 |
| Enthusiastic crowds at #ComicCon Hyderabad 2015 |
One is not old as long as one is a comic freak. I was a comics freak. I
have kept myself away from comics for years, the moment I got into college
education and got into reading serious stuff – the likes of Marquez, Isabelle
Allende, Gorky, London and Sinclair.
But for those occasional encounters in newspaper columns, I was away from the world of zombies, super heroes, villains, comedians and those lovely animated characters.
I have just reconnected myself with that wonderful world of comics as I accompanied by 12-year-old son to the two-day Comic Con held here over the weekend. Thousands of kids and youth swarmed the Hall 3 at the Hitex facility. I have never seen such an enthusiastic crowd, yelling, hooting, giggling as they jostled their way and took innumerable selfies all over, with friends and with cosplayers.
The hall was so crowded that one actually had to push others to find space for one’s next the other foot as you walk.
But for those occasional encounters in newspaper columns, I was away from the world of zombies, super heroes, villains, comedians and those lovely animated characters.
I have just reconnected myself with that wonderful world of comics as I accompanied by 12-year-old son to the two-day Comic Con held here over the weekend. Thousands of kids and youth swarmed the Hall 3 at the Hitex facility. I have never seen such an enthusiastic crowd, yelling, hooting, giggling as they jostled their way and took innumerable selfies all over, with friends and with cosplayers.
The hall was so crowded that one actually had to push others to find space for one’s next the other foot as you walk.
There are a lot of takeaways. Hope is not lost – a good number of them
are still hooked to that wonderful world of comics where we, who are into 40s
and 50s, once spent considerable time. Over 200 people cosplaying as their
favourite comic characters vied for a prize in the cosplay contest, with crowds
yelling out the famous dialogues of the characters. Most of them actually
looked like living and breathing those characters. Exuberance indeed is
infectious.
That only two participants cosplayed as Indian comic characters shows where India stands in this space. It shows how poor our imagination is. Utter lack of imagination leads to mediocre content. Comic makers take the beaten track – churn out content based on religions. Japanese content is virtually ruling the comics space. Kevin Hamric of Viz Media says there’s universal acceptance for the Japanese content across the English-speaking world.
That only two participants cosplayed as Indian comic characters shows where India stands in this space. It shows how poor our imagination is. Utter lack of imagination leads to mediocre content. Comic makers take the beaten track – churn out content based on religions. Japanese content is virtually ruling the comics space. Kevin Hamric of Viz Media says there’s universal acceptance for the Japanese content across the English-speaking world.
Why, both my kids are avid fans of Japanese comic serials – Doraemon,
Naruto et al.
It’s time we invent themes and characters that can catch imagination of our children. It’s time we attract our children back from vulgar item number culture.
It’s time we invent themes and characters that can catch imagination of our children. It’s time we attract our children back from vulgar item number culture.
No comments:
Post a Comment