- People closely following the evolution of humanity over the millennia would have noticed how some of the most epochal, revolutionary, and pathbreaking inventions have succeeded in completely altering the way we go about leading our lives. Make no mistake, human ingenuity and the constant quest for inventions, innovations, initiatives, and developments have provided tremendous opportunities for growth prospects further. While we bask in the glory of some of these mind-boggling interventions, aiding in our relentless march ahead, certain aspects – like the earth-shattering progress of information technology-driven applications/solutions – deserve closer comprehension as well. Let’s dwell on how the cutting-edge technology is playing out of late.
PC: Check it out
- Of course, humankind has wholeheartedly embraced the dynamic nature of the IT-driven digitization efforts in the last couple of decades. The advent of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has further supplemented the global community with its far-reaching advantages, offering innumerable avenues to explore in some of the most critical fields. The moot point to ponder over here is whether a few of the conventional/traditional endeavours have been relegated to the back burner. How about the traditional reading habits sustained in the age of the digital world? French-Iranian author Marjane Satrapi, who died too young, will forever be celebrated for her iconic autobiographical graphic novel, Persepolis. Why though?
PC: CNN
- Not only because it serves as an intimate record of a young girl’s life in the Islamic Republic of Iran, but also because of the medium through which it communicates. Graphic novels are one of the fastest-growing categories of literature in global publishing markets, overcoming digital challenges. And they appear to be digital proof – since 2019, graphic novel sales in the US have doubled to 35mn books a year. There’s a history to this. Graphic novels evolved in the West from newspaper comics. By the middle of the previous century, the comic scene exploded in the US, especially with the superhero genre. But then the puritans stepped in, questioning the literary value of the medium, seen to be either childish or deviant.
PC: Outlook Respawn – Outlook India
- Graphic novels went underground, re-emerged grittier, like Art Spiegelman’s Holocaust-themed Maus. The French got skin in the game too, a la Valerian. Then the flash: by the early 2000s, Japanese manga publishers began translating and exporting works in English. As the two streams met, the rich illustrations and deep storylines had younger readers hooked. The themes covered everything from dealing with the divorce of parents to bullying to camaraderie. The Indian manga market is expected to grow from $615mn in 2025 to $3.5bn by 2034. So, local publishers are jumping in, collabs & crossovers are mushrooming. And perhaps, that could be the answer to tackling the reading crisis among youngsters in the digital age. Who said reading is passe?
