Tadam Gyadu: Meet the comic book artist crafting superhero dreams for Marvel

(January 3, 2025) It’s not every day that you see Spider-Man in a dhoti, but in 2023, the world was reintroduced to Pavitr Prabhakar, the Indian Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. First created in 2005, Spider-Man India presents a reimagined version of the iconic superhero, set in a parallel dimension where Peter Parker becomes Pavitr Prabhakar, a teenager navigating life in Mumbattan, a mashup of Mumbai and Manhattan. The character, with his quirky charm and unique cultural flair, became an overnight sensation, instantly winning hearts around the globe.

The newfound love for Pavitr Prabhakar didn’t stop at the movies. Marvel decided to revive the character in comic books, and the new series was brought to life by Tadam Gyadu, whose artwork captured the essence of this Indian Spider-Man. The Indian graphic artist, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, is grateful to be working with Marvel. “I am working on some of my favourite characters that I read as a child and have grown up loving them, it seems surreal,” he tells Global Indian.

Tadam Gyadu

Growing up on a diet of comic books, Tadam never imagined that he would someday make a career in comics and work with one of the biggest names in the comic world – Marvel. “I feel fortunate. I spent most of my time reading comics but growing up I never imagined that I would get the chance to draw my favourite characters. I also feel fortunate because I know not every talented artist gets the chance to work with Marvel,” he adds.

His first tryst with comics

Growing up in Diyun, a small town around 100 km from Tinsukia in Arunachal Pradesh, Tadam Gyadu had access to only one bookshop, which was mostly filled with textbooks. Due to remote location, access to magazines and comics was limited. It was in third grade that Tadam was first introduced to comic books. “Nagraj,” he smiles. However, a few years before he discovered comics, he had his first tryst with Marvel’s superhero Spider-Man. “My brother brought the film’s CD. Back then, I didn’t know that there were comic books on Spider-Man. For me, the film was my first introduction to the superhero character.”

But sketching remains his first love. “I was inclined towards drawing much before I was introduced to comics,” says Tadam, whose earliest memories are of him drawing on the walls of his courtyard. His passion for sketching began while growing up with his maternal grandparents who are Buddhists. “I remember looking at the Life of Buddha books at home that were filled with beautiful illustrations. I’d spend hours looking at them. It attracted me so much that I wanted to start copying them. I began imitating every illustration that I could find – in school or at home.”

He kept his passion for sketching alive but like most kids, he decided to become an engineer for its “handsome salary” and even shifted to Digboi in Assam for Class 10. “I thought I’ll keep drawing as a hobby.” But soon realised science wasn’t his calling as he spent most of his time drawing and reading comics. “That was my moment of truth. I wanted to give art a shot as a career.” This prompted him to begin reaching out to comic book publishers across India with his work samples, and soon found a perfect collaborator in Raj Comics, with whom he worked on a couple of books for over a year. This alliance cemented his confidence in pursuing art as a profession and nudged him to enroll in Bachelor of Fine Arts. “I shifted to Delhi in 2016. My parents weren’t financially well off to sponsor my education, so I decided to use my earnings. But Delhi turned out to be expensive and within a few months, all my savings were exhausted.” Keeping his dream of enrolling in BFA at the backburner, he applied for a job at a call centre to sustain his livelihood. But in the second month of his job, “a miracle happened.”

A German woman, he had met years ago at Mahabodhi School during a doctor’s camp had learnt about his dream of studying art, emailed him in 2016 asking about his progress in the world of art. “I told her that due to financial constraints, I have decided to put off my dream for now. However, knowing my passion, she graciously offered to sponsor my tuition fee,” reveals Tadam, who joined Amity University.

Marvel – an opportunity of a lifetime

Those four years at the university, Tadam Gyadu kept honing his craft and working with almost all big comic publications in India. Keen to expand his horizon, he started to send out his samples to international publications. “But nothing concrete happened for a while, until I stumbled upon an art representative from Spain who helps send your work to different editors in international publications. He saw potential in my work and was happy to push.” After six months of radio silence, in the spring of 2022, Tadam received an email from Marvel who were interested to work with him. “It was a dream come true. I felt so happy,” says the artist, who was in Diyun when he heard from Marvel. “I showed the email to my mom telling her these are the people I have always wanted to work with.”

In over two years with Marvel, Tadam has worked on multiple characters for the franchise. “The most I am known for is for Spider-Man India. I have also drawn Iron Man, Ghost Rider, Wolverine.”

Each year, millions of people read Marvel comics, and for Tadam, drawing his favourite childhood characters and working with Marvel feels like a surreal experience. “I feel grateful when I think of myself as a child – who had no idea if there could be a career in drawing comics, who kept scribbling in his notebooks and gawking at the comic books he had, who dreamt of drawing these amazing characters and stories. Now living that dream, I am filled with a sense of gratitude.”

He was only 25 when he bagged the opportunity to work with Marvel. “Marvel and DC are the biggest names in comics, and for anyone aspiring to draw comic books, working with them is a dream. It’s a form of validation which reinforces your belief in yourself, especially since many artists, including myself, deal with imposter syndrome. There’s always this lingering doubt in the back of my mind—am I really good enough for people to buy my work? So, getting the opportunity to work with Marvel feels like reassurance that maybe I’m doing something right.”

His work over the years has earned the love and praise from Marvel fans, and he is especially grateful to Indian fans for their unwavering support. “I was a nobody and now everyone seems to like my work in Indian comic fraternity. Readers have followed my work and even ordered copies from the US that aren’t available in India,” says the graphic artist whose style is mostly inspired by American comic books, known for exaggerated anatomy and bombastic action. “Those are the signature tropes of American comics. However, I also draw inspiration from Manga, which has a distinct style. I try to incorporate some of its elements as well. The way they capture emotion and action is exceptional.”

Tadam Gyadu

Creative Process

The 27-year-old’s creative process is detailed and precise, combining research and artistic skills to bring stories to life. “I read the script two or three times to understand what the writers are trying to create,” he explains. He prepares by gathering references to ensure accuracy. “If a story is set in WWII, I research for that era’s costumes, weapons and settings using photos, videos or documentaries to get into the world.” Tadam, then, begins designing the pages. Comic scripts are broken into panels, with each page outlining the number of panels, their descriptions, and the dialogue. “I create a rough panel layout and share it with the editors and writers. If they have feedback, I revise accordingly,” he shares. The process is highly time-consuming, with each page taking 12 to 15 hours to complete.

The origin of Indian Spider-Man in comics

Known for Spider-Man India comic book series, Tadam loves reveals the origin of the character. “The story of Spider-Man India began in 2005 with Gotham Comics, a publisher known for licensing and reprinting American comics for the Indian market to make them more accessible. “They made an indelible mark in Indian comic industry back in the day, and their collaboration with Marvel was so strong that they pitched Spider-Man in India version.” This gave birth to Pavitr Prabhakar, a reimagined Spider-Man from a parallel dimension where his story unfolds in India. “The characters were adapted for this backdrop, with Peter Parker becoming Pavitr Prabhakar, Uncle Ben reimagined as Uncle Bheem, and Aunt May as Aunty Maya.”

 

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Jeevan Kang designed this version of Spider-Man with a suit inspired by Indian attire, including a dhoti. It was released as a mini-series but after the release of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Pavitr Prabhakar was reintroduced to the world. “The world fell in love with the character. Since Marvel movies and comics are integrated, they thought of reviving Pavitra Prabhakar in comic books as well. They decided to re-release a series on Spider-Man India, and I drew that one,” smiles Tadam, who calls Spider-Man his favourite character. “It’s the first character I saw and instantly fell in love with.”

Lack of formal comic book education

The comic book artist has become popular, thanks to his stint with Marvel but he says it isn’t an easy road. “Money is the biggest challenge for up-and-coming artists. The pay is low, and you can barely survive while putting in crazy hours,” he shares. He highlights another hurdle — India lacks formal comic book education. While there are animation and painting schools, comic art isn’t widely taught. “There’s no blueprint to follow,” he explains, though he was fortunate to receive guidance from experienced artists in the industry. However, Tadam acknowledges that things are improving. “In 2024, with easy internet access, aspiring artists can learn a lot through YouTube or online paid courses. There are also multiple books available on platforms like Amazon. It’s much easier now than it was for me.”

The Indian comic book scene has become niche, with fewer comics being created today. “When Indian comics were at their peak, they weren’t made for a global audience,” Tadam reflects. He points out that many of those comics lacked professional polish and featured characters heavily inspired by Western heroes. “That’s probably why a lot of those companies couldn’t survive and had to shut shop,” he adds.

Going Global

However, Tadam believes things are changing. With the internet connecting creators to a global audience, Indian comic book makers are now focusing on producing stories with the same quality and attention to detail as their international counterparts. “All publishers in India are striving for that now,” he says. Optimistic about the future, he adds, “I think we’re one big boom away. In the next five or six years, something will come along that will explode.”

For Tadam Gyadu, going global is more than just a milestone — it’s an opportunity to share his own stories. “I’ve been planning stories with a writer friend, and going global will give me the visibility to bring them to life,” he says. With roots firmly in India, Tadam also wants to infuse his work with Arunachali culture, offering a unique perspective to his audience.

Looking ahead, Tadam dreams of drawing Batman comics while also focusing on his own graphic novels. “We’re already planning two to three stories rooted in Indian culture because there aren’t enough India-based stories going global,” he explains.

At a young age, Tadam Gyadu has found recognition in the comic book world but he believes there is much more to achieve. While being one of the few Indian artists working with Marvel is a milestone, he remains focused on the bigger picture. With hopes of leaving his mark on the global comic scene, he adds, “Maybe one day, I’ll be remembered in the history of comics for doing something truly groundbreaking,” he signs off.

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