Maybe it was the fact that they were based on Indian characters or around stories we grew up reading or listening to. Maybe it was the fantastic homegrown artistic talent that had us coming back for more. There was always the charm of picking up a new issue every week or every month. But, over the years, most of the creators of these old-timers passed away or in some cases, the publication shut shop. It was in the late 90s and early 2000s that a slump in the comic publication segment took place. Then somewhere in the mid-2000s began a comic book revival in the country, that is now stronger than ever. It also helps that comic book conventions are now held across metropolitan cities along with free comic book weekends, which have been introduced online.
Why the slump?
Explaining the cause, Manas Mohan of a long-standing desi comic book company, says, "Minimal marketing activity around books made the comic scene a little dull."
No evolution
The disconnect with the characters added to the slump. "The characters didn't evolve much to suit the present generation. We need something more contemporary," explains comic book publisher Girija Jhunjhunwala, who admits that the new generation is warming up to comics.
Change in audience
There is a drastic change in the audience too, whom the publications are targeting. Gone are the days of Chacha Chaudhary Billoo and their ilk. Today's comics are darker and more satirical in nature — which goes on to show that the target audience of the newer publication houses have shifted from children under 15 to those between 15 and 30. "That is the unexplored market," says a comic book company CEO Karan Vir Das, "There are more genres and more variety to read now."
Fewer kids read
One of the main reasons for the change in target audience is because kids don't read too much these days. A new-age publisher Suhas Sundar, says, "The generation that grew up on comics is between the age group of 20 and 30. So, a lot of comics we make are targeted at mature audiences, above the age of 15." That is why offering comic books to read or download (in part or in full) for free is becoming a more viable option to draw readers in.
Free online treat
Preetham A, a comic book buff says, "This kind of a platform where one can download comics for free is great news for people who love comic books."
A number of Indian and international publications have launched apps and websites that offer free comic book downloads so that readers can sample their collection of work. With everybody almost constantly online now, a digital presence has become mandatory. "It isn't very easy to find distributors offline since there's not much support. So, it isn't possible to survive without an online presence. That's not to say that you should completely ignore the offline world. I've seen a lot of publications doing that and it's not good," shares Das.
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