Ram Venkatesan, writer of the recently released graphic novel Black Mumba, is feeling a bit spent after last weekend’s Mumbai Comic Con, where he was a participant.
Venkatesan has a sore throat from speaking to the attendees who expressed an interest in his work. But that will not deter him from talking enthusiastically about his next move. On October 27, Venkatesan will be conducting a workshop: Writing Graphic Novels, which is being organised in collaboration with Helter Skelter, an independent publishing house based in Mumbai.
The two-hour-long session has been crafted for those with a discerning interest in comic books, with particular emphasis on the medium’s unique ability to tell stories. Divided into three broad segments, the workshop will commence with Venkatesan detailing his own experiences as a writer of graphic novels, before delving into the importance of viewing them as an independent medium. He says, “I find comics are often viewed as the lesser cousins of prose and film. But historically they happen to predate both those art forms, even in popular communication”.
The next segment will encourage the audience to take a critical look at some technicalities of comic book writing: plot, pacing, structure, page composition, panelling, lettering and so on.
“I’m not a fan of taught workshops, where one person stands next to a screen and recites from some presentation,” says Venkatesan, hinting at the interactive nature of the workshop.
Lastly, he plans to shed light on the evolving relationship between comic book writers and their artists. “When I write a comic, I’m telling the story to the artist, but it’s the artist who tells the story to the reader. A lot of seminal comics, such as Alan Moore’s Watchmen , are heavily script-oriented. It’s important for artists to develop a sense of narrative, and for writers to learn how to write with the art as opposed to for it. Not everyone can write like Alan Moore, and artists can bring so much more to the table.”
Reflecting on his experience as a novice writer (his first novel was Aghori , for Holy Cow Entertainment in 2012) Venkatesan says that it was a lonely process. “I didn’t even have an editor to work with, or anyone to bounce ideas off.” A couple of years later he moved to London to study creative writing, and noticed an immense support for the art. That’s where the idea of conducting this workshop came from. “We don’t value the literary merit of comics in India yet, but there is an enthusiasm for them. Creators should express an interest in the work of other creators.”
Arun Kale, founder of Helter Skelter, has been organising workshops for comic book enthusiasts annually for the last two years. Jai Undurti of the Hyderabad Graphic Novel Project conducted the last two, but this time Kale reached out to Venkatesan after reading Black Mumba , a collection of “noir comics set in a dark and inky Mumbai, where a weary inspector will discover that dark magic lurks in every shadow.”
Kale was also one of the book’s first backers on Kickstarter. “When I found out Ram was flying down from London for Mumbai Comic Con, I told him he has to do this for us. He’s an incredible writer, and I can’t think of a more unique voice in Indian comics at the moment.”
The author is a freelance writer
Writing Graphic Novels, October 27, from 6.30 p.m. to 9 p.m., Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, Mahalaxmi. Tickets: Rs.1,500. Visit Instamojo.com
