Crime novelist and screenwriter Ashok K Banker has had a mixed history with comic books. Back in 2010, DC Comics purchased an original graphic novel script of his called Becoming Kali and the film rights were purchased for development by Warner Bros the year afterwards. But the comic wasn't published and the film didn't happen. And Banker went on with his other films and novels, of which he has seen over seventy published in his long career.

Now it seems he is returning to the medium of comics, from an Indian publisher this time, Campfire, with Prince of Ayodhya, an adaptation of the first book of his eight-part Ramayana series. He talked through the reductive process to the New Indian Express, saying of the original novels,

"Keep in mind that each of those books is over 500 pages long and is packed with incidents and events. I had to cut out several sub-plots and reduce the whole to about 170 pages of illustrated panels with minimal dialogue and narration. This is also the reason why the graphic novel may seem more attractive to many readers – it tells you the main points of the story while detailing the crucial events and moments, just like a film adaptation. This graphic novel only covers the plot of the first 'Ramayana' series books. Depending on reader response, the remaining seven books will be adapted as well to graphic novels."

But again the process may not have gone entirely to his liking. While praising the artist Sachin Nagar, he stated that the only art he saw was after it had all been completed, saying "I would love to work with him in a more collaborative and equal manner."

The book will be published in the US in June 2020.

The first volume in a series of graphic novel adaptations of Ashok Banker's epic retelling of the Ramayana. Prince of Dharma begins with Rama and Lakshman's youth. Accompanied by Rishi Vishwamitra, they set out to Bhayanak Van on a dangerous mission to save their kingdom of Ayodhya. Meanwhile, evil is brewing, both within and without, the city. Written by international bestselling author Ashok K. Banker, and illustrated by award-winning artist Sachin Nagar, this graphic novel adaptation of the Ramayana is like no other Ramayana you may have read or seen before.