Tamil Nadu Reconnect with comics and graphic novels

The past couple of years have been great for comics and graphic novels, particularly for  independent comic publishers. But before we take a look at the comic and graphic novel scene of our city, and by extension our country, I feel the need to clear the air by defining the difference between a comic and a graphic novel. 

To start with, a graphic novel isn’t just another fancy name for a comic book. There is a very clear distinction between graphic novels and comics. The most simplistic way to differentiate the two would be the length – comics are shorter pieces of work that are usually serialized and published over a course of time. Graphic novels on the other hand are entire novel length pieces of work where the stories are usually concluded in one book. 

Now that we’ve defined what a comic is, let’s start by talking about the comics of yesteryears. Like the rest of India, Tamil Nadu has had a strong connection with comic culture. Comics in  the state saw some of the best years during the 70s and the early 80s. This was a period when comics could be found on every newspaper stand, and had weaselled their  way into every household. The reason for its ubiquity can almost entirely be attributed to Lion comics and its sister publication Muthu comic. But what I find most interesting is how increasingly un-tamil these comics were. The comics published during the 70s and the 80s were largely translations of American and British comics.  Men and women would regale themselves with stories of cowboys, zombies, and murder mysteries from quiet American suburbs. The waiting  areas of hair salons and hospitals alike were stacked with the latest adventures of Tex Willer and of Mike Blueberry – one of them  a daring cowboy hero and the other a vigilante from the Wild West. This was the age of superheroes like The Spider, of science fiction and tales of interplanetary adventures, of supernatural mysteries about vampires and zombies. Comics sold by the thousands and special issues were brought out during Deepavali and Pongal. Tamil Nadu was experiencing its golden age of comics. 

But like all good things, comics too were marching towards an inevitable end. The early eighties saw some remarkable pieces of indigenous comics – books that were written and illustrated by and for Indians. A large chunk of these comics dealt with kings and conquests (Ponniyin Selvan) and relied heavily on mythology (the Ramayana, Mahabharata, etc). It looked as though comics had cemented its place into the hearts of the populous, and it most certainly looked as though comics were here to stay. But the mid eighties proved to be a tough time for comics and books in general. Readership in the state began to spiral downwards, as a result of which comic sales hit rock bottom. Children and youngsters had abandoned their books and comics in lure of a more inviting medium. The mid-eighties felt the impact of Doordarshan, and the nineties witnessed the introduction privatised television channels that provided the viewers with the same stories they had consumed in the comic form. But it was the widespread of cable television that was the final nail in the proverbial comic-coffin. Publications of comics came to a grinding halt, and comics were forced to the back pages of regional newspapers and magazines. 

But all is not lost; the late 2000s have seen a revival in comics across India. Events such as Comic Con and a rekindled interest in comics by the mainstream publishers are slowly bringing comics and graphic novels into the spotlight once again. Mainstream and independent publishers alike have started churning out graphic novels – with most of the groundbreaking work stemming from independent publishers working out of bedrooms and makeshift offices. In South India the revival of comics can be attributed to independent publishers such as Blaft Publications (known for their graphic anthologies: The Obliterary Journals ); Kokaachi Studios (Mixtape Volume 1, 2, and 3 ); Holy Cow entertainment (known for their mythological content); and Syenagiri (known for their city based graphic novels). 

Indian comics are on a rise after decades, but even I – with my infinite optimism – know that it’s going to take a long time for Indian comics to relive their glory days. But in the meantime, let me direct your attention to a few interesting anthologies that I think you should definitely watch out for.

— The author is a fiction writer and a story teller whose work has appeared in numerous anthologies. He is the manag ing editor of Jellyfish Monthly.

Mixtape 3 is a collection of love stories told by some of the best comic creators from across the country. I have always been a fan of their work, and this is one anthology that is definitely worth checking out. The book is set to release on November, and can be pre-ordered using this link: http://bit.ly/2e2oWpB 

Bangalore: A graphic novel is a collection of city based stories about the city. The collection includes a thrilling crime investigation about a missing ATM, the story of a legendary boxer, a touching memoir, and a not so distant apocalyptic future. The book is set to release before the end of the year.

Muthu comics, which was first published in 1971, (at a princely price of 90 paise for 123 pages of content), was a huge hit and made people forget the few comics that had been coming out since the 1930s. The Irumbukai mayavi (Steel claw) was a huge hit and holidays were never complete without children reading and enacting from the comics. 

So popular was the product that the group branched out and brought out Digil (horror) Comics, Mini Comics, and all of them had a dedicated following. The next game changer in the comic book scene in Tamil was the Rani Comics. Launched in 1984 by the Daily Thanthi group, it dominated the market for over a decade. It bowed out after the 500th edition, just before the market for comics was displaced by the satellite television entertainment channels. 

Readers of comics recall how they enjoyed reading the exploits of Flash Gordon and other comics, translated from the original, in Tamil. “The English version was not very popular when we were in school,” recalls 62-year old R Raja. “The comics may have been written for an American audience, but we could connect with the exploits of Mandrake the Magician and the Phantom, because they were well- written Tamil. The translators captured the drama,” says Raja, currently an NRI. “Of late  Japanese comics (Manga) appears to have impressed the 20-year olds. Comic books in any form will always hold readers captive,” he adds.