I love finding out about comic books from all over the world – stuff that you aren’t likely to find in Diamond Previews. For those of you who like to think outside the long box, it should come as no surprise that the comic book industry in India is on the rise. Not just digitally, but good old-fashioned dead-tree printed comic books and graphic novels.

Indian comic book artist Sarnath Banerjee and his fellow pen-pushers Orijit Sen, Vishwajyoti Ghosh and Amitabh Kumar have joined forces to form the Pao Collective. Aside from the launch of the studio, the group is eagerly promoting the launch of their first book from another one of their friends: Parismita Singh’s debut graphic novel titled The Hotel at the End of the World. It debuted earlier this month from Penguin Books India. You can read a bit more about the book at the Penguin website.

“In the hotel at the end of the world it’s business as usual, as Pema dishes up rice and pork curry to travellers who stop by for a drink and refuge from the rains. Everyone there has a story to tell, and at times they end up revealing more than they want to.”

The book isn’t yet available outside of India – it doesn’t show up on either the UK, Canadian or US Amazon sites. You can order it from Penguin, but, alas, only if you live in India. If anybody knows how to snag a copy, post your knowledge in the comments.

Here’s an early and favorable review at ultrabrown:
“The publishers are putting it across as a book that’s going to redefine graphic novels in India. Considering how nascent the genre is, I think every graphic novel that gets published redefines it but that’s ok. A little hyperbole is allowed, particularly since ‘The Hotel at the End of the World’ is a wonderful read.”

And another one by Alpana Lath Sawai over at Mid-Day, which also has some interior pages. Says Sawai: “Many travelers pass through the hotel, although where they are going, if they are at the end of the world already, is not known. An odd collection of adventurists gather. Some in search of Utopia, others of bridges to far away lands. Meanwhile, Pema, her husband and their daughter provide food and shelter…”

The story also features some brief quotes by creator Singh: “It’s a comic book, although not for children.” Sawai goes on to state that “This is the only definite thing one is able to get out of her. This, and the fact that she is 29-years-old she doesn’t do the cliché of being mysterious about it.”

The only mystery is what she and the Pao Collective will do next but I’ve got a pretty good idea: they’ll make more comics.

(h/t to Lying In The Gutters)