Create a character - and the emerging Indian graphic novel

And from another Ryze post, this interesting contest:

THE APOLLO BUNDER DUBIOUS CHARACTER CONTEST!!!!!
Naturally, Apollo Bunder Comics is looking for amazing characters and stories. If you can come up with a mind-blowing character, we will pay you for it. Think in all genres - suspense, comedy, contemporary.
Some of the fictional comics characters we love are Fu Manchu, Corto Maltese, Phantom, Crook Bond Jasoos, Octobriana, Modesty Blaise, Captain Haddock, Cuthbert Calculus, Bahadur & Bela, you get the drift.
WARNING: We blow our noses on goddamn Shaktiman & bloody Archies. So don't go THERE.
WHAT WE NEED: An 800-1000 word biographical note about the character you propose. A sketch is not compulsory but will be a huge advantage.
PRIZE: We will pay Rs. 2000 to the best character chosen. And your name will appear as the creator of the character in every story that involves him/her. Royalties for this will be negotiated later.
DEADLINE: 15th August, 2004.
Entries to apollobunder@hotmail.com.

You might also want to mosey over to this article in the Times of India, in which Anjali Joseph writes about the energence of the Indian graphic novel. Aside from talking about Rohit Gupta (the guy behind Apollo Bunder) and his forthcoming graphic novella on the Godhra massacre, and the riots that ensued in Gujarat, also tells us that Sarnath Banerjee's Corridor has sold out its initial print run and is going into a second, and that Jerry Pinto is working on comic versions of four Goan stories with artist Pria Agni for a forthcoming anthology on Goa.
The article also quotes V K Karthika, Commissioning Editor of Penguin Books, who complained that despite Corridor's success, Penguin has had to do the legwork to approach authors and artists. Apparently, commissioning illustrations from artists - who make better money in fields like animation - is a pain in the butt, so (Certain readers of this blog to note!) they would seem to prefer author-artists.