Tag Archives: vertigo comics

controversy

No to Jesus with superheroes; Yes to Jesus with kung-fu beheadings

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Cover to CRUCIFIED from Scout ComicsIn case you missed it, Second Coming, the series from Mark Russell and Richard Pace, was canceled by DC Comics for its Vertigo line after an outcry (like this one) amassed online for its “blasphemous content.” DC reverted the rights back to Russell and Pace to have it published elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Scout Comics has plans to release Crucified this year, and, late this month, Image Comics will release Jesusfreak featuring the Christian Messiah as “a kung fu demon slayer.” Fox & Friends does not like that he beheads his enemies in his mission, reports Newsweek.

This is to say nothing, of course, of Zombie Jesus, Jesus Hates Zombies, Jesus as an alien in Martian Comics, Jesus Christ: In the Name of the Gun, or fan-favorite Battle Pope (with sidekick Jesus).

Of course, every so often, we are treated to a Punk Rock Jesus, so one cannot be too quick to judge the latest wave of irreligious Jesus comics…

academic, cultural, reviews

Indian Comics

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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.