After flying, India will now get to read Virgin

8216;8216;In the next decade, Asia will become one of the largest producers, as well as the largest consumers, of entertainment products,8217;8217; a Gotham Entertainment Group statement said.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Virgin Comics will look to Asia, and especially India, as a growing consumer market for entertainment products as well as a source of content, it said.

8216;8216;On the back of global movie and licensing deals, the market for comics and graphic novels worldwide is exploding,8217;8217; Virgin Books executive chairman Adrian Sington said in the statement. 8216;8216;Much of the growth has come from the emergence of comics out of Asia8217;8217;.

In India, the world8217;s most prolific film producer, the companies will target children and young people. 8216;8216;Our mission is to reinvent Indian character entertainment,8217;8217; said Virgin Comics CEO Sharad Devarajan. Gotham Entertainment recently launched a comic book series with Marvel Comics featuring an Indian Spider-Man.

Virgin Comics will also collaborate with film maker John Woo to create a company producing original comic books, launching its first titles in mid-2006, the statement said.

Branson8217;s Virgin brand is also present in India through the Virgin Atlantic airline.