Spider-Man India is an original Indian comics series that was created by Suresh Seetharaman and Sharad Devarajan and was illustrated by ace artist Jeevan J. Kang. The comics series was published in the year 2004 by Gotham Entertainment Group, which later converted into Virgin Comics and is currently known as Liquid Comics. The Spider-Man India comic book series re-imagines the story of the original Spiderman (published by Marvel Comics), and has modified the character which is set in an Indian environment and setting. The series was published for 4 issues and was released in India in 2004. It was later published in United States of America in 2005.
Characters of Spider-Man India
The various characters of Spider-Man India were created maintaining resemblance and similarity with the prominent characters that were featured in the original Spiderman. These new and modified characters had in the regional culture. The alter-ego Spiderman named Peter Parker was formed in Spider-Man India as Pavitra Prabhakar. Other characters were also created and modified in the original Indian version which resembled and are parallel with the popular characters from the original, such as Meera Jain, who resembled Mary Jane Watson; Auntie Maya, equivalent of Aunt May; and Nalin Oberoi is an original Indian version of Norman Osborn. In the plot of Spider-Man India, Nalin Oberoi transforms into an ancient Indian demon, which is similar to the Green Goblin in Marvel`s Spiderman.
Content of Spider-Man India
The concept of Spider-Man India, although maintains the basic premise of the original Spiderman, illustrates a whole new and original tale about the beginning of the Indian superhero character that is based in Indian culture and mythology. Pavitra Prabhakar is a simple teenager from a remote village in rural India, whose parents had expired a few years ago. He comes to the city of Mumbai along with his Uncle Bhim and Auntie Maya in order to continue his higher studies, after receiving a partial scholarship.
He is bullied in his new school by the other students for his simple and rural background and bookish nature. His Uncle is struggling hard to financially support his studies and to manage their family, including him and Auntie Maya. He makes only one friend in his new school, a beautiful and popular girl named Meera Jain. According to the plot, Nalin Oberoi is a powerful crime lord in Mumbai who utilises a talisman to conduct an ancient mystic ritual. As a result of the ritual, the dark forces are awakened and Nalin is possessed by an evil demon. The demon aims to open a portal through which other such demonic creatures can enter the realm of man.
Meanwhile, Pavitra, who is regularly tortured by bullies, encounters an ancient yogi while running away from his tormentors. The yogi blesses him with special powers of a spider so that he is able to fight the evil forces which threaten mankind. As Pavitra discovers his special powers, he denies helping a lady being attacked by many criminals. After he moves away from the location, Pavitra hears his Uncle Bhim`s voice and finds out that he has been murdered. Bhim tried to help the woman but was stabbed by the violent men. Pavitra realises that with great power comes great responsibility and vows to use his mystical powers to protect the good.
Meanwhile, Nalin Oberoi transforms to his human self and converts a good-natured doctor into a demonic being with four magical tentacles, which is the Indian version of Doc Ock. He is then instructed by the demonic entities to find and kill Spider-Man. But he fails to capture Spider-Man who appears as a superhero to public for the first time. However the local media identifies him as a criminal vigilante. The rest of the story shows how Spider- Man rescues his Auntie Maya and Meera from the clutches of Nalin Oberoi. He is helped by Doc Ock in his mission.
Another sub-plot introduces an Indian equivalent of the character Venom who appears when Pavitra comes in contact with the Talisman. This version of Venom appears like a demonic creature from the dark side, who lures Spider-Man to join the forces of evil. But ultimately Pavitra gains control over his mind and destroys the demonic entities, which transforms Nalin Oberoi into a human again. Pavitra throws the Talisman into the ocean and Oberoi gets admitted into an asylum.
The story of Spider-Man India concludes with the beginning of a romantic relationship between Meera and Pavitra and the re-emergence of the demonic Venom.
