Indian mythology is a very deep ocean of stories. If you only scratch the surface, you are definitely going to find a treasure trove of stories waiting to be told to today’s generation. That is exactly what “Commentariat comics” is aspiring to do with their Krishna kid universe. The first issue of this manga style retelling of Indian mythology based series is titled Duryodhana Purana. So let’s dissect this Anglo Indian collaboration.
Credits
- Writer – Commie Mark
- Art – Vineet Kumar
Art
Let’s start by talking about the artwork by Indian artist Vineet Kumar. Now it is a well known fact that I am a fan of old school comic book art, and I am particularly not very fond of manga style. But, it will be a lie if I don’t confess that this comic book made me see the beauty of this art style.
Vineet Kumar is a revelation. His artwork is quite ensnaring. The panels draw you in with their subtle play of Black and white, in true Manga style. The characterization of Vyasa is a surprise because the artist has tried to capture the ugliness of the famous sage instead of resorting to a typical long flowing beard look.
In terms of artwork, it is like taking a walk through 32 pages of an art gallery.
Story
For an Indian, the story of Mahabharat is quite well known, but this is where the research of writer Commie Mark needs to be applauded. He has taken out one of the least read origin story of one the most famous mythological villain.
This is the origin story of Duryodhana but it ties in beautifully with the story of Gandhari. The pacing of the story is smooth and there are no hiccups in the reading experience.
I also liked that the writer used the alternate explanation of why Gandhari tied a cloth around her eye and alluded to subtle feminism through her portrayal.
There is only one grammatical error in the whole script which could have been averted with the help of an editor but given that this was a two man project, that can be ignored as an error of omission.
Final Verdict
Duryodhana Purana vol. 1 has invoked respect and craving in my mind for more Manga style comics. It has also stroked my interest in the upcoming issues. I hope the publisher is able to make this book available in India soon, and hopefully in a size which does justice to the artwork. Definitely a must have in your collection.
