Tulsi Comics was an Indian comics magazine published during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Tulsi Comics was a division of Tulsi Pocket Books which was renowned for their publications of Hindi novels in India. Tulsi Pocket Books had a huge customer base and vast readership of the novels. But the comics magazine failed to achieve the success of the novels as they lacked in quality in terms of stories and artworks. Moreover it could not match up to the standards of existing competitors like Manoj Comics, Diamond Comics and Raj Comics. Eventually due to fall in demand and declining sales, the publication was shut down in the year 2004.
History of Tulsi Comics
Tulsi Comics published series of various regular characters like Tausi, Jamboo, Angara, Yosho, Yoga, Baaz and Mr. India. Other than these they also published illustrated stories of fairytales related to kings and queens, prince and princess, demons, dragons and ghosts and moral values. Moreover, the stories that were featured in Tulsi Comics were produced in arcs that continued for 2 to 3 issues at least and it never featured a complete short story in a single stand alone issue. This fact also added to the early demise of the comics magazine. As most of comics readers in the country are children with limited finances, the multiple issue story arc model ultimately backfired and Tulsi Comics lost its reader base and its popularity.
The most prominent story arc amongst these was the vast story of the character Jamboo which continued for numerous issues that lasted for over a year. Jamboo was amongst the best series released by the comics magazine in terms of innovativeness and concept. It was created by Ved Prakash Sharma and was the most successful character of Tulsi Comics. Further more several other characters such as Yoga, Tausi, Yosho, Angara, Mr. India and Baaz were also introduced by Tulsi Comics. But the new characters failed to capture the attention of the readers and the earlier characters continued to be multi-issue stories, which finally led to the death of the comics.
Tulsi Comics was published on a monthly basis and the frequency of comics published by Tulsi every month varied from 6 to 10 issues. The publishing house also released digests as special issues which were bigger that the usual comics and consisted of a collection of stories and comics.
Publications of Tulsi Comics
Some of the most popular issues of Tulsi Comics include Jamboo Aur Tausi, Jamboo Ke Bete and Jamboo Aur Angara Ka Yudh, Yaksh Ka Maya Jaal, Jungle Queen, Raakh Ka Bhoot, Dhue Ka Aadmi, 4 Shaitan, Operation, Yaantrik Machhli, Bhagya Ka Khel, Cheekhta Hua Ullu, Fir Aaya Basant, Khooni Khajane Ka Waris, Karzdaar Dost, Bacchon Ka Hatyara, Daulat Aye Maut Laye, Nikhatoo Nikamma, Pratishod Ki Jwala Bhayankara Ka Bhoot Yoga, Baaz Murder Express, Baaz Aur Baaz, Baaz Ka Aatank, Sindhland Ke Shole Baaz, Khopdi Aur Baaz and many others.