The second edition of the Annual Indian Comic Convention is almost here and it seems that the organisers have pulled out all the stops to make it one of the most significant, if not one of the biggest conventions ever (check out our report on last year’s Comic Con Express in Mumbai here). The event will have distinguished guests such as Robert Crumb, Gary Groth and Chris Oliveros. The convention will also feature some of the most important alternative comic book publishers in India. Here’s the lowdown of the event and what you should definitely not miss.
Chris Oliveros
Friday, Feb 17
The first day will have a comic creating session held by Libera Artisti, at 1.30pm, a trio of artists who are coming out with their first graphic novel, The Auto Pilot (trailer below). The graphic novel is about an auto rickshaw, a superhero, coconuts and Yamraj, the Indian god of death. The session will be helpful in understanding how comic book writers work.
The day will also feature two other comic book launches that shouldn’t be missed, including the Blaft Publications launch of The Obliterary Journal, at 3.30pm, (more about that here) and the launch of the second volume in the Munkee Man series at 4pm. There will also be a quiz-based on characters from Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle at 3pm on the same day.
The highlight of the evening will be a session with Chris Oliveros, of Drawn and Quarterly, an alternative comic book publishing agency that has put out some of the most critically acclaimed comics in recent times. The session will be held at 5pm.
Take a peek at this trailer for The Auto Pilot below.
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Gary Groth
Saturday, Feb 18
The second day is more of interest to people who are really into comics (#IheartScott McCloud). Kicking off at noon with artist Aakash Anand will be the launch of India’s first abstract comic Untitled. There will also be a live art session at the end of the launch.
At 1pm, Chariot Comics will be holding a ‘comic quotient’ quiz covering everything about comics. This will prove informative for people who do not know much about comics and give ‘geeks’ a chance to feel extremely self-satisfied.
At 4pm, Amar Chitra Katha will launch an ACK comic about founder Anant Pai (fondly known to many as Uncle Pai), who passed away last year on Feb 24. Immediately after, at 4.30pm, Pop Culture Publishing, who have previously published titles such as Munkee Man and Uud Bilaw Manus, will be launching titles The Legacy Of The Gods and The Red-Hooded Gang (we spoke to artist Abhijeet Kini, interview here).
Gary Groth, whose Fantagraphics Books released some of the most complex, thought-provoking and important comic book works known to the world, will be holding a session at Comic Con, starting at 5pm. Groth is also the editor-in-chief of the award-winning Comics Journal, which has been extremely influential in promoting comic book criticism and bringing out the intricacies of the comic book publishing world to the general reader. Since it was established, the journal has been treating comic books as a form of fine art that should be evaluated using higher critical standards. The journal has also published scathing reviews of commercial and mainstream comic books in order to promote the alternative comic culture and raise the comic book beyond a money-making medium that provides cheap entertainment to the masses.
Image done by acclaimed comic book artist Daniel Clowes
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Manga by Yukichi Yamamatsu
Sunday, Feb 19
The third day of Comic Con will see the launch of The Wonder Shop at 12.30pm. The Wonder Shop is apparently a store that sells ‘magical toys and unusual gifts’. A quick google search and look at the website leaves us none the wiser about what exactly will be sold at the wonder shop, which is why we are extremely curious.
Also a must-see is the launch of Yukichi Yamamatsu’s manga Stupid Guy Goes to India. Yamamatsu came to India in 2004 on a whim. When he noticed that there was no manga in India, he decided to translate manga into Hindi and sell it. This idea didn’t work and Yamamatsu did a whole bunch of other stuff, including but not limited to, selling noodles in a New Delhi slum, betting on horses and playing marbles. All of his experiences from his trip to India are collected in this comic. The book will be launched at the Blaft Stall at 1pm.
Abhijeet Kini and Anupam Arunachalam will be holding a comic book creation session at 1.30pm after which they will launch Milk and Quickies. Kini will also be launching Pop Culture published Chairman Meow And The Protectors Of The Proletariat at 4pm.
The highlight of the day and of Comic Con this year, will be a special session with famed underground artist Robert Crumb. Crumb has been one of the most influential figures in comic book history and his works have gained immense critical and public acclaim. Crumb is also a connoisseur of vinyl records and the blues which is why record collectors and blues fiends may find the session informative and interesting, if they ask the right questions. The session will start at 4.30pm.
Cover Art by Robert Crumb
The convention will take place at Dilli Haat, from 11am to 9pm on all three days. There is also a ‘costume competition’ cosplay contest that will provide for a lot of entertaining visual flavour. The contest will run on throughout the convention and will be open to anyone who wishes to participate. The schedule for the event can be found here.
Images courtesy of www.comicconindia.com
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