On World Cartoonists Day, let's take a look at some renowned artistes and their creations

A single-page illustration of a 1984 issue of Spider-Man comic book was sold at auction for a staggering $3.36 million in the United States, with many dubbing him as the "world's mightiest auction hero".

The bidding was for page 25 of Marvel Comics’ ‘Secret Wars No. 8’ in which Mike Zeck for the first time introduced Spidey in a black suit, which eventually led to the emergence of the anti-hero Venom.

The record bidding, which started at $330,000 and soared over $3 million, came on the first day of Heritage Auctions' four-day comic event in Dallas, Texas.

“This page was the big reveal teased on the cover! This is where Peter Parker actually got his spiffy new black costume,” Heritage Auctions said in its description of the artwork for page 25 of the issue.

“But... it’s a costume with a secret! Because it very soon turns out to be alive and have its own agenda. This is the origin of the character Venom!”

The previous record for an interior page of a US comic book was $657,250 for art from a 1974 issue of “The Incredible Hulk” that featured a tease for the first appearance of Wolverine.

The copy was graded 6.0 by comic book grading authority CGC. Two other copies of the world's most famous comic book issue with a higher grade have previously sold for more at auction, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The page’s sale comes a month after the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home which has smashed box office records across the globe despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

(With inputs from agencies)

A single-page illustration of a 1984 issue of Spider-Man comic book was sold at auction for a staggering $3.36 million in the United States, with many dubbing him as the "world's mightiest auction hero".

A single-page illustration of a 1984 issue of Spider-Man comic book was sold at auction for a staggering $3.36 million in the United States, with many dubbing him as the "world's mightiest auction hero". The bidding was for page 25 of Marvel Comics’ ‘Secret Wars No. 8’ in which Mike Zeck for the first time introduced Spidey in a black suit, which eventually led to the emergence of the anti-hero Venom. The record bidding, which started at $330,000 and soared over $3 million, came on the first day of Heritage Auctions' four-day comic event in Dallas, Texas. “This page was the big reveal teased on the cover! This is where Peter Parker actually got his spiffy new black costume,” Heritage Auctions said in its description of the artwork for page 25 of the issue. “But... it’s a costume with a secret! Because it very soon turns out to be alive and have its own agenda. This is the origin of the character Venom!” The previous record for an interior page of a US comic book was $657,250 for art from a 1974 issue of “The Incredible Hulk” that featured a tease for the first appearance of Wolverine. The copy was graded 6.0 by comic book grading authority CGC. Two other copies of the world's most famous comic book issue with a higher grade have previously sold for more at auction, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The page’s sale comes a month after the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home which has smashed box office records across the globe despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. (With inputs from agencies)

Single page of 1984 Spider-Man comic sells for record $3.36 million at auction

Japan, the land of anime and manga which enjoys great readership all over the world, will be getting its first high school “manga studies” department in the country, local authorities announced on Monday.

The department is expected to come up at Kumamoto Prefectural Takamori High School in the town of Takamori as early as spring 2023, the Kumamoto Prefectural Board of Education said.

The move is aimed to revitalize the school by tapping both the public and private sectors to give students the opportunity to learn directly from industry experts, including professional manga artists.

Manga—commonly referred to as comics all over the world—are a part of Japanese popular culture, constituting a large market&nbsp;worth almost 613 billion Japanese yen in 2020.

Manga is a type of comic specifically produced in Japan which follows a certain style that was developed in the country as a mixture of Japanese and foreign influences.&nbsp;

According to the prefectural education board, there are already university departments and special high school courses where students can study manga to an expert level, but establishing an entire high school department dedicated to the craft is a first in Japan.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/record-breaking-japans-anime-film-demon-slayer-lands-in-us-cinemas-366564">Record-breaking Japan's anime film 'Demon Slayer' lands in U.S. cinemas</a>

Under a partnership agreement with Tokyo-based manga publisher Coamix Co., manga artists and editors will teach drawing techniques, manga knowledge, and other facets of the industry.

During the partnership agreement signing ceremony held at the Kumamoto Prefectural Government headquarters on September 8, Coamix board member Shuichi Mochida said, “We'd like to lay out a framework under which students can make their professional debut while attending the school.”

Prefectural education board head Yoichi Koga added, “We'll proceed with the preparations so that it (the new department) can become a model for enhancing the appeal of prefectural high schools.”

According to an estimate, France represents about 40% of the European manga market published in the country. In the United States, manga comprises a small (but growing) industry.

Apart from the US and Europe, manga reportedly enjoys great readership in other English-speaking nations like Canada, Australia and New Zealand with manga being quite popular in Australia compared to other English speaking countries.

(With inputs from agencies)

Japan, the land of anime and manga which enjoys great readership all over the world, will be getting its first high school “manga studies” department in the country, local authorities announced on Monday.

Japan, the land of anime and manga which enjoys great readership all over the world, will be getting its first high school “manga studies” department in the country, local authorities announced on Monday. The department is expected to come up at Kumamoto Prefectural Takamori High School in the town of Takamori as early as spring 2023, the Kumamoto Prefectural Board of Education said. The move is aimed to revitalize the school by tapping both the public and private sectors to give students the opportunity to learn directly from industry experts, including professional manga artists. Manga—commonly referred to as comics all over the world—are a part of Japanese popular culture, constituting a large market worth almost 613 billion Japanese yen in 2020. Manga is a type of comic specifically produced in Japan which follows a certain style that was developed in the country as a mixture of Japanese and foreign influences. According to the prefectural education board, there are already university departments and special high school courses where students can study manga to an expert level, but establishing an entire high school department dedicated to the craft is a first in Japan. Also read | Record-breaking Japan's anime film 'Demon Slayer' lands in U.S. cinemas Under a partnership agreement with Tokyo-based manga publisher Coamix Co., manga artists and editors will teach drawing techniques, manga knowledge, and other facets of the industry. During the partnership agreement signing ceremony held at the Kumamoto Prefectural Government headquarters on September 8, Coamix board member Shuichi Mochida said, “We'd like to lay out a framework under which students can make their professional debut while attending the school.” Prefectural education board head Yoichi Koga added, “We'll proceed with the preparations so that it (the new department) can become a model for enhancing the appeal of prefectural high schools.” According to an estimate, France represents about 40% of the European manga market published in the country. In the United States, manga comprises a small (but growing) industry. Apart from the US and Europe, manga reportedly enjoys great readership in other English-speaking nations like Canada, Australia and New Zealand with manga being quite popular in Australia compared to other English speaking countries. (With inputs from agencies)

Japan to get its 1st high school ‘manga studies’ department, to start classes by 2023

An upcoming comic book will drive you back to mystery if that was your thing.&nbsp;

Titled ‘Impossible Jones’, the comic is about a thief who tricks a city into believing that she is their protector. It’s centered on a thief with the newfound superpower to shape-shift. As she learns, it’s easier to rob New York City blind if its police and citizens believe she’s the only superhero standing in the way between them and dire threats. But one misstep and her plans will go awry.

‘Impossible Jones’ hails from writer Karl Kesel, known for his work on DC titles such as ‘Harley Quinn’ and ‘Adventures of Superman’, and artist David Hahn, whose credits include ‘Batman ’66’ and ‘Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane’.

In a statement, Karl Kesel said, &nbsp;“I’m thrilled Impossible Jones is part of Team Scout— and even more thrilled they made room for a ‘seasoned comics pro’ like myself alongside some of the most exciting new comics and creators coming out today. I’ve had tons of fun playing in other people’s sandboxes— on Harley Quinn, Suicide Squad, Superman, Superboy, Fantastic four, Spider-man, Daredevil, etc.— but it doesn’t come close to the soul-satisfying adrenal-rush of working on a creator-owned book like IMP. It’s a wild ride— and it’s just getting started!”

The rest of the team includes colorist Tony Aviña, lettering by Comicraft and editor Nicole D’Andria, with production from Joel Rodriguez.

The book is expected to debut in September.

An upcoming comic book will drive you back to mystery if that was your thing. Titled ‘Impossible Jones’, the comic is about a thief who tricks a city into believing that she is their protector.

An upcoming comic book will drive you back to mystery if that was your thing. Titled ‘Impossible Jones’, the comic is about a thief who tricks a city into believing that she is their protector. It’s centered on a thief with the newfound superpower to shape-shift. As she learns, it’s easier to rob New York City blind if its police and citizens believe she’s the only superhero standing in the way between them and dire threats. But one misstep and her plans will go awry. ‘Impossible Jones’ hails from writer Karl Kesel, known for his work on DC titles such as ‘Harley Quinn’ and ‘Adventures of Superman’, and artist David Hahn, whose credits include ‘Batman ’66’ and ‘Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane’. In a statement, Karl Kesel said, “I’m thrilled Impossible Jones is part of Team Scout— and even more thrilled they made room for a ‘seasoned comics pro’ like myself alongside some of the most exciting new comics and creators coming out today. I’ve had tons of fun playing in other people’s sandboxes— on Harley Quinn, Suicide Squad, Superman, Superboy, Fantastic four, Spider-man, Daredevil, etc.— but it doesn’t come close to the soul-satisfying adrenal-rush of working on a creator-owned book like IMP. It’s a wild ride— and it’s just getting started!” The rest of the team includes colorist Tony Aviña, lettering by Comicraft and editor Nicole D’Andria, with production from Joel Rodriguez. The book is expected to debut in September.

Impossible Jones: A comic where thief becomes a superhero

It is a&nbsp;country&nbsp;often depicted for being&nbsp;regressive and offering limited sources of entertainment, but for the first time ever&nbsp;Saudi Arabia hosted the&nbsp;Comic Con expo. The Red Sea city of Jeddah in the kingdom&nbsp;saw a display of robots, video games and giant anime figures over the weekend.

The event, which started&nbsp;on Friday, brought&nbsp;some 20,000 young enthusiasts&nbsp;dressed in their favourite comic book character, commonly&nbsp;with painted faces. Comic Con started in the year 1970 and has now turned into a global phenomena with sci-fi lovers using the expo as a celebration of&nbsp;comic culture.&nbsp;

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Spectators attend Comic Con expo in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (Reuters)
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People take part in Comic Con expo in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (Reuters)
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Participants were also seen enjoying&nbsp;the pop art booths, while gamers took part in various video game competitions.&nbsp;

As reported to Al Jazeera, Obada Awad, Riyadh-based Time Entertainment, who organised the event, said, &quot;It was better than expected. We prepared so many scenarios for every possible thing that could happen, but this was the best possible turnout.&quot;

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Boys play games during Comic Con expo in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia February (Reuters)
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A fan with painted face takes part in Comic Con expo in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (Reuters)
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The first-ever global comics expo was held under the Saudi General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia, which, has been hosting a series of festivals, comedy shows and concerts throughout the year.&nbsp;As part of an economic and social reform drive, Saudi Arabia aims at creating jobs and weaning the country off its dependence on oil and related products.&nbsp;

In recent times, the kingdom has seen a spurt in comic book lovers. While the US comic book industry has started integrating prominent Muslim and Arab heroes in their plots,&nbsp;West Asia&nbsp;is&nbsp;constructing their own comic superheroes. Deena Mohamed&rsquo;s Qahera, Joumana Medlej&rsquo;s Malaak are some superheroes bred out of this need.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

Unsurprisingly given the rise in comic book culture in West Asia, the sci-fi event attracted thousands

It is a country often depicted for being regressive and offering limited sources of entertainment, but for the first time ever Saudi Arabia hosted the Comic Con expo. The Red Sea city of Jeddah in the kingdom saw a display of robots, video games and giant anime figures over the weekend. The event, which started on Friday, brought some 20,000 young enthusiasts dressed in their favourite comic book character, commonly with painted faces. Comic Con started in the year 1970 and has now turned into a global phenomena with sci-fi lovers using the expo as a celebration of comic culture. Spectators attend Comic Con expo in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) × People take part in Comic Con expo in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) × Participants were also seen enjoying the pop art booths, while gamers took part in various video game competitions. As reported to Al Jazeera, Obada Awad, Riyadh-based Time Entertainment, who organised the event, said, "It was better than expected. We prepared so many scenarios for every possible thing that could happen, but this was the best possible turnout." Boys play games during Comic Con expo in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia February (Reuters) × A fan with painted face takes part in Comic Con expo in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) × The first-ever global comics expo was held under the Saudi General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia, which, has been hosting a series of festivals, comedy shows and concerts throughout the year. As part of an economic and social reform drive, Saudi Arabia aims at creating jobs and weaning the country off its dependence on oil and related products. In recent times, the kingdom has seen a spurt in comic book lovers. While the US comic book industry has started integrating prominent Muslim and Arab heroes in their plots, West Asia is constructing their own comic superheroes. Deena Mohamed’s Qahera, Joumana Medlej’s Malaak are some superheroes bred out of this need. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Saudi Arabia gets its first-ever Comic-Con expo

With an aim to educate and empower women around the world, three graduates of the National Institute of Design in India came together to create The Menstrupedia. It is a comic book that breaks myths around menstruation and encourages dialogue in a lighthearted manner.&nbsp;

Aditi Gupta, Tuhin Paul and Rajat Mittal co-founded Menstrupedia in September 2016.&nbsp;The Menstrupedia: The Friendly Guide To Periods For Girls&nbsp;is a collection of cartoons that help girls understand menstruation and what happens to their bodies during puberty. The comic takes a scientific approach, rather than a social or cultural one, in order to promote knowledge.&nbsp;

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The idea came to Aditi when she felt that the society around her was conditioned to never talk about menstruation. She felt that every conversation around the topic of menstruation was in hushed tone, from advertisements to asking for a sanitary pad over the counter. Sharing her story on HerStory, she said, &ldquo;We learn to deny our own body -- our own self-right -- from the time we started growing up, and then everything surrounding it, be it child molestation, periods, pregnancy, and intercourse. Even touching and hugging becomes shameful and embarrassing.&rdquo;

With The Menstrupedia, her team of three (one girl and two boys) started a campaign which emphasised the need to talk about periods, to stop the culture of shame and to come out in the open.

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They started by taking the comic to schools and NGOs across the country. As of now, The Menstrupedia has been circulated in around 75 schools and 25 NGOs. It is available in different languages, being reprinted in Nepalese, Spanish and South American languages. The team also plans to launch the comic book in different Indian languages so as to widen its reach across the country.&nbsp;

Emphasising on the need to include men in this dialogue, she said in her interview to HerStory, &ldquo;Involve men at home. Our husbands, brothers and sons love us, they care about us, they are compassionate. They will be supportive and glad if we include them.&quot;

Her team also focuses on giving practical know-how around menstruation. They organise workshops where they train girls about menstruation, teaching them about safe usage practices for sanitary products. They also install insinuators in villages for easy access of these.&nbsp;

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Aditi and her team aims to use Menstrupedia to open a broader dialogue within society at large. She wants people to rise above their discomfort and talk about issues related to menstrual hygiene. She is hopeful that there will come a time when people won&rsquo;t have to wait for any NGO or school to start a conversation about female health.&nbsp;

Currently, they are working on building educational infrastructure for menstrual education. They have an existing audio-visual comic book, that is desktop compatible. They are now working on making their product mobile-friendly so as to ensure complete digitisation.

(Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

Menstrupedia is a fun comic aimed at creating awareness and encouraging conversations around menstruation

With an aim to educate and empower women around the world, three graduates of the National Institute of Design in India came together to create The Menstrupedia. It is a comic book that breaks myths around menstruation and encourages dialogue in a lighthearted manner. Aditi Gupta, Tuhin Paul and Rajat Mittal co-founded Menstrupedia in September 2016. The Menstrupedia: The Friendly Guide To Periods For Girls is a collection of cartoons that help girls understand menstruation and what happens to their bodies during puberty. The comic takes a scientific approach, rather than a social or cultural one, in order to promote knowledge. The idea came to Aditi when she felt that the society around her was conditioned to never talk about menstruation. She felt that every conversation around the topic of menstruation was in hushed tone, from advertisements to asking for a sanitary pad over the counter. Sharing her story on HerStory, she said, “We learn to deny our own body -- our own self-right -- from the time we started growing up, and then everything surrounding it, be it child molestation, periods, pregnancy, and intercourse. Even touching and hugging becomes shameful and embarrassing.” With The Menstrupedia, her team of three (one girl and two boys) started a campaign which emphasised the need to talk about periods, to stop the culture of shame and to come out in the open. They started by taking the comic to schools and NGOs across the country. As of now, The Menstrupedia has been circulated in around 75 schools and 25 NGOs. It is available in different languages, being reprinted in Nepalese, Spanish and South American languages. The team also plans to launch the comic book in different Indian languages so as to widen its reach across the country. Emphasising on the need to include men in this dialogue, she said in her interview to HerStory, “Involve men at home. Our husbands, brothers and sons love us, they care about us, they are compassionate. They will be supportive and glad if we include them." Her team also focuses on giving practical know-how around menstruation. They organise workshops where they train girls about menstruation, teaching them about safe usage practices for sanitary products. They also install insinuators in villages for easy access of these. Aditi and her team aims to use Menstrupedia to open a broader dialogue within society at large. She wants people to rise above their discomfort and talk about issues related to menstrual hygiene. She is hopeful that there will come a time when people won’t have to wait for any NGO or school to start a conversation about female health. Currently, they are working on building educational infrastructure for menstrual education. They have an existing audio-visual comic book, that is desktop compatible. They are now working on making their product mobile-friendly so as to ensure complete digitisation. (Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

#BeTheChange: Breaking the taboo around menstruation with comics

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