BANGALORE: From Nagraj , Super Commando Dhruv and Chacha Chaudhary , to Batman and Superman, diehard comic book fan Anand Rana grew up reading both Hindi and English superhero titles. However, he soon outgrew his favourite characters like thousands of other avid comic book readers once he stepped out of his teens.

"I couldn't find a genre in the country which could appeal to my adult sensibilities," says 29-year-old Rana, a software professional. After giving up comic books for about a decade, he recently came across titles by independent publishers that catered to adults and young adults and dealt with issues like friendship, spirituality and addiction. And his interest in comic books was back.

Like Rana, many Indians have rediscovered their passion for comic books and graphic novels, courtesy independent and established publishers coming up with works that cater to adult sensibilities.

New genres

A slew of new comic book publishers has moved away from the traditional superhero and mythological tales and is creating comics and graphic novels based on a variety of genres like horror and thriller. They are contemporary and realistic, with special emphasis on strong content and graphic. As a result, new publishers like Campfire Publications, Holy Cow Entertainment , and Manta Ray have found a niche audience among young adults.

"Today's readers demand a more realistic and contemporary storyline," says Pratheek Thomas, co-founder of Manta Ray, an independent publisher of comics & graphic novels based in Bangalore. Thomas, also the brain behind the popular Hush comics, says today's audience demands content and graphic that match standards of their international peers. "Internet and applications have made foreign graphic novels and comic books easily accessible. So, our readers demand the best," explains the 32-year-old.

New breed of artists

The rise of independent publishers has given an opportunity to a new breed of comic artists and authors. "The country's comic book industry has moved beyond superheroes and mythology. Even if we are re-creating scenes from mythology, we are adding new twists to it," says Mrinal Rai, an IT professional and Bangalore-based cartoonist.

Mrinal, whose latest title 'Tamas' will be released at the upcoming Bangalore Comic Con, says he targets not only children but adults too. "The new wave of comic inculcates a new way of thinking among readers, apart from providing in-depth approach to the storyline that even adults can relate to," he added.

Opportunity for indi-publishers

Comic aficionados and industry officials agree that the new-age comic book and graphic novel industry, minus those established brands catering to children segment, despite being in its nascent stage, have a huge potential.

"We are in a unique position, where physical sales of comic books may be dwindling but the characters can go beyond print into animation, gaming, and films," says Jatin Verma, founder of Twenty Onwards Media and organizer of Comic Con India.

"There is a lot of talent in India. The challenge is to bypass the difficult distribution system and reach out directly to the audience," he added.

Industry expects boom

Amar Chitra Katha has dominated the Indian comic book market for over four decades now. The publisher, famous for retelling mythology and Tinkle comic series, has released about 30 new titles and has seen a four-fold increase in its revenues since 2007. The company, whose target audiences are children and young adults, is also trying to expand its base with new genres.

"We came out with two comic-based new genres in 2013. They are Brainwave, a science magazine, and Bright Start, on early childhood learning, apart from releasing over 100,000 Tinkle titles in Hindi in 2013," says Vijay Sampath, CEO, Amar Chitra Katha.

"With the introduction of tablets and mobile devices, we expect the interest in comic, which has been dormant for quite some time now, to expand in the coming years," he added.

Bangalore Comic Con 2013

The second edition of Bangalore Comic Con will be held at Koramangala Indoor Stadium on June 1 and 2. The event will see the participation of some 75 exhibitors. "It's going to be a fun event, which will not only be about comics but also popular culture," says organizer Jatin Verma.

The entry-free event will see several publishers, both established and independent, showcase and release new titles. Some of them are: Julius Caesar ( Campfire Publishing ), Mixtape 2, Twelve (Manta Ray Publishers), Aghori 3, Ravanayan Finale (Holy cow Entertainment), Tamas (Mrinal Rai), The Princely Buffalo (Trendy Toons), Butterfingers, Shikari Shambu, Defective Detectives (Tinkle Tall Tales).

There will also be a stage in the middle of the convention area, which will host interactive sessions with publishers, graphic artistes, authors, comic artistes, and special guests, every half an hour.

