comic

Notes on Anthony Bourdain’s ‘Hungry Ghosts’

June 30, 2019 Design General

There was always that element of surprise and awe in travelling with the towering Anthony Bourdain as the legendary celebrity chef & author ventured into unknown places around the nook and corners of the planet savouring unfamiliar gastronomical delights. Indeed some of the episodes were barbarous and revolting but it was Bourdain’s elucidation of the cuisine and the culture that made the show absorbing. Personally, I wasn’t the strictest follower of Bourdain’s sojourns except when ‘The Layover’ debuted on Netflix, which I binged upon, if not for the food the show was an interesting exploration of the places one might visit.

Anthony Bourdain's 'Hungry Ghosts'

But just like his stunning TV shows where he surprised the audiences with local delicacies I was enthralled to read about a graphic novel, the ‘Hungry Ghosts’, that he co-authored with Joel Rose. It’s a terrifying piece, and if I may add, graphically explicit in its textual content and colour set in mostly Japanese storytelling. Inspired by the Japanese Edo period parlour game of Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai, it reimagines the classic stories of yokai, yorei, and obake with, of course, the centrepiece of the narrative being food. According to Wikipedia, a ‘Hungry Ghost’ “is a concept in Chinese Buddhism, Chinese traditional religion, Vietnamese Buddhism and Vietnamese traditional religion representing beings who are driven by intense emotional needs in an animalistic way.”, in Hinduism the term they use is preta, and that is evidently showcased in the graphic novel. Incidentally, I haven’t written about graphic novels since I finished the Watchmen in 2010 but this book somehow inspired me to write once again.

Continue reading…

Looking Ahead To A Glorious 2019

December 31, 2018 General
2019 and Calvin-Hobbes

Before I address the elephant in the room called 2019 I must confess it has been a pleasurable 2018, which started dull like the rest of its predecessors but ended on a high note! Though, unmistakably, it’s also a peculiar time of the year today — the year’s last day, which has always pushed me to take stock of the events as I wade through the memories of the bygone era.

New Year, New Beginnings

A new year is like a bunch of 365 fresh pages to channelize infinite energies into writing new chapters, ones which couldn’t materialize in the past year. I always endeavour to accomplish something novel — 2018 was the proving grounds and 2019 is not going to be different at all. However, 2018 was overwhelming in many ways, in which, it felt like it were a ride on some dreamlike magical rollercoaster. To begin with, I became a proud father, while my consulting practice rocketed to greater heights with new ventures, I came across some great reading material as usual that reinforced my belief in my ‘innovation by design’ principles, and I got to experience the latest in PS4 gaming with Lara Croft’s newest treasure hunting. On the downside though, I had to convey my goodbyes to some longtime friends and colleagues although a few new ones joined me in my journey, so in a nutshell, these consequent ebbs and flow enlightened my moments in 2018.

Cannot Wait for 2019

I believe I have emerged stronger, more optimistic and conscious of my purposes thanks to 2018. It was similar to climbing the summit of a mountain, then descending, and preparing to mount another big one, and continuing on the trail until I discovered the spot where I truly belonged. Of course, in this adventure, ‘change’ has been my best ally and I truly believe that the returns of 2018 would continue flowing well beyond 2019 as well, unchanged and quadrupled in volume. So, may the positivity, the knowledge-seeking, and the abundance of joy and happiness also continue to come to everyone’s life. Fingers crossed and hoping for the best and Happy New Year to you all!

Source: Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for December 26, 1993

Stan Lee – The Marvel-ous Storyteller

November 13, 2018 Happenings

No doubt, Stan Lee was an ingenious storyteller. Much as scores of comic book fans around the globe I am passionate about comic superheroes too, and none other than the “friendly, neighborhood” Spiderman impressed me with his web-slinging skills growing up as a kid. Having no sense of what the effort behind making a comic book meant, who the creators were, I was left enamoured by the colourful illustrations combined with the nail-biting tale, pages after pages. For me, this vibrant world of heroes with superpowers opened tremendous possibilities in escaping the childhood drudgery of teachers & homework finding solace in the creative imagery and dramatic action. If my memory doesn’t fail me it was the storytelling of Spiderman left beaten up by the Green Goblin that left a lasting impression on my mind. It was penned by Stan Lee.

This is a tribute to those more than a hundred characters that Stan Lee has left with us through his illustrious 95-year lifespan, its narrative leaving an impact through a mix of colossal duels and raging plotlines of planets in danger from the ever-so wicked villains. Talking of which, I also discovered Stan through his movie cameos that influenced me in much the same way as the glimmer of his creativity through his artworks. But I must sadly confess, that as a youngster when I was munching on the stories & the characters Stan Lee’s storytelling hardly mattered to me and I didn’t recognize his contribution in this mystical imaginativeness that kept me glued to my book, I chose to ignore him. But perhaps, it was his imaginative artworks and his unbounded flights of fancy that encouraged me to take my artistic skills from a hobby into a career in a bid to explore the creative ingenuity within me, in blending the content with colour for communication much like Stan Lee’s stupendous milestones.

So, thank you, Stan Lee. I know you are in a distant galaxy far far away now but your aesthetic imagination, your flamboyance and your unflailing smile, will persist upon millions of fans just like me. We will miss you forever!

Changes, Challenges, And New Beginnings

October 10, 2018 General
Calvin & Hobbes - Changes & Challenges

One out of the many unpreventable consequences of our existence is facing countless changes and challenges of varying magnitudes, both in personal and professional capacities. To our advantage, if it wasn’t about accepting certain changes and tackling the challenges our pursuit of surviving against the odds would be permanently impeded and life itself would become dull and repetitive. Yet there’s no denying the fact that everything is shrouded in ambiguity without any access to answers from the future unless we gauge the situation first-hand.

In short, I could be intellectually prepared to face an unknown confrontation with time but I would have absolutely no control over when that event would occur or even have any visibility of the consequences thereof. Needless to say, there’s always a sense of apprehension lingering about how might I perform to the best of my abilities, and what path I might undertake that would align with my goals when I eventually face the challenge? Or how would that process change me for the better or worse?

A proud and a delightful moment is being unfolded, one that would unimaginably transform my viewpoint on matters relating to ‘challenges’ for the rest of my life. I’m embarking upon a new voyage in rediscovering myself all over again, and regardless of whether I’d end up smarter or lame, this wonderful token of blessing has ‘JOY’ written all over it!

Source: Calvin and Hobbes

That Magical Tool For Facing Deadlines

June 28, 2018 General Notes

It’s time to acknowledge a permanent and a frequently visited attribute of my professional career otherwise known as ‘meeting deadlines’, and who could better express that emotion visually other than a Calvin & Hobbes. That sense of accomplishment is briefly trounced by an uncanny nervousness with sticking to timelines, on whether it’s a strategic design proposal or preparing slides for an upcoming discussion on a creative project. And although the groundwork had truthfully commenced the minute all information was rounded up it wasn’t until the eleventh hour that the conception magically began taking shape! Yes, magically. But how? Much like most things today that are easily derived using a mobile app or other similar contraptions at the click of a button, that one ethereal tool which I use in filtering the surge of my creativity and delivering within deadlines is called the ‘panic button’.

Meeting Deadlines - Calvin & Hobbes

Source: Calvin & Hobbes by Bill Watterson