Durban - Move over Batman, there’s a new hero in town.
And, if all goes according to plan, say its developers, South African children – no matter their backgrounds or race – could have a whole new posse of superheroes to look up to.
Ameen Mahomed of the Rainbow Nation Media Group told the Daily News that he, with Anesh Singh and Kashiv Lachman, identified the gap and wanted to use the opportunity to make a difference.
“It’s important for youngsters to have a hero available to them that they can relate to and that’s how Thakur was born,” he said, referring to the South African superhero of Indian descent that he and his team had designed.
Singh added: “All South Africans are familiar with superheroes like Superman, Spider-man, Iron man, The Hulk, Batman, Captain America, Thor and the list goes on, created by Marvel comics and many other USA companies, but can you name one South African superhero (of Indian descent)?”
The group is an advertising, marketing and business consulting company which focuses on online and live events.
It is also actively involved in community projects and is the official online media partner of the Chatsworth Child Welfare, Aryan Benevolent Homes and the SA Hindu Maha Sabha.
It sponsors services in excess of R100 000 a year to each of these organisations. The group plans on releasing a 60-page full-colour comic book to all primary schools – at its own cost.
“After a meeting with… the Indian Consulate, we have decided to release the entire series in English, Hindi, Tamil, Urdu and Zulu to also promote reading and culture in the youngsters,” Singh said.
The team had taken the decision to launch their first edition, titled Planet X Games.
“We plan to print and distribute them free among primary schools throughout South Africa during our ‘Stop Bullying’ roadshow.”
They also plan to promote the idea on www.southafricansuperheroes.co.za, to be launched when they release the first edition.
“This will allow the comic book to be viewed and downloaded free,” Singh added.
“We plan to release a new comic book on a monthly basis, with the second edition – the creation of an African superhero – to fight alongside and subsequently in future editions, to add to the team representing demographics of all South Africans.”
The publication will be released in a hard copy format next year when schools open after the December/January holidays, but will be available online by the end of this month.
The group is looking to gain funding from businesses, philanthropists and other organisations to partner with them on the project.
Contact Kashiv Lachman at 071 361 9111 for more information.