millennial generation has given birth to the generation of gadgets, a term used to mark the emergence of the millennial generation. Gadgets are more appropriate to be interpreted as equipment,
where the generation of gadgets is meant to be the generation in life that has always been in contact
with something called equipment containing elements of information technology. Various pieces
of equipment including high-technology tools are an inseparable and important part of their lives
(Wahana 2015).
The situation above explains the characteristics of the millennial generation, where the comic
artist Garudayana is part of that generation. IsYuniarto, born on June 22, 1981, certainly understands
the world of millennials as he has been connected to the world of the internet from a young age.
Visual pop culture such as manga in various media such as films, games, webtoons, comics,
and animation became the author’s aesthetic experience. These conditions and situations gave Is
Yuniarto an advantage, in addition to his natural talent for drawing.
The Mahabharata puppet comic has also been popularized by R.A. Kosasih and several Indonesian comic artists such as S. Ardisoma, Oerip, Suherlan, N. A. Giok Lan, and others. R. A. Kosasih
created 22 volumes of Mahabharata, 5 volumes of Bharatayudha, 4 volumes of Pandawa Seda,
and 4 volumes of Parikesit. Ardisoma created Wayang Purwa which explained the initial story of
the gods and the Bharata family in 22 volumes. He also created the story of the beginning of the
Ramayana and Arjuna Sasrabahu and other stories (Sunarto 2013). These two comic artists created
the basic understanding of Mahabharata and Ramayana and are used as references by other comic
artists.
The Garudayana comic made by IsYuniarto only used the background of the classic Mahabharata
story and modified it into a new version tailored to the needs of the millennial generation. The
Garuda comic story is not made like the classic story of the great epic. The comic artist is more
generalized in essence; it is about heroism, about good and evil. The story in the comics was made
simpler in several book series with smaller page counts, considering that millennials like practical
and short things.
The story of the Garudayana puppet comic created by Is Yuniarto tells the story of Garuda, out
of Adi Parwa’s standard. The comic artist preferred to make his own story line as well as create new
characters such as “Kinara” and “Garu” which are not found in the classic version. In addition, the
author also made a new background setting that is closer to the places in Indonesia. All aspects in
the Garudayana comic follow the comic aspects in the Japanese manga.
The contribution of Japanese popular culture such as manga to Indonesian comics began to
appear in the 1980s and have increasingly dominated it since the 1990s. Comic artists who were
born in the 1980s–2000s made manga the main reference which eventually gave birth to Indonesian
comics in today’s manga style. The influx of manga influences in Indonesia was also strengthened
by the entry of the Japanese animation industry which is commonly known as anime. Is Yuniarto
is very familiar with his socio-culture as well as his drawing talents that represent his era.
The Mahabharata story in the Garudayana comic is only the trigger for the story. The comic
artist takes the general philosophy of the Mahabharata story that tells good and evil or “Dharma”
versus “A-Dharma”. The stories and characters that are presented tell more about how to struggle
and fight against monsters, as well as other evil characters. The comic artist Is Yuniarto has
successfully interpreted and reduced the Mahabharata story to get closer to the tastes of millennial
readers. The story is simple and does not raise the value of the puppet philosophy, which makes it
easier for Generation Y to digest.
Reinterpretation and reduction of the understanding of the classic Mahabharata story through
comics is accompanied by a superficiality of meaning, compared to the shadow puppets show where
the puppeteer can play with, using nuance, one word to broach complex problems. Shadows display
the mysteries and complexities of life, inviting people to go beyond the limits of appearance. While
the lines in the comics stop the movement of the soul, it is impossible to rival the mastermind. The
comic artist made something that is realistic, the comic artist’s clear ‘imagination’ (Boneff 1998).
The weakness of a comic can be described properly. Images can inform something imaginary or
dreamy. The reader’s power of the imagination is lost.
261
where the generation of gadgets is meant to be the generation in life that has always been in contact
with something called equipment containing elements of information technology. Various pieces
of equipment including high-technology tools are an inseparable and important part of their lives
(Wahana 2015).
The situation above explains the characteristics of the millennial generation, where the comic
artist Garudayana is part of that generation. IsYuniarto, born on June 22, 1981, certainly understands
the world of millennials as he has been connected to the world of the internet from a young age.
Visual pop culture such as manga in various media such as films, games, webtoons, comics,
and animation became the author’s aesthetic experience. These conditions and situations gave Is
Yuniarto an advantage, in addition to his natural talent for drawing.
The Mahabharata puppet comic has also been popularized by R.A. Kosasih and several Indonesian comic artists such as S. Ardisoma, Oerip, Suherlan, N. A. Giok Lan, and others. R. A. Kosasih
created 22 volumes of Mahabharata, 5 volumes of Bharatayudha, 4 volumes of Pandawa Seda,
and 4 volumes of Parikesit. Ardisoma created Wayang Purwa which explained the initial story of
the gods and the Bharata family in 22 volumes. He also created the story of the beginning of the
Ramayana and Arjuna Sasrabahu and other stories (Sunarto 2013). These two comic artists created
the basic understanding of Mahabharata and Ramayana and are used as references by other comic
artists.
The Garudayana comic made by IsYuniarto only used the background of the classic Mahabharata
story and modified it into a new version tailored to the needs of the millennial generation. The
Garuda comic story is not made like the classic story of the great epic. The comic artist is more
generalized in essence; it is about heroism, about good and evil. The story in the comics was made
simpler in several book series with smaller page counts, considering that millennials like practical
and short things.
The story of the Garudayana puppet comic created by Is Yuniarto tells the story of Garuda, out
of Adi Parwa’s standard. The comic artist preferred to make his own story line as well as create new
characters such as “Kinara” and “Garu” which are not found in the classic version. In addition, the
author also made a new background setting that is closer to the places in Indonesia. All aspects in
the Garudayana comic follow the comic aspects in the Japanese manga.
The contribution of Japanese popular culture such as manga to Indonesian comics began to
appear in the 1980s and have increasingly dominated it since the 1990s. Comic artists who were
born in the 1980s–2000s made manga the main reference which eventually gave birth to Indonesian
comics in today’s manga style. The influx of manga influences in Indonesia was also strengthened
by the entry of the Japanese animation industry which is commonly known as anime. Is Yuniarto
is very familiar with his socio-culture as well as his drawing talents that represent his era.
The Mahabharata story in the Garudayana comic is only the trigger for the story. The comic
artist takes the general philosophy of the Mahabharata story that tells good and evil or “Dharma”
versus “A-Dharma”. The stories and characters that are presented tell more about how to struggle
and fight against monsters, as well as other evil characters. The comic artist Is Yuniarto has
successfully interpreted and reduced the Mahabharata story to get closer to the tastes of millennial
readers. The story is simple and does not raise the value of the puppet philosophy, which makes it
easier for Generation Y to digest.
Reinterpretation and reduction of the understanding of the classic Mahabharata story through
comics is accompanied by a superficiality of meaning, compared to the shadow puppets show where
the puppeteer can play with, using nuance, one word to broach complex problems. Shadows display
the mysteries and complexities of life, inviting people to go beyond the limits of appearance. While
the lines in the comics stop the movement of the soul, it is impossible to rival the mastermind. The
comic artist made something that is realistic, the comic artist’s clear ‘imagination’ (Boneff 1998).
The weakness of a comic can be described properly. Images can inform something imaginary or
dreamy. The reader’s power of the imagination is lost.
261