Hello Comic Nerds
Every city is a story. Every city is made up of countless number of stories. These stories define that city and its cumulative spirit. Today I will be dissecting a graphic novel that tells the stories of the city of Bangalore.
1. Bangaloids (Story and art : Appupen)
I read the story over and over again trying to understand what exactly is the writer aiming for. To add to that confusing story line we have a very different kind of artwork which is not appealing at all. Except for the splash page, that depicts a city with lot of hidden elements, the art fails to set the tone for this graphic novel.
2. The incredible story of Gunboat Jack (Story and Art : Sumit Moitra)
An African American is swept off the deck of an American ship in 1925 near Madras Coast. The story then moves to 1944, Bangalore where that same person has become a famous boxer. The story talks about his struggles and how the city became integral part of his existence. Such was his born with the city that when in 1966 he finally gets to go back to America, he is reluctant.
While the story is not something special, the artwork is even more pedestrian.
3. No more coffee (Story and art : Ramya Ramakrishnan)
Another story that is baffling because the art makes it impossible to differentiate between the two women in this story. Hence, what ever the story wanted to convey gets lost in confusing art.
4. 81 Richmond Road (Writer – C.G. Salamander, Art – Devaki Neogi)
This one is based on a real story of a murdered that rocked Bangalore in 1994. A fictional twist is given to the story by telling it from the perspective of a carpenter. The black and white art is well suited for this kind of story.
5. The missing ATM (Story – Zac O’ Yeah, Art – Harsho Mohan Chattoraj)
A story about a lazy security guard who allows an ATM to get stolen, unaware that the same ATM will change both his life and his outlook towards life. The artwork in this story is probably the best in this graphic novel.
6. 11th main 9th cross (Story – Solo, Art – Ojo)
The story makes absolutely no sense. The art is below sub par except for the last frame of a cat over looking the city.
7. Mileage (Story – Jai Undurti, Art – Rupesh Arrvindakshan)
This is a straight up horror story with a hint of something supernatural. How is the story related to Bangalore is beyond my comprehension. Thanksfully the art does earn them a few Grace marks.
8. Beneath (Story – George Supreeth, Art – Neeraj Menon)
If not for the art this would have been yet another below average story. It still is not exactly a story that connect to a city in anyway but it is we can look at the pictures and feel better.
9. Bangalore : My Story (by Prashant Miranda)
This is less of a story and more of a nostalgia trip told from the point of view of someone who has spent quite a few decades in the city of Bangalore. The artwork makes it look like a comic book for children below age of 8.
Bangalore every city is a story is a confused attempt at story telling. If you are claiming that the stories are related to one city, then right stories that are actually relatable to a city. Half of the stories in this comic book can be credited to any other City by malely replacing the name in the script.
Frankly, this is one graphic novel I’ll suggest you to skip.
