Indian Comics

Does the imminent cancellation of Outsourced leave Aziz Ansari from Parks and Recreation, tweets from Deepak Chopra, and CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta as your only connection to Indian culture and Hinduism? Let’s correct that:

Liquid Comics. Good comics companies don’t die — they rebrand. When Virgin Comics, launched in 2006, moved from New York to Los Angeles in 2008, it became Liquid Comics, and it remains home to some sensational titles like India Authentic, Devi, and The Sadhu. One could do worse than sampling Hindu lore from Liquid Comics, either in print or digitally.

Chitrakatha: Indian Comics Beyond Balloons and Panels. This upcoming documentary from filmmaker Alok Sharma examines the native roots of comic book and comic strip making in India, spanning over three generations of artists. His film promises to show how alive the art truly is and the complex traditions from which it sprung.

Vimanarama. This stand-alone Vertigo graphic novel allows award-winning writer Grant Morrison to immerse his Western readers in a mix of Hindu lore and his own boggling storytelling. Perfect for the comic book reader steeped in British or American fare but uncertain as to how to tread into foreign territory. Post-orientalist, Vimanarama is a love letter to Bollywood, superheroes, and Jack Kirby as a vendatic guru!

India’s Immortal Comic Books: Gods, Kings, and Other Heroes. For the brainy and the brave, there is Karlin McLain’s book on the decades-old publication of Amar Chitra Katha which takes the interwoven lore of the Hindu gods and delivers it in accessible comic book form. Perfect for English-speaking scholars, India’s Immortal Comic Books looks at what make ACK “special to comic book lovers everywhere,” says Pradeep Sebastian of Businessworld.

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