Although the curtains have been long drawn on the year of 2017, it was the one of struggles and eventual redemption for Holy Cow Entertainment that makes it special in its own way. With only four releases to show – two editions each of Age of Immortals and Caster – in the calendar year, the Navi Mumbai-based comic publication house went through a lean period that compelled co-founder Vivek Goel to go back to the drawing board and contemplate a few things.
The chips were down, and a major shake-up beckoned. Goel reminisces, “When things were going awry and desired returns were not achieved, I paused for a moment and started looking out for new personnel that can be trusted and also act more responsibly. That was the harbinger of an evolution of the company.”
The pursuit yielded new members in Shashank Avvaru, Tadam Gyadu and Harsho Mohan who played an instrumental role in stirring the wheels back on track. Together with Goel, new teams were formed as Ashwin Kalmane and Anirudh Singh joined the former in the editorial, whereas Gyadu and Mohan paired up with Gaurav Shrivastav for the team of artists.
Gradually, the pedal was put to the metal and Holy Cow got going once again. “In just a few months, writer Ashwin Kalmane rose to the position of the official editor of Holy Cow Entertainment and that is when things started getting more structured. We also roped in another writer who’s currently penning down our first nine-issue crossover event and also overseeing the development of two flagship characters.”
“We finally started getting ahead of our printing schedule as proper planning and fruitful editorial meetings helped decide what’s important and what isn’t; which writer to pit against which artist; what kind of colour schemes should be applied, depending on the genre of the character etc.,” he further added.
The makers of Aghori are now witnessing green shoots of recovery as two new publications are in the advance stages of development and a release would be announced soon. “As we speak, Caster issue six is being completed thereby wrapping volume one. One of the writers for the nine-issue crossover has finished his first three issues, while the other is one better with four.”
Goel also revealed the continuation of Shaitan and Caster saga with the next installment in the series, thereby “enriching the genesis of the characters,” he adds, as Desh – The Last Asuran, a new vertical by him, also gears up for its debut.
Things are buzzing again at Holy Cow with a slew of new releases lined-up for the year. And with a revamped team getting the creative juices flowing again, Goel is delighted to witness it all. “We are finally functioning like a proper mainstream superhero comic book publisher, working way ahead of our printing schedule and giving you an art variety in the form of Gaurav Shrivastav, Harsho Mohan Chattoraj, Tadam Gyadu and finally me!”
“I’m back with full vigour on my drawing board and after completing the third issue of Caster and a fourth of Age of Immortals, will be jumping on a five-issue origin story of a new character. No fill-ins, no helping others, I finally have a story which will completely be mine to structure and it’s not mythology for once.”
A buoyed Vivek Goel also reveals that despite the dry spell on the publishing front, the comic sales racked-up encouraging numbers at the Comic Cons where they witnessed a sell-out, before extending his sincere gratitude to those who played as part in making this all happen.
“Thank you Comic Con India and Jatin Verma for everything!”