'Longform: An Anthology of Graphic Narratives' returns with fresh voices in Indian comics

There is a delight in the discovery of the new Over 300 pages of the new edition of Longform An Anthology of Graphic Narratives Penguin RandomHouse India artists emerge with new idioms visual vocabulary and insight into the zeitgeist that surrounds us The third edition of the anthology is compiled by comic practitioners Argha Manna Debkumar Mitra and Pinaki DeA panel from Ayisha Shahulrsquos work We Canrsquot Hear YouldquoThe process of curation begins in the classroomsrdquo shares Mitra a Mathematics major and a scifi writer This is a common trait among all the curators Argha Manna is an artistinresidence at IIT Gandhinagar and helms a course on comics design at the scientific institution while De is a renowned book cover designer and a PhD in comics art himself Many of the 18 artists featured were discovered through workshops courses and mentored ldquoSince we all teach there is a shared idea of the stories to tellrdquo adds MitraA panel from Anantha Sriya Arsquos TextboxA Graphic NarrativeThe curation itself stands out for its diverse representation It kicks off with Anantha Sriya Arsquos Textbox A Graphic Narrative its text dominates the visuals and tells a radical story Kratika Sunkarrsquos Validation is an immensely recognisable argument that finds a slow simmering visual form on the page Pratyasha Nathrsquos Earworm is a tactile work that moves on the pageAn illustrated panel from Avanti Karmarkarrsquos GriefNot all are new faces Some include names such as Shankha Bannerjee who comes up with The Laws of the Ancients that is a throwback to epic imagery motifs and familiar myths Priyankar Guptarsquos City of Missing People is another work from the stables of a known comic book creatorThis is where the job of curation is delicate De points out ldquoThe works come through rigorous mentorship We need to be sensitive as editors and know the thread of the stories This is a mix of experience and novel worksrdquo Works like Priyankar Guptarsquos or Vishnu Vasudevanrsquos In Sadar Bazaar echo this novel narrative that carries a very Indian idiom Crowded chaotic yet at once familiar they are reflective of anyone who walks through an Indian streetArgha Manna Pinaki De and Debkumar MitraIt is these new works that add to its depth and complexity Avanti Karmarkarrsquos Grief is another intensely moving work Almost lsquofrom the hands of a child with heartrsquo says De it captures the evocative lingering nature of grief and the healing process Another story that deviates from the narrative norm is Ananya Bashyamrsquos Solitarius These visuals carry within them an urgency to tell a storyThe name itself Longform seems like a contradiction to these complex but short visuallydriven stories Mitra shares that the term comes from one of the contributors Joe Saccorsquos take on longform comics ldquoHe used it to explain in an article how Longform comics no longer find space in contemporary mediardquo says the editor Manna adds ldquoSuch comics offer democracy to the artist to express according to their tastesrdquoSacco also finds his way into the anthology with a moving essay Sacco talks about reading Longform and the ability of Indian creators to find their own idiom that reflects India De who studied Sacco points out ldquoThe visual language and storytelling instinct make it an exciting project This is an assemblage of artists and storytellers Perhaps one of them will branch out into a breakaway moment We in India are still waiting for itrdquoAvailable At all leading bookstores and ebook storesCost Rs 1499