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Mythology and comics: some incredible Made-In-India stories to read

Indian Mythology

Just like all generations that have come and gone, there would be comic book stories that will come and go, but the legendary stories based on mythology will stay here forever. It is our mythology that defines the culture of India which is created years ago and is evolving decade after decade; it is our mythology that speaks about the origins of Indian traditions and values; it is the mark of our existence. Mythology-based comics reflect the attitude and feeling of the society as a whole. Conquering the evil and bringing the good to all, these Gods from our past reflects the likes of the superheroes in our present. Readers can relate these Gods to their comic heroes very easily and implant the learnings of goodness in their life. These superheroes are man-made, whereas the Gods in the Indian mythologies are the universal deities that gave way to our today’s era. It’s true that just a few superheroes will be remembered forever, but every God will hold a place in lives of people in different shape and form forever.

Lord Ganesh will be here long after any of us—the idea of him and who he was will go down generations, his idealism and virtue will teach the future of the nation. These heroes from the history appeal to us on a number of levels for a greater good and entice us to do well for others.

Mythology in comic books brings colourful illustrations that excite and delights everyone while also appealing to us on a deeper psychological level. Such comics take us in the past and lets us live the moments in which our heroes did the right thing to save the nation at large and gave us what we have today. These stories act as a mirror that reflects the final confrontation between evil’s consuming greed to conquer all and the incredible power of the divine spirit. Not a single-story proclaims to have an antagonist winning the battle against good, it is the Gods and its followers who dissipate the lurking danger of evil. Some Indian creators have attempted to bring the history of battles into comic books with bold illustrations and expressive dialogues. Whereas, some has created new enticing stories concerning mythological characters, not particularly the Gods.

Ravanayan

Ravanayan
Ravanayan

A long time ago, in ancient India, an epic war brought an end to a centuries-old reign and marked the start of a new age. The deities of those days were worshiped for their greatness and their stories are spoken about even today. This comic book story is based on Valmiki’s classic epic from the point of view of the antagonist—the Ravana who is the king of Lanka and the leader of the Rakshasas. The book differs from the Ramayana as the protagonist here is Ravana and not Rama. This is one of those stories where the one acting the lead is losing at the end. Ravana who was the conqueror of the world and vanquisher of the gods have its side to be spoken about in this comic book. One can learn and understand what mindset went behind the immoral deeds performed by the king who was known for his philanthropic nature. It is hugely believed that the land of Lanka had prospered under the rule of the king Ravana and the people were well looked upon for their needs. This comic book is in a way a tribute to the mighty ruler who is addressed as ‘The Lord’ in the story.

A story based on the life of the great-grandson of Brahma, a perfect mix of Rakshasa and Sage, this story is worth a read as it focuses on the conventional tale of the abduction of Sita, but from the eyes of the great Ravana of Lanka. It also covers Ravana’s childhood with Kumbhkaran, Vibheeshan, and Shoorpanakha as they live a fun-filled life peacefully in the ashram.

It is a ten-part comic series released by Holy Cow Entertainment in July 2011.

18 Days

18 Days
18 Days

This comic book is a story of three generations of super-warriors where a final battle concludes the age of the gods and begins the age of man. This story restates the apocalyptic war between the Pandavas and Kauravas which takes place at the end of the Third Age. In the story, good guys are forced to cheat, lie, and break rules to win.  The story is created by Grant Morrison who has also created All-Star Superman, Batman & Robin, and The Invisibles. Morrison has tried to work on a difficult task of breaking down the Mahabharata, which is one of the longest and most complex writings ever. The comic book is created to target the western audience. It is an example of every war ever fought. It is the war where the biggest armies are brought face to face across the ultimate battlefield where they will decide their fate for the future.

Morrison’s revolutionary story is perfectly doing justice to the original illustrations created by the acclaimed artists in the earlier release. The book features perfection when it comes to character descriptions, storyline, and punches.

It has released 16 issues in a volume and released by Graphic India.

Shiva – The legend of the immortals

Shiva- The legend of the immortals
Shiva – The legend of the immortals

This comic book depicts the tales of Lord Shiva, who is the spiritual guide and destroyer of creation and reveals the various aspects of his complicated personality. Lord Shiva is the central connection to the Holy Trinity of Hindu Gods—Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma, and others. Lord Shiva is the epitome of devotion, spiritualism and Vedic knowledge. It was Lord Shiva who taught Vedas to Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu in order to facilitate the process of creation. Also known as Bholenath, Lord Shiva is legendary for his courteous nature and known for aiding his devotees if they are in any sort of a trouble. This series by Vimanika Comics has two books released till day, the first focuses on the origin of the universe and Lord Shiva’s marriage to Sati and the second dwells with Lord Shiva and Parvati’s love story, marriage, and the battle between Kartikeya and Tarkasur.

This tale of Lord Shiva depicts the significance of spiritualism in Vedic culture and the conquering of good over evil. The comic book is created in the traditional Vimanika style where they present various aspects of Lord Shiva’s complex personality.

Aghori

Aghori
Aghori

This comic book revolves around an ordinary man, Vikram Roy, who embarks on a journey to discover the reasons behind the night his life turned into a nightmare. The story follows the journey of an ordinary man who is caught between some extraordinary circumstances.  After he returns to his old life almost 12 years later on, he discovers that a conspiracy has taken place to bring the end of the days. Additionally, the story centres his only son, Krona. Roy fights to save his son from the grip of the dark powers and fate takes him on the path of becoming the Aghori.

A multi-issue comic series, Aghori is written by Ram V and illustrated by Vivek Goel and Gaurav Shrivastav. The Aghori falls in the genre of superhero as well as horror as the story includes travelling to hell to save the loved one. There are three books in the series and the first Aghori Book 1 covers the introduction of Roy who is shown struggling with his normal life as he tries to choose between the good and bad. He wanders off in the darkest of places in search of his loving son in order to protect him. In Aghori Book 2, he is reunited with his son after journeying through the Thar Desert in Rajasthan. In Aghori Book 3, Roy discovers that his son is against him and he helps Inspector Khare in solving a trail of string murders. The answer to the daunting question of whether Roy will find the girl and will she reveal her secret will be answered in the next series.

Krishna: A journey within

Krishna: A journey within
Krishna: A journey within

This is a spiritual story that is visually captivating and full of creative artistry. This comic book gives a stylish approach to Hindu mythology with its wonderful art. It is full of strong animation style, anime-style shadows, and caricatured characters. The tale focuses on a human portrayal of Lord Krishna’s wit and wisdom which journeys along the gone-days that have swayed through the ages. Lord Krishna, who is known for compassion, tenderness, and love from his younger days, is boldly illustrated in the comic book. The anecdotes and narratives of Krishna’s life in the book portray him as a prankster, a popular figure among women, and a divine hero. Abhishek Singh is the writer and illustrator of the wildly-speaking artwork and narratives.

It has released a single issue and published by Image comics.

Pandavas 5

Pandavas 5
Pandavas 5

The greatest epic known to the mankind was broken-down and produced in an anime-inspired Pandavas 5 also known as P5 which presents the story of five Pandavas from the Mahabharata and their rough journey full of rigorous training at the hands of Dronacharya. The training is imparted to help them win a competition which is held in the city of Panchal. Bhishma Pitamah and his continuous encouragement along with instructions from the warrior Krupacharya help them to face the indignant competition from their cousins, the Kauravas. This profound story is full of enticing manoeuvres which embraces the efforts of Pandavas to excel at the art of warfare and aesthetics while simultaneously defeating the Kauravas.

It was exclusively produced in broadcast partnership between Disney and Buena Vista International.

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