Nerve Endings Firing Away

In a land that reportedly lacks serious heroes or role models, we feel the need to reinvent them constantly even when we don’t really need to. As if Sachin Tendulkar’s demi-god status (rapidly fading though) thanks to his exploits on the cricket field wasn’t enough, Virgin Comics is portraying him as a superhero in a new range of comic books [via Sepia Mutiny.]

The cricketing legend has linked up with Virgin Comics and his character will wear body armour and wield a flaming cricket bat….The first Master Blaster comic book is expected to be released in June and proves that Tendulkar’s marketing appeal is undiminished even though he has been an international sportsman since 1989 [source.]

Am I the only one who thinks this is insanely stupid? I had reviewed Virgin Comics when they launched and I believed they were looking to tapping into Indian mythology to recreate comic book heroes. Since we have a rich history of tales and characters, I thought this move by Virgin Comics was a masterstroke. So why the need to reinvent Sachin as a superhero? And with a flaming bat nonetheless. What the heck is he going to do with a flaming bat – hit the bad guys for a scorching six? Have Virgin Comics run out of mythological heroes already? Whatever happened to Devi, Snake Woman, Sadhu, and other stereotypical characters. I am all for breaking the conventional mode of depicting India but depicting Sachin as a superhero might be stretching it (isn’t he already without all that armor?) For crying out loud, take a look at the adjoining image? Do you even see a resemblance to Sachin. Apna Sachin is short and stocky and doesn’t have the chiseled metal-cased abs like this dude who seems to be heavily inspired by He-Man: Masters of the Universe. I just expect him to point the ‘flaming bat’ toward coy Dravid turning him into Battlecat Wall.

What would the Superhero Sachin be called? Take a guess. Yup! you are right, Master Blaster. Why? Because we are that creative. Let us hope he manages to find those super powers in time for our match against Sri Lanka on the 23rd.