Why so Serious

Graphic novelist Sarnath Banerjee edges himself into a corner and looks intently into the camera.

Graphic novelist Sarnath Banerjee edges himself into a corner and looks intently into the camera. Is this okay? he asks our photographer. Fellow comic book artists Orijit Sen,Vishwajyoti Ghosh and Amitabh Kumar take their places behind desks,on wooden chairs,trying not to cramp each others space or style as they pose for their first photo shoot as members of a secretive if not secret society known as the Pao Collective,Delhis,and possibly Indias first comic book artists collective. Pao? Its named after the humble bread. We hope to earn our daily bread from our art. Also,Pao has such a great punch-like sound to it, says Sen.

We came together a year ago,with the idea of creating a platform for comics in India. From the time that I began,years ago,things have changed. There is a greater acceptance of comics,publishers and media are interested. We formed the collective because we found ourselves on the same page and discovered that were not the minority we thought we were, continues Sen,46,one of Indias most respected comic book artists and illustrator for childrens books. The Collective,however,was initiated by one of the young uns. While researching comic book culture for Sarai,a cultural research organisation,Kumar,24,decided to contact Banerjee,Sen and other comic book artists in the city. I wanted to explore and discover comic art that is not factory produced and industrial in any way. Each one of us has a different style,a different storytelling method and I thought we could all come together, says Kumar who was instrumental in persuading them to run workshops,hold comic art sessions and soon,the Pao Collective was born.

Sitting in Sens flat in Saket,Im invited to eat kathi rolls. This is what a Pao meeting is like. We bring our work and indulge in constructive criticism while drinking and eating, says Banerjee,36,while chomping on a roll. Everyone agrees between chomps. What brings these comic book artists together is what Banerjee describes as Peer to Peer tutoring. At every meeting,each member brings a JPEG of their recent works or projects and discusses it with other members. We discuss narratives,styles,basic drawings and just bounce stories off each other. We have very serious comic intentions, grins Ghosh,36,who runs his own design studio,Inverted Commas,in CR Park.

There is no hemming or hawing and no time wasted in working out what the Collectives next plan of action will be. Which brings us to the Pao Anthology. Each member of the Collective is individually mentoring young comic book artists,and will release the students works along with their own in an independently published anthology. Through the anthology and initiatives such as workshops,residencies and story-reading sessions,we are trying to build the comic readership, says Banerjee.

The members are gearing up for two events: the launch of fellow Pao Parismita Singhs debut graphic novel titled The Hotel at the End of the World and the emergence of the Pao studio. Were doing a short presentation at the launch. Providing support for each others work is a big part of the Collective. A significant step in that direction is the studio, says Banerjee. The flat in Saket is going to be converted into a studio space for members of the Collective and other comic book artists and enthusiasts to meet and talk shop. Kumar is eager about organising a residency in the hills,with revenue generated from freelance work. It is a code in the Collective to stay independent from external forces such as corporate sponsorship and what comes with that money, asserts Sen. The Collective has arrived. Be happy,be very very happy.

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