Why are classic Indian comic books getting snazzy avatars?

Batman and Watchmen have serious competition. Classic Indian comic books and characters are now coming back with a vengeance, edgy and smartly re-packaged, to compete in their own right with the snazzy international comics.

Remember Suppandi, the goofy simpleton, who always bungles things up? Not for nothing has he been labeled Mr Bean of India. Well, Tinkle’s popular character recently got a makeover, with a magazine dedicated completely to his misadventures, and his stories going teen. With more relatable settings, teenage lingo and tales, the classic comic character created over 25 years ago, is now seen connecting with technology, yet maintaining the basic essence. There’s also Super Suppandi, his alter-ego, that attempts to revamp his costumes and be like Bollywood heroes.

Anisha Karthick, editor of Suppandi 48, says, “The older comic characters from Tinkle have always been popular through the years. Their stories have been regular throughout. Even though new characters were created, the older ones were still very popular amongst most of our readers. Suppandi is not turning a teenager, but his stories will be ‘teen’.  We wanted to give the young adults a magazine that is specifically meant for them.”

Suppandi’s not the only one. Popular children’s lit, Karadi Tales, too has been re-packaged into ingenious picture and audio books to draw the attention of the little readers. “There certainly has been a strong move, especially in the last two decades, to revive homegrown folklore. What makes a Karadi retelling different is largely the audio factor,” says Shobha Vishwanath of Karadi Tales.

The book is now available on a variety of cross-platform media such as computers, e-readers, TV, etc. “The actual printed book is seeing a dynamic shift, thanks to new media and technology. But the art of storytelling is very, very old. While the platform on which the story becomes available may change, the stories themselves will continue to be important,” she adds.

This holds true for another contemporary graphic novel creator Karan Vir Arora of Vimanika who feels that the stories of Shiva, Rama or Vishnu would never lose appeal because of the depth in their intrinsic nature. His series I Am Kalki is a hit globally.

“Modern international characters may be connected to their social environment, but our indigenous stories have a foundation across civilisations and are legends in their own right. The story of Shiva, for instance, also portrays the story of a culture that is relevant even today. In that sense, the mystery to such characters never fades out.”