Exhibit of Ish Issue #41

Heroes and Villians: The Battle for Good in India’s Comics

By Sarah Collins
Published: October 1st, 2009 | 11:48am

When Roy Lichtenstein applied comic book techniques to his paintings in the early ‘60s, he changed the relationship between popular culture and high art. In New York City and London, pop art changed the way cultured people thought about popular objects. Unsurprisingly, the revolution reached around the globe to India. Rather than viewing their comic books as dime-store children’s entertainment, Indians brought themes from their epic poetry and religious iconography into the medium — connecting modern day superheroes with ancient gallants and gods, and their foes with villains and demons.

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art brings these continuities to the foreground in its current exhibit on Indian comics. The museum showcases vintage Indian comic books next to their inspirations — from 1960s comics modeled on U.S. versions to the widely popular Amar Chitra Katha series, modeled on Indian gods and goddesses. LACMA will be drawing from its collections of historical Indian art to further contextualize the comic books and reveal just how profound popular culture can be.

The exhibit runs through February 7 (lacma.org).