COMIC RELIEF

The Comics Culture Collective is trying to introduce Bengali comics to a larger audience

- Aditya Mani Jha

In JANUARY, DURING A WEEKLONG trip to Kolkata, I was pleasantly surprised to see the name of the park right opposite my hotel-Narayan Debnath Park, after the eponymous comics writer and artist. The late Debnath (1925-2022) was the creator of super-popular Bengali comic strips such as Bantul the Great and Nonte Phonte. Kolkata is arguably the only Indian metropolis that can honour comics creators this way. Which is why it was little surprise to see the sheer range and historical significance of the exhibits at Comics in Bengal, a recent month-long exhibition organised by the Kolkata Centre for Creativity, in association with the Comics Culture Collective.