Aghori Book- 4
Writer- Ram V
Artists- Vivek
Goel, Gaurav Shrivastav
Book four opens in 13th century in a village,
soon we find ourselves in the tantric ceremony of waking up the demon. The
demon couldn’t be resurrected and hence the place was sealed and is being
protected by the soul of Balnath. Soon we find a lamenting Vira and his
desperation to save the one he loves most his son. A drunken Vira soon realises
his desire to love his son and save him. Meanwhile our sidekick Ashwin is in
search of the Aghori. Ashwin is helped by a silver hair character soon to be
launched under HCE. Finally our boy Krona aka Vira’s son is seen with the Twins :
Koka and Vikoka. So Krona is our medium standing on the land Balnath’s
soul is protecting and Krona is the key to his resurrection. We find Vira
waving goodbye to his crow and Ashwin. Vira has accepted his path to protect
his son. In next pages we have high action Vira fighting Koka and Vikoka in
their true form. Ashwin is the life saviour here and we finally get to see the
use of the power of Innocence. Finally we see Mentor like demon-Kali growing
out of chaos and fight. Vira goes into cardiac arrest and meets the first
Aghori- Mahadev. Mahadev gives him the same chance to die and let things happen
or to go back. Our Aghori wants to go back, Mahadev gives him an advice that
everything comes with a price. Still lord Shiva gifts him with the third eye
which diminishes our enemy for the next arc to come. Vira is saved by our
mysterious character in white hair who carries a white kitten with him. So now
Arc-1 ends with Krona being saved, Ashwin sticking with Vira and most probably our
Crow coming back.
The art work is magnificent, the colour play and sketching
done beautifully. The blood accumulated into the symbol Krona carries from four
virgin girls actually makes one shiver. The expression of Vira’s despair and
frustration in first few panels are wonderful. His agony and attempt to steal alcohol
and asking the question “what I would give to be that man” shows all his lost
hopes. The smile he gives at the joy of parents meeting their child is
marvellous. Krona is drawn well, yet he still lacks his boyish or childish appeal.
Off course he has good expression, his artwork is always over showed compared
to Vira. Our Ashwin is growing into a man, reminds of Batman’s Robin at times.
The landscape of the sealed village is very artistic and factual too. Krona’s
demolishing the seal and burning in fire is filled with power. But the best
artwork of the whole series is the Burning Peacock. It arouses pity and fear
unlike any in the series. This one panel holds the eyes. Vira in fire and his
fight with the Twins are executed pretty well. The father-son intense speech
and Ashwin’s heroics all lead to though a predictable but good finale. Well
Kali here is way different from Kali of My name is Kalki Mahadev gives the feel
of someone who is ancient then time itself. Someone who knows it all yet
chooses to ignore. Finally we meet Desh
our future flagship character and him telling us that he and Vira are equal.
The only complain that Book 4 creates is, it ends too fast.
It ends fast and yes actions are good but the ending was predictable, its good
Krona theme-line has got a definition and direction. So now we are left
intrigued for Issue 9- that’s Book-5 Bloodlines. Desh is really a curious
character in leather and why does he have a cat. We are waiting for the new
book.
Book-4 gets:- 3.5 out
of 5
Book- The Skull
Rosary
Writer:- Shweta
Taneja
Artist- Vivek
Goel
The book claims to be a hundred page graphic novel. Done in
classic black and white art the book delves into myth of Shiva. Instead of calling it a
novel, it should be graphic collection of legend of Shiva. Each story
deals with the aspects of lust, doubt, fear, greed, pride, honour. The stories
are picked from common folklore and household tales. Yet the book presents the
dark aspect of blessing and good aspect of a curse.
Story-I :- The Blind Side
Is story of Andhaka, journey of a fallen blind ugly prince
who gains the power of vision only to loose his sanity and vision of moral.
With his greed to see more and his desire to lust for Parvati leads his
downfall. His skull is the first in the rosary.
The first pages of art are well drawn and have a very grim
and agony filled strokes. The art of divine Brahma is ethereal and Shiva’s calm
face with his savage body is excellent. The fight scenes are in order with the
story telling. A single flaw with art that bites the eyes is the women wearing
Kuchuli, Kuchuli in general never had straps. The art work where Andhaka
actually eats the eyes is really terrifying. Chandi is epitome of bloodlust.
The first story gives a boost to the whole book.
Story-II :- Prahlad’s Dream
Story of Prahlad has been heard, watched and read throughout
the country. But the story of his dream has never been told in a critical
manner. Narasima the half man half lion who kills Hiranyakashypu turns violent
and lusts for blood. When the preserver himself wonders in Chaos and risks the
existence of Universe. The destroyer must destroy the particle of imbalance.
First think that strikes are Prahlad’s eyes they are very
much like dark ocean reflecting full moon. Narshima’s brutal way of killing is
executed well, had it been in colour nightmares were sure to stay for days.
Virbhadra has four hands and looks like Shiva but more savage and less calm and
Narshima with two hands almost kills him. Narshima gives the feel of hybrid
human lion child over half human half lion being. The third eye opens and
Sharabha is born the eater of death. Their battleground is the universe, they toss
planets and satellites. Finally the Third eye collects the skull for his
rosary.
Story-III :- The Other Woman
We meet Narad the trouble maker. The story tells good has no
value if evil is passive. So here we have this sage instigating war, he visits
the peaceful under land and meets king Julandhar. We meet Brinda the queen of
Patal. Narad plans the downfall, results in making Julandhar craving for
Parvati. We find lord Shiva being put under the spell of maya and the
interfering of Vishnu. Finally the reason Ramayan happened because of the curse
from Brinda the Pious Queen. Wefind the true power of Shakti here.
The artwork follows the same pattern and keeps it going. The
demons with half eaten flesh, bull heads all contribute to wonderful collection
of demons so far. The eyes of Shiva which is under spell was a comic relief.
Narad giving us a quick background story
of Julandhar in bulletins helped in better understanding. The wild aspect of
Shakti in her raw form gives the meaning of power. Often beauty hides the most
lethal secrets. This story is of Brinda and her morality which results in
another skull to the rosary
Story-IV :- Brahma’s Fifth head
At first read, this story confuses. It follows a rhyme scheme
and deals with the theme incest more seriously than other stories in book. It
is solely a story of how lust drives even the creator crazy. What happens when
the creator lusts for his creation. We
have Brahma growing fifth head which is guided by lust only. He craves for his
daughter Sandhya. We have Bhairava the wicked yet necessary evil residing Shiva
who takes the sin of killing Brahma and Bhairava is being persecuted by wild
Shakti who wants Bhairava’s blood.
This story is the least heard of all and the artwork is at
its peak. The wicked, skinny, yet enchanting kin of Shiva, Bhairava is extreme
end of life. He is timeless and aim less. Shakti who wants his blood, loves
him, hates him, desires him yet loathes him. They walk the ends of universe to satisfy
her lust. Each panel of art is terribly beautiful. The kiss on the forehead
from a deformed face really shows a true passionate love. They are the darker
versions of the pure, they are needed. The final panel shows their happy ending
in hearts of wicked and love over a Skull filled with cupful of blood.
Story-V :- The King With A Goat’s Head.
It is the final story, the story of Sati’s sacrifice and
Shiva’s rage. We have Daksha and his grumbling against Sati’s marriage. We find
Sati offering herself as the purest of offerings to her husband. The howling of
Shashan Bandhu raises the lord into a rage. In this rage he destroys the
universe and Vishnu again has to intervene. Shiva goes berserk and his demonic
form shows destruction can come anytime. Yet he undo’s all the killing. The
dead Daksha is brought back to life but with Goats head.
The final story is the basis of all Shaktipit in the
country. Sati in claded in animal skin and her hair done like Shiva gives a
very balanced look to Shiva and reason to Dakshas distress. Daksha is well
drawn. The most striking art work is the part where Shiva starts his death
dance and his tongue wanders for blood. He goes on killing and collects skulls.
A Shiva in despair holding Sati could have been better drawn. The eyes in this
panel betrayed the seriousness. Whole artwork sticks to the flow of style,
narration like other stories. The classic black and white raises the book above
others.
Book gets :- 4 out of 5
P.S- Wish Comics soon become part of serious literature
thanking you to bear with me
paulOaries
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