Parallel Lines: Comics anthology on development
Samanantar Rekhayein (Hindi)
Published by World Comics India
http://devpcom.blogspot.com/
These comics start describing development from where the earlier ones left and take it a level further, not just in terms of description but visual aesthetics and storytelling techniques as well.
All stories have a different art as well as narration style owing to the different backgrounds of the artists. It is to be noted that most of them are not trained artists and have learnt the art over a period of time working with World Comics and their local organizations.
The stories this time are longer (14-16 pages). The comic took an year in the making and throughout that period the creators had extensive discussions and workshops on the art of making comics, visualization, frame composition, inking, texturing etc. They also had prolonged discussions on their stories where each had to defend their story from the critical view of the rest as well as accept suggestions.
It has a foreword by Polyp, a cartoonist based in Manchester.
The story of Amrith Basumatary, an artist from Bongaigaon, Assam, throws light on the ongoing Bodo movement in lower Assam. Amrith used to make illustrations for the local publishers in Assam before joining the Grassroots Comics Movement. He soon became a cartoonist in a local newspaper and has been conducting Comics workshops ever since.
Rajeswari is a research scholar in Delhi School of Social Work. A three month internship she did at World Comics India evoked in her a passion for comics. Her earlier comic, ‘Hey Tram’ was a satire on the famous ( or rather infamous)Tram transport system of Kolkata. In her latest story ‘Common-slaves Games’, she brings us face to face with the ugly truth behind the beautification of the national capital high in spirits with the Commonwealth Games.
Lakhindra Nayak documents the legal victory of farmers over BT cotton in Madhya Pradesh. Being a lawyer himself, he understands the importance of poor farmers winning over a gargantuan MNC in the Indian Judicial system. He reckons the victory as a feat, an achievement and wants this story to act as an inspiring example to all those suffering in the hands of powers mightier than themselves.
Siddharth etches out the dusel in a father-son relationship in the times of blinding commercialization. He cleverly weaves certain events of his own life in the work of fiction. Though he himself had relatively less tough time handling the situation, he discusses the story of a person not as fortunate.
Sunder Mohan Murmu writes a story on the bleak future of a student who falls prey to regional and racial discrimination. Based on an incident of his own life, he does not limit it to the local influence of such matters but instead connects it to the attacks on the Indian students in Austraia and so makes a strong statement on the politics of racism in contemporary times. His earlier comic was a story about the horrific effects of radiation on the people of Jaduguda, Jharakhand.
For more details write to us mail@worldcomicsindia.com
or call at 9811702925
Check sample pages
http://devpcom.blogspot.com/
Price Rs. 125/-
Black & White
Paperback : 80 pages
Author/Editor : Sharad Sharma
Year of Publication : 2010
Publisher : World Comics India, New Delhi
Language : available both in English & Hindi
This is a self funded and voluntarily developed venture.
Sharad Sharma
Cartoonist
World Comics India
www.worldcomicsindia.com
mail@worldcomicsindia.com
