rovoltentertainment preview book

Exclusive Convention Preview

Featuring a first look at:

AVEON 9AREN &

METAFREAKZ

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RovoltPreviewBook.indd 1 2/11/12 7:16 AM

New Stories for A Brave New World

While developing countries such as India, China, Brazil and Russia are starting to exert a global infl uence, their youth and children are looking for a mode of expression that is uniquely theirs. With the dynamics of global interaction in a state of fl ux, many lines have been blurred. A direct result of the infl ux of various kinds of media and the role they have come to play in our lives over a short time, the gaping delineation between what was learning and what was fun has long been erased. But we’re still consuming the same old stories, albeit in new packages. So why then, in a world that is ours for the taking, are we consuming media that isn’t really us, isn’t about us and doesn’t have any real connection to us?

The Best of Both Worlds

With the developing world getting into position to lead the next generation of innovation and ambition, Rovolt Entertainment comes into the fore as a new forum to help express the dreams of the youth. Rovolt packages that dream at a world class level by employing the best creative and artistic talent from the developing world and giving them the able guidance of leading editors from the West. The result — content that is world class as well as relevant to today’s youth. Striking a chord with parents and kids alike, Rovolt’s stories and characters cut across cultures and geographies as well as transverse from print to video, to interactive gaming media. They feature a good mix of action and values, fun and learning. And above all they display the ambition and pride of our new generation!

Working day and night from our studios in Mumbai and Delhi, we have developed fi ve titles and are in the process of creating gaming and animation content for the same. The print versions will be available soon and a sneak peek is available on our website (www.rovolt.com), Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/rovoltentertainment) and at Comic Con India 2012.

On the following pages

Aveon 9 Preview, page 01

Aren Preview, page 09

Metafreakz Preview, page 15

editor: Ron MarzPreview book design by: Phil Smith

•••••ROVOLT Preview Book, February 2012. FIRST PRINTING.Published by Viman Media Services Pvt Ltd, Inc. Offi ce of Publication, 201, Town Center 2, Andheri (E), Mumbai - 400059, India. AVEON 9, AREN & METAFREAKZ © 2012 Viman Media Services Pvt Ltd.. “AVEON 9,” the AVEON 9 logos, “AREN,” the AREN logos, “METAFREAKZ,” the METAFREAKZ logos and the likeness of all featured characters are trademarks of Viman Media Services Pvt Ltd.. All rights reserved. Viman Media Services Pvt Ltd. ® and its logos are registered trademarks of Viman Media Services Pvt Ltd., Inc. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), events, institutions, or locales, without satiric intent, is coincidental. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the express written permission of Viman Media Services Pvt Ltd..

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PREVIEWstory: Shamik Dasgupta

art: Abhishek Malsuni, Shashank Mishraletters: Troy Peteri

•••••edited by: Ron Marz

logo and book design by: Phil Smith

PREVIEWstory: Shamik Dasgupta

art: Abhishek Malsuni, Shashank Mishraletters: Troy Peteri

•••••edited by: Ron Marz

logo and book design by: Phil Smith

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A magnum opus inspired by Indian mystical classics and Western sci-fi .

Thousands of years into the future, humans fi nd themselves the masters of a new planet, Aveon 9. While establishing their supremacy, they pissed off more natives than they pleased and of course there were repercussions. Now there’s chaos and anarchy with three warring human factions fi ghting for dominance. This is a story of a native with extraordinary powers and two star-crossed lovers. Putting themselves at great risk, the trio are pitted against some potently evil forces in their bid to achieve a state of peaceful existence that humans have always dreamt of but never truly believed in.

Special 4 page preview on the following pages!

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CharaCtersTez

Meet our protagonist, Tez who throws away his idyllic, peaceful life at Cobalt Cove to go in search of his father who has disappeared. Through a chain of strange coincidences Tez finds himself a major player in Aveon 9’s political theatre. His uncanny abilities win him the favour of the Vexadun Princess Lunestra, the most beautiful and noble person he has ever met. But it comes at the cost of making him some ruthless enemies. And how could Tez help but not be fascinated with such a wonderful being?

Princess Lunestra

The only thing in the universe that comes close to eclipsing Princess Lunestra’s beauty is her courage, nobility and high ideals. Most times Lunestra seems like a worthy future queen but then she goes and ruins it all by going motorbike racing, falling for an enemy of the state and taking long train rides with the ‘natives.’ Lunestra’s youth, passionate nature and sense of right and wrong, which she never compromises on, make her disagree with the way Vexadus is being run. Not that it makes her love her father, the King, any less. But something must be done and immediately, and Lunestra can’t wait till she ascends the throne to take action.

Count Krura

Lunestra’s childhood friend Count Krura is slightly less obsessed with his wardrobe than he is with Lunestra. Krura is consummate in courtly intrigue and manipulation but when it comes to his love life, his blood boils over into madness. Lunestra’s rebuffs get him more obsessed with her and tip him over the edge of reason, making him the most hopeless of lovers. Krura is willing to have Lunestra at any cost, with or without her love. And if Vexadus happens to be a part of the package, why that just makes the pain and rejection he has to endure all the sweeter.

Prince Zayan of Naugra

Zayan, the Crown Prince of Naugra, may be one of Aveon 9’s mightiest warriors but his insistence on championing the cause of good may be his undoing. Zayan was fighting tooth and nail for his country until he realized his generals were resorting to unfair means to win the battle. He threw down his weapons and was branded a traitor. In Lunestra, Zayan finds a twin soul, one who values the inherent goodness in people and believes in upholding what is right above all else. Having fallen head over heels in love with her, Zayan gives up everything to achieve their shared dream.

Agorra Tanashah

Desperately hoping that sanity and order will prevail in the midst of madness, Agorra has to set aside his good intentions to win the throne of Chunargh from his brothers and sisters who are less capable rulers than he will be. Having fought ferociously and killed to rule a kingdom that’s in shambles, Agorra realizes that more blood must be spilt before he can bring order to his kingdom. So desperate is the situation that valour and integrity must once again take a backseat while he strives to save Chunargh from complete ruin.

Naaz

Naaz, a native of Aveon 9, belongs to the gifted Eyar race. She is Agorra’s right-hand woman and he depends on her when it comes to matters of state. But she wants more. Blinded by unrequited love, Naaz resorts to desperate and treacherous acts to win Agorra’s battles for him. Her life at the Chunargh court may have made her hard and ruthless, but Naaz will soon have reason to rethink her allegiances.

Gunmaster Flintlocke

The finest gunsmith in all of Alendria and an ace sharpshooter to boot, it’s a pity Gunmaster Flintlocke doesn’t display the same acuity in his business dealings. An embarrassment to the commerce-minded Bonakin race, Flintlocke’s own dad disowned him for his poor business skills. But Flintlocke has a plan, one that will not only get him back in to the fold but make him Aveon 9’s leading weapons dealer as well. But before that, there’s many a fight to be fought.


PREVIEWstory by: Anupam Sinha

art by: Lalit Kumar Sharma, Jagdish Kumar•••••

edited by: Deveshe Dutt

PREVIEWstory by: Anupam Sinha

art by: Lalit Kumar Sharma, Jagdish Kumar•••••

edited by: Deveshe Dutt

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Wanted, a Superhero!

In a world where half the residents are aliens in disguise, the other half stubbornly refuses to admit they even exist and Planet Earth is a natural disaster zone, a super hero is the need of the hour. Will it be Aren, a half-human boy who overreacts? Actually it’s unfair to pin the blame entirely on him when it’s everything that reacts to Aren’s presence, a result of his half alien DNA that catalyzes everything in the vicinity and channels it towards good causes. Aren would be a no-brainer for the superhero job if it weren’t for distractions like his best friend cum secret crush, schoolwork and a past that’s almost as action-packed as the present, if he could only get a look at it.

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Aren

Aren alias Cedric Kline is half Martian-half human, which is great for his brain power and enhanced DNA but doesn’t bode well for his enemies. Not only does Aren pack many times the super power of both humans and Martians, he can morph in to other biological forms and unanimated objects too. When Aren isn’t going to school as Cedric Kline, he’s busy fighting Martians because as far as his loyalties are concerned, he’s all human. As long as you’re not at the receiving end, Aren’s fights are fun. It’s the only outlet he has for his mischievous streak.

CharaCters

Linda and Frank Kline

Linda and Frank Kline, are the most fearsome detective duo of their era. They counted their dog, Streak, as their only child until Cedric came along and stole their hearts. Wealthy, brash and fearless, the Klines are well-versed in fighting styles, weapon handling, observation and deduction. The duo has been entrusted with the mission of flushing out hidden Martians and takes their job very seriously. How seriously, will only come to light once they learn about the Martian in their midst.

Zeok, the Martian Commander

Commander Zeok, a high-ranking, shrewd and ruthless Martian Commander, has disguised himself as a human scientist and made many an advancement in the field of Molecular Biology. As a part of his experiments, Zeok fathered the only half-human half Martian being in the galaxy. But duty took him away to the Home Planet before he could meet his son. Now he’s back and charged with the job of killing the Martian’s Number One Enemy, Aren. Will paternal love win over patriotism?

Martians

Unlike what human scientists say, life exists on Mars. It’s just that the Martians live in underground ravines, out of sight of our space probes, where limited amounts of air and water are still available. But before it all runs out, the Martians are planning to move to Earth. Laying the groundwork are numerous Martians who have taken human form and live amongst us. Though the Martian’s have co-habited peacefully with humans for ages now, trouble is brewing. You see, they’re dissatisfied with our planet management techniques and want to take matters into their own hands so they don’t have to go home planet hunting anytime soon.


PREVIEWstory: Quill Von Yorrick art: Ashish Padlekar

•••••edited by: Manish Sinha

PREVIEWstory: Quill Von Yorrick art: Ashish Padlekar

•••••edited by: Manish Sinha

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Kids Rule!

With the Earth in a state of turmoil and ‘regular’ people incapable of cleaning up their mess, its time to hit the panic button. Enter the Metafreaks, multi-ethnic kids from every corner of the world united against a greedy sycophant with a doom and gloom-fi lled vision for dear Planet Earth. Luckily for us blissfully ignorant earthlings, the Metafreaks will do everything in their powers...err superpowers… to save the world. And they make it all seem monstrously good fun too!


Name: Beatriz Blanco aka ‘Bruja’, Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil, Age: 11

A schoolgirl who doesn’t quite fit in. Hardly surprising when you consider that she’s a direct descendant of the “Three Witches” and has serious psychic abilities. Other than reading what’s on the mind of her schoolmates, usually lunch, Beatriz can move objects with her mind, levitate up to 15 ft and shoot short burst psi-bolts. She would be witch perfect if it weren’t for her lack of telepathy and hypnosis skills.

Name: Radu Lugosi, Age: 10, Location: Moscow, Russia, The Point Man

Descended from East European royalty, Radu lives with his guardians who are rumoured to have been linked with the KGB and the Mafia. It’s all a cover up for his real identity. Radu is Count Dracula’s brother and has lived 700 action-packed years. His exploits include imprisoning his demonic big brother Count Dracula. Radu is shrewd and intuitive, something of an overkill when you add them to his powers for ass kicking which include regeneration, superhuman agilities, teleportation, medieval weapon techniques, stealth and camouflaging abilities.

Name: Boris Frankenstein, Age: 10, Location: Orkney Islands, Scotland, The Brain and The Money

He may look like a nerdy school kid, which he is, but Boris Frankenstein is no ordinary boy. Unless your definition of ‘ordinary’ features Frankenstein’s inventor’s cryogenically frozen brain fused with a 1000 GHz processor, a fusion of the best DNA and a robotic arm that can hook up to any electronic or computer system. Typical of all technology freaks, Boris is perpetually upgrading his own body, causing it to reboot and make him flap around like a zombie at the most inopportune times.

Name: Heka Hassan, Age: 9, Location: Cairo, Egypt, The Sorcerer

Heka is one of the four daughters of Labib and Ara Hassan, a curator at the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities and a renowned Egyptologist respectively. The rumours that Heka is adopted are inaccurate. In reality, Ara found her mummified body and accidentally brought her to life. Now Heka lives with them and applies her in-depth knowledge of sorcery and firing ectoplasmic projectiles for the good of mankind. And the fact that she happens to be bandaged from head to foot is of no consequence at all.

Name: Li Mifune aka ‘Kaiju’, Age: 8, Location: Shanghai, China, The Muscle

Don’t ever take little Kaiju for granted and whatever you do, don’t piss him off even though he’s easy prey. Extreme emotions like stress, fear and anger can make him grow up to 70 feet, toss tanks around like they’re sweet wrappers, track you in another country and get all the animals around to turn against you. And sometimes, it doesn’t matter whether you’re friend or foe. No one, not even his teammates, are spared when Kaiju goes berserk.

Name: Roshan ‘Rosh’ Operawala, Age: Approx. 6 or 7, Location: Mumbai, India, The Phaser

An impish Poltergeist locally referred to as ‘Bhoot’ or ghost, Rosh whiled away his time haunting Mumbai’s Royal Opera House and making life miserable for passers by. Until, one day, he was possessed with the spirit to do good. Now he uses his extra-sensory abilities that include communicating with other spirits, possessing humans and animals and astral travel to put up a spirited fight. He’s usually at the frontlines of all the action, because you can punch him but you can’t hurt him.

Dr. Decimus Pretorius

Downright crazy combined with highly intelligent, depraved, unprincipled, cold-blooded and malicious as a list of personality traits can never bode well for humanity. Not when you pair it with a God-complex. The archetypical mad scientist, Dr. Decimus Pretorius was imprisoned when his illegal splicing and cloning operations came to light. But he escaped by poisoning an entire prison facility. Now Dr. Decimus hires out his scientific prowess to various terrorist outfits, rogue corporations and clandestine government organizations. The trillions he makes from his nefarious sciences fund his pet project – an advanced scientific study of supernatural beings and what better guinea pigs than the Metafreaks!

CharaCters


MEET TEAM ROVOLT

Ron Marz: Two decades in the comic industry

Ron Marz has been writing comics for two decades, starting his career with a lengthy run on Silver Surfer for Marvel. Since then, he has worked with virtually every major publisher and compiled a long list of credits, including stints on Green Lantern for DC Comics, Star Wars for Dark Horse Comics and Witchblade for Top Cow Productions, Inc. His recent projects include Magdalena and Artifacts for Top Cow and Voodoo for DC. Ron’s creator-owned series include Shinku at Image; Dragon Prince at Top Cow as well as Samurai: Heaven and Earth and Pantheon City at Dark Horse. He has also been the editor on Virgin Comics titles including Devi, Ramayan 3392 A.D. and The Sadhu. As a key member of Team Rovolt, Ron edits and gives creative direction to the Aveon 9 series.

Ashutosh Joshi – The one who orders the chaos

As the Senior Production Manager at Rovolt Entertainment, Ashutosh Joshi, co-ordinates projects and inspires team member to meet deadlines with his persuasive words, claiming he uses force only if he has to. While most people would not consider herding a bunch of vague, creative types their cup of tea, Ashutosh relishes his job. This may have something to do in Ashutosh’s interest in establishing seamless pipelines for workfl ows and putting systems in place to make work simpler and more enjoyable. He has also had lots of practice managing teams at previous jobs that include being a Sr. Production Manager at Mobility Art Studios Pvt Ltd, Head of Production at Animation Dimensions (I) Pvt Ltd and Production Manager at DQ Entertainment Ltd.

To join the ROVOLT Community:www.facebook.com/rovoltentertainment

For the latest updates go to:www.rovolt.com

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Anupam Sinha - 25,000 pages and counting!

Anupam Sinha has been a leading light in the Indian comic book industry since 1976. During a long and illustrated career in comic books, Anupam has worked with well-known Indian publishers such as Diamond Comics, Raj Comics and Virgin Comics for whom he has scripted and/ or drawn over 400 comics and 25,000 pages of artwork till date. Many characters and series that Anupam has created have become iconic in the Indian comic landscape. These include memorable characters such as Super Commando Dhruva, Private Detective Kapil, etc, who have starred in comic books such as Nagraj, Jasoos Raman and Space Star with numerous other memorable characters.

Vikrant Bhargava - Digital Marketing Genius and Devil’s advocate

Way before Vikrant had kids and convinced himself of the need to build fun interactive learning tools, he had seen the impact of gaming on grown ups. As Marketing Director of Party Gaming plc, operator of PartyPoker.com, a large online poker room, that Vikrant helped build in the early 2000s, he had seen the power of entertainment. Vikrant is credited with powering PartyPoker’s explosive growth from a start-up site to a billion dollar company.

As a college student in India’s top institutes – IIT Delhi and IIM Calcutta, Vikrant had researched the kids entertainment space and shared business ideas with Manish. Years later, and many corporate successes behind him, he reconnected with Manish to help start Rovolt.

Vikrant has worked at companies such as Bank of America and British Gas. After Party Poker, Vikrant established Veddis Ventures, Rovolt Entertainment’s parent company. As chairman at Veddis Ventures, Vikrant gets to do what he loves best; spawning one creative business after another and driving the company’s global growth and marketing thought process. He is the primary force behind the global vision to create cutting-edge content for the developed and developing world – with stories that are relevant to the global ever-conneced generation.

Manish Sinha – The driving force that fuels the creativity

Like most of us, Manish also had a dream of creating and sharing fun stories. While years of corporate life, suspended this possibility, he secretly kept weaving stories. His unsuspecting children became the eager recepients of these stories. As time passed, Manish became increasingly passionate about his belief that creative forces in India and the developing world were as capable of creating high-quality content as entertainment companies such as Disney and DC Comics in the West. He also believed content created locally would strike more of a chord with youth from developing countries than content that had been imported.

Armed with the strength of his conviction, Manish joined forces with Vikrant and build a team across borders that eventually led to the formation of Rovolt. As the driving force at Rovolt Entertainment, Manish not only leads business and marketing activities, he guides the creation of the series that Team Rovolt is currently working on.

Manish is an engineer-MBA from India’s top-ranking institutions – IIT Delhi and IIM Calcutta. He has worked across disciplines in senior leadership roles at companies such as McKinsey, Infosys, Capital One and WNS in Europe, Asia and the US.


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