30/09/2020
The last of the living artists of comic book CHANDAMAMA, Shri KC SIVASANKAR, breathed his last yesterday on 29th September 2020, in Chennai.
He was 97.
He was responsible for the illustration of the famous Vikram and Betaal characters besides illustrating hundreds of stories of this iconic comic book that was first published in Telegu in 1947 .It was started by B.Nagi Reddy and Chakrapani, noted Telugu Film makers. It was edited by Kodavatiganti Kutumba Rao, a much respected and loved literary figure in Telugu Literature.
It was a brilliant collaboration between film makers, writers and graphic artists.
Shankar Sir used mixed various styles in his line drawing illustrations to finally come up with a form that so many of us fell in love with. Very cinematic and so much mood.Chandamama was colorful. Vibrant . And very very Indian.
A huge favorited of mine after Amar Chitra Katha.
Not surprising that Chandamama, became popular all over India within months of the first issue. I was published in every major regional language including Sanskrit , Santhali and Sindhi. It also had a Sinhala edition in Sri Lanka.
At it's peak, it sold over 2 lakh copies every month.
Kudos to all the creative, admin and business folks who created and sustained such an informative, educative and entertaining comic magazine for us.
It is a legacy we can be, and must be proud of.
Artists like KC Sivashankar painstakingly toiled over their boards for years, with utmost 'bhakti & shiddat' so that every kid and adult in any nook and corner of our country and abroad, never felt a dip in the excitement on opening the first page of their favourite Chandamama.
Praying for the sadgati of the soul of Chandamama Artist Shankar ( as he was popularly known as).
Om Shanti.