"Space Detective," illustrated by Suren Ter-Avakyan and Vladimir Kim, teleported the reader to the 25th century. On Mars, an astronaut-protagonist confronts an underground company producing chemical weapons and battles robot pirates. "Space Detective" lacks both the familiar speech bubbles and the visual action typical of the Marvel universe. Instead, each panel is accompanied at the bottom by a concise explanatory text.
However, this particular issue is considered to be the first Soviet comic book—and yet it was published not in Moscow, but in Tashkent, by the then-prestigious publishing house "Uzbekistan".
"Cosmic Detective" marks the beginning of not only Soviet but also Central Asian comic history. Local artists turn to this genre to explore themes of identity, mythology, feminism, urban everyday life, and ecology. And they do so in their own, unique style.
Cover of "The Space Detective". Authors: Suren Ter-Avakyan, Vladimir Kim. Publisher "Uzbekistan", 1990. Print run: 100,000 copies.
Murzilka, Khoja Nasreddin, and Agitational Posters
The first Soviet comic did not appear out of nowhere: formats for visual stories had already developed in the USSR and Soviet Central Asia long before Ter-Avakyan and Kim.
The children's and youth magazines "Murzilka," "Veselye Kartinki," and "Misha" published series of illustrations with subtitles and recurring characters. Officially, they were not called comics, but in essence, they were just that. For example, "Misha" adapted works of world and Soviet literature into this format—from Jules Verne and Jonathan Swift to Kir Bulychev.
The editorial board of "Misha" was the first to introduce realistic comic book-style artwork into children's periodicals. Its development can be traced in the works of artists Sergei Kravchenko, Mark Lisogorsky, Viktor Skrylev, and Anatoly Dubovik.
Kravchenko drew comics for "Misha," and one of the most frequent heroes of his works was Khodja Nasreddin, familiar to all Uzbekistanis. The artist took plots from the dilogy by Soviet writer Leonid Solovyov "The Tale of Khodja Nasreddin". About this folklore hero, two Soviet slide films were released in 1974 and 1975. Slide films are not formally considered comics, yet they adhere to the canons of "the ninth art" due to the presence of a series of illustrations with captions that drive the plot.
All these forms of storytelling that preceded comics cultivated in people a habit of perceiving complex ideas through a combination of text and images.
Sergei Kravchenko's comic about Nasreddin Hodja.
From Genetic Mutations to Galactic Brothers
In 1991, shortly after the release of "Space Detective," Ter-Avakyan and Kim published a full-fledged comic — "The Madness of Metamorphosis." This is no longer adventure science fiction, but a thriller with elements of horror about genetic experiments and their consequences. The dark narrative concludes with this parting message: "We hope this book will at least make the person who has come so close to the secrets of nature—so powerful and yet so vulnerable—think a little."
The first full-fledged Uzbek comic can be considered "Neon va Red," whose first pages were released in 2019. The production of the comic required 90 million soums, which were raised by January 2020. The authors of Comics.uz, led by Shakhrukh Nizamutdinov, told the story of Mardon and Shakhzoda—two brothers who study at a school named after Elon Musk.
They gain superpowers and get acquainted with the mysterious planet Tuunsan. The action takes place in Uzbekistan, and familiar streets can be seen in the frames. The continuation of the first issue never made it to store shelves due to the project's financial difficulties.
Screenshots of the "Neon and Red" pages. Source: Comics.uz / Telegram
Graphic Activism in Central Asia
Modern comics often become a way to express one's social position. In 2022, a group of artists from Kyrgyzstan (Viktor Tsoi), Kazakhstan (Alisher Seitov), and Uzbekistan (Viktoria Kim) launched the international project "Comics of Asia," with the goal of highlighting important social and personal issues.
Brief stories address issues of media literacy, personal boundaries, mental health, ecology, scientific thinking, nationalism, motivation, and animal protection. A minimalist color palette, clear plots, and texts in Russian, Kyrgyz, Kazakh, and Uzbek languages make such works accessible to a wide audience. The project exists only in digital format, and an archive of issues can be found on Instagram. The account is no longer updated, but the project itself remains an important precedent for using comics for education and social commentary.
In 2021, Uzbekistan saw the emergence of its first manga studio, Tokyo Group, which publishes its works online. Among their works, "Chirchik Ghoul" stands out: it's a story featuring the mythical creature Albasty and the image of the Kushan princess. The studio actively incorporates Uzbek folklore and local narratives into its works.
Screenshot: Tokyo Group / Instagram
To complete the picture, it is necessary to mention events such as GeekCon and ComicCon, which take place in Tashkent every year. At Author's Alleys artists, comic artists, and illustrators present their works: comics, zine publications, merch, postcards. This is an important entry point for potential readers and aspiring authors – here you can get feedback and small funding for your creative project.
Neighbors' Experience
In 2015, Bulut Studio from Bishkek released the comic "Altai" — it tells the story of a schoolboy with paranormal abilities and a mythical threat from the Ala-Too mountain range. Each issue of the comic was hand-drawn, digitized, and then colored using digital tools.
KHAN ComicsKHAN Comics publishing house from Almaty is actively developing the subgenre of ethno-fantasy: among their works, one can highlight the Erketay, Jetysu, and Orda series. All of them are infused with Kazakh folklore, harmoniously combined with modern culture and the visual language of comics. Bult Comics continued the trend by releasing a series about "Kazakhman" — the superhero Batyr, who balances between daily tasks and saving the city. The first issue in 2020 sold 15,000 copies and was distributed through the Kazakhstani bookstore chain Meloman.
Screenshot: BultComics / Instagram
In Tajikistan, actor and producer Jayhun Nasimi created Mardi-Mehruobana in 2018 — "the first Tajik superhero" with mental peculiarities, who can talk to animals and insects, controls enemies, invents a rescue robot, and fights against numerous difficulties.
All these projects were made possible through crowdfunding, festivals, and the enthusiasm of artists. It is not yet a full-fledged industry or a cultural phenomenon, but it is no longer just random success stories.