Branson backing Asian-targeted comics venture

Yahoo ^ | 01/06

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LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Entrepreneur Richard Branson is getting into the comic book and animation businesses.

He has signed up as a partner in Virgin Comics and Virgin Animation, which will create original titles and characters that blend Eastern and Western mythologies.

The companies, based in the Indian city of Bangalore, India, will be steered by Gotham Chopra, son of author Deepak Chopra, and business partner Sharad Devarajan.

"We are a generation whose identities are cut and pasted from cultural elements of East and West," Chopra said. "Virgin Comics and Virgin Animation is our home, where we get a chance to tell the new planetary stories that define us."

Gotham Chopra's Gotham Entertainment Group publishes local versions of American comics throughout South Asia under licence from firms like Marvel, DC Comics and Dark Horse.

Directors John Woo and Shekar Kapur will create material for the Virgin Comics imprint. Woo is co-creating property to be developed as a comic book, and Kapur is contributing original stories, Chopra said. His father is the chairman of both companies.

The first of the Virgin Comics titles are scheduled for release this year. They include "Sadhu," "Ramayana Reborn," "Snake Woman" and "Devi."

The company plans to formalise feature film animation production and distribution partnerships once the comic books are released. Television, gaming and wireless opportunities also are in the works, but too premature to discuss any details, Chopra said.

He declined to discuss details about the animated films, such as budgets and key animation talent but said Virgin Animation movies will be both traditionally and computer animated.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

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"...we get a chance to tell the new planetary stories that define us."

well ain't that sweet knocks you off your feet....