The word goes graphic

1. The word goes graphic -Tinkle Books

2. Tinkle Books

3. Pictorial novels, a story in frames/panels, are a more complex version of comic books targeting adult readers. More and more such novels are emerging on the literary scene with a growing readership” • Picture books, books with more illustrations-less text, chapter books with some illustrations here and there, to full length novels - this has been the usual reading progression in a reader's mind. As one progresses in age, one can actually pick a book targeted for any age group. But usually with serious content and storyline, one rarely expected any picture or illustration • However, this assumption is fast getting challenged as more and more graphic novels are emerging on the literary scene these days with their fan following continuously increasing. Statistics shows 37 per cent increase in the readers of graphic novels.

4. "Graphic novel is a story told in frames/panels and a more complex and realistic version of comic targeting adult readers". Unaccustomed to the genre of graphic novels may confuse these books with comics simply because the illustrations are interspersed with text all through the narrative. But there is, in fact, a marked difference between the two. Graphic novels are usually much longer and the plot is quite complex. The story in comics may continue for many issues, while it takes one or at most two books to complete the story in case of graphic novels. The style of illustrations is also quite different in comics and graphic novels. Comics usually have sequential visual art along with text in a series of rectangular panels.

5. Tinkle Books Out of the shadow of comics Though graphic novels came into existence much before the comic books yet they have struggled under the shadow of comic books for most part of their life. They almost underwent oblivion from the literary world for quite some time. • The purist readers never considered comic reading as literature and connoisseurs of Tintin, Posy Simmonds and Asterix remained lesser readers, continuing with their passion almost guiltily. • However, the pictorial literature got resurrected during the period of 1980s and 1990s in the global arena when books like Maus changed how the reading world perceived graphic novels earlier. • These books addressing serious issues, handled maturely could not be ignored as any other comic strip.

6. Though cartoon strips in newspapers and magazines have made visual parodies, satires, political cartoons and funny drawings very popular but no theme is beyond the reach of actual graphic novels. Art Spiegelman'sMaus addresses the topic of Holocaust. Alan Moore's Watchmen is a murder-mystery, which grows to become a planet-altering conspiracy. Neil Gaiman's transcendent series Sandman is considered to be a great achievement in the graphic storytelling. The author creates a tale of the forces that exist beyond life and death and weaves in mythology, folklore and fairy tales in his superlative narrative style

7. Avi's graphic narration is well applauded in his fantasy novel City of Light and City of Dark. Chris Ware's Jimmy Corrigan is regarded as the masterpiece of graphic literature and is a subtle, complex and moving story of a boy who meets his father after a hiatus of many years. In India, AmarChitraKatha series dedicated to national/mythological heroes, ChachaChaudhary and his antics and later the likes of Tintin, Asterix and even Archies have been captivating readers from all age groups.

8. What has kept these tinkle books in vogue at all times is both their stories as well as their unique accompanying illustrations. But now when international literary scene has woken up to the potential of graphic novels, the Indian counterparts could not be far behind. Though it is still in its infancy, yet growing readership of graphic novels is evident as more and more books are getting published by reputed publishers like Penguin India, Harper Collins and such. PoulomiMukherjee's Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves: Reloaded is contemporary twist to Arabian Nights. Ali Baba is an auto-rickshaw driver in Mumbai who comes across the loot of a gang of 40 thieves and thus begins his tryst with the underbelly of the Mumbai's underworld. Kashmir Pending by Naseer Ahmed and Saurabh Singh bring on fore the trials and tribulations of Kashmiri people as depicted from the perspective of a reformed militant in jail. Ravanyan — a 10-part series is written by VijayendraMohanty and illustrated by VivekGoel. As the name suggests the epic is written with Ravan as the main protagonist. The events reamin the same but are explained from Ravana's perspective so gives a feel of a completely different story..

9. Sanjay Deshpande, along with illustrator Lalit Kumar Sharma, recreates the times of Indus Valley civilisation in the novel In Defence of the Realm. VishwajyotiGhosh's Delhi Calm takes the readers to Delhi of 1970s and focuses on the intertwined fates of three men who see the world very differently but do want things to change. Some more Indian graphic novels include Ramayan 3392 A.D. by ShamikDasgupta and illustrated by Jeevan Kang, The Aghori by Ram V. and illustrated by VivekGoel. Then there are novels like Devi, Sita, I am Kalki — the Silver Book, Corridor, Moon Mountain, Odayan. Barn Owl's Wondrous Capers, The Believers, Moonward and Antardwand — The Inner Struggle.  Young readers can pick from Mara and the Clay Cows by Parismita Singh, Muhamman Ali : the King of the Ring by LweisHalfand and illustrated by Lalit Kumar Sharma; and Nirmala and Normala by SowmyaRajendran. Pictorial novels have a great advantage over regular text-only ones. Illustrations do help in setting of the stage and a lot can be conveyed through images which work almost like imprinted moving pictures.

10. While the trend of graphic novels is picking up yet they are still far from the mainstream books. Moreover, certain restraint and precaution need to be practised while dealing with this medium as pictorial novels fundamentally carry mature content and when complimented by illustrations have a great potential to cause sways in society. Mature content expects mature reception and handling too. For more details contact us at-www.amarchitrakatha.com/in/

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