Lion comics
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Lion comics (லயன் காமிக்ஸ்) is a Tamil Comic Book series published by Prakash Publishers, in South India. Both Lion Comics and its sister publication 'Muthu Comics' (முத்து காமிக்ஸ்), are published monthly in Tamil language. In fact, Muthu Comics is the forerunner to Lion Comics, even though the later has taken over as the leading brand of the comic publication. The Editor/publisher of the concern, Mr. S Vijayan, is based in Sivakasi, where the comics publishing house also is based out.
| Lion Comics | Muthu Comics |
|---|---|
Almost all of the stories published are Tamil translations of primarily European or American comic book characters, including those from the British Comics Publisher of the same name - Lion.
Tex Willer is the most popular cowboy hero; Steel Claw and The Spider were the more popular superheros during the comic house's best times.
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[edit] Related publications
Muthu Comics (முத்து காமிக்ஸ்), Thigil Comics (திகில் காமிக்ஸ்), Mini-Lion (மினி லயன்) andJunior-Lion (ஜூனியர் லயன்) are some of the other publications from the same concern. Comics Classics is the current re-printed run of more famous titles published decades earlier, during the so-called Golden Age of Tamil comics.
[edit] History
The first issue of Muthu comics was published in 1971 as a monthly (128 pages, Rs. 0.90). It featured The Steel Claw இரும்புக்கை மாயாவி. Although there had been a a few comics publishers in Tamil from the early 60s, the entry of Muthu Comics marks the beginning of the Golden Age of Tamil Comics. Muthu comics enjoyed a warm welcome from the Tamil audience and with M.Soundrapandian, continued to grow steadily over the years.
The first among the Comic House's expansion ventures - a weekly (முத்து காமிக்ஸ் வாரமலர) - was started in the early eighties, which was subsequently withdrawn after a few years. In 1984, after a brief lull when there was no comics publications in the market, came Lion Comics (லயன் காமிக்ஸ). Lion Comics was a creation of Mr.Soundrapandian's son Vijayan. Vijayan became the Chief-editor of Lion comics when he was seventeen.
Expansion continued with the launch of the Junior-Lion (ஜூனியர் லயன்), Mini-Lion (மினி லயன்) and Thigil comics (திகில் காமிக்ஸ்), all of which were published in parallel, on a monthly basis. Festivals like Diwali, Pongal and summer holidays promised special Digest Issues, which were bigger and costlier than the regular comic. These were the Golden years in Tamil Comics history.
1984 is also the year in which the Other major player in Tamil Comics - Rani Comics - was started by the ThinaThanthi தினத்தந்தி group of Publishers. Rani comics would grow to become the dominant player in the market for the next ten years or so...
Mid-eighties - with the launch of private Television Channels and Satellite / Cable access - mark the beginning of the spiraling decline in the comics readership in the State. Children and youth were increasingly drawn in to the wonderful media of Television.
During the worst periods of hardship, readers were plagued with problems such as shortage of quality story/art work, non-availability in local stores and frequent delays in releasing scheduled titles.
Slowly, most of the local comic publishers perished. Rani Comics bowed out with its 500th issue; Mini, Junior and Thigil comics were also eventually stopped. All that is left now are the Lion and Muthu comics.
Off late, there has been a brief revival in the comics interests with the publication of 'Comics Classics' - reprinted popular stories of yesteryear. Lion Comics continues to penetrate beyond its niche audience.
[edit] Featured heroes
Some of the more popular comic heroes introduced to Tamil audience were
- Lucky Luke
- Chick Bill
- Iznogood
- Tex Willer
- Steel claw
- The Spider
- Robot Archie
- Modesty Blaise
| Character | Tamil Name | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Barracuda & Frollo | Lawrence - David (சி.ஐ.டி லாரன்ஸ் - டேவிட்) | ? |
| Bernard Prince | Prince | Belgian |
| Blueberry | Tiger (கேப்டன டைகர்) | French |
| Bruno Brazil | Bruno Brazil (ப்ரூனோ ப்ரேஸில்) | French |
| Buz Sawyer | Charlie | American |
| Chick Bill | Chick Bill (சிக் பில்) | Belgian |
| Diabolik | Diabolik | Italian |
| Dr Kildare | Dr Kildare | ? |
| Flash Gordon | Flash Gordon (பிளாஷ் கார்டன்) | American |
| Iznogoud | mathi illa mandhri (மதியில்லா மந்திரி) | Franco-Belgian |
| Johnny Hazard | Wing Commander Johnny | ? |
| Johnny Nero | Johnny Nero | British |
| Lucky Luke | Lucky Luke (லக்கி lukக்) | Franco-Belgian |
| Mandrake the Magician | Mandhiravaathi Mandrake (மாண்ட்ரேக்) | American |
| Martin Mystère | Marma Manithan Martin (மர்ம மனிதன் மார்ட்டின) | Italian |
| Modesty Blaise | Modesty Blaise (மாடஸ்டி பிளைஸி) | British |
| Ric Hochet | Reporter Johnny | French |
| Rip Kirby | Rip Kirby ( | American |
| Robot Archie | Robot Archie (இரும்பு மனிதன் ஆர்ச்சி) | British |
| Secret Agent X-9 (Phil Corrigan) | Phil Corrigan | American |
| Tex Willer | Tex Willer (டெக்ஸ்வில்லர்) | Italian |
| The Cisco Kid | The Cisco Kid (சிஸ்கோ கிட்) | American |
| The Phantom | Maayavi (மாயாவி) | American |
| The Spider | Spider (ஸ்பைடர்) | British |
| The Steel Claw | Irumbukai Maayavi (இரும்புக்கை மாயாவி) | British |
| XIII (Thirteen) | XIII | Franco-Belgian |
There were occasional appearances of Batman & Joker, James Bond (ஜேம்ஸ் பாண்ட் 007), Judge Dredd, Sexton Blake (செக்ஸ்டன் ப்ளேக்).
[edit] Issues Published
| Lion 1 - 195 | Muthu 1 - 138 | Muthu 139 - 300 |
|---|---|---|
[edit] Editor's note
It must be stressed here that unlike the rest-of-the-world, in India, there is still the dominant view that comics 'are just for kids'. Successfully running a comics publishing house in such social milieu speaks greatly of the determination and the sense-of-purpose of the publishers. Vijayan, the editor has a good chemistry with the readers, through his 'Hotline' column that appears in the comics.
They used to have a fantastic collection of old editions in their ware house. One idiot of a 'fan' who used to frequent the warehouse started scanning his collection into a bootleg CD! Now we are denied access into the 'treasure chest'! Mr. Soundarapandan says that upgrading the ware house into a library is economically not feasible, due to the dwindling population that reads comics.
