Being an artist in India has been tough for all these years. There is an amount of social stigma attached; people don’t perceive you as normal human beings. This has mainly to do with the fact that we are a race of people known to attach a sense of accomplishment to an engineering or medical degree. No matter how small or insignificant one is in his or her own engineering or medical field, the very fact that they are a part of the majority gives an amount of credibility to the person. Being an artist, on the other hand, comes with preconceived notions such as, “does he/she earn enough to make a living?” or “isn’t this a hobby?”
I am one of the lucky few to be able to turn my hobby into my bread and butter. All credit goes to my parents who didn’t mould me into the Indian template and let me do my thing. There was encouragement at every corner. So I think it all begins at this level…the parenting. The parents should know that opening up doors is the best thing for their child to discover hidden talents and ambitions. And today I see things change a bit – just a wee bit – but a change for sure. Parents are curious to know what an artist does, how things work and what are the various opportunities for budding artists out there. One of the breakthrough platforms for this to happen is the Indian Comic Con scene.
In my growing up years, we didn’t have such events and channels for us to go and check out. I consider this new generation to be extremely lucky. We were exposed to just a fraction of things they are exposed to today. Being a part of the Comic Con bandwagon, I have come to realise that independent artists can’t ask for a better showcase than the Cons. And for those who want to learn, grasp and interact, Comic Cons are a doorway to their ambitions. It is not just the gloss and the cosplays of the events that make the Comic Cons what they are, budding artists and even established ones get the opportunity to mingle with like minds and figure out various things.
And I can’t harp enough about how important the ‘indie’ genre and its artists are. For those who came in late, indie means independent. I consider myself an indie comics publisher, since the titles I publish (the Angry Maushi series) are true blue indie for me. Self publishing is most of the times the defining factor of the indie genre. Our own work, our own decisions, our own money which goes into these ventures; no publishers, no commercial aspects attached. The thrill is massive. But where do we knock when it comes to reaching out to the readers and potential target audiences? Unfortunately, in India, comics as a genre is not taken too seriously, at least until some time ago. Commercially big distributors may or may not entertain a comics creator and will only look at these things money-wise. This is where the Comic Conventions come to the rescue. Direct sales, direct interactions and a fantastic showcase as an indie artist/writer/publisher, that’s what the Cons are all about.
The scene is not too different when you compare the Indian and international cons. My wife Diksha and I have been regulars at the Indian Comic Cons, and have travelled across the country participating in all the Cons. We have been to the Middle East Film and Comic Con in Dubai as well as the Singapore Toy Game and Comic Con, both in 2014 (We call 2014 the Comic Con year). We were extremely happy to see the response our merchandise and comics got at all these Comic Cons the world over. Angry Maushi is as much a hit in Mumbai, as it is in Hyderabad or Singapore. We see that even internationally, the problems faced by indie artists are similar to the ones we have back home…the only difference being, the nerd culture may have already been prevalent there and it’s starting off in India over the last couple of years (ever since the Indian Comic Cons began). It is very easy to relate to the kind of work, the processes, etc that they go through there. And it is very heartening to see that the people attending, at the Indian as well as the International cons, do give the artists what they deserve….Attention!
‘An artist creates what people like; what an artist creates’ – I see this cycle taking form in India now. More and more independent artists have come forth with confidence and don’t shy away from displaying their works at the Comic Cons. They spend whatever they can to see their work shape up into reality. And this is a sight which makes any artist feel proud. And I think it’s a boon that we have a Comic Con culture flourishing in our country now. Especially for the self-made indies!
(These are purely personal views of Illustrator, independent publisher Abhijeet Kini of Kini Merch and AnimationXpress.com does not subscribe to these views)
