Bangalore: Batman, Superman and Spiderman may now have to pack up their hoods in the US as American fans of comics appear to be hooked on to tales of characters inspired by Indian mythology. The 'Ramayana Reborn' comic series, set against a futuristic background, had sold over two lakh copies in just four months since its launch in the US.

The 30-part series, being published by Virgin Comics (the new entertainment arm of British industrialist Sir Richard Branson) is receiving a "very favourable response", says Samarjit Chaudhary, Vice President Marketing of Gotham Comics, which has tied up with the former to publish its titles.

The US readership numbers indicate Indian-inspired content was picking up, be it Ramayana or titles like 'Devi', 'Sadhu', nake Woman', churned out by celebrities like famous director Shekhar Kapoor and spiritual guru Deepak Chopra. 'Devi' sales crossed the three lakh mark while the 'Sadhu' and 'Snake Woman' had crossed the two lakh mark in just four months, he said.

"Indian-inspired content has begun appealing to kids globally. Indians, I think are one of the best story tellers in the world. We know some of the best stories and we know how to tell them well," he added. Repackaging of old tales and telling them in a "global language" using a visual format was what turned the dice in the favour of India, said Samarjit.