Mickey-Donald comic books set to hit Indian market

July 23rd, 2009 A view from Comic Con: Costumes, comics, crowdsSAN DIEGO — Every summer, Comic Con brings together thousands of colorful and costumed fans for four days of pop-culture indulgence. Not all of the action is confined to the San Diego Convention Center, where the 40th annual event, which opened Wednesday, runs through Sunday.

July 20th, 2009 MUMBAI - Samir Patil, just like any other Indians of 80s, grew up on the diet of comic books published by Amar Chitra Katha, and now he is planning broadcast animated version of Indian-style Aesop's fables. Patil, 38, a former McKinsey consultant, recalls how those stories, based on religious parables and biographies of historical figures, taught him about the great, and lesser-known, stories of India in a didactic format meant for young audiences.

July 7th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Imagine picking up a cookbook along with your vegetables for the day from your nearest department store. Over the next two years, India will see publishers thronging retail stores to sell their books, said a senior official of Parragon Publishing India that has pioneered this form of marketing.

June 17th, 2009 NYC student, 'hero' teacher in Superman comic bookNEW YORK — A New York City middle school student's essay about a personal hero has landed him and his favorite teacher a role in a Superman comic book. Eleven-year-old Hakeem Bennett, of Brooklyn, won the Stone Arch Books national essay contest.

May 8th, 2009 'Wizard of Oz' Munchkin Mickey Carroll dies at 89ST. LOUIS — One of the last surviving Munchkins from the 1939 classic film "The Wizard of Oz" has died.

May 2nd, 2009 NEW YORK - Comic shops in New York have treated readers by giving away free books to mark the annual Free Comic Book Day. The day is scheduled on the first Saturday of May after the release of a major theatrical film adaptation of a well-known superhero property for a huge industry-wide promotion.

April 8th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Publishing house HarperCollins Wednesday launched its business imprint 'Collins Business' with its original title, 'Making Breakthrough Innovation Happen - 11 Indians Who Pulled Off the Impossible' by Porus Munshi. The aim was to bring more indigenous business books in the Indian market, the publishers said.

April 7th, 2009 NEW YORK - Actress Bai Ling has trashed rumours that she slept with 'The Wrestler' star Mickey Rourke. The 'Toxic' star had raised eyebrows after she was invited by Rourke for an LA bash.

March 20th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Hollywood actor Mickey Rourke, who won Golden Globe award for his flick 'The Wrestler', is all set to fight real-life wrestler Chris Jericho in Wrestle Mania Smackdown. Mickey pulled out of the fight to be held in April, as Jericho got offended by his speech at the Screen actors guild awards red carpet.

March 18th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - Despite a growing domestic market and increasing exports, Indian book publishers are concerned over the 'invasion' by their foreign counterparts and have demanded that the government scrap the foreign direct investment (FDI) in the industry. 'We demand the government scrap the FDI in the business of publishing to give a breathing space to Indian publishers,' Anand Bhushan, advisor and former chairman of the New Delhi-based Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP), told IANS here.

March 12th, 2009 LONDON - Brit singer Robbie Williams has gone all "girlie" for a special sketch for Comic Relief. Williams, 35, showed his feminine side on March 6 in the sketch with Little Britain stars Matt Lucas and David Walliams.

February 28th, 2009 LONDON - Oscar nominated actor Mickey Rourke's career is back on track. He has been signed up for the next Rambo film.

January 30th, 2009 LONDON - Sharat Sardana, a pioneering Indian-origin comedy writer who helped revolutionise the perception of Asians in Britain, has died at the age of 40. Sardana, who succumbed to a streptococcal infection Tuesday, created some of the most memorable characters and sketches in British comedy, including those for 'Goodness Gracious Me', the country's first ever all-Asian comedy show.

January 15th, 2009 PARIS - French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni became stars of France's comic book scene last year. The cover of the recently published book, 'Carla and Carlito', depicts the French first lady carrying an image of Sarkozy in a baby sling.

December 31st, 2008 NEW DELHI - She may have starred in hit comic capers like 'Namastey London', 'Partner', 'Welcome' and 'Singh Is Kinng', but actress Katrina Kaif says she is yet to do an 'out and out comic role'. 'I think I have yet to do a great comic role.