BAGAN DATUK, April 3 ― For the first time this year, after nearly 30 years of indulging in his passion for cartoon drawing for magazines, cartoonist Bendi is embarking on a new journey by having his work printed on duit raya covers.

Bendi, whose real name is Muhammad Najib Mohd Rudin, 50, said the duit raya covers, however, were only sold by preorder since early Ramadan.

"I only made it according to orders. After putting up a few ads on my Facebook page, there has been a very encouraging response from the cartoon and comic art fans, alhamdulillah,” he said when met at his workshop here recently.

The father of three, who began honing his cartoon drawing skills in 1994 with comic magazine, Gelagat, said he received orders of 400 sets of the duit raya covers for this Raya season, with each set containing 20 covers and priced at RM15.

Bendi said prior to introducing his duit raya covers, he also received orders from customers who wanted his drawings printed on pencil cases, t-shirts, mugs, and souvenir items.

The Bagan Datuk-born cartoonist, who is famous for his loose cartoon "Anak Bapak” in Ujang, is still contributing freelance work with the comic magazine which he has been associated with since 1997.

"The comic world has changed a lot; now many have shifted to digital reading, but it’s undeniable that there are still fans who enjoy reading physical comics. The proof is that I can still create, and Ujang magazine is still ‘alive’ until now, although the sales are not as brisk as before,” he said.

Bendi said the changes were mainly due to the increase in the costs of printing, besides the existence of manga and anime publications.

However, for cartoon enthusiasts seeking career opportunities, he said the cartoon industry still promises good income if pursued earnestly.

"Unlike in the past, now you can draw comics at home or in a workshop or anywhere and send it to your employer via email,” he added. ― Bernama