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Liquid Comics
Liquid Comics
Liquid Comics
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Liquid Comics is an Indian comic book publishing company, founded in 2006 as Virgin Comics LLC, which produces stories (many of which are Indian-culture related) for an international audience. The company was founded by Sir Richard Branson and his Virgin Group, author Deepak Chopra, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, and entrepreneurs Sharad Devarajan, Suresh Seetharaman, and Gotham Chopra. In August 2008, the company restructured and relocated from New York to Los Angeles.[1][2] On September 24, 2008, it was announced that Virgin Comics was renamed Liquid Comics after a management buyout.[3][4]

Key Information

Company

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Formation

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Virgin Comics logo

Virgin Comics LLC and Virgin Animation Private Limited are collaborative companies formed by Virgin Group entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, author Deepak Chopra, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and Gotham Entertainment Group (South Asia's largest comics publisher) in 2006.[5] The companies spun out of the previously announced partnership between Chopra, Kapur, and Gotham Entertainment (but not Branson). Gotham Studios Asia was announced in late 2004, planning its first release in 2005, which failed to occur. Variety reported in January 2006 that Gotham Entertainment head Sharad Devarajan and Chopra's son Gotham were the key movers, and approached Branson as a potential partner.[6] With Branson on board, Gotham Studios Asia became Virgin Comics and Animation, with Devarajan taking the role of CEO, with Gotham Chopra as chief creative officer, with Indian advertising executive Suresh Seetharaman running Virgin Animation from India.[6] The companies are based in Bangalore with the comics arm having its headquarters in New York.[7] Variety reported that Devarajan and Chopra planned to spend 2006 "staffing the Indian operation with approximately 150 people, most of them artists".[6]

Devarajan, who continues to operate Gotham Entertainment as a separate entity, stated the aim of the Virgin imprint was to "create content that not only reaches a global audience but also helps start a creative renaissance in India."[6]

Focusing on Asia "as an area to inspire and create content and drive revenue... to reach a global audience." the two arms allow for properties to be translated into "full media properties across a wide line of products and media outlets".[8]

Adrian Sington, Executive Chairman of Virgin Books noted that "the market for comics and graphic novels worldwide is exploding... [partly due to] the emergence of comics out of Asia."[9] Sharad Devarajan referred to the Japanese forms of Anime and Manga, stressing their impact on world media, and outlining Virgin Comics' "mission... to spark a creative renaissance in India, reinventing Indian character entertainment and permeating this new style and vision throughout the globe... launching a new wave of characters that simultaneously appeal to audiences from Boston to Beijing to Bangalore."[5]

Restructuring

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On August 26, 2008, it was reported that Virgin Comics had shut down its New York office.[1][2] A statement released by CEO Sharad Devarajan confirmed closure of the New York office, but indicated that the company would be restructuring and relocating to Los Angeles.[1][2] Devarajan said that further information would be released later.[2] Gotham Entertainment will be unaffected by this change.[1][2] According to sources, Virgin will continue to own the rights for the properties which it published.[10]

Liquid Comics

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On September 24, 2008, it was announced that Virgin Comics changed its name to Liquid Comics.[3] The company entered into an agreement with FremantleMedia Enterprises to create television shows. The first two shows in development under the partnership are First Family and Ani-Max.[11]

Gotham Chopra was working with Michael Jackson on a graphic novel called Fated which was announced for a June 2010 release through Villard[12] and is copyrighted to Liquid Comics.[13]

Graphic India

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On February 20, 2013, Liquid Comics began to refocus on Devarajan's company Graphic India, a digital comics and animation startup.[14][15][16]

Comic lines

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Virgin Comics' initial lines were their flagship Shakti line, the Maverick (later Voices) line and the Director's Cut imprint. Although the first title, scheduled to debut mid-2006, was meant to be the first "Director's Cut" title, by John Woo, it in fact was the second "Director's Cut" comic, and Virgin's fifth overall when it debuted in October.

Shakti

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The Shakti line ("Shakti" means "power" in Sanskrit) feature Indian mythology, art, history, classical stories, and other related themes, often with a modern twist. Its debut titles - two of the first three to see print from Virgin Comics - were Devi and The Sadhu.[17] Devi was written by Siddharth Kotain, and featured "a modern take on a very ancient myth", in which title character Devi becomes a "warrior of the light" after the pantheon of gods rebirth her in response to "the rapid decay of the city of Sitapur" caused by "fearsome renegade god Bala."[17]

The Sadhu, written by Gotham Chopra himself, is a story of revenge, from an individual who "was once a Sadhu – what, in the East, they call mystics."[17]

Shakti titles

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Main article: List of Virgin Comics publications § Shakti

Director's Cut

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The Director's Cut line is designed to showcase the work of film directors, and effectively give them an unlimited budget to create works that might be more difficult to realise on screen. It sees directors such as Shekhar Kapur, Guy Ritchie and John Woo creating comics, and is rumoured to include the legendary Terry Gilliam at some point in the future.[18] Gilliam's reputed interest (and that of the other directors) is said to be in part due to the comics' ability to "provoke new Hollywood interest in old ideas and, if nothing else, give the audience a glimpse of what [was] intended" in a potential film version.[18] Guy Ritchie's Gamekeeper was optioned by Warner Brothers Studios to be made into a motion picture.[19]


Virgin Comics' initial comments stated that the aim was "to launch comic titles in collaboration with iconic film-makers", with "Woo’s Seven Brothers [originally listed as] the debut comic of the Director’s Cut line".[20] In fact, the first "Director's Cut" comic, and Virgin Comics' second overall was Snake Woman, from Shekhar Kapur and artist Zeb Wells. It revolves around 25-year-old Jessica Peterson, a Los Angeles-based woman with the tagline: "STUDENT…WAITRESS…MASS-MURDERER."[17]

Virgin's highest-profile comic in the west, and the one announced before any other, became the company's fifth release in October, 2006. John Woo's Seven Brothers was a Chinese folklore idea was expanded by Preacher, Hitman and Punisher author Garth Ennis into "a modern, global story," in a manner that is "clearly a brother to the film medium," said Woo.[20] John Woo described his experience "working in comics [as] quite comfortable", since "it's like the ultimate storyboard".[20] Ennis described the manner in which he became involved as remarkably straightforward. Indeed, in his own words: "All they had to say was ‘John Woo’ and I was sold instantly."[20] The covers were by Yoshitaka Amano, with Greg Horn producing a variant for #1.

Director's Cut titles

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Main article: List of Virgin Comics publications § Director's Cut

Voices

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The Voices line (formerly known as the Maverick line) is intended to feature new talent, as well as presenting comics by actors and musicians. The line's first release was in December, 2006, and written by Eurythmics frontman Dave Stewart. Dave Stewart's Walk In #1 was loosely based on "Stewart’s real-life experiences as a young man doing stage shows as "Memory Man" and – during this time of his life – suffering from odd moments of memory loss himself".[21] It was scripted and expanded by Jeff Parker, author of the acclaimed comic Interman.

Voices titles

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Main article: List of Virgin Comics publications § Virgin Voices

Other

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Virgin comics produced a Dan Dare mini-series, written by Garth Ennis.

Additionally, "the company will tap into innovative creators in comics, film and entertainment from around the world."[5] Virgin Comics animators have worked on graphic novels, and the venture is linked to Virgin Animation. One such graphic novel is the upcoming children's environmental book The Econauts.

At the NYCC it was revealed Grant Morrison would working with Virgin Comics to produce "webisodes" (short animated stories) based on the Mahābhārata, he said it would not be a direct translation but "Like the Beatles took Indian music and tried to make psychedelic sounds…I'm trying to convert Indian storytelling to a western style for people raised on movies, comics, and video games."[22] It was also announced that Stan Lee will create a new superhero team to appear in a new Virgin title, the details of which were being kept secret for the moment.[23]

Virgin also started Coalition Comix on MySpace, where users could suggest ideas for a comic which would then get made. The first one was Queen's Rook, written by Mike Carey.[24]

Novel art

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Comics creators

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Virgin Comics' creators include:

Television

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Virgin Comics will be co-producing a number of TV series with the Sci-Fi Channel and the first will be The Stranded, written by Mike Carey.[25]

See also

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Liquid Comics

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from Grokipedia
Liquid Comics is a transmedia entertainment company headquartered in and Bangalore, , specializing in the creation and distribution of original graphic novels, digital comics, and related content that blend cinematic storytelling with mythic narratives for global audiences. Founded in 2006 as Virgin Comics LLC through a partnership with the led by Sir , the company initially focused on producing comics inspired by Indian mythology and culture while collaborating with international talent. In 2008, following a by its founding team, Virgin Comics was rebranded as Liquid Comics, shifting emphasis toward digital platforms, apps, and cross-media adaptations including films, animation, and . The company was co-founded by (Executive Chairman), (Producer and Creator), and Suresh Seetharaman (President), all of whom had prior experience in entertainment and publishing, including early projects like the 2004 Spider-Man: India comic. Liquid Comics distinguishes itself by partnering with prominent filmmakers and creators to develop properties from the ground up, such as John Woo's Seven Brothers, Wes Craven's Coming of Rage, Barry Sonnenfeld's Dinosaurs vs. Aliens, Guy Ritchie's Gamekeeper, and Jonathan Mostow's The Megas, many of which have been adapted into animated , motion comics, or live-action developments. Other notable works include Ramayan 3392 A.D., The , and Silver Scorpion, often drawing on diverse cultural elements and aimed at multimedia expansion through collaborations with studios like and . Under its Graphic India imprint, Liquid Comics has expanded into digital distribution via apps and platforms like India, producing content that engages audiences across comics, videos, and interactive media while emphasizing original stories from talents including and . As of 2025, Graphic India continues to develop animated series such as (Season 6 ranked among top streaming shows) and collaborations like Neil Gaiman's animated film and the TV adaptation of Alexander Immortal. The company's approach prioritizes "epic stories" with global appeal, resulting in projects like the 2011 web series for Seven Brothers.

History

Founding as Virgin Comics

Virgin Comics LLC was established in early 2006 as a joint venture between the and , with founding partners including of the Virgin Group, author , filmmaker , entrepreneur , Suresh Seetharaman, and . The company was headquartered in , with plans to open an office in Bangalore, India, and aimed to staff the Indian operation with approximately 150 people—mostly artists—by the end of 2006 to support content creation and production. The core mission of Virgin Comics was to develop original comic book content that fused Indian cultural elements, such as mythology and history, with modern storytelling techniques to achieve broad international appeal, targeting global audiences while nurturing a creative renaissance in India. This approach drew inspiration from successful models like Marvel and DC in the West and manga in Asia, emphasizing properties that could translate across media formats. Initial releases were scheduled for mid-2006, with early titles including Walk In under the Maverick line and others like The Sadhu, Devi, Snake Woman, and Ramayan Reborn in the Shakti imprint, which focused on Indian-rooted narratives. Distribution in India was handled through a partnership with Gotham Entertainment Group, enabling access to local markets while prioritizing export to the U.S., U.K., and beyond. The venture was initially financed by Virgin Books Ltd., providing the capital structure for expansion into comics and animation.

Restructuring and Rebranding

In August 2008, Virgin Comics underwent significant operational restructuring amid financial challenges, closing its office on August 26 and relocating its headquarters to to streamline costs and refocus efforts. This move affected the U.S.-based operations but left the Bangalore, , activities under independent, allowing the Indian arm to continue functioning separately from the core restructuring. The restructuring culminated in a on September 24, 2008, led by CEO , which severed ties with the and resulted in the of the company to Liquid Comics to emphasize its new independent status. Key leadership continuity was maintained, with Devarajan remaining as CEO alongside co-founders and Suresh Seetharaman in executive roles, ensuring a smooth transition for ongoing projects. Following the rebrand, Liquid Comics shifted its early operations toward digital graphic novels and expanded international distribution, free from Virgin Group's oversight, which enabled greater flexibility in global partnerships and . One immediate post-rebrand collaboration was a first-look development deal announced on July 22, 2009, with FremantleMedia Enterprises for adapting Liquid's intellectual properties into television formats across international markets. This partnership underscored the company's pivot to extensions while prioritizing digital-first storytelling for a worldwide audience.

Graphic India Expansion

On December 5, 2011, Liquid Comics launched Graphic India as a digital platform aimed at showcasing and promoting young Indian artists and writers, while leveraging the company's existing to build a community for graphic novels. This initiative positioned Graphic India as 's premier digital hub for comic content, focusing on original storytelling rooted in Indian mythology and culture. In early 2013, Liquid Comics strategically refocused on Graphic India as its primary vehicle for expanding into , , and character franchises, with appointed as co-founder and CEO. This shift involved licensing key intellectual properties from Liquid Comics to Graphic India and securing investments, such as a minority stake from CA Media (part of The Chernin Group), to fuel development of animated shorts and digital content featuring mythological and superhero characters. A significant funding milestone came in 2017 when Graphic India raised $5 million in a round led by Liquid Comics and other investors, specifically to accelerate the creation of original Indian superheroes and franchises. From 2020 to 2025, the company expanded rapidly, producing over 500 episodes of for television and digital platforms, and forging partnerships with major streaming services including , , and . These collaborations enabled global distribution of content like the animated series Baahubali: The Lost Legends and . In July 2025, Graphic India hosted a panel at titled "Creating 's Superheroes for the World," highlighting its ongoing efforts to export Indian characters internationally. In August 2025, Season 6 of ranked #6 on Ormax Media's Top 50 Streaming Shows list for January to June 2025, underscoring its continued popularity. Graphic India's evolution into a entity integrated motion , audio , and cross-platform adaptations, transforming static IP into dynamic formats for broader accessibility. A key example is Chakra The Invincible, co-created with , which exemplifies the company's global reach through digital motion that have garnered over 40 million views on platforms like . This approach has solidified Graphic India's role in bridging traditional with modern and streaming, fostering a new generation of Indian superheroes for worldwide audiences.

Publishing Lines

Shakti

The Shakti line, launched by Virgin Comics in 2006 as its inaugural imprint dedicated to stories rooted in Indian culture and mythology, served as the company's flagship series for reimagining ancient narratives for contemporary global audiences. Drawing its name from the Sanskrit word for "power," the line emphasized themes of empowerment, spirituality, and supernatural conflict drawn from Hindu epics and folklore, positioning it as a bridge between traditional lore and modern storytelling. Initial releases targeted both the Indian market and international readers, with print editions distributed through partnerships like Gotham Entertainment Group in India starting in 2007. Core titles in the Shakti line included Devi, which debuted in July 2006 and follows a young woman reborn as the warrior to battle demonic forces corrupting the world, written by Siddharth Kotian with art by Mukesh Singh. Another foundational series, The Sadhu, created by and released concurrently in 2006, centers on a British turned mystic holy man confronting vengeful spirits and otherworldly threats in . These narratives reinterpret Hindu mythological elements—such as divine incarnation and ascetic wisdom—for a serialized comic format, highlighting female agency in Devi through the protagonist's transformation into a protector against chaos, while The Sadhu explores themes of spiritual redemption amid supernatural horror. Following the 2008 rebranding to and the 2011 establishment of Graphic India, titles transitioned to digital editions on the Graphic India platform, enabling wider accessibility through motion comics and online distribution while preserving their mythological essence. The line's influence extended to related mythological works like Ramayan 3392 A.D., a futuristic retelling of the epic that sold over 500,000 copies in print and digital formats by 2011, underscoring 's role in popularizing updated Indian lore commercially.

Director's Cut

The Director's Cut line was introduced by Virgin Comics in 2007 as a collaborative initiative to partner with prominent filmmakers from Hollywood and Bollywood, allowing them to conceptualize original stories that could serve as springboards for transmedia adaptations. This imprint aimed to bridge cinema and by leveraging directors' visionary ideas, with the goal of creating narratives suitable for expansion into films, animations, or other formats. Among the flagship titles in the Director's Cut series was Snake Woman, co-created by Bollywood director and writer in 2007, which follows a shape-shifting assassin embodying the reincarnated soul of a snake goddess seeking vengeance against desecrators of her sacred temple. Another key release, Seven Brothers (also known as John Woo's 7 Brothers), debuted the same year under the guidance of action filmmaker and scripted by , centering on a high-stakes saga of seven siblings entangled in global conflicts blending and espionage. The line's third major title, Gamekeeper, emerged from Guy Ritchie's input in 2007, written by and featuring a tale of a enigmatic estate guardian whose hidden past unravels amid a mercenary invasion; this property was optioned by for potential film adaptation in 2007. In the production process, directors contributed high-level concepts and thematic direction, while professional comic writers and artists handled detailed scripting, artwork, and sequential to adapt these cinematic visions into the comic medium. This approach emphasized transmedia potential from the outset, positioning the as prototypes for broader entertainment franchises. Discussions for further expansions included a proposed project with director , announced around 2008, but it remained unrealized as of 2025. The titles were initially distributed in print editions from 2007 to 2010 through Virgin Comics' channels, including collected trade paperbacks and single issues available via comic shops and retailers. Following the rebranding to Liquid Comics and the company's shift toward , these works were later digitized and made accessible via the Graphic India platform, launched in 2011 to deliver comics across mobile and online devices.

Voices

The Voices line, launched by Virgin Comics in 2006, aimed to diversify creation by inviting professionals from outside the traditional industry, such as musicians and , to collaborate on original stories and bring fresh perspectives to the medium. This initiative, originally known as the Maverick line, sought to attract innovative thinkers and provide a platform for non-comic creators to explore narrative ideas in graphic form, contrasting with more established imprints like , which focused on film directors. A key example from the Voices line is Walk In, a supernatural thriller co-created by musician Dave Stewart—co-founder of the Eurythmics—and writer Jeff Parker, with art by Ashish Padlekar; the series debuted in December 2006 and follows protagonist Ian Dormouse, a drifter who experiences blackouts and discovers he is a "walk-in," a being whose soul has swapped into another body, granting him abilities to interpret dreams and auras amid a global chase. Other representative titles included Voodoo Child by actor Nicolas Cage, emphasizing personal concepts from their celebrity collaborators to foster unconventional storytelling. Despite its ambitious approach, the Voices line had a limited output, with only a handful of major titles released before Virgin Comics' restructuring into in 2008. This constrained scope influenced ' later efforts, such as the 2011 launch of the Graphic India digital platform, which expanded talent promotion by showcasing emerging Indian creators in webcomics and . The line received praise for introducing novel viewpoints from music and entertainment figures, with Walk In noted for its intriguing blend of personal inspiration and gritty visuals that evoked a European aesthetic, though some critiques highlighted its deliberate pacing. Titles like Walk In saw digital re-releases on Liquid Comics' platform in the 2010s, making them accessible to new audiences via online portfolios and apps.

Other Titles

Liquid Comics ventured into diverse licensed and experimental publications beyond its core lines, adapting classic properties and exploring new formats to broaden its appeal, with continued digital distribution via Graphic India platforms and apps as of 2025. One notable licensed revival was the 2007 miniseries Dan Dare, a seven-issue adaptation of the iconic British sci-fi character, written by Garth Ennis with art by Gary Erskine, which reimagined the pilot's adventures in a gritty, futuristic setting amid threats to a mining colony. In 2008, the company released The Econauts, a children's comic written by Alan Goodman and illustrated by M. Subramanian, featuring a team of environmentally conscious teenagers combating ecological crimes through covert operations. The publisher also adapted ancient Indian epics into modern graphic formats, blending mythology with . Ramayan 3392 A.D., created by and , presented a futuristic retelling of the where ancient heroes like and battle demonic forces in a post-apocalyptic world, with issues spanning 2006 to 2008 and a "" edition in 2008. Similarly, Grant Morrison's 18 Days (initially announced as MBX), released in 2010 as a hardcover through Liquid Comics and , offered a postmodern reinterpretation of the , focusing on the epic war between superhuman warriors across three generations, with digital webisodes debuting later on platforms like . Collaborative projects with high-profile figures highlighted Liquid Comics' international partnerships. In 2010, an announcement detailed Stan Lee's co-creation of Chakra: The Invincible, an original Indian superhero originating from , blending technology and mysticism in a story of a teenage inventor gaining enhanced powers, marking Lee's first foray into Indian-themed comics. Another collaboration, Fated, co-written by and the late with art by Mukesh Singh, was slated for a June 2010 release through Villard Books; this spiritual thriller followed a reclusive rock star whose fame leads to a transformative suicide attempt, turning him into something inhuman. Liquid Comics supplemented its titles with novel art editions and variants from 2007 to 2012, including deluxe collections and art books featuring enhanced visuals for properties like Ramayan 3392 A.D., which showcased detailed illustrations and to appeal to collectors. The Coalition Comix initiative, launched in 2008 in partnership with , pioneered by story ideas from fans; the flagship series, Queen's Rook written by Mike Carey, unfolded over 10 chapters as an interactive fantasy tale where community input shaped plot developments.

Key Personnel

Founders and Executives

Liquid Comics was founded in 2006 as Virgin Comics by entrepreneurs , , and Suresh Seetharaman, with initial backing from of the , author , and filmmaker . Devarajan served as co-founder and CEO from the outset, overseeing the company's operations, while Chopra acted as co-founder and creative director, focusing on content development, and Seetharaman as co-founder and president, managing strategic and operational aspects. In 2008, following financial challenges at Virgin Comics, Devarajan led a of the company, renaming it Liquid Comics and retaining the founding team's leadership structure, with Chopra continuing to guide content strategy. The company expanded into Graphic India in 2011, a focused on Indian-inspired content, where Devarajan assumed the role of CEO, directing growth initiatives including a $5 million funding round in 2017 led by Liquid Comics and other investors to develop original franchises. As of 2025, Devarajan remains CEO of both Liquid Comics and Graphic India, while also serving as an adjunct at and as a creator of superhero intellectual properties blending Indian mythology with global narratives; the team's operations span and Indian hubs including and Bangalore. Devarajan and Chopra's foundational vision emphasized fusing Indian cultural elements with international storytelling to create transmedia intellectual properties.

Notable Contributors

Liquid Comics has collaborated with a diverse array of high-profile external creators, including acclaimed directors, writers and artists, and celebrities, to develop original stories that blend global influences with innovative storytelling. These partnerships, often under the imprint, brought international prestige to the company's publications and expanded its appeal beyond traditional comic audiences. Among the notable film directors involved, contributed to Seven Brothers, a project reimagining ancient Chinese legends through action-oriented narratives, in collaboration with Liquid Comics and Tiger Hill Entertainment. Guy Ritchie lent his vision to Gamekeeper, a comic series exploring themes of pursuit and survival, as part of the company's efforts to attract cinematic talent. , serving in a creative capacity for Snake Woman, oversaw the development of a horror-infused tale of and vengeance, drawing on mythological elements. Prominent comic writers and artists have also enriched Liquid Comics' output, with penning Dan Dare, a revival of the classic British space adventure featuring themes of heroism and interstellar conflict, and co-writing Seven Brothers to infuse it with gritty, character-driven drama. scripted Snake Woman, crafting a narrative around a modern woman's transformation into a vengeful entity tied to ancient curses. adapted the epic Mahābhārata into the 18 Days series, presenting a mythological war story through motion comics and graphic novels that highlight generational conflicts among super-warriors. Mike Carey authored Queen's Rook, a Victorian-era spy thriller involving enhanced abilities and intrigue, developed via interactive fan input on , and The Stranded, a sci-fi horror tale questioning the nature of identity and alternate realities. Celebrity contributors further diversified the roster, with musician Dave Stewart creating Walk In, a supernatural thriller about missing time and dream prediction starring a nomadic protagonist haunted by blackouts. Stan Lee developed Chakra: The Invincible, an original Indian superhero featuring a tech-savvy Mumbai teen empowered by mystical energies, in partnership with Indian artists. Michael Jackson co-wrote Fated, a graphic novel depicting a reclusive pop star's transformation after a near-death experience, blending fame with otherworldly elements. Artist Siddharth Kotain wrote early issues of Devi, centering on a young woman embodying a goddess to battle ancient evils in a contemporary Indian setting. By 2010, Liquid Comics had engaged over 20 such high-profile names, including additional talents like and , significantly boosting the company's global visibility and cross-media potential through these star-driven projects. Some collaborations extended beyond print, with creators like continuing involvement in Graphic India's digital initiatives post-2013, such as the animated adaptation of 18 Days.

Media Adaptations

Television Projects

In the late 2000s, Liquid Comics pursued several television initiatives as part of its transmedia strategy to adapt its graphic novel intellectual properties into scripted series targeted at U.S. networks. A key partnership was announced in 2009 with FremantleMedia Enterprises, granting the latter first-look rights to develop Liquid Comics' content for international television and other platforms. Under this agreement, two initial projects were greenlit: First Family, a live-action family superhero drama centered on the teenage children of a newly elected U.S. president navigating high school and political intrigue, created by Liquid Comics co-founders Gotham Chopra and Sharad Devarajan; and Ani-Max, an animated anthology series featuring a boy who acquires animal abilities through touch, also penned by Chopra and Devarajan. These developments were handled through FremantleMedia's global operations, emphasizing scripted formats suitable for broadcast television. Another significant effort involved a co-production with the Sci-Fi Channel (now ), focusing on The Stranded, a post-apocalyptic series written by acclaimed author Mike Carey, known for his work on Hellblazer and . Announced in 2008, the project originated as a five-issue comic limited series released under the Sci-Fi/Virgin Comics imprint (Virgin being Liquid's predecessor), depicting five ordinary individuals from the town of Standfire who discover hidden extraordinary abilities and confront a destructive entity called across two worlds. The property was explicitly developed for , with the comic serving as the foundation for a pilot script aimed at the network, incorporating multimedia extensions into film, digital, and gaming. This collaboration marked one of Liquid Comics' earliest attempts to bridge comics with live-action sci-fi programming. These television projects reflected Liquid Comics' emphasis on transmedia extensions of its comic lines, such as , with pilots designed for U.S. audiences to expand mythic storytelling beyond print. Production was centered in following the company's 2008 relocation from New York, supported by Indian co-financing tied to its Bangalore origins and partnerships with entities like UTV. While these initiatives laid foundational groundwork for future adaptations, none advanced to full series production in the immediate years, as efforts shifted amid industry changes.

Animation and Digital Series

Graphic India, the animation division of Liquid Comics, has produced several prominent animated series since 2011, expanding into digital formats to adapt Indian mythology and original superhero narratives for global audiences. One of the flagship projects is , an epic animated series created by , , and Charuvi Agrawal, which premiered its first season on in January 2021. The series reimagines the through Hanuman's journey, blending high-quality 3D with themes of devotion and heroism; its second season launched in August 2021, and by 2025, multiple seasons had solidified its status as a benchmark for . Season 5 of the series topped the Ormax Media charts as the most-watched original OTT content in for five consecutive weeks in late 2024, amassing over 9.4 million views in its debut period and demonstrating strong viewer engagement across demographics. Season 6 debuted on April 11, 2025, and ranked #6 on Ormax Media's top 50 streaming shows list for January to June 2025. Another key collaboration is Baahubali: The Lost Legends, an animated extension of the blockbuster film franchise, produced in partnership with Arka Mediaworks and launched on in 2017. Spanning five seasons until 2020, the series explores untold adventures of princes Baahubali and in the kingdom of , featuring action-packed storytelling and character development that appealed to family audiences. It achieved significant popularity in , ranking among the top on the platform and contributing to the franchise's multimedia expansion. The partnership continued with Baahubali: Crown of Blood, a 2D animated series that premiered on in May 2024, becoming the first original 2D animated streaming show to top the Hindi charts in and ranking among the most-viewed titles on the platform. In addition to these, Graphic India has delivered targeted animated content for younger viewers, such as Astra Force, a adventure series featuring the voice of as the ancient warrior Astra, who mentors twin siblings in combating evil forces. Premiering on in 2016, the 52-episode run emphasized themes of courage and teamwork, earning awards for its innovative animation and cultural resonance. Complementing traditional animation, Chakra The Invincible stands as a pioneering Indian project co-created with , initially released as an animated special in 2013 and expanded into digital motion comics; it follows young inventor Raju Rai activating chakra-based powers via a to protect , marking an early milestone in blending Eastern with Western tropes. Graphic India's digital series extend to motion and audio comics, adapting classics from the Shakti publishing line like —a tale of a modern goddess battling demons—and Grant Morrison's 18 Days, a sci-fi reinterpretation of the epic focusing on a cosmic war among super-warriors. These formats, produced as episodic web content, have generated over 500 episodes by 2025, distributed primarily on OTT platforms including , , and for broad accessibility. With dubbing in multiple Indian languages and subtitles for international markets, the content achieves global reach, fostering cultural export through streaming. Recent partnerships and announcements, including expansions teased at 2025 for series like , signal ongoing growth in animated storytelling.

Film and Live-Action Ventures

Liquid Comics, operating through its closely affiliated entity Graphic India, has ventured into film and live-action adaptations to expand its intellectual properties into cinematic formats, often blending Indian storytelling with global appeal. Early efforts included the 2007 optioning of the comic series Gamekeeper, co-created with director under the company's predecessor Virgin Comics, by for a live-action . Ritchie was slated to direct the project, with producer attached, but it ultimately went unproduced despite development progress. A major milestone came with the live-action musical , produced by Graphic India in partnership with and , which premiered on the streaming platform in December 2023. Directed by , the film reimagines the iconic characters as Indian teenagers in 1960s , incorporating Bollywood-style musical elements and themes of friendship and self-discovery. , co-founder of Liquid Comics and CEO of Graphic India, served as a key producer on the project, which drew from Indian comic IP influences while adapting the global franchise. The film garnered strong reception, ranking as Netflix's third most-viewed international title upon release. Other initiatives include ties to the Baahubali franchise through Graphic India's partnership with Arka Mediaworks, the production house behind the epic live-action films. Starting in 2016 and extending through 2017 with the release of Baahubali: The Conclusion, Graphic India supported IP expansions that reinforced the franchise's live-action storytelling across global markets, including merchandising and narrative extensions tied to the films' mythic world-building. Additionally, a collaboration with Stan Lee's POW! Entertainment and Phantom Films for a live-action adaptation of the superhero comic Chakra: The Invincible was announced in 2016, aiming to bring the Indian-origin hero to the screen, though the project remains undeveloped. Liquid Comics' production strategy emphasizes hybrid Bollywood-Hollywood models to target international audiences, with frequently producing or co-producing projects that fuse Indian cultural elements with Western production expertise. Examples include the development of The Sadhu as a live-action film with Hollywood producer of 300 fame in 2014, and more recent partnerships like the 2025 reimagining of George Nolfi's as an Indian . As of 2025, Liquid Comics has shifted focus toward IP franchising, leveraging successes like as a flagship to build multi-platform universes that prioritize scalable, cross-cultural storytelling for sustained global impact.

References

  1. https://liquidcomics.com/about-us/
  2. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/liquid-comics-soaks-up-virgin-119838/
  3. https://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyle/liquid-absorbs-virgin-comics-idUSTRE48P16Y/
  4. https://variety.com/2008/digital/markets-festivals/virgin-comics-now-liquid-comics-1117992793/
  5. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/business/season-6-of-graphic-indias-hit-animated-show-ranks-6-on-ormaxs-top-50-streaming-shows-list-from-jan-jun-2025/
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  28. https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/MAY063453
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  34. https://www.amazon.com/Shekhar-Kapurs-Snake-Woman-Grass/dp/1934413011
  35. https://www.amazon.com/Brothers-John-Woos-Virgin-comic/dp/B07W6XGN67
  36. https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/guy-ritchie-to-adapt-his-own-gamekeeper-for-wb/
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  38. https://www.dlsreviews.com/7-brothers-vol-1.php
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  43. https://www.comicsbeat.com/virgin-comics-changes-ahead/
  44. https://www.awn.com/news/virgin-forms-virgin-comics-virgin-animation
  45. https://liquidcomics.com/portfolio/walk-in/
  46. https://geeksofdoom.com/2008/06/24/comic-review-dave-stewarts-walk-in
  47. https://majorspoilers.com/2007/08/27/dan-dare-returns/
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