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Vimanika Comics squee post
For all y'all who miss Virgin Comics and who want more stories about Lord Vishnu genderbending, wrestling horses, accidentally beheading himself, turning into a merman, and trolling Indra for epic lulz.
Also, Karna.
Because Karna.
So Vimanika Comics is the new kid on the block, an Indian comics company that prints their books in English and is willing to sell (some of) them internationally. Also, they held a "Draw Karna" contest, which pretty much single-handedly makes them the best comics publisher EVER.
Unfortunately, some of their books are very, very hard to get outside of India.
I ordered the first volume of Dashaavatar and the third issue of The Sixth from their website some time ago, as those were the only two comics available for international buyers. The printing of Dashaavatar was delayed so they couldn't fulfill my order all at once, but they did send me a free copy of the lovely Dashaavatar preview issue to tide me over while I waited, so that was really classy of them.
Dashaavatar is a series all about the avatar incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The first volume (a luscious 65 pages) tells the story of the Matsyaavatar and the Kurmaavatar. Yes, that's right, the Kurmaavatar. YES, THIS IS THE ISSUE WITH MOHINI IN IT. And the writers do not disappoint in bringing the epic lulz with the entire Mohini genderbending thing. (Lord Shiva's reaction to her is especially priceless.) But what I really love the best in this issue is the first half, the story of the Matsyaavatar, because not only does it have an incredibly epic sexy Vasuki in it, but it also has Manu's ark, the horse-demon Hayagreeva stealing the vedas, and Lord Vishnu taking on the form of a horse-headed merman in order to deliver the smackdown to Hayagreeva.
By the way, I adore the way that the artists depict the different avatar forms of Vishnu. Here is a sketch of Matsyaavatar, the fish form:
Click for high-res!
If you think that's awesome, wait'll you see the Kurmaavatar, the turtle form. It's not a turtle, it's a man-turtle. And it looks utterly astounding.
Okay, so, I said that I got a preview issue of Dashaavatar as a freebie since the printing of the first volume was delayed. The preview issue is kind of awesome. It explains all of Vishnu's avatars alongside illustrations of each avatar form, has a few bonus pages depicting the creation of the universe (yes really), and also has some preview pages from the first volume proper. Oddly enough, however, some of the preview pages end up looking totally different in the final version. Here is the preview page for when Satyavrata first encounters Vishnu as a fish:
Click for high-res!
Yeah, that page ended up looking completely different in the final version of volume 1. Honestly, though, I like the preview version a lot better.
Okay, here's one more scan from the preview issue:
Click for high-res!
I thiiink that's supposed to be Vishnu, but I dunno for sure. I'm guessing that it's Vishnu because it looks a lot like a rough version of the illustration that eventually became the volume 1 cover:
Click for high-res!
So that was Dashaavatar. Next up is The Sixth, a series which is supposed to be 1/2 the story of Karna from the Mahabharata, and 1/2 the story of Karna reincarnated in modern times. The first two issues, which I'm pretty sure were never available outside of India, deal entirely with setting up the reincarnation part of the story. The third issue, which is confusingly subtitled "The Legend of Karna: Book 1" (even though it's the third issue in the series!), is actually a double-issue that continues the modern story and also begins the Mahabharata re-telling.
Click for high-res!
By the way, the free poster inside the issue is a lovely textless version of that gorgeous cover painting of Surya and Kunti. (Ignore the wrinkling on the top left corner of the cover in the above scan; that's my fault for damaging my copy of the book, boo.)
As for the first half of the issue, the reincarnation story, it's pretty interesting. I'm obviously missing out on a lot of the story since I missed the first two issues, but Comixology has reviews of the issues here and here, and there's also a fairly detailed two-page explanation of "The Story So Far" in the beginning of the issue.
Even during the reincarnation story, Karan (the reincarnation of Karna) experiences flashbacks to his past. The most intriguing flashback happens while Karan is chillaxing in a hotel pool, and all of a sudden this happens:
Click for high-res!
Karna fights off a bunch of thugs who, as it turns out, are not actually trying to kill him, but are trying to abduct him. We hear somebody's voice shouting, "I want him alive!" Then, two pages later (and this is still part of the flashback, mind you) we get this:
Click for high-res!
Who is she?! I have absolutely no idea. Any guesses? I can't recall any part of the Karna mythos that involves some badass lady trying to abduct Karnato make him her love slave for any reason whatsoever. Huh. Intriguing. Very intriguing.
The other thing that I love about the reincarnation side of the issue is Shakuni. OMG, Shakuni. Shakuni is back - somehow - I'm not really sure exactly how, but somehow - and far more otherworldy, demonic, and terrifying than he was in the Mahabharata. And omg omg omg, he is so spectacularly terrifying in this issue, even though he literally only "appears" (kinda-sorta, I don't want to give too much away) for four panels.
The Mahabharata half of the issue doesn't disappoint, either. This issue tells the story of Durvasa and Kunti, and how Kunti was forced to give up her first son. I love the depiction of Durvasa, especially the way that the artists draw and color his face. He can be utterly terrifying in one panel, but calm and benevolent the next. The writing is where this part of the issue really shines, however, especially with the focus on Kunti and her dilemma. She's just written so incredibly well, and it's so easy to believe how she really was just an innocent teenage girl who just wanted to see if she could speak with a god and who truly had no idea what kinds of forces she was messing with. (Durvasa never told her that the mantra that he gave her was actually a booty-call mantra.) I seriously cried at the last few pages of the issue, when she had to give up her child.
Also worth noting: The issue is bookended by two gorgeous, full-page paintings of Karna praying. That is just a beautiful extra touch.
So yeah, that's my first taste of Vimanika. I hope to read more soon, and I also hope that someday I can track down their other comics that I haven't been able to find yet. I especially want to read their other series, Moksha, because seriously? A fanfic-ish comic book series that's all about filling in the missing gaps in the life stories of Parashuram and Hanuman?! It sounds like that comic was MADE for me.
PS! If Indian mythology isn't your thing... I gotta say, these new Greek mythology graphic novels by George O'Connor look completely awesome. The Athena volume is definitely on my shopping list now.
Also, Karna.
Because Karna.
So Vimanika Comics is the new kid on the block, an Indian comics company that prints their books in English and is willing to sell (some of) them internationally. Also, they held a "Draw Karna" contest, which pretty much single-handedly makes them the best comics publisher EVER.
Unfortunately, some of their books are very, very hard to get outside of India.
I ordered the first volume of Dashaavatar and the third issue of The Sixth from their website some time ago, as those were the only two comics available for international buyers. The printing of Dashaavatar was delayed so they couldn't fulfill my order all at once, but they did send me a free copy of the lovely Dashaavatar preview issue to tide me over while I waited, so that was really classy of them.
Dashaavatar is a series all about the avatar incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The first volume (a luscious 65 pages) tells the story of the Matsyaavatar and the Kurmaavatar. Yes, that's right, the Kurmaavatar. YES, THIS IS THE ISSUE WITH MOHINI IN IT. And the writers do not disappoint in bringing the epic lulz with the entire Mohini genderbending thing. (Lord Shiva's reaction to her is especially priceless.) But what I really love the best in this issue is the first half, the story of the Matsyaavatar, because not only does it have an incredibly epic sexy Vasuki in it, but it also has Manu's ark, the horse-demon Hayagreeva stealing the vedas, and Lord Vishnu taking on the form of a horse-headed merman in order to deliver the smackdown to Hayagreeva.
By the way, I adore the way that the artists depict the different avatar forms of Vishnu. Here is a sketch of Matsyaavatar, the fish form:
Click for high-res!
If you think that's awesome, wait'll you see the Kurmaavatar, the turtle form. It's not a turtle, it's a man-turtle. And it looks utterly astounding.
Okay, so, I said that I got a preview issue of Dashaavatar as a freebie since the printing of the first volume was delayed. The preview issue is kind of awesome. It explains all of Vishnu's avatars alongside illustrations of each avatar form, has a few bonus pages depicting the creation of the universe (yes really), and also has some preview pages from the first volume proper. Oddly enough, however, some of the preview pages end up looking totally different in the final version. Here is the preview page for when Satyavrata first encounters Vishnu as a fish:
Click for high-res!
Yeah, that page ended up looking completely different in the final version of volume 1. Honestly, though, I like the preview version a lot better.
Okay, here's one more scan from the preview issue:
Click for high-res!
I thiiink that's supposed to be Vishnu, but I dunno for sure. I'm guessing that it's Vishnu because it looks a lot like a rough version of the illustration that eventually became the volume 1 cover:
Click for high-res!
So that was Dashaavatar. Next up is The Sixth, a series which is supposed to be 1/2 the story of Karna from the Mahabharata, and 1/2 the story of Karna reincarnated in modern times. The first two issues, which I'm pretty sure were never available outside of India, deal entirely with setting up the reincarnation part of the story. The third issue, which is confusingly subtitled "The Legend of Karna: Book 1" (even though it's the third issue in the series!), is actually a double-issue that continues the modern story and also begins the Mahabharata re-telling.
Click for high-res!
By the way, the free poster inside the issue is a lovely textless version of that gorgeous cover painting of Surya and Kunti. (Ignore the wrinkling on the top left corner of the cover in the above scan; that's my fault for damaging my copy of the book, boo.)
As for the first half of the issue, the reincarnation story, it's pretty interesting. I'm obviously missing out on a lot of the story since I missed the first two issues, but Comixology has reviews of the issues here and here, and there's also a fairly detailed two-page explanation of "The Story So Far" in the beginning of the issue.
Even during the reincarnation story, Karan (the reincarnation of Karna) experiences flashbacks to his past. The most intriguing flashback happens while Karan is chillaxing in a hotel pool, and all of a sudden this happens:
Click for high-res!
Karna fights off a bunch of thugs who, as it turns out, are not actually trying to kill him, but are trying to abduct him. We hear somebody's voice shouting, "I want him alive!" Then, two pages later (and this is still part of the flashback, mind you) we get this:
Click for high-res!
Who is she?! I have absolutely no idea. Any guesses? I can't recall any part of the Karna mythos that involves some badass lady trying to abduct Karna
The other thing that I love about the reincarnation side of the issue is Shakuni. OMG, Shakuni. Shakuni is back - somehow - I'm not really sure exactly how, but somehow - and far more otherworldy, demonic, and terrifying than he was in the Mahabharata. And omg omg omg, he is so spectacularly terrifying in this issue, even though he literally only "appears" (kinda-sorta, I don't want to give too much away) for four panels.
The Mahabharata half of the issue doesn't disappoint, either. This issue tells the story of Durvasa and Kunti, and how Kunti was forced to give up her first son. I love the depiction of Durvasa, especially the way that the artists draw and color his face. He can be utterly terrifying in one panel, but calm and benevolent the next. The writing is where this part of the issue really shines, however, especially with the focus on Kunti and her dilemma. She's just written so incredibly well, and it's so easy to believe how she really was just an innocent teenage girl who just wanted to see if she could speak with a god and who truly had no idea what kinds of forces she was messing with. (Durvasa never told her that the mantra that he gave her was actually a booty-call mantra.) I seriously cried at the last few pages of the issue, when she had to give up her child.
Also worth noting: The issue is bookended by two gorgeous, full-page paintings of Karna praying. That is just a beautiful extra touch.
So yeah, that's my first taste of Vimanika. I hope to read more soon, and I also hope that someday I can track down their other comics that I haven't been able to find yet. I especially want to read their other series, Moksha, because seriously? A fanfic-ish comic book series that's all about filling in the missing gaps in the life stories of Parashuram and Hanuman?! It sounds like that comic was MADE for me.
PS! If Indian mythology isn't your thing... I gotta say, these new Greek mythology graphic novels by George O'Connor look completely awesome. The Athena volume is definitely on my shopping list now.
no subject
I managed to get my hands on Dashavatar, after much badgering of poor Vimanika, and I reallyreallyreally want to get my hands on The Sixth as well. It sounds absolutely AWESOME.
I'm intrigued by that whole love-slave bit. The closest thing that I can think of was Ulupi kidnapping Arjuna, but I'm pretty sure that didn't involve armor on her part.
no subject
Apparently, in the middle of all the genderbending lulz, Shiva and Mohini had a son. =D.
no subject
no subject
Tq
(Anonymous) 2010-05-16 04:57 am (UTC)(link)Thanks for the encouragement! Hope to write many more! And I'll keel the love slave thing secret for now!!!!
Deepam
Re: Tq
Also, I apologize for taking so long to write this review, even though I got the comics some time ago. I just finished a terribly stressful semester, and I've spent the past week slowly working through my "to-read" pile of comics, so that's why I couldn't write this post until now. ^^;;
Anyway, thank you again for the great work that you're doing with this title, and for stopping by to comment here!
Re: Tq
(Anonymous) 2010-05-16 07:39 am (UTC)(link)You will Love the Book II and we are coming out with our new Title I am Kalki too! now thts a biggie!
K.v
Vimanika Comics
Re: Tq
no subject
no subject
no subject
(Anonymous) 2010-05-19 12:47 pm (UTC)(link)My Pleasure Elena :
btw go to Subscribe now tab on the Vimanika website homepage there you can subscribe for Moksha and The Sixth for a year or 2 and you will also get all the back log issues of The Sixth & Moksha too!
The order now and Subscribe now tabs have caused a lot of confusion so we revamping the whole website very soon you will see a more Dynamic Vimanika!
K.v
V comics