04 July,2010 08:54 AM IST | | Fiona Fernandez
From six-pack ab sporting asuras to buxom, flirting apsaras who speak today's lingo, Vimanika Comics portrays Indian mythology in a contemporary avatar. Even the gods don't seem to be complaining about this new look
He was human, possessed no supernatural powers, went on to conquer Anga and become king. He was a hero with a dark side; he was cool, calm and successful in his endeavours," explains Karan Vir Arora, the 28 year-old editor-in-chief and visionary of Vimanika Comics, of his fascination with Karna, the Indian mythological character from The Mahabharata.u00a0u00a0u00a0
Extract from chapter 1 of the Legend of Karna: Shows fearsome sage
Durvasa cursing Raja Kuntibhoj , whose daughter Kunti gave birth to Karna
Modern means mythological
Flip through any of Vimanika Comics' titles and it's clear that contemporary is the keyword. Be it narrating the avatars of Vishnu in a racy format or encapsulating the legend of Karna using an urban legend, there's plenty to pique the reader's imagination. "It was a conscious effort to connect with the youth, in India and globally. So, you'll find the use of contemporary language, stylish, well-sculpted gods, goddesses, demi gods and demons," says Arora. Today, Vimanika claims to be the first Indian graphic novel and comic book on sale in the US.
The mythological fixation began early, when Arora's brother would read him works by Lord of the Rings creator JRR Tolkien -- "he was my inspiration; it was visually embedded in my mind since then." Likewise with Ashok Banker's Ramayana. Arora adds that later, in 2007, when he heard of Virgin Comics' brush with Indian mythology, it set him thinking. After all, if Richard Branson and Co. could create stories from Indian legends and gods, he was sure that it could be done far better by Indians. "Our USP is authenticity," he claims.
Extract from Chapter I in Dashaavatar: Lord Vishnu reveals his divine
form as Mastyaavataar to King Satyavrata
He assembled a bunch of competent artists via Orkut and worked on several dry-runs. "We made many mistakes; those works never got published. Later, the entire team went in for an overhaul and we finally created a fresh, new look to the product when it hit stands some time back," he adds.
While pre and post production work is done in Mumbai, production is handled in Delhi. Research is carried out by a panel of scholars headed by Hinduism expert and author Deepam Chatterjee. They also seek advice from mathematician, linguist and historian NS Rajaram. The art work, another USP of these fantasy-laden journeys, "is of the highest quality".
Extract from Chapter II: Lord Vishnu takes the form of a damsel to divert
the attention of asuras even as he indicates his true self to Lord Shiva
The focus is on making mythology anatomically and realistically relevant with contemporary styling and attention to colour. Arora says, "I oversee the production, personally. There have been occasions when I've had to recall the entire product, much to the unhappiness of my team."
Titles by Vimanika Comics can be downloaded on your mobile phone within India.
Visit www.vimanika.com for instructions.
Moksha Comic Book Series, Rs 40; The Legend of Karna graphic novel, Rs 150; Dashaavatar graphic novel, Rs 150. Available at leading bookstores
