Prakash Publishers(or should I say Muthu Comics' publishers) made another attempt to get established in the Indian English comics market in the 90s(First issue was released in Aug 92). They have tried their hand briefly with English comics in India in 70s with the publication of Steel Claw(Maayavi). However apart from the Tamil market they were not able to penetrate the other Indian language markets.I do not have the Steel Claw published in 70s with me, but the proof that there was indeed an English edition, is available in the back pages of the Muthu comics released in late 70s, which shows that the English edition is for sale at Rs 1.50. Take a look at one such ad, which appeared in issue number 94, dated 15 May 1979.
I believe this story is same as the Fleetway Super Library issue number : 1 (original Fleetway cover is shown below, story is titled "The Raiders of the FEAR"):
When I have met Mr Vijayan in Dec'04, he mentioned that, they have tried out in other South Indian languages as well. However due to distribution problems, they couldn't continue. I do not have any further info about this language editions, except this reference in wikipedia, which mentions that it was published in Malayalam by Regal Comics. If you have any more info about the Indian English editions and other language editions please let me know. Lets now get back to the original discussion!!!
In late 90s Prakash Publishers came out with the English edition of the Lion Comics, featuring the characters appeared in the Tamil edition of Lion Comics. It was started as a single story issue, following the popular Fleetway Super Library format of 132 pages. First issue featured Spider, under the title "Child's Play" in Aug'92.
This one was originally published in Fleetway Super Library issue number 26, in Jan 1968.
The same cover was used when it got published in Tamil under the title "Sirupillai Vilayattu", issue number 54.
However a different cover, similar to the cover of Fleetway Super Library number 2 was used for this Indian edition. Fleetway Super Library cover number 2 is shown below:
This issue has an ad for the forthcoming Steel Claw issue. Look at the similarities of this ad and the ad in the back cover of Fletway Super Library issue number 2.
This Steel Claw story never got published, however Steel Claw made a brief appearence in issue no:4.
Second issue featured Robot Archie, released in Sep'92, titled "Robot Archie inthe Island of Death".
Robot Archie was not published by Fleetway in the Super Library format, but there are some references about Robot Archie published in Lion Picture Library as a single story. Follow this LINK, if you want to know more about Lion Picture Library. The cover design used was same as the Lion Annual cover of 74. Take a look at the cover.
The story featured in this issue was already published in Tamil edition under the title "Marma Theevu"(Lion issue number : 13).Back cover of the Tamil edition is below:
This story was originally published in Lion Annual 73 in United Kingdom. Cover of the Lion Annual 73 and the first page of the story are below:
Third issue featured a Spider story, titled "The Chessman". This was originally published as Fleetway Super Library number 10 in May 1967 in UK. Take a look at the cover of the Indian edition and the Fleetway cover.
This story appeared in Lion under the title "Sathuranga Veriyan", issue number 12.
From issue number 4, publishers have moved to multiple(small) stories. And in my opinion this made the English edition stories less interesting, though many of these pages were in full color. Number of pages is also reduced. Fourth issue featured about 10 stories, including one Steel Claw story, which featured as "Vibathil Sikkiya Vimanam" in Muthu(issue number 117). This story also featured in the CC edition number 17. Cover scan of the issue 4 is below.
First page of the steel claw story from this issue is below:
Fifth and final issue featured about 10 stories. Many of the characters appeared in issue 4 and 5, also featured in the Mini Lion & Junior Lion published by Prakash Publishers. Some of them are, Billy Bunter(Gundan Billy in Tamil), Sporty(Vichu Kichu in Tamil), Zip Nolan(Nolanodu Thuppariyungal), Phil the Fluter(Kuzhaludhum Kannan), Tatty Mane(Parattai Thalai Raja). And it even had a story of Johnny - Thupparium Computer(originally known as Number 13 Marvel Street).
Sadly it ended with issue number 5 and with that, the hope of seeing Maayavi in single Indian English edition also died. With this short run, it will remain as a small chapter in the history of Muthu Comics.
Size of these issues were similar to the current size of Muthu/Lion.
You would have notied, that, I use lot of scans. I do this deliberately, because visuals have got a better way to convey a message strongly, than words and also it has the power to bring the nostaltic memories. And in any case, looking at the scans is better than what I blabber about them. Right?
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MF
