Tuesday 29 March 2016

Fly-by-night operators - Miscellaneous

(This is a Maxipost)

Hey hey hey Barbarians! This is the final chapter to my previously published two parted posts on fly-by-night publishers, yours truly in this post will spotlight on publishers whose details have been difficult to come by, since tracking physical issues from these publishers/line are difficult,information is scarce about many of these publishers and sometimes neither are their series details available nor their end date or start date.
The premise for including the names of the publishers included in this list are, Print Run, shelf life and a common language (English).
This post is a compilation and will be a work in progress, information will be updated as and when available.

1. Goldie Comics - XXXX - New Delhi
Genre ~ Humor,Detective
Publisher ~ RNC Print Publishing co.
Languages ~ English,Hindi
Characters ~ Buz Sawyer,Blondie
Detective series-Much before Buzz sawyer was introduced in IJC a small delhi based publisher had acquired it's rights and introduced him to the indian audience, under Detective series.
The books were larger than the standard IJC format and were printed in black and Orange instead of the practice of black and white format of smaller independent publishers.The first book in this series was "Who Dun it?" which is a reprint of Buzz Sawyer's 1940 run.

Goldie Comics Detective Series #1

2. Collector's Library - 1978 - Chennai
Genre ~ War
Publisher ~ Asia Features Chennai.
Languages ~ English,Tamil
Characters ~ Reprints Fleet way's War picture Library




3. Fleet Way Library Reprints - 1981 - New Delhi
Genre ~ Western,Girl Adventure
Publisher ~ Kiran Comics.
Languages ~ English,Hindi
Characters ~ Reprints Fleetway's Cowboy Picture Library and Girl's Adventure Library



4. Sun Comics - 1982 - New Delhi
Genre ~ Sci-Fi,Detective
Publisher ~ Sun Tabloids.
Languages ~ English,Hindi
Characters ~ Axa,Agent Vikram,Inspector Garud





5. Space Age Comics - 1977 - Bombay
Genre ~ Adventure,Humor,Detective
Publisher ~ K.R.Samant
Languages ~ English,Hindi
Characters ~ Shuja,Inspector vikram,Inspector Azad





6. Interprint Comics India - 1986 - New Delhi
Genre ~ Mythology
Publisher ~ Interprint India.
Languages ~ English,French
Characters ~ Various
Published in technical collaboration with the embassy of France, Large oversized magazine format, with 2 known issues.



7. Spectrum comics - 1985 - Bombay
Genre ~ Humor,Detective,Super Heroes,War
Publisher ~ Times Of India.
Languages ~ English,Hindi
Characters ~ Arak,Modesty Blaise,Juliet Jones,Spiderman,Dennis,Indian War Stories, Legion of Superheroes
Click "HERE" for more information.

8. Modern Classics - 1987 -
Genre ~ Super Heroes
Publisher ~
Characters: Superboy,Spiderman,G.I.Joe
Languages : English,Bengali
The Modern classics were published in Volumes, as per known information 10 comics were published in Volume 1 and 5 in Volume 2
The G.I.Joe comics were published in Volume 2 in association with Funskool toys,during their launch of G.I.Joe Toys line-up in India.
Click "HERE" for more Information.



9. Disney Classics - 1987 - Bombay
Genre ~ Disney Adaptations of Classics
Publisher ~ Bharat Mansukhani for Famous Publications.
Characters ~ Disney Characters
Languages ~ English



10. Blaze Publication - 1986 -
Genre ~ Humor
Publisher ~  Blaze Publications.
Characters ~ Disney Characters
Characters ~ Disney Fun,Disney Movies, Panchatantra, Superman

Blaze Publications Panchatantra #1

11. Chaturang Katha - 1983 - Bombay
Genre ~ Indian historical genre
Publisher ~ H.G.Mirchandani
Languages ~ English,Hindi,Malyalam
Characters ~ Various

Chaturang Katha #1


12. Adarsh Chitra Katha - 1981 - New Delhi
Genre ~ Indian historical genre & Humour
Publisher ~ Argus Central Enterprises,New Delhi
Languages ~ English,Hindi
Characters ~ Various
46 known issues were printed.

Adarsh Chitra Katha #1


13. STR Sachitra Katha - 1984 - Cochin
Genre ~ Indian history
Publisher ~ STR Journals
Languages ~ English,Hindi,Tamil,Malayalam,Bengali
Characters ~ Various


STR Sachitra Katha #1

14. Tan-Man Comics - 1987 - New Delhi
Genre ~ Fantasy
Publisher ~ IBH,New Delhi
Languages ~ English,Hindi
Characters ~ Hatim
6 known issues were printed





15. Tum-Tum Comics - 1992 - Bombay
Genre ~ Fantasy
Publisher ~ R.Kalyanaraman for Good Impressions
Languages ~ English,Hindi,Tamil
Characters ~ Arjun Space Warrior




16. Hemkunt Comics - XXXX - New Delhi
Genre ~ Fantasy
Publisher ~ IBH,New Delhi
Languages ~ English,Hindi
Characters ~ Various



17. Gaurav Gatha - 1980 - New Delhi
Genre ~ Indian Freedom Struggle
Publisher ~ Mrs.Santosh Puri
Languages ~ English,Hindi
Characters ~ Indian Freedom fighters

Gaurav Gatha #1

18. Katha Bharati - 1980 - New Delhi
Genre ~ Indian history
Publisher ~ Sanskar Bharathi Prakashan
Languages ~ English,Hindi,Tamil,Malayalam,Bengali
Characters ~ Various

Katha Bharti #1

There exists at least one more copy of this series with a different title but carrying the #1 Tag,Error Printing?

19. Cheeranjivi Katha - XXXX - Ahmedabad
Genre ~ Indian history/Mythology
Publisher ~ Enka Prakashan Kendra
Languages ~ English,Hindi
Characters ~ Various


20. Vidyarthi Mithram Comics - 1973 - Kottayam
Genre ~ Adventure/Action
Publisher ~ Vidyarthi Mithram,Kottayam
Languages ~ English,Malayalam,Tamil
Characters ~ Tarzan,Inspector Eagle,The Phantom(Tamil & Malayalam Only),Mandrake,Agent Vikram
Reprints Tarzan from swedish Tarzan "Aporna's Son" series.
Reprints Phantom & Mandrake from King's Syndicate Features.
Inspector Eagle and Agent Vikram were Characters Concieved and executed in India.




21. James Bond Agent 007 - 1988 - Chennai
Genre ~ Action
Publisher ~ Everest Publication.
Languages ~ English,Tamil
Characters ~ James Bond
Reprints Swedish Semic Comics James Bond in no order. Only 3 known issues





22. Lion & Lion-Muthu Comics English - XXXX - Sivakasi
Genre ~ Action & Humor
Publisher ~ Prakash Publication under license of Fleetway.
Languages ~ English,Tamil
Characters ~ The Steel Claw, Spider & Humor




24. Amit Comics - 1992 - Bombay
Genre ~ Action
Publisher ~ R.Kalyanaraman for Good Impressions.
Languages ~ English,Tamil
Characters ~ Detective Sankarlal



25. Paico Classics Indian Reprints - 1987 - Cochin
Genre ~ Classics
Publisher ~ Dinesh V Pai for Paico publications.
Languages ~ English,Malayalam,Tamil
Characters ~ Literary Classics

Paico Classics #1




26. Madhu Muskaan Comics - 1983 - New Delhi
Genre ~ Humor
Publisher ~ Everest Publication.
Languages ~ English,Hindi
Characters ~ Daku Paan Singh




27. Morgan Classics - XXXX - XXXX
Genre ~ Action
Publisher ~ XXXX
Languages ~ English
Characters ~ Tom & Jerry



28. Gowarson's Comics English - 1983 - New Delhi
Genre ~ Action,Adventure,Humor
Publisher ~ Gowarson's Publication.
Languages ~ English,Hindi
Characters ~ Taar, Lucky Luke, Asterisk, Famous Five, Iznogoud



29. Parkson's Mini Comics - 1988 - Bombay
Genre ~ Action
Publisher ~ Parkson's Publication.
Languages ~ English
Characters ~ He-Man



30. Bharthiya Chitra Katha - XXXX - New Delhi
Genre ~ Mythology/Humor
Publisher ~ Kucha Pati Ram.
Languages ~ English,Hindi,Bengali,Marathi
Characters ~ Various



31. Let us Know India - 1979 - New Delhi
Genre ~ History
Publisher ~ IBH
Languages ~ English,Hindi
Characters ~ Encyclopedia



32. Star comics - 1986 - New Delhi
Genre ~ Action,Adventure,3D
Publisher ~ Star Journals,New Delhi.
Languages ~ English,Hindi
Characters ~ Enid Blyton Famous Five,3D Comics
Were the first to introduce 3D comics in India,5 issues were printed in 3D format.
The Devils and the 3D glasses was borrowed heavily from Jack Kirby's 1953 3D comic A fight for a 3D world.




33 . Atul Comics - 1994 - Delhi
Genre ~ Humor
Publisher ~ IBH,Delhi.
Languages ~ English,Hindi
Characters ~ Hadbad Singh,Gadbad Singh
Based on the characters of "Tantri the Mantri" from Tinkle. Only 1 known issues



34. Mayur Comics - XXXX - Bombay
Genre ~ Action
Publisher ~ Dipak Agarwalla,Mayur Publications.
Languages ~ English
Characters ~ Cowboy Stories,Mamselle 'x',Agent Sefton Kane




Many collectors have talked about Mosaic Comics, however since these were printed in W.Germany and subscribed to an Indian Agency for distribution , your's truly has kept them beyond the ambit of an inherent Indian comics or Indian reprints.However reader's discretion is advisable on the distinction.
Mosaic Comics - 1986 -  West Germany
Genre ~ Humor
Publisher ~ Vijay Stores subscription agency.
Languages ~ English,German
Characters ~ Abrafaxe
The ongoing series were translated from German to English for India (Mosaic), and were sent to Indian Subscription Agencies in Ahmedabad and Mumbai.The books were printed in the then West Germany.



Your's truly would like to thank the following people who contributed generously to Old Crom, and without whose inputs and contributions this post would have not been possible.
(names in no serial order)

Swaroop Chand,Vineeth Abraham,Shirish Kumar,Bhoopathi

* Legends - XXXX - Information is unknown at this point of time.
Note : All non-watermarked pictures have been taken form free sources and contributors,Credits to Original up loaders.
Few more unknown publishers have been tracked and will be added to the list soon! -- Stay Tuned