Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Dhruvishya - Review




From : The Rusted Trunk



First things first: The best judge for you is… you, yourself! That is precisely what I learnt from the reviews of Dhruvishya. Most of the reviews I came across trashed this first of the three part installment. So much that I thought not to buy this one. But true love for Dhruva and better sense prevailed and I got to read a decent story compared to the past debacles.

Mr. Gupta is trying hard to get back the old, vintage Dhruva. He tried almost everything – new artist, vast promotion on internet, live interaction with fans… everything. But sadly, one thing missed out every time – Story! And soon enough disaster started flowing in one after the other… To get this right, every new thing is being worked out and so every time a Dhruva Comic is scheduled to hit the stands, fans eye for a comeback. This time however, Mr. Gupta seems to get the script right – not perfect but just right.

From the look of it, Dhruvishya seems a remixed version of the old classic ‘Udantashkari Kay Bandhak’ and the recent ‘Robot’ series. It would be totally unfair to compare Dhruvishya with UKB but its undoubtedly better than Robot and Super Commando Dhruva.

Dhruvishya starts with a talent hunt show to search for someone who can match the qualities of Dhruva. We are then suddenly treated with a futuristic environment where the contestant is supposed to fight off the bad guys… but it so emerges that the future we are seeing is actually the future of Rajnagar where Dhruvishya – the descendent of Dhruva is giving all he has for the people of his city. But he is heartbroken by the fact that after all the risk he has taken in his life to save citizens of Rajnagar, they still consider Super Commando Dhruva to be the best savior they have had. He prays to god to give him a chance to prove himself better that Dhruva. On the other side Bamoor – a criminal captured by Dhruvishya long back succeeds in making a time machine and visits the time of Dhruva to get the formula of now all forgotten – Nuclear Weapon… Now, its time for Dhruvishya to go back to the time Bamoor has been and save the future earth from being destroyed. It’s now when both SCD and Dhruvishya would face same criminal with the latter trying to show his ancestor that he is indeed better…

The story looks fuller and the first part serves right in forming the base for the series. Nowhere in the comics comes a situation where the story looks dragged and that is a big achievement. It’s fun to see Dhruva winning over Dhruvishyamore than twice with comfortable ease.

As said earlier, this is a good story in comparison with some old issues but certainly not the best RC is capable of. The artwork falls flat in most of the pages, the sketches are mediocre while the effects are not at all up to the mark. A huge improvement is possible with this aspect. Getting the basics right is the basic part of getting the whole comics right. Now that a good base is in front, getting the basic sketches right would help and support the comics graphically. And this needs to be done very fast.

One of the most notable things with this comic would be the come back of Nakshatra. Nakshatra, who has till date featured only in one issue so far, is still quite famous among readers. Comic lovers would certainly expect much more of him – but certainly not as a nominal sidekick judging stupid reality shows. RC should take positive steps in building his character.
The way Dhruvishya comes to an end makes the readers wanting for more thus increasing the already high expectations. With the story looking decent enough to hold attraction of the readers – will this series mark a much anticipated comeback of Dhruva is a question only future holds answer of…

My Rating : A decent and improvable 3.5/5


-Rusty
http://therucksack.wordpress.com

Saturday, February 7, 2009

The Rusted Trunk - 01

January 2001

"Rusty... what are you doing?" My mom cried from kitchen. She always have this habit of disturbing me when I am doing something really important, this time checking out the X-Men on Cartoon Network...

"Nothing Mom, there is this show an Discovery..."
"Your Dad's home."

I jumped up with joy, Dad had to go for some work out of station and he promised to bring something for me...

I picked his bag up and asked what was in it.
"Some Comic book" he said calmly...
"Some comic book... some comic book..." I thought "There is nothing in this world better than Comics, Dad"

"You can deal with that idiotic stuff tomorrow" My mom came out with that hanging apron and a spoon...
"But Mom...."
"I said No." These people just don't understand anything.
"You have your Computer Science exam tomorrow and all you want to do is read that stuff" when will she learn to say 'comics' instead of 'stuff'.
"Mom, it's just a grade paper, your marks actually don't count in the final result..."
"Do you know what the meaning of the word No is ? It actually means NO" She screamed and before she could throw that spoon on me I was in my room.
"Why the hell do you want to waste money on that worthless stuff..." I could hear Mom scolding My Dad.

------

We are comic book lovers and we always get our way out of almost any situation... I had this long book back then dedicated to Computer Science, I did just what every child of my age would have done at that time... Kept the copy in the register and voila...

Oh What comics... who is that guy in read outfit? I asked myself getting ready for the ride...

Kamino! Bhade ke tattuon! Kashmir ko apna batakar use ujadn ......

"I see... so this is the way you go for it" I mess up at times guys... she caught me Red Handed or should I say Agraj handed... She slapped me thrice on my face and threw the comics on the cupboard...

-------


What now Mr. Rusty... how to go for it... come'on think... think... thi... got it! 'Things that look tough to do are actually relatively simple,' that's what Dhruva has thought me down the years... Human Psychology - actually is very interesting... My mom beats me up and throws the Comics beyond my reach... Now a good kid that I am, I will never attempt this mistake again... that's what her psyche will convince her... but I will... and I must... Agraj was waiting for me and Dhruva can never go wrong... I got to read the whole comics... Thanks Dhruva - you made me read Nagraj without any troubles...

-------

What? You wanna know about the Computer Science grade? Huh, we will deal with that later...

For now this is the review of the first part of one of the most entertaining series produced bu Raj Comics...

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AGRAJ


Writer – Jolly Sinha

Penciling – Anupam Sinha

Inking – Vinod Kumar, Naresh Kumar

Calligraphy and Color – Sunil Pandeya

Editor – Manish Gupta

Overall Rating => 4.3

Agraj is a series worth a reading, actually - important if you are into Nagraj. The whole part deals with an import aspect, an important past of the life of Vedacharya. And the impact it will have on Nagraj's life... Agraj introduce us to a villain from Vedacharya's time - Tantrata !

Tantrata who is now getting old needs a new body which will give him more powers... powers that could rule the world. He knows of a body that would help him achieve his desire... that body is of 'Agraj' - Bharti's unknown brother who is in a Tilasma made by Vedacharya to protect Agraj's body... Now, Tantrata has only one way left to achieve what he wants... break the tilasma and get the body... But his weak powers cannot achieve this feat. So, he wakes up Talismaan - a demon who has the power to break any tilasma. Vedacharya comes to know about this and has to let go his long kept secret to Nagraj and Bharti. What follows is a gripping story told by Vedacharya about his past life. The only way to not let the body with Tantrata is to get the body themselves, but Vedacharya cannot join forces with Nagraj due to hiss ill health... The only way now is to get Nagraj break the tilasma... A tilasma made by Vedacharya which is almost unbreakable...

The story is a mix of action and relations that are unrevealed... There is a fight with a chinese Ching-Chang which is gripping and well executed... Another plot shows Naagu trying to hide his 'Mani' because of which he can't get inside Nagraj's body. This proves critical when the story unfolds... The Artwork by Mr. Anupam Sinha is really good... every character is well sketched. The coverpage could have been better though... But, the show-stopper of the stort is the story told by Vedacharya... it's just so well written that you will even forget to blink your eyes. It feels that everything you are reading is happening right in front of your eyes...

At the end of the story the only question that comes in your mind is - 'Will Nagraj do it ?' 'cause the way he is trapped by Talismaan may shake your soul up... Read on...


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What ?
Ok, Ok...
It was
A+ !



Friday, January 23, 2009

Junoon?

A bright sunny morning, we’re moving homes. From a village to the city, I’ve little comprehension of what’s going on around me. I’m 7yrs old. Last minute packing the trucks of the movers and I get on my papa’s scooter for the journey. He stops to buy me a chocolate and I notice a man with mustaches, and a gamcha..traditional to the Ramu kakas of movies, sitting in the corner with lot of pictures in front of him. I get down, pick up one and read slowly ‘Chacha Chaudhary aur Sadak ka Bhoot’…

That was the beginning of a fateful journey. By the time we covered the 40min drive to our new home, I had read and lost the comic book but the memory, the smiles, the stupid yet simple jokes ignited a cinder that still glows in my heart and is essentially a part of who I am. I’m sure similar little stories surround all of us of how we picked up our 1st comic book. We had little money, we had exams, we had to balance homework with co-curricular, despite all hardships we managed to fight with our parents for the next Raj, Manoj, Tulsi, Diamond…the list goes on.

Life moved in and passions moved out. Childhood interests were slowly covered by girls, internet, gaming, career and money. 13 years later. I met a group of friends who surprisingly enough shared the same interests years back. This was my 1st interaction with a group of intellectuals, each successful in their own walk of life and was the beginning of a new era,..a new friendship…a union that is now known as Raj Comics Fan Nation.

We took it on ourselves to bring the passion back, relive the memories. From every nook and corner that we could find, we bought Raj comics, Diamond comics, torn up Tulsi comics and started scanning them. More people join in and we grew in size. Now, we have over 2000 comics and more to come. This, my friends, brought back the one thing that I can always remember about my childhood. One thing no one understood but me. But now there were others.

The nights spent hiding a Dhruv between my history book, or a Bhokal comic next to my plate during dinner. I can relive them. You ask for passion, I reply RFN. You ask for memories..i reply RFN. You ask for Junoon..I reply RFN, you say comics..i say RFN….you say friendship…. I answer you…Raj Comics Fan Nation. Live the passion. Join us on Orkut.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

A Glimpse of our Work

We are a community called RFN ( Raj Comics Fan Nation ) on orkut.


We have great uploaders of comics from all over this country of different flavours. If you read comics or have ever read it, or even haven't ever read any, join us. We promise you will fall in love with comics as we do. 
Be with us for all updates, news and thousands of comics in the best quality ever in the digital format.

Rock the Nation...!!! RFN - Bringing the Janoon Back..

Welcome to the Janoon



A blog dedicated to the common love of Comics. We will work together, preserve and share Raj comics, Manoj Comics, Diamond, Tulsi, Marvel, DC and other titles.

A home to all our favourite characters from Nagraj, Dhruv, Doga right up to Ram Rahim, Hawaldar Bahadur, Crookbond, Pinki n Chacha Chaudhary

Why is the name after RC then? It's our salute to Raj Comics that kept our Janoon alive!

Comics will bring us together..Friendship will keep us together!