The aim of this project was to update an ancient oral tale (dastan) from the subcontinent and adapt it into a form that would be attractive to a modern-day, global audience: the comic book. The story of Amir Hamza has traveled from Persia and touched places like Nepal and Mughal era India. It has an abundance of mythical creatures, epic battles and romance in a similar vein to The Arabian Nights.
Taking inspiration from contemporary comics like Sandman Overture and Ody-C, I aspired to update a chapter from the dastan into a modern form while examining the idea that various forms of art speak to each other more than we perhaps know.
The audience of this comic is one who is already well versed in the layout of the American comic book while also appealing to a public that may wish to revisit their childhood stories in a new form that stays true to the spirit to the story.
In these pages, Amir Hamza meets Susan Peri in a garden controlled by the villain of the piece: Ifrit Dev. Enchanted by her beauty, Amir Hamza rescues her but it is soon clear that Susan Peri is, in fact, a staunch supporter of Ifrit Dev and promptly orders djinns and devs to attack Amir Hamza.
Later in the story Amir Hamza comes across a genial young man who appears harmless. However, Amir Hamza is wiser now and refuses to take things at face value. When Darban Jadu betrays him by yelling a warning to Ifrit Dev, Amir Hamza promptly beheads him. However Darban Jadu proves difficult to kill, simply picking his head up and getting ready to fight.
After consulting his magic tablet that details how to defeat Darban Jadu, Amir Hamza dispatches the villain and continues on to gaze at the mountain he must climb, at the top of which is Ifrit Dev's cave.
