World comic book artists on India visit

Eight years after Yukichi Yamamatsu failed to materialise his dreams of spreading Japanese 'manga' comics in India, the comic book creator from Japan returns with a new illustrations that draws from his "adventures" here.

In the graphic novel "Stupid Guy Goes to India" released at the 2nd annual Indian comic convention, Yamamatsu recreates his trip in 2004 presenting a hilarious look at the country as it presents itself to the foreign visitor.

"When I first came here Idid not sell any books neither did any publication house help me out. I went back to Tokyo very disheartened and stupid and decided to write about my experiences. That's how this book came about," says the 56-year-old artist.

Two years after his return to Tokyo the artist says he visited Delhi again and started selling tape cutters, magic tricks and noodles.

Also he embarked on a series of adventures - playing marbles, searching for bathrooms, betting on horses, visiting a brothel and his madcap mission to sell Hindi translations of Samurai "manga" on the streets here.

"I did not give up and returned back to India to know and understand the culture more and this added to my experiences which I have written in this book," says the artist who had never left Japan before his first trip to India.

American artist Robert Crumb, considered to be father of the underground comics movement and popular for his comic book series "Fritz the Cat" who was accompanied by his graphic novelist wife Aline K Crumb was also a star attraction at the comic convention here.

Crumb who was here more to see the country says he dreads being famous cause fame makes it hard for a person  to survive without losing his comic time.

"Being famous can make you commit suicide. It is hard to explain if you have never been through this experience, because you have to be really tough in order to survive if you are famous. That is why perhaps most of the celebrities take to drink", joked Crumb.

The artist is known for the distinctive style of his drawings and his critical, satirical, subversive view of the American mainstream.

Crumb who made it to the prestigious 'Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame' in 1991 says he was introduced to comics by  his elder brother Charles Crumb when he was a kid. With time Crumb says he became very serious about drawing comics and ignored everything else resulting even being alienated at school.

"I really got serious about drawing when I was 16. I mean really serious; I spent all my time earnestly trying to learn how to  draw, developing whole craft. There was nothing else to do. There was no other alternative for me, basically" says Crumb.

A special retrospective on the life and works of the artist was also put up at the three day comic convention that ended on February 19 and featured  over 80 participants from around the world.