Leaping Windows is the city's first manga comic and graphic novel library that has everything from DC to Asterix and Indian favourites Amar Chitra Katha to Tinkle

Leaping Windows is the city's first manga comic and graphic novel library that has everything from DC to Asterix and Indian favourites Amar Chitra Katha to Tinkle

If you've spent most of your time in a bookstore gazing through Neil Gaiman's The Sandman series -- few of us can afford, and justify a comic book that costs nearly Rs 1,000 -- you have a reason to smile.

No more crouching in corners to hide from bookstore attendants for comic book fans. Leaping Windows, a graphic novel, comic and Manga library, that's set to launch on May 26, will change the way we read comic books and graphic novels.

Comic book-lovers -- teacher/writer Bidisha Basu, corporate designer Koel Chatterjee and lawyer Utsa Shome -- came up with the idea because they too were part of the fan league that can't afford expensive Mangas. "We would often read comics at bookstores without actually purchasing them. The idea to start this library came about to allow more people to read comics, easily and comfortably," says Shome.

The website, https://www.leapingwindows.com/, which has been in the making for nearly three months, will be the main medium to publicise the library. Members will be able to place requests online, and a delivery boy will deliver the books (a maximum of two at a time) anywhere across the city.

"We are also hoping to develop a social community for like-minded people to share ideas and concepts that can eventually be developed into comic books," says Shome, citing that similar comic book forums are common abroad.

Check out the Facebook page of Leaping Windows : https://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/leaping-windows/108713575823750?v=info&ref=ts

What you'll find
Leaping Windows has a collection of nearly 2,000 comic books, mangas and graphic novels that targets an audience aged 16 years and above. The Indian comic book section will have all-time favourites Amar Chitra Katha, Tinkle and Vimanika by Karan Vir. Shome and the team are trying to get links to some rare Indrajal comics like Mandrake: the Magician and Phantom. If there are enough requests, they will even stock Chacha Chaudhary, Billoo and Pinky comics. They have about 300 to 350 mangas. Of course, popular titles from DC Comics, apart from Asterix and Tintin, will also be part of the booklist.