INGA (Indian Manga) : The Secret
Today, I shift gears on my blog.
I present to you the first in a series of short-stories-in-a-graphic-novel/comic-book-style. That’s a mouthful, so I’d like to call these shorts ‘Inga’ (that’s short for Indian Manga or Indian Graphic Art). I know the name’s a bit lame for a comic-book-genre (and brings to mind Swedish imagery ) but hey, it’s short and Twitter-friendly.
So here you go, my first two-page Inga titled ‘The Secret’.
Any resemblance to any living/dead person/place is a figment of your/my imagination(?).
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Please use the comments section and tell me what you think . Thanks !
Update (18th May 2009) For the record : The technique WORKS. Really.
Hmm, Moore/Gibbons fans – no comments about the last panel ? It’s a tribute.
Iyer Matter 
WHOA!
Deep…
Really good!
shooper iyer! shooper 🙂
Dude ! Awesome stuff.
Nice narrative too…
Machaa! The much too I say!!! What a realishtic cortoons and all!! Uff.
Xerox of foot immediately required.
Jai Iyer (author) : Aithlaga, the Malleswaram-Machiavelli himself.
Thirty-paise kerosene-smell Xerox okay-na? Athava Modi-na?
I feel sad for the fly …
gr8 strip though … 🙂
absolutely brilliant stuff. I simply loved it. Great work jai 🙂
Dark Inga sir, Daarku …
Subtle clues and all, in case anyone was wondering what kind of birds we are taaking aboutu ?
Jai (author) : Thanku. Kindly visit tavern, find the watcher and ask him yourself okay ? okay.
Wow, this is great stuff!
:0)
Cool Jai!! Cannot wait for more of INGA!
It does tell a story..
The one that has a beginning, then comes an independent story and then an end that relates to the beginning.
Brilliant..
Looking forward to more..
Very good beta.
omigosh! That was deep. Nice space. 🙂
mr krishna and arul mani? i get the sneaky feeling i am supposed to recognise more peoples…
Jai (author) : No comments, on the grounds that they might incriminate me.
Chindi chitranna, I mean Sooper aag iddey!
Excellent! Thought may be you should call it ‘chika” for Chitra Katha, instead of Inga. After all, Manga is japanese for chitra kata after all!
Jai (author) : Mmmmmm….
Jai ho! Fantastic only, I say. Well done. I am fully mins fully pridely.
Aaaaarggghhhhhh!!!@ BirdMan… *shudder* The memories. (And it was only ONE LONG evening opposite BirdMan, at KC Das, Koshy’s etc. Chandra-mama was snickering at me from peripherals and sending off snide messages also as well. Tchah. Psyched bugger.)
So anyway. THE SECRET, and the ellipses and the drama and the build-up to the fretful climax… Ujjjhu. *applause* 😉
Excuse me, I am your fan.
“Kyaa aap shaadi-shuda hain?” she asked lecherously…
Jai (author) : “Nahi. But why she is asking that qoschan?”
*Nudge-u* *Nudge-u* *Winku* *Winku* 😉
Loved it! Is there a fish tank at Koshy’s by any chance? Though there was a distinct lack of Meesais for the typical Koshy clientele….Can’t wait for the next strip. also appreciate your PPV plate with blogger.
Jai (author) : Usual response is “WOW WHAT AN F*****G AWESOME FISHTANK. Waitaminit, is there a restaurant around it?” Yenyway.
For non-Tams : PPV = paaku-pazham-veththalai = betelnut-fruit-leaves (ie my RSS feed icon). Dhanks. The sharp-Srinivasan that you are, did you also notice the manjal-poosina email-envelop icon?
You are absolutely right about my mis-directed response re: fishtank. Deep apologies. I might put it a mite more politely than you and say “Aathiri-Baacha! Enna fish tanku – enna fish tanku” But your point stands. (One day I’ll even tell you the story behind this). The “manjakadudasi” is a masterful touch or rather…a mahshterful touchu.
Brilliant! Can’t wait to read more…even though I feel I’ve lived it all before 🙂
Jai (author) : Dr.Spi ! Middle-class jayanagar boy researching spiders – now that’s an inga in itself.
Nah…who would be interested in that? Maybe if I could be bitten by some sort of a.. I don’t know..a radioactive spider or something…just thinking out loud here…then maybe…there’s a story in that.
Just brilliant!
Cant wait for more Jai! Fantastic!
Tragicomedy is the word I am looking for, I think… Awesome!
paapa noNa munDedu…sath hoithu..
soooper jai, you really have a gift…
brilliance
I declare this “maavadu” of the best variety, small, potent and incredibly tasty.
Jai (author) : ah, Jilpa-saar himself ! Thank you , I’m glad my mom’s pickling skills have been inherited after all. Ippo thairsaadam ready panNNanum..
I was expecting to read it from right to left. 😀
Good work dude!
Jai (author) : Seasoned-manga-person, eh ?
Ushisho! So many commentments. I am such a late-lateef.
Rombo pramadham, Iyre! Naan kitchen table-fan to hand visiri-ku maariTen.
Jai (author) : Haii ! PSPO-maami.
Simply Rocks! Excellent one Jai!
Brilliant! What a!
That’s Arul Mani isn’t it? Unmistakable.
nice. Would love to see longer works. Here is my first comic– a 32 page autobiography. It is available for sale here–>
http://pothi.com/pothi/book/bharath-murthy-learning-see
You can read the pdf here–> http://www.number21pix.in/comics/LEARNING_TO_SEE.pdf
starting a second work right now–
AWEEESUM!!!! We need MORE!!!
whoa….awesome artwork – Inga
heehee.. loved the twist
Very original work Iyer.
How would you like it to appear in an anthology? I’m looking for contributors from your part of the globe.
Let me know if you’re interested.
Bov
Jai (author) : Bov, Thanks ! I’ll send you a reply by email.
Nice one, what with tributes (gibbons/moore) and cameos (arul) and all. In case you are looking for something else to add to the vat you soak in, check out Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo, in case you haven’t yet. Although the book is available from the, ahem, Juvenile section in the library, it’s nothing short of spectacular. (If that’s too tangential, it went this way : Mosquitoes (as protagonists) -> Anthromorphic heroes -> Usagi Yojimbo -> Samurais and Bushido -> Japan -> Manga -> Inga)
Jai (author) : (Spits out sand, and checks if Rincewind’s doing okay ) : Usagi Yojimbo. Yes yes , I’ve read it. And how ‘well-connected’ you are , O noble wind.
I chanced upon your blog and found it very informative. The event blogs are striking enough to have a feel of the event, so, I would like to have a little chit-chat on your blogging interests. And even we are coming up with an event on startups on June 6th. So, can I have your contact details? Looking forward to hear from you.
Contact me on : devarchit@siliconindia.com
Jai ( author ) : Devarchit, hi ! I’m currently travelling, back in Bangalore on the 1st of June. You may mail me on [ iyermatter at gmail dot com ]
Awesome start! The nostalgiate in me really enjoyed this 🙂
Nice work. Is there more?
Yes, there is (will be) more. I’m working on a couple of scripts, need to find time to ink it down. Stay tuned.
Profound and thoughtful.
Especially loved the last and last but one frames.
Long live Inga !
Cheers!
are you allowed to say fishes in graphic novels?
Excellent piece, man.
Maybe Thenga Comics might be a good answer to manga comics.
Hey, awesome drawing and narrative. Was expecting to read from right to left, but I see that in only a few frames, but hey you can be a great mangaka.
awsomeness more please.
i know this fly catacher guy whom u have drawn.. he sits always in koshys.. thinks of himself as a genius..
hmm
\nice one
Jay,
Satyajit Ray used to be write short stories for children that a generation grew on. Detective stories and Science Fiction and others. Full of his own illustrations and content thats ensuant to falling in that magic cauldron. You know what I mean. There are dozens of them. I think you will like them. They are in Bengali but some decent translation may exist.
@Abhijit
Yes, I’m a big fan of Satyajit Ray, his dad Sukumar Ray & their works. They were the original Maestros of Mashup.
🙂 Fly’s might be already grouping and plotting against you mate 🙂 Beware 🙂
Amazing stuff Jai.Loved the layers (altho I did confuse Arul Mani for Sri Sri Ravishankar :p) Hope there’s more to come…
Absolutely amazing! Your insights into the ‘birdman’ are wonderful. Havent noticed you among the usual suspects in this tavern though… 🙂
Fantastic stuff! Btw, speaking of Satyajit Ray, two of Feluda mysteries are out as graphic novels… they are really quite good!
Genius stuff!
Tavern and Koshys also 🙂 ! Loved the stuff ! Nicely written.
“I try to flee but I don’t know how to”…..wonder how many of the tavern or Koshy regulars(first timers also 🙂 )are relating to this as they are reading !!
This is superb…I am thoroughly entertained!
Brilliant work!! The resemblance to any living/dead person/place in this case, I suspect is not really a figment of my imagination!
OMG this is hilarious.. Awesome work, pls keep it rolling
Wow….I’ve never seen a comic strip with so many familiar faces/ places….nice!
Oh hey, incidentally one more secret revealed about why.. why flies are difficult to swat —
http://dawgmatix-nothingcomplicated.blogspot.com/2008/09/ballet-dancing-flies-and-freedom-of.html
This is great stuff, and for those of us know the watcher of birds in the story, it makes the reading even more fun. Thanks for this 🙂
hey I know that bird guy at koshys
Brilliant! I’m sure Krishna liked it. Almost heard it from the bird’s beak! Sridhar, seated opposite, has been brought out superbly as well 🙂
Ha ha.. More?
anisutide yaako indu salim ali krishna mattu le prof arul mani andu….chindistuff….not to forget certain other familiar faces (i think)….yoour yoour bitt yoour yaaru?
Pretty good, man. You may have missed your calling!
Liked it brother
workin on a few myself
art cud be better though
Really awesome.
If i had talent i would think like you.
Aiyo, sir, en kaafile “E” vizhundhuduthu.
Appo unga Kaafile 3 “E” iruukunnu sollunga!
not my original, but heard it somewhere. That’s another way to kill a fly, though you don’t have much control on it.
🙂
good show sir, really enjoyed reading 🙂
The first few panels are reminiscent of scenes from Cowboy Bebop: Knocking on Heaven’s Door.
Impressive artwork though.
Romba kickass. Came here after seeing “Eef you come today” Inga comics. (Sadly I only found two Easter eggs – or should I say maangai). Both pieces have excellent art work. Great perspective for the sketches. Particularly love the scenes unfolding from SuperHero’s cape, and in the strip above, the perspective from Bird man’s finger tip. Also enjoyed the occasional patron cradling his cell phone with the bearded man in the back. Soopar details saar. And the envelope icon with the manjal poosings … too much…three much.
The world has much to gain. Eagerly await more. All shows house-full.
Chanced upon it…Awesome 🙂
I wish to meet you sometime. Is there any contact number to contact.
Hey! Isn’t that man Krishna???!!?? He’s GOTTA BE! 🙂
I haven’t met Krishna in a while, but I haven’t met anyone as resourceful (with ants, esp.) either. 🙂
awesome!
Arul Mani was my lecturer in St. Joseph. Mr. Krishna…the birdwatcher 🙂 man…you do complete justice
Woah! That was some pretty deep manga there!
What a secret this be! I came here via ‘iiif you come todaaay’ search and have been browsing through the various stories and blogs on Bangalore since then.
I’m an avid manga collector among other comics and always was curious if any Indian version existed to echo this global movement. Happy to say my curiosity was sated with your ‘Inga’ 🙂
Loved ‘The secret’. The environ in the story, looks similar to Koshy’s, but not sure. Anyways, liked the idea and the storyline. 🙂
– Jai (and an Iyer to boot) heh 😉
Must respectfully disagree with the bird man. There’s no such thing as theobromide. It’s theobromine and in large enough quantities is toxic to humans too.
Oh sorry, was I detracting from all the praise about the comic? 😉
whoaw!
That is friggin awesome..!!
I discovered Iyermatter when I was searching for some Rajini comics…
and boy!! I naat vonly gaat one… buttaalso got this paesan Iyer!!
Dooood I yam yuvar fyaan! (FYI fyaan att firsht sytu!)
Let me spread the word!!
Is this a manga or comic??