This is an old blog post from 2006 when I went to India on a sabbatical that somehow morphed into me co-founding dimdim and also writing for Virgin Comics. Reposting it here as I found this while going through my backups and it brought a few chuckles as I read through. Since both me and my wife were on H1B, we decided that I will go to India while she acted as my “way back” in case I decided to take more than a year off. The goal was for me to take some time off and figure out if I wished to return to India semi-permanently.

I come from a family that used to be a huge joint family till one generation back. So naturally weddings etc. are pretty crowded occasions where you meet people who are twice or thrice removed cousins / uncles / aunts / some grandkids thrown in the mix too.

Inevitably such an occasion brings with it umpteen questions. I recently quit my job in the states to take a month long sabbatical doing nothing but thinking about life, universe and everything else. That is a hard concept to explain to someone like my father who supports my decision without really understanding what it means to take a break every now and then…

Now that job becomes quite a task when the same question comes from some distant uncle / aunt hell bent on knowing what i plan to do.

My answer is simple, i took a break to think about what to do next . This is unacceptable to some. To them you always need to be the man with the plan. The two mark answer does not cut with them.

The second question invariably is “where is your wife?” The two mark answer to that is simply “She is in USA as I have not made my decision as to where i want to spend my next five years.” This does not fly with the inquisition brigade. So i try the fifteen mark answer… I had to go out of US for a year so that i become eligible for an H1B again and my wife has her green card application in labor stage with her employer. Also we have two kittens and bringing them to India is well neigh impossible. So considering all these facts it makes sense for me to move to India temporarily, while she shuttles on half-yearly one month trips.

I have been married four years now… and the next question is something I always try to dodge. “When are you going to have kids? So and so was married years after you and already has five kids etc… (i put the miscalculation down to a little hyperbole in the spirit of persuasion). I try a zero mark answer for this one. “Hey look at that birdie” followed by an stealthy escape worthy of a ninja.

Some are more persistent than the others and do not fall for the birdie trick. They want to know why i do not have kids, surreptitious whispers are made about the well being of my loins and their fruitfulness. I smile painfully and try the two mark answer, “I am not yet thirty, I shall think about kids when i am thirty”. I graciously move away after this.

The most persistent of the lot, usually older females (most of whom have no idea of what the internet is and are more clueless about networking finer points than a Hindi “Ski-fi” movie/tv serial script writer suggest that i use the internet to have a kid… hmmm… looks like another set moment to try the “birdie” trick.

look up there …. etc etc

I think my point in writing this piece is that next time someone asks me these questions i can either point them here or give them a print out of this piece. Let it remain here till posterity or at least till my blog host keeps on paying their bandwidth dues… The Fifteen Mark Answer.

Due to some algorithmic snafu, Amazon preorder page for Mumbai Confidential shows the ship date as July 9.

That is not correct. The books are already in the warehouse(s) stateside and should reach you on schedule latest by mid-May from Amazon.

They will be available in comic book shops even earlier. (May 1)

So if you received an “Order update”email from Amazon for your pre-order, don’t worry. MC will reach you on time. We’re working with Amazon via our distributor Diamond to correct the info on the Amazon system and the pre-order page. Will update when that is done.

The India pre-order page thankfully is free from such shenanigans. (You rock FlipKart!):)

Mumbai Confidential is a creator owned crime-noir comic book series created by Saurav Mohapatra and Vivek Shinde. The “Digital First” issues are available on ComiXology and the print hardcover is due out in April 2013 from Archaia. Please do follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter.

Had a ton of fun at Wondercon 2013, Anaheim over the easter weekend. Archaia, the publishers of Mumbai Confidential had arranged for signings of advance copies of the hardcover edition (a WC exclusive prior to the scheduled release on April 30th. Amazon Preorder : http://bit.ly/mcprint). It’s always fun to meet up with the Archaia team.

As soon as the show floor opened, I was pleasantly surprised to find that a couple of fans actually came seeking to buy Mumbai Confidential hardcover (as they had read the PREVIEWS magazine interview I had given). Joe (pictured here) set a record of sorts by becoming the first-ever person to purchase a hardcover copy of Mumbai Confidential vol 1 “Good Cop, Bad Cop”

On Saturday, I was on a panel about “Writing For Comics” with other Archaia writers (moderated by Archaia EiC Stephen Christy). It was a fun time shooting the breeze about being a writer in comics and responding to audience questions.

As usual, had a lot of fun catching up with friends and other creators, and generally geeking out watching the cosplayers.

Mumbai Confidential is a creator owned crime-noir comic book series created by Saurav Mohapatra and Vivek Shinde. The “Digital First” issues are available on ComiXology and the print hardcover is due out in April 2013 from Archaia. Please do follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter.

First off, Avril Brown of Comics Waiting Room has posted a review of an advance copy of the print hardcover.

Money Quote:

Archaia is known for backing some of the prettiest ponies in the comics business, and they found a fine looking stallion in MUMBAI. Shinde’s watercolor artwork gives the story a dreamlike quality, even when the blood is cascading out of bullet holes. The colors and varying sharpness of each panel add dimensions to Kadam’s struggle with depression and his fight to do at least one thing right. MUMBAI CONFIDENTIAL is an amazing story particularly since every page shows that Mohapatra and Shinde were made to tell it together. Here’s hoping we see more from this team, for there are undoubtedly more tales to tell from the streets of Mumbai.

Read the full review here and an earlier review of issues 1 and 2 that Avril did is here. You can also check out other reviews and articles about Mumbai Confidential here.

There are some initial/advance reviews at GoodReads too.

Mumbai Confidential is a creator owned crime-noir comic book series created by Saurav Mohapatra and Vivek Shinde. The “Digital First” issues are available on ComiXology and the print hardcover is due out in March 2013 from Archaia. Please do follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter.

Just posted a status update, and some random artwork on the MC blog.

If you want to stay up-to-date on all things Mumbai Confidential, do “like” our facebook page at http://facebook.com/mumbaiconfidential or follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/mumbaiconfid

Mumbai Confidential issue #5 is now online as of first week nov at http://bit.ly/mcdigital5 (available for your iOS, Android, and Web broswer reading pleasure). The print hardcover from Archaia will hit the stands in March 2013. Issue #6 is due out Dec 1st week.

I did a session at the Mumbai Comic Con on Oct 21st with Vivek Shinde, Vinay Brahmania, and Saumin Patel about Mumbai Confidential. Details are here : http://www.mumbaiconfidential.com/2012/10/24/updates-reviews-and-previews/

We launched a brief trailer for the book at Mumbai Comicon

The trailer’s available on youtube.

Do join us at the facebook page or on twitter for Mumbai Confidential, and let us know what you think.

must. buy. this! Abhishek Singh is an awesome painter and he drew the first full comic book script i ever wrote… http://t.co/Gs5NieAk #

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ARCHAIA Booth #1520

• Thurs, 10/11 7-8pm, Table 3
• Fri, 10/12 5-6pm, Table 3
• Sat, 10/13 12:30-1:30pm, Table 2

Come swing by and chat about Mumbai Confidential and get the MC mini-litho / postcards free and signed. I’ll do my famous “free sketches” too

Quick plug: Mumbai Confidential #4 is now online at http://bit.ly/mcdigital4

See you in new york

For the love of Van Goat!!!! http://t.co/T0dP1ZXQ @comixace / @ValiantComics #

So there are things afoot w.r.t. @mumbaiconfid and @ComicConIndia stay tuned for updates! #MumbaiConfidential #

Reading "Black Friday" by S.H. Zaidi. Reading it makes you appreciate what @ankash1009 did wrt visual narrative in the movie even more #

This! http://t.co/sDLqyHOu http://t.co/XsNHdEm2 #

Dammit! they're tied on the "Idiot Running Mate" front! http://t.co/oK0m08jy #

Bat Phantom Man will totally kick your ass! … http://t.co/LhjFYmia #

"Youtube deserves a better class of idiot." — best youtube comment… ever!!! #

I'm sorry, Wilson!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #IOS6MapsFail http://t.co/d025tBda #

#REDSHIRTS ?? RT @WilliamShatner "Hired a group of interns here at ShatnerHQ to handle some of the projects I'm working on." in reply to WilliamShatner #

Kickstarter for Hotel Noir! Looks good! http://t.co/lBO22j3A #

"Fertilized a strawberry"???? Wow! that sounds ten kinds of wrong! http://t.co/OKriRQT6 #

Today's "in-flight" entertainment on the train. whaddya think @ronmarz? http://t.co/hKic2Y6X #

I'm definitely going to rail on it on twitter and facebook… AND am going to watch it in theaters! #DieHard http://t.co/RcTd5nZD #

NY Confidential! Looks good http://t.co/H9kfFCnU #

#ThingsToDoOnASlowDay #136 – Conference call two Dunkin' Donuts and stay silent! #

have a nice weekend! #QuickDoodle "My ship don't crash…" #FireFly @NathanFillion http://t.co/gEa9w3Pz #

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Oh, iOS 6 Maps! Even the force can't be with you! http://t.co/mM6a4zDi #

Hmmm, I wonder if I should get this t-shirt! whaddya think, @prets? http://t.co/gcDVfRMp #

Does anyone ever read the little part at the bottom that says "all stuff on this site is FICTIONAL"??? http://t.co/GCgDTj9X #

Enjoy! Turkish Star Wars : http://t.co/heWCNqAi #AndIAmOffToBed @BexTay, I'll adapt this for free! #

Another day, another robot for Ayan http://t.co/gjPBENMQ #

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