In ‘Comics!’, we explore the works of some of the most exciting artists and illustrators from the subcontinent just to remind us that, sometimes, words aren’t enough. Today, we have Pune-based Debangshu Moulik, whose work here represents the universal problem of always being on our phones. “There was this time when I used to spend a lot of time just watching videos and passing time on my phone,” he says. “Gradually, I realised that phones were a medium of procrastination for me and a lot of other people. Hence, the thought that caused the creation of this series was that: Is there a way I can use this to tell a small story about the times we live in?”
Moulik, 20, grew up reading tons of comic books and graphic novels. His most immediate memory is of travelling long-distance on trains and reading Tinkle or Amar Chitra Katha. “I’ve been drawing things all my life,” he says. “When I was in kindergarten, I couldn’t speak Marathi since my folks spoke Bengali at home and in order to communicate with the other kids, I used to draw stuff instead of talking. That’s my earliest memory of me drawing things. Around Class 8, I started making some illustrations for some Bengali magazines and stuff. Since then I’ve never looked back.”
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Moulik is currently working on making a bunch of paintings and sculptures for a gallery exhibition. He’s also simultaneously writing and drawing a long-form graphic novel. You can follow Moulik on Instagram or check out his website.
