Liquid Comics Launches 'Graphic India' Digital Platform to Promote New Indian Talent

MUMBAI -- Liquid Comics announced the launch of Graphic India, a new digital platform to showcase young artists and writers while enhancing an evolving comic book culture in the country.

our editor recommends

Liquid Comics to release 'Dead Soldier' series

Liquid Comics begins Playstation releases

Founded by entrepreneurs Sharad Devarajan, Gotham Chopra (new age author Deepak Chopra's son) and Suresh Seetharaman, Liquid Comics has developed various titles – largely revolving around Indian themes – with some graphic novels created in association with top film talent such as Shekhar Kapur, John Woo, Guy Ritchie, Nicolas Cage, Wes Craven, Barry Sonnenfeld and Marcus Nispel and others. The company currently has a number of film and television projects in development based on some of its properties.

Graphic India will leverage Liquid’s library while commissioning and showcasing original stories by upcoming Indian writers and artists and intends to commission as many as 20 new graphic novels to be exclusively featured on its platform in 2012.

“India is home to some of the most creative minds in the world, and we believe that the next Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, J K Rowling or Stan Lee exists somewhere in this country -- ready to change the world through their stories. Through Graphic India, we want to find, nurture and promote these creators, leveraging the power of digital media to potentially reach millions around the world,” said Liquid Comics Co-Founder & CEO Devarajan. “In the same way Japanese anime and manga redefined a generation of audiences worldwide, we believe the creativity and rich storytelling potential of India is ready to take the world by storm.”
 
“There has been no greater experience than to have worked closely with some of the planet's most talented young story-tellers and artists in India. I really believe that to channel all this talent now into Graphic India promises to be one of the most exciting endeavors of my life,” added Liquid Comics co-founder Chopra, who will be writing and editing a number of original stories featured on the platform.
 
Initially, the platform has been launched as a website that features free daily digital comic book chapters, interviews with creators, educational resources for aspiring artists and writers and pop culture, film, television and game reviews.

To further spark young Indian creators to look at graphic novels as a meaningful profession, the site is featuring a “Create A Comic Contest,” where creators of a winning idea submitted will be awarded a contract to publish their graphic novel and win 100,000 rupees ($2,000).

Episodic digital comic books featured for free on the site will include long running Liquid titles such as Devi (created by Shekhar Kapur), Ramayan 3392 AD (a futuristic story inspired by the classical Indian myth Ramayana that is also being developed as a theatrical film with Mandalay Entertainment), The Sadhu (created by Chopra and also in development as a feature film), Mumbai Macguffin (an action-espionage story by Saurav Mohapatra and Saumin Patel) and UnHOLI (by Indian writer Samit Basu and artist Jeevan J. Kang that centers on a zombie attack in Delhi that takes place during the Holi festival).