Earlier this month we started hearing some details of Richard Branson and Deepak Chopra’s new venture into comics in India. Actually, India already has a homegrown comics industry, but it looks like Branson and Chopra will be extending the concept quite a bit.
Virgin Comics is already in development on three lines of comics: Maverick, based on the work of songwriters; Director’s Cut, working with film directors (John Woo has signed on); and Shakti, which will focus on Indian content.
I have to admit the first two sound original and intriguing. The third seems to include a retelling of the Hindu epic Ramayana in comic-book form, a project that I’m sure has been done before. I had Indian gods-and-goddesses comics when I was a kid. And this brought on a spasm of eye-rolling:
Shakti means “power” in Hindi, and titles in the line include “Devi,” which means “goddess.” [Gotham] Chopra describes the character as “Asia’s first superwoman.”
“She wears the different faces of the goddess,” he said. “On one hand she plays the typical submissive Asian housewife, on the other hand she’s Angelina Jolie.”
Way to challenge the stereotypes, guys. Anyway, I’ve got bad news for Mr. Chopra. She was there first.
UPDATE: Paul O’Brien provides a much more informed and detailed critique of the whole enterprise at The Ninth Art.
