"That is what 'The Rabhas Incident' tried to do," Chattoraj said. "It was looking at zombies -- something you did not associate India with."

Some graphic novelists such as Sarnath Banerjee are interested in a more intimate portrayal of India. Banerjee is the author and illustrator behind the popular "Corridor," which was released in 2004 and revolves around the interactions between the residents of Delhi and a shop owner. While Banerjee said that he does not have a problem with mythology, he feels it's time to end the monoculture in comic books.

"A certain understanding of how society works within the tension of change will become a primary part of Indian comics," he said.

What about the comics' take on quintessential costumed superheroes? Nagraj (Snake King), by Raj Comics, probably comes the closest. Created in the late 1980s, Nagraj is a terror-weapon-turned-crime-fighter whose main power is hosting mystical snakes that can attack his opponents on command; his bite is filled with deadly venom.

Nagraj is a relatively popular character, but Varma said it is not easy for Indian superheroes to gain the same kind of following as the ones do in the United States.

"Superheroes are not possible in India," he said. "Our reality is (so) stark for superheroes that it becomes unbelievable. That is why contemporary stuff, surreal stuff, abstract stuff is happening right now."

And so the grass-roots movement for the Indian comic book industry grows. Artists, writers and publishing houses continue to experiment with some degree of success, which was clear with the appearance of a respectably sized horde of comic book aficionados at the latest Comic Con India.

For Varma, it's a start.

"Our aim is to improve the comic culture in India, to have more comic fans because this is a country of (over) 1 billion," Varma said. "When I say we had (for instance) 20,000 fans show up, that means nothing compared to the size of Delhi."

Kini said that as an artist, a venue such as the convention, is a jumping-off point for harnessing the potential of the Indian comic book industry. "The new artists are great and you just wonder -- what if it there was no Comic Con, no publication houses? Where would all that talent go?"