Thursday, June 2 2005 16:00 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: For generations, comic hero Spiderman is the young Peter Parker who swings between buildings, shoots webs from his wrists and battles villains in the big apple.

Now dhoti-clad Pavitr Prabhakar, who gets the power of the spider from a mysterious yogi, dons the red-blue Spiderman attire gearing up to battle Rakshasa, the evil man on the streets of Mumbai in its 'desi avatar'.

"There will be no avatars this time. There is only you, with the power of the spider, the spider that weaves the intangible web of life. This is your destiny, rise to the challenge, fulfil your karma," the Yogi says to Prabhakar, transforming him into the cult hero.

A collector edition launched in the US by Marvel Comics and Gotham Entertainment Group, which holds the license in India, has got tremendous response to the venture and now Gotham plans to launch this month the 'desi avatar' series in India.

As Spiderman, Pavitr leaps around rickshaws and scooters in Indian streets, while swinging from monuments such as the Gateway of India and the Taj Mahal, says Gotham.

"We have got both kudos and brickbats. There is universal acceptability of Peter Parker turning Pavitr Prabhakar," Gotham Entertainment Group Chief Operating Officer Suresh Seetaraman told PTI in an interview.

Teenager Prabhakar hails from a village, wears large gold earrings and is teased at his new school for wearing a dhoti and is always on the run from "the steroid squad".

The lanky young lad, haunted by his past and unhappy over the heckling from other students finds support in Meera Jain who hails from a village near Amravati.

And his uncle Bhim who consoles him saying "one day you'll have a chance to really help people and change the country."

"The characters have resemblance to the original like Pavitr Prabhakar for Peter Parker. Uncle Ben is Uncle Bhim. His friend Mary Jane is Meera Jain. It has an Indian touch as also of Mumbai, for the readers can have a sense of feeling," Seetharaman said.

Nalin Oberoi turns into a Green Goblin-like Rakshasa after stealing a powerful amulet.

"India is a country where super heroes are revered, Spiderman is one," Jeeva J Kang, the artist who trans-created the Indian Spiderman and his story, said.