The creator of SPIDER-MAN INDIA speaks

By: Patrick Sauriol
Date: Saturday, July 10, 2004
Source: Yahoo

25-year-old Jeevan Kang is living one of his dreams: he gets to create a new spin on one of his beloved childhood characters, Spider-Man. Kang is the writer/artist working on SPIDER-MAN INDIA, the Indian counterpart to Marvel's Manhattan-based wall-crawler. The new comic book reimagines the familiar, North American superhero as a teenage Indian boy named Pavitr Prabhakar that lives in Bombay. All of Spider-Man's familiar cast of supporting characters are there such as Aunt May, Mary-Jane and the Green Goblin but they now have their own Indian origin and namesake, such as Uncle Ben becoming Uncle Bheem.

In an interview published on Yahoo, Kang discusses why he thinks an Indian version of Spider-Man can find success with readers outside of the western world. "Spider-Man has a universal appeal which spans all kinds of audiences," Kang said. "He is a character to whom everyone relates. He ideally stands for great power which comes with a great sense of responsibility."

One story element that is substantially different between the American and Indian Spider-Men is their origins. Whereas Peter Parker received his spider powers after being bit by an arachnid exposed to a scientific experiment, Pavitr gets his superpowers from an Indian mystic. Since there is more of a belief in supernatural powers with India's populaton, SPIDER-MAN INDIA will use the continent's ancient mythological gods and their fantastical powers as a launching point for Pavitr's villains, such as the Indian version of the Green Goblin. In SPIDER-MAN INDIA the Goblin will be a Indian man named Nalin Oberoi that can transform into a Rakshasa, an Indian demon.

The first issue of SPIDER-MAN INDIA is set for release next month in India. While it has been mentioned that there are plans to to re-publish the Indian Spider-Man comics across the Atlantic for North American audiences, currently there is no set date for a domestic release of the Indian comic book.


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