics Pvt. Ltd. is the largest comic book distributor and publisher in India.-Overview:Diamond Comics is responsible for popular Indian comics characters such as Chacha Chaudhary. Diamond Comics has been publishing many foreign characters comics such as Phantom, Superman, Batman,...
- LM ComicsDisney Today (LM Comics)-Brief history:LM Comics was the flagship comic publication division of the Living Media India Ltd. The most popular series produced by the LM Comics is 'Disney Today' - the reprint of Walt Disney's popular characters including Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and many others. Like Indrajal Comics,...
- Dolton Comics
- Durga Comics
- Fluid Friction ComicsFluid Friction ComicsFluid Friction Comics is a Hong Kong comic book based comic book company with subsidiary offices in the UK. Founded in 2006, their debut title DevaShard launches worldwide in July - August 2008.-History:...
- Fort Comics
- Ganga Chitrakatha
- Golden Comics
- Gotham ComicsGotham Entertainment GroupGotham Entertainment Group LLC is a US based company established in 1997 to establish a leadership position in the Indian comic magazine and children's book market...
- Goversons Comics
- Goyal Comics
- Guneet Comics
- Illustrated OrchidsIllustrated OrchidsIllustrated Orchids is a subsidiary of Singapore based Arbiter Technologies Pte Ltd which focuses on publishing comic books in India, Singapore, Malaysia and Europe. Its stated goal is to create an animation style unique to India, and at least one series is influenced by the manga, manhwa and...
- India Book HouseIndia Book HouseIndia Book House Pvt. Limited is an importer, distributor and publisher of books and magazines in India.Formed in 1952, India Book House published paperback editions of children's authors such as Enid Blyton and Frederick Forsyth, as well as magazines such as Tintin and Asterix, often in Indian...
- Indrajal ComicsIndrajal ComicsIndrajal Comics was a series launched by the publisher of The Times of India, Bennet, Coleman & Co in March 1964. The first 32 issues contained Lee Falk's The Phantom stories, but thereafter, the title alternated between various King Features characters, including Lee Falk's Mandrake, Alex...
- Jain Chitrakatha
- Jantar Mantar Comics
- King ComicsKing Comics (Raj Comics)King Comics was a sub division of Raj Comics. Though it had a great start, King Comics couldn't raise to the same level of popularity like its sister concern...
- Kiran ComicsKiran ComicsKiran Comics was an Indian Comic line published in the late 80s by Kiran Publications, India, and Distributed by India Book House , India. Like most of the other publications of the era, Kiran Comics too relied upon the reprinting of the popular international comics characters...
- Kriyetic ComicsKriyetic ComicsKriyetic Comics is a Calcutta-based company specialising in graphic art, graphic novels, animation and 3D modelling. Set up in 2007 by Manojit Chattopadhyay, an aerospace engineer from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Kriyetic is one of India's first independent comics and graphic novel...
- Level10 ComicsLevel10 ComicsLevel 10 Entertainment is a comic publishing company based out of Mumbai, India. Founded in late 2009 by Shreyas Srinivas and Suhas Sundar, the company started publishing comic books for the teen audience in April 2010. Its flagship monthly publication JUMP is India's first full-fledged comic...
- Lion comicsLion comicsLion comics is a Tamil Comic Book series published by Prakash Publishers, in South India. Both Lion Comics and its sister publication 'Muthu Comics' , are published monthly in Tamil language. In fact, Muthu Comics is the forerunner to Lion Comics, even though the later has taken over as the...
- Madhu MuskanMadhu MuskanMadhu Muskan was a weekly comic magazine from the publisher of the popular film magazine 'Mayapuri', which had a circulation of up to 1,00,000 in the late 1970s....
- Manoj ComicsManoj ComicsManoj Comics was one of the leading comic book houses in India along with its competitors like Raj Comics and Diamond Comics. Other than the regular characters, the prime strength of Manoj Comics was the stories based on Kings-Queens, Prince-Princess, Demons, Dragons, Ghosts and moral values....
- Muthu Comics
- Nutan ComicsNutan ComicsNutan Comics was an Indian comics published by Nutan Pocket Books in the late 70s and 80s. Though being one of the pioneers of Indian Comics, the quality of the comics never rose above average and it was the prime reason that Nutan Comics never enjoyed the praise and success of its competitors...
- Parampara Comics
- Pawan Comics
- PhantomvillePhantomvillePhantomville is a graphic novel company set up by writer/artist Sarnath Banerjee and Anindya Roy. Its aim is to provide a platform for Indian writers and artists to produce mature graphic novels.-Related works:* Corridor...
- Pitara Comics
- Prabhat Comics
- Prakash Publishers
- Radha ComicsRadha ComicsRadha Comics was an Indian comics publications in the late 80s and early 90s. It was published by Radha Pocket Books, Merath, India. Publishing was done on a monthly schedule with usually for to six comics in each monthly comic-set. The comics were published in Hindi only.The most successful...
- Raj ComicsRaj ComicsRaj Comics is an Indian comic book line published by a division of Raja Pocket Books.Raj Comics' best-known characters include Nagraj, Super Commando Dhruva, Doga, Parmanu, Shakti, Bhokal and Super Indian.-History:...
- Rani Comics
- Roshini Comics
- Spectrum ComicsSpectrum ComicsSpectrum Comics was a short-lived American comic book publisher during the 1980s. Based in Bristol, Connecticut, Spectrum only published three series during its existence. Notable creators associated with Spectrum included Karl Kesel and Tom Morgan.-Titles:...
- Star Comics IBHStar Comics IBHStar Comics was an Indian Comic line published by IBH . They are very popular during the 70s and 80s. Lacking in its original character line, the publication relied heavily upon the license to print comics of the very popular international comic characters like Superman, Batman, James Bonds and...
- Star Comics Series
- Tulsi ComicsTulsi ComicsTulsi Comics was an Indian comics publisher in the late 80s and early 90s, and was a division of Tulsi Pocket Books- History :Backed by Tulsi Pocket Books, a popular publishers of Hindi novels in India, and backed by an established and vast customer base of the novels, Tulsi comics never achieved...
- Vinamika Comics
- Virgin Comics
Critical works
India's Immortal Comic Books: Gods, Kings, and Other Heroes, by Karline McLain, Indiana University Press, 2009. ISBN 978-0-253-22052-3.The Classic Popular-Amar Chitra Katha (1967-2007), by Nandini Chandra, Yoda Press, 2008. ISBN 81-903634-3-3. The book analyses the ideological sources, objectives and the influence of Amar Chitra Katha
Amar Chitra Katha
Amar Chitra Katha Stories") is one of India's largest selling comic book series, with more than 90 million copies sold in 20 Indian languages. Founded in 1967, the imprint has more than 400 titles that retell stories from the great Indian epics, mythology, history, folklore, and fables in a comic...
comics in the cultural politics of India. It is possibly the first book length discussion of Indian comics.
External links
- "Spicy Desi - Indian web comic, following the adventures of Mirch & Masti!"
- 9th Art - Of Comics, Culture & Society
- "The Beginnings" - First Malayalam Graphic Novel
- Comicology - Indian Comics News, Reviews, and More
- Indian Comics Encyclopedia
- Zoom on Indian comics (French)
- A Survey of Indian Comics (2008)
- Dubyaman's Duniya
- A review of India's first graphic novel
- A List of Webcomics by Indians
- Fly, You Folls! - Indian comics about life, and its irritations
- D'Press - A comic strip about Indian media and popular culture
- SunnyKris - The Webcomic on Indian Workplaces
- 5 Din 1 Ajnabee - A supernatural thriller in Hindi
- COMIX.INDIA, a self-published comic magazine
- "Mind your Business, Anna!" - A comic on life at Indian business schools
- "Kinnari"
- "ComicConIndia"