While Shefali Johnson takes over the comic mantle with CEO of Jatin Varma, reflects on the growth of pop culture in India. They point out how it has evolved over the years and reached a level of saturation in urban cities to the point that the team feels safe to branch into cities of level 2 and level 3.
Citing a tread of 3,00,000 this year, the two leaders hinted that the next comic could debut in a new city, but emphasized that the signals as always come from fans and their response to the festival.
The general prejudice is that the response for comic with India, compared to other Comic Contres International, is warm. How do you plan to enter the cities of level 2 and level 3?
Varma: The fact that we are now expanding to so many cities is due to the response we recover in all the main cities. We see fans not only in the main meters but also in narrower cities, in all age groups, so we are planning this expansion. The only limitation we face is to work within the size and scope of the Indian market.
Obviously we are not the US market, the Hollywood center. However, we are more integrated and we do more interesting things than the comic consist of the world, the sopects in North America, who are extremely driven by celebrities. Our is a healthier mixture of celebrities, comic artists, creators and also chooses things in pop culture, either youth, comedy, music, etc. So I feel that we sacrifice a very expansive pop culture compared to other comic cons.
How would you imagine the pop culture of India?
Varma: It is everything and anything under the sun, with a constant interest in manga, anime, superheroes and comics. Interests rise and fall depending on trends. For example, superheroes are a bit of the thesis thesis, but the anime and manga are governing the programming promoted by greater interest in said content worldwide.
There are all kinds of different language that are at stake in India. From that perspective, our popular culture is quite diverse. We can continue bringing new and different interesting elements to try, so we have survived for so long and grown so far.We feel that we have also reached the limit of urban cities, so we want to try to expand to other places to connect with fans, and reach them wherever they are.
Johnson: This is also in our social pages. We continue to receive requests to come to other cities as well. This is how we decided and move on. With easy access to the Internet, people in cities of level 2 and level 3 are also aware of what is in a trend, which does not. We want to serve that population too.
Like new CEO, what are your plans for comic with? Is there anything new that you are thinking of doing?
Johnson: There are no plans for now. The new is definitely going to the newest cities. Level 2 and Level 3 cities are scheduled to be on the calendar in the coming years. We are also planning to go internationally with what we have done here. The associations would increase. Nodwin is also a center for as many interesting IPs as BGMIS. So I think we will try to find synergies with the other IP too and see how we can collaborate more within the group. But we are not reinventing the wheel here with comic with.
So what is the next target city? In the next season, where have you planned the first show?
Johnson: Probably Hyderabad, but as I said, we are still exploring the cities, so there is the possibility of moving forward and starting since October. Actually, we could start the season with a new city, a first comic fraud in a new city.
As an estimate, can you tell us how the footprint has grown in the last five years for comic with India?
Varma: Pre-pandemic, our annual footsteps were approximately 2.00,000. Now, we are crossing 3.00,000 and we have also added more cities. In certain cities we have maximized the number of people we can bring to a particular place. So we keep trying to increase the size of the place. We are more than 50,000 people in Mumbai Comic with and now we are reaching a space where we will have to rent the entire place. The only reason we maximize is that we run out of places. Unfortunately, the space and infrastructure of the place is a challenge in most cities.
How have you seen the live entertainment industry grow over the years?
Varma: After the pandemic that the initial revenge excursion has become a rocket ship that is approaching at this time in India. Specifically when it comes to unique IPS or musical acts. Basically, that is now given for the Indian event industry, where people are willing to pay a premium to experience something unique. Comic with certainly plays an important role in him. I think this growth is here to stay now.
In terms of bringing international guests to India, how was the experience stage?
Varma: International guests to India is not always an easy task. There are many elements to take into account if they are relevant to our audience, if our audience is willing to pay for them and, more importantly, if they can fit our show schedule in their tour plan. In 2011 where we are now it is much easier. The biggest challenge is to discover what would work and what would boost a lot of emotion among the public. It is always an investment, so we are looking for associations and also ensuring that when you bring an act like this or an artist like this, we try to maximize their presence to all fans in the show. I hope many more collaborations of this type in the future too.
Do you also plan to collaborate with brands such as Motu Patlu or the species of the most focused on the Indian?
Varma: Motu Patlu is not very relevant at this time for our audience. We have inherited IPS in our Raj Comics shows to Diamond to Amut Chitra Katha and Tinkle. We are always looking for interesting content to be part of the program and try to see how we can bring them. According to a large amount of research we do with our audience, we continue trying to add new elements. Specifically when we go to regional cities where the language is at stake, trying to attract local creators as well.
Can you give me the 5 main things in terms of content that are more popular in India? The 5 best content things that are more popular in India?
Varma: A piece, Naruto, some of these anime IP are the ones in a trend. After that, you will see Western IP such as Marvel and DC. But it changes every 3-4 months depending on what is in a tendency to what time and what city. If you specifically ask the Indian IP, I think that the inherited IP are always consistent in the generation of nostalgia. But there is nothing specifically new on the side of the comic, at least of the IP of India, which has reached a level of mass popularity.
Compared to Say DC or Marvel, do you think the Indian comic market is in trouble?
Varma: No, there are no problems. It is a niche. There is no comparison between a DC that has existed for 70-80 years with all the power of a Hollywood compared to saying an Indian IP owner. Being in this space is a long game and an IP takes time to be very popular. Loving Chitra Katha has existed for 50 years at a time when things were very different. So, it is a niche and this is the era of niches to be very honest.