News
Whose Development? – comics anthology on development
May 2, 2010
Whose Development? – a comics anthology on development has recently been published by World Comics India. The book, first in a series, has been edited by Sharad Sharma.
Stories from Jharkhand tell how adivasis are affected by big development projects and also about uranium mine radiation. The story from Assam shows a fisherman's harsh life conditions while that from Goa is about problems created by tourism. From Kolkata comes a story of a slow-moving tram and from Rajasthan a story about the plight of a dalit.
The second comics anthology A War Within is ready to be printed and World Comics India is now looking for support for publishing it.
The book is available in India for 100 rupies and outside for 8 euro. More about both anthologies.
If you are on Facebook, join the group “Comics Power!”
May 2, 2010
The Facebook group “Comics Power!” has about 450 members, and especially South Asian comics activists participate with messages and photographs. Join the group and find out more about the vibrant grassroots comics scene in India and its neighbouring countries.
Grassroots Comics in Mwanza
May 2, 2010
Shivyawata is an umbrella organisation of disabled people's organisations in Mwanza Region, Tanzania. Shivyawata arranged four grassroots comics workshops in Mwanza, in January 2010 for the local branches of Tanzania Association of the Deaf, Tanzania Albino Society, Tanzania Association of the Physically Handicapped, and Tanzania Association of Mentally Handicapped. The workshops were attended by 51 participants.
The workshops were funded by Abilis Foundation of Finland. The tutors at the workshops were comics artists Sunday Ngakama and Sanna Hukkanen. Read the full report.
The comics were made as wallposters. Some were also published in small photocopied booklets.
The whole idea of comics seemed a bit difficult for many in the beginning. But in the end, when the participants saw their artwork ready, it was very rewarding for them. The stories were often based on personal real-life experiences. The participants had very strong, even shocking messages in their comics, which made them a very powerful tool for campaigning and for changing attitudes.
Grassroots comics catching on in Estonia
May 2, 2010
The Estonian branch of the European Youth Bureau ran a few grassroots comics workshops at the end of 2009 in Tallinn. The themes were about unemployment and development cooperation. More on the organisation’s website (in Estonian). Some of the comics are in English.
Comics booklet from Dakar grassroots workshop
May 2, 2010
Finnish artist, Kaija Papu, went to Senegal in 2008 to run a workshop at the Finnish–Senegalese cultural center, Sunu Kër, in Dakar. The idea was to make comics about issues important to the young participants, who were from the neighbourhood.
Kaija Papu compiled the comics in a small booklet called “PosterPlay”. The book, with texts in French and English, is available in print from Kaino-kustanne and online as a PDF-file.
We found out about the book only recently, but think it is definitively something to share.
World Comics Finland launches its renewed website!
January 8, 2010
Six months in front of the computer is behind us. Our renewed site is ready and uploaded. We have tried to make it uncluttered and easy to read.
The main site design, image manipulation, and coding has been made by Joonas From, the texts and other content by a group of World Comics Finland volunteers. Sharad Sharma of World Comics India has contributed with valuable advice and a lot of unique material, photographs, comics, drawings and texts. His material has enhanced our website tremendously.
We thank everybody who has helped us, and our special thanks go to the Otto A. Malm Foundation, who generously provided a grant for the website renewal.
Check out the page and send us feedback on: mail@SPAMFILTERworldcomics.fi
Rajasthan report ready
January 6, 2010
The Rajasthan comics workshop report (20 pp.) is ready. The training of trainers workshop was arranged in October 2009 in Gram Vikas Navyuvak Mandal Lapodia (GVNML), Nagar, Rajasthan. The report contains a lot of photographs and drawings by Sharad Sharma, Leif Packalen and Kaisa Leka. It is available as a pdf-file.
A comics exhibition on Bhopal Gas Tragedy
December 2, 2009
A comics exhibition on Bhopal Gas Tragedy was showcased during the "Bhopal blues on wheels: Capturing 25 years" on 1st December 2009. These black & white comics were developed by the children of Bhopal during a three day Comics workshop organized by World Comics India in collaboration with Bhopal Gas Pedit Mahila Udyog Sanghthan.
Marking the 25th anniversary of the Bhopal disaster, supporters of the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal launched this campaign. The Caravan was flagged off by renowned filmmaker and social activist, Muzafar Ali on 1 December at 4:30 pm at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
The caravan travelled to educational institutions and public locations across Delhi. The report includes all the comics, with English explanations.
The report can be read here.
(information from Sharad’s Facebook page)
The first comic book on gay issues launched in Mumbai
November 30, 2009
The Mumbai-based NGO, Humsafar Trust, has launched an illustrated comic book with funding from United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The comic book is cleverly called, Ek Alag Chitra Katha, a spin off on the well-known Indian comic book series, Amar Chitra Katha. The grassroots comic book, is in Hindi.
Humsafar Trust is an NGO dealing with the rights of sexual minorities in India
Humsafar Trust made the book after Sharad Sharma (of World Comics India) ran a three-day workshop at Humsafar's office in Vakola, Santacruz (E). There he trained grassroot workers in recounting anecdotes and sketching them into comics.
(news item from Mid-Day, Mumbai, 9.10.2009)
