H j

i. a n s s i
 C re a te d b y
Deepak Chopra & Shekhar Kapur
S cript - S h a m ik Dasgupta
A rt - A b h ish e k Singh
C o l o r - A s h w in C h ik e ru r
Letters - R a v ik ira n B.S.
C o v e r A rt - A le x Ross
Assistant E dito r - M a h e s h K a m a th
C onsu ltin g E dito r - M a c k e n zie C a d e n h e a d
E dito r - G o th a m C h o p ra

VIRGIN COMICS
M
Chief Executive Officer and Publisher
SHARADDEVARAJAN

Chief Creative Officer and Editor-In-Chief

G O TH AM CHOPRA

President -
SURESH SEETHARAMAN

Chief Marketing Officer

LA R R Y LIEBERMAN

SRVP & Studio Chief

JEEVAN KAN G

VP Operations
SAM AR JITCHO U D HR Y

Director of Development
M ACKENZIE CADENHEAD

C h ie f V is io n a r ie s
DEEPAK CHOPRA, SHEKHAR KAPUR,
SIR RICHARD BRANSON

S p e c ia l T h a n k s to :
Mark Frangos, Frances Farrow, Dan Porter,
Christopher Linen, Peter Feldman,
Raju Puthukarai andMatlika Chopra
RAM AYAN 3 3 9 2 A .D . Issue N um b e r I , Septem ber 2 0 0 6 published b y VIRGIN
COM ICS L.L.C . OFFICE O F PUBLICATION: S94 B ro a d w a y, N e w Yo rk . N Y 1 0 0 12 .
Copyright 0 2 0 0 6 , Virgin Comics L.L.C . A ll Rights R eservod. T h e characters
Included In this Issue, RAM AYAN 3 3 9 2 A .D ., a n d the distinctive likenesses
thereof a re properties o f Virgin Com ics L L C . N o sim ilarity betw een a n y o f the
nam es, characters, persons, an d /or institutions In this m agazine w ith those of
a n y living o r dead person o r Institution Is Intended, and a n y such similarity
w hich m a y exist is purety coincidental. Printed In Canada.
Fo r advertising, licensing and sales info please contact:
[email protected] o r (2 12 ) 5 8 4 -4 0 4 0 . w w w .v lrg ln c o n ila .c o m
 RAMAYAN 3392 A.D. is a re-imagining of one of the
greatest myths ever told - the Indian epic RAMAYANA. As is
the original, created over 5,000 years ago, ours is a story of
mystery, magic, intrigue, adventure, heroism, courage, betrayal,
fall-from-grace, and redemption. It embodies the eternal
themes common to all great mythologies - the juxtaposition
and inevitable balance between the sacred and the profane, the
divine and diabolical, the saint and sinner, the redemptive power
of unconditional love; the corruptive force of forbidden lust;
triumph in the face of tragedy; life instinct and death instinct.

This new tale, inspired by the original Ramayan, is not

meant to replace the original but instead to showcase just how
timeless it is, how even today its themes continue to give meaning
to life, create a cultural mindset, forge an idealist vision to which
to aspire, serve as a bridge from what is to what could be, allay
collective anxieties, and fuel collective desires and a collective
imagination.

Ours is not a re-telling of Ramayan but a symbolic

representation of similar mythical symbols that are meant to
be understood in the contextual framework of a cross-cultural
post-modern, multi-ethnic, global society. From time to time,
new mythologies spark the imagination of the collective
consciousness and lay the ground for the telling of a story that
has such impact that it influences the behavior, the values, and
the codes of morality of an entire civilization. W e hope that
RAMAYAN 3392 A.D. will ignite a new interest in mythology
and nurture the deepest longings and aspirations for achievement,
adventure and the desire to accomplish grand and wondrous
things. For it is time.

Deepak Chopra Shekhar Kapur

 mm

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O U N T SUM ER 1
t r l y name is Vishwamitra and I will be your guide for now. In the course
of this tale, you will come to know me. But first come to know this land.

As we sail upstream on the river of time, we will come to the shores of distant
lands. Far ahead in the mists of our future we will arrive in a world, surviving
holocaust, an apocalyptic war that once destroyed the atmosphere and
ecology. Still, life has found its way and evolution has taken another turn.

Various creatures, anthropomorphic beings, and intelligent life forms thriving

and marching ahead the path of evolution populate this new world. Geography
has changed the planet's complexion, a singular land forging two separate
continents: Aryavarta and Nark. The greater continent Aryavarta is populated
by various intelligent anthropomorphic races like the ape-men 'Vanaras/ the
bird-men 'Garudas/ bear-men 'Bhalus,' the bovine people 'Brishavs/ and
finally the very last remains of the human race. The humans of this age are far
evolved, and they hold their last bastion in the land of Armagarh, situated in
the North east of Aryavarta. Armagarh boasts a superior technology and
lifestyle since.it is the only land blessed by the light of sun, enabled by a
futuristic marvel, a reactor 'Shakti Kundali' that emits an energy beam that cuts
through the noxious cloud cover that enwraps the planet. In these war torn
times, Armagarh breeds its own protectors, the finest of warriors, the
Kshatriyas, matchless in martial supremacy and unparalleled in courage.

To their extreme south, the polar opposite in every sense, is Nark, a dark
continent filled with myriad savage races called Asuras. Ravan, a monstrous
and enigmatic being, spawn of the Apocalypse, rules the whole continent. The
ambition of this Dark Lord now threatens Aryavarta too, as his Asura legions
march forth spreading his virulent conquest. Ravan desires to bring the whole
world into his iron grip, but the free willed races of Aryavarta are not going to
give up without the most bitter of fights. Still, Ravan's influence grows, as
nothing can bring all the races of Aryavarta together. Until...
ARMAGARH THE SPLENDOR OF HUMAN
EXCELLENCE. SITUATED IN THE NORTH
EAST OF ARYAVARTA. IN AN AGE OF
SHADOWS AND DARKNESS, THIS
GREAT CITY IS LIKE A SHINING LANCE.

------------------------------------------ ^ ' . ______________________

A LANCE THAT TEARS THROUGH

THE NOXIOUS CLOUDS THAT
COVER THE WORLD AND BRING
THE GLORIOUS SUNLIGHT
TO ITS REALM.

BUT WHERE THERE IS

LIGHT, DARKNESS ALWAYS
LURKS IN THE CORNERS.
 "WE WILL BE SENDING ANOTHER
AKSHAUHINI*, LED BV SOME OF
OUR FINEST KSHATRIVA
WARRIORS, TO RECLAIM THE
TERRITORY. SAYAN CHAR IS
NOT TO BE COMPROMISED.
THREE WEEKS
IT AGO WE LOST OUR ^
' OUTPOST IN THE VALLEY "
OF SAYAN-CHAR. THE ASURA
CONQUEST IS GROWING MORE
^AMBITIOUS BV THE DAY. OUR .
I^ARMIES WERE WIPED O U T ^
COMPLETELY,

"A GROUP OF ARMAGARHIAN SCOUTS

REPORTED A MASSIVE CONGREGATION
OF ASURAS IN THE SOUTH OF THE CHITRAKUT
RANGES. THIS IS FOOTAGE TRANSMITTED BV
THE TEAM BEFORE THEY WERE DISCOVERED.

"WE BELIEVE IT IS LORP RAVAN

HIMSELF. THIS IS ALARMING. WE
MUST STRENGTHEN OUR OUTPOSTS.

/ WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, ^

/ COUNCILOR KAIKEYI, I 1
f DISAGREE. NOT EVEN A YEAR
AGO, KING BAAU OF KISHKINPA
THE APB KINGDOM OF THE
SOUTH, DEFEATED A WHOLE .
^ ARMADA OF ASURA INVADERSA
\ IT IS RUMORED THAT THEY A
•\ t o o were led by io q o JM
\ RAVAN HIMSELF.

I SUGGEST \ 3 WHAT?'. I
^ WE CONTACT THE NS T STRONGLY PROTEST^
r OTHER K/NGPOM6 OF AGAINST THIS. WE MUST
ARYAVARTA. THE ASURA MAINTAIN OUR RACIAL
WHAT SAY ^ MENACE THREATENS TO SUPREMACY. WE CANNOT
YOU, MAHARAJ DEVASTATE OUR TRADE BEG FOR ASSISTANCE
. DASHRATH?^ ROUTES AND MINES. IT L FROM BEAST A
WONT BE LONG BEFORE CREATURES, ^NOW CONSIDER^
1 THEY'RE RIGHT > SUCH A POWERFUL
^ OUTSIDE THESE ^ I P/SAGREE, NATION UNITED WITH
WALLS. r AND I THINK THE ^ ARMAGARH... ^
[ H ^ V vVE J/7/V/VOr^ MAJORITY 09 COUNCILORS
jj^ H FIGHT THEM 1 . AND SUB-COUNCILORS .
ALONE. WILL AGREE.
"THE SOUTHERN OUTPOST, KHUN00IRI
IS STILL UNDER ATTACK. BUT WITH
A FRESH REINFORCEMENT OF TWO
AKSHAUHINIS, THEY ARE HOLDW0
OFF WELL OUR PORTS ALON& THE
BANK OF SARAYU ARE SECURE.

"A L A R G E UNIT O F
ABMA0AGHI AN TR O O PS .

I HOPE THE CO U N C IL^*

r WILL A(5REE WITH ME. >
rr s TZK0TO DEPLOV YOUNG
KSHATKrrAS TO THE COLONIES.
^TH E V ARE, AFTER ALL, OU R^
BEST WARRIORS,

ENOUGH. WE SHAU.
V DECIDE LATER IF WE NEED
TO A a v OUR FORCES WITH T H E ^ H
OTHER RACES OF ARVAVAOTA. \ M
MEANWHILE FRESH BATCHES OF ■
KSHATRIYA WARRIORS WILL BE
K SENT TO THE TROUBLED AND IN THIS^S
IK SETTLEMENTS ^ NEW BATCH I WILL
U / /^TOM ORROW . INCLUDE MV FOUR
v ---- --------------------- sons... y
 ‘HIGH RISK
TRAINING SESSION'
MY FOO T— I SHOULD NEVER
HAVE LET MY BROTHERS
K TALK ME INTO THIS'
P SHOULDN'T
LOOK DOWN... WON'T
LOOK DOWN... D... DON'T
fc. LOOK DOWN/ ^

DO YOU THINK ^
r YOU ARE UP T O IT,
BLUE BOY? ONE WRONG
MOVE AND IT'S A LONG
WAY DOWN T O THE
L.SHAK1VKUNDALINI*. A
NOT EVEN
YOUR ASHES
WILL REMAIN.

BHARAT. SHATRUGHAN. LAKSHMAN.

TH E REACTOR WHICH PROCESSES

THE ENERGY THAT CUTS THROUGH
THE NOXIOUS CLOUDS AND BRINGS
SUNLIGHT TO ARMAGARH.

ONCE AGAIN*
FOR THE RECORD LET
ME SAY THAT THIS IS A
BAD IDEA— ESPECIALLY
FOR YOU, LITTLE
BROTHERS...
 -IT'S TIM E THEY
SHOULP TAKE UP THEIR
RESPONSIBILITIES”

NOW/

...THAT'S
THE WAV OF
^ EVERV S KSHATRIVA.
MAN PIOHT6
FOR HIS OWN,
^ RAMA... ^

with you, ^ ttfflaaaae SHATRU...

BROTHER, ONE LOOK OUT/
ALWAYS HAS TO
WATCH HIS BACK/
 O l MAA*/.

MOMMA.

OVERWEIGHT
BOZO... HA HA
^ HA... ^

HAAAALP..
. BV GOP/

HAH/
r QUIT WHINING ANP
G E T UP BV YOURSELF,
IDIOT, I CANT BELIEVE
FATHER NAMEP YOU
'SHATRUGHAN'— SLAYER
^ O F ENEMIES/ A
 m a a a a ...a

HANG ON,
TUBBY'

YOU SHOULD
r NOT HAVE G O T INTO
THIS MADNESS... YOU'RE
AFBA/P O F HEIGHTS
. FOR HEAVEN'S _
sake/ /

I... I WAS
AFRAID OF
LOSING
. HONOR... >
SHATRUGHAN,
STUPIDITY DOES
NOT EQUAL
s . BRAVERY,

GAME OVER,
BH Ar
^ NOW EACH
O F YOU OWE US
FIVE HUNDRED
^ MUDRAS* ^

•BOOTH6C.
•ABMAGARHIAN CURRENCY,
 WELL, rrs
JU S T YOU AND
ME, LAKSHMAN

^ I ALWAYS KNEW ^
IT WOULD COM E DOWN
T O US. THE B LU E B O Y
^ CAN'T HACK IT. *

WAIT,
THIS W AS MY IDEA. ^
I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE SECU R ITY BR EACH
AND ACCESS T O THE .
^ O O R JA SHAFT.

^ WRON3 TIM E T O ^
(5 0 Bl<5 BROTHER ON
US RAMA.' IN FACT, IT
W AS M Y IDEA T O
^ BE<3IN WITR ^

TH AT W O N T BE NECESSARY
F O R NOW. THE MAHARAJ SUMMONS
ALL FOUR O F YOU... S E E M S ARMA3ARH
^ IS T O M ISS YOUR AN T/C6, FO B ^
A WHILE ANYWAY.
 THE R A J MAHAL - ROYAL
A B O D E O F CH/EF COUNCILOR
PAOHRATH A N P H/0 FAMILY.
 r PARDONVOUR ^
OLD FATHER, BOVS.
MY EYES WENT HEAVY
AS I AWAITED VOW?
k. ARRIVAL ^

^ THE VAIDVA* M
HAS REPEATEDLY ^
ADVISED YOU NOT TO
SLEEP IN YOUR CHAIR.
. rrs BAD FOR j
^ V O U R BACK,

r NONSENSE, ”
I CANNOT LEAD
ARMAGARH LYING
^ IN BED. ^

W V«W N.

IT'S
W SINCE WE ^ ALRIGHT RAMA,
ALL HAVE OTHER r I UNDERSTAND YOUR ^
MATTERS T O ATTEND BROTHER'S RESENTMENT.
TO, MIGHT WE KEEP I'VE NEVER BEEN MUCH O F A
THIS FAMILY REUNION FATHER. I COULDN'T BE. I'D
^ SHORT? ^ LIKE T O MAKE THAT UP, BUT
r LAKSHMAN....
NOT NOW. HE'S RIGHT, THIS
SHOW A LITTLE
L RESPECT. ^ IS NOT MEANT T O A
1 ^ ^ BE A REUNION,

~ FINALLY... ITS ^
TIME FOR MY VAJRA'
T O TASTE ASURA
^ _____________

WHICH
OUTPOSTS'

AS THE ASURA
/ ASSAULTS GROW, A NEW
BATCH O F KSHATRIYA WARRIORS
SHALL BE DEPLOYED IN THE VARIOUS
OUTPOSTS O F ARMAGARH. BEING THE
SONS O F THE CHIEF COUNCILOR. YOU
WILL BE GIVEN THE RESPONSIBILITY 0HACAT9 AXB
T O GOVERN TWO ESTABLISHMENTS
k . A S SELECTED BY THE COUNCIL A
 HERE LIES KHUNPG/R/, GREAT.
OUR FORT IN THE SOUTH O F RIVER SHATRU CAN
r SARAVU OVERLOOKING THE ISHPAAT* MINES ^ OVERSEE THE MINES
AND PROTECTING THE PORT THAT CONTROLS OUR AND PORTS. I WILL
TRADE ROUTES. BHARAT, FROM NOW ON VOU ARE THIS GLADLY RID THE LAND.
. COLONY'S GOVERNOR AND WILL REPEL THE ASURA OF ASURAS.
\ FORCES IF THEY TRY T O INVADE US. ji
V 6HATRUGHAN WILL JOIN YOU “ BUT WHAT IF ^
AS YOUR A/PE. THE ASURAS ATTACK
THE MINES OR THE
DOCKS INSTEAD 0 ? A
N THE FORT?

^ TUBBY, V O U ^
SHOULD BE S O
^ LUCKY/ ^

VOU CAN
REFLECT UPON YOUR
RESPECTIVE DUTIES DURING
THE COURSE O F YOUR TRAVEL
AS FOR YOU, RAMA AND / OH MAHARAJ,
LAKSHMAN, PREPARE TO f DON'T DENY THAT VOU >4
TAKE CONTROL OVER INFLUENCED THE COUNCIL '
FO R T JANASTHAN. RAMA AND LAKSHMAN ARE
T O SECURE THE SLEEPY
OUTPOST O F JANASTHAN WHILE
. M Y SOHS ARE THROWN A
\ INTO THE PERILS O F A
\ KHUNDGIRI'

JANASTHAN? ITS A VILLAGE

FILLED WITH RUSTICS. WHAT WOULD
YOU EXPECT US TO DO THERE?
ORGANIZE AGRICULTURE?
COLLECT TIMBER?

r QUIET LAKSHMAN. >

IF THE COUNCIL DEEMS
IT, IT'S OUR DUTY
^ T O DO IT.

WE'RE NOT SOC/AL WORKERS.

WE'RE WARRIORS AND I
PEM ANP COMBAT. SEND US
T O RECLAIM SAYAN-CHAR,
\ OR A T LEAST LET US TAKE A
^ CONTROL OVER FORT A
B VAMANAKSH... /

M... M O TH E R /*
.'*

r THE COUNCIL ~
IS DECIDED UPON
THIS MY SON. I CAN
DO NOTHING
^ ABOUT IT. ^
 PRANAAM MATASHREE*.
THOUGH WE WERE NOT BORN
OF YOU, LAKSHMAN AND I HAVE
K A IK E Y I, I ALWAYS HOPED YOU WOULD
^ HAVE ALWAYS TREATED ^ ^ HOW SHAMELESSLY \ k ACCEPT USUKE A MOTHER...
" MY BOVS EQUALLY. IT WAS r YOU HIDE THE TRUTH \
YOUR FRIEND9 IN THE COUNCIL WAHARAJ. WHY WONT YOU r BUT BHARAT AND ^
L WHO ELECTED THE SITES . ADMIT THAT YOU STILL CANNOT SHATRUGHAN ARE OUR
h . WHERE THEY WOULD B E ^ PART WITH THE MEMORIES OF. BROTHERS. WE WOULD
L iW POSTED, V YOUR DEAR DECEASED / GLADLY EXCHANGE PLACES
#> KAUSHALYA? / .WITH THEM IF THE COUNCIL^
^ DEEMED IT.

HMMM... ^
ALREADY QUITE DEFT
r rrs OKAY MA^ ” YOU ARE IN THE ART
I CAN USE THE EXERCISE. ^ O F DIPLOMACY.^
IT'S FOR TUBBY THAT
^ I AM CONCERNED. ^
PONT CALL
ME TUBBY/

RAMA...D0NT
r BEND DOWN TO THS ^ PONT TRY MY
WOMAN. WE'VE STRUGGLED PATIENCE BOV.'
OUR WHOLE LIVES FOR
k HER ACCEPTANCE. A LIKE Z 0 IVE A
NO MORE, PAMN...VOU BASE
WOMAN/ my patience
E9&6 TOOf

HEY...THATS OUR
MOTHER YOU’RE
TALKING TO.

AFTER YOUR
MOTHER KAUSHALYA ~
r PASSED AWAY, THE WORLD HAS
I GOTTEN BLEAKER FOR ME EVERY
L DAY. I LOVE YOU MORE THAN
ANYTHING RAMA... PLEASE A
FORGIVE
^ RAMA... YOU
ALWAYS D ESER V ED *
MUCH MORE, MUCH^B
^ BETTER.

^ FATHER,
PLEASEREST
FOR A WHILE.
ENOUGH'. I WONT
r TOLERATE ANYMORE OF
THIS IN MY QUARTERS. THE
GET AWAY FROM DECISION HAS BEEN MADE AND
/ THIS MIRE OR IT MAY \ . MY SONS WILL FULFILL THEIR
' THREATEN TO CONSUME YOU ^ RESPECTIVE DUTIES. ^
LIKE IT DID ME. THE THREAT OF
RAVAN IS MORE PROFOUND
THAN ANY OF US CAN EVEN
.CONTEMPLATE, I AM AFRAID..
. ) HIS MALICE SPREADS IN /
OUR OWN LAND. /
VMMN7/U - THE AIRFIELD O F ARMAGARH HEY, I DIDN'T
START IT/

EASY... EASY... I'M KIDDING

VOU. NO ONE KNOWS BETTER 1
THAN ME HOW DIFFICULT SHE CAN BE. ,
. I SHOULD BE MAKING THE PEACE A
OFFERING.

r UMM...BHARAT, ^
YOU SAID THAT I COULD
HAVE THE DOUBLE
L BLADED LANCE. A

YOU HAVE SOME

NERVE ASKING ME FOR
ANYTHING AFTER THE WAY
W YOU TREATED MY >
V MOTHER.

w COME ON ^
LAKSHMAN... YOU
IDIOT... GIVE HIM
. A HUG. ^

TAKE CARE,
BROTHER.
 BY THE WAY, HAVE YOU
EXAMINED THE CHARTS AND
THE REPORTS PREPARED BY
THE PREVIOUS GOVERNOR
OP JANASTHAN?
THEY HAVENT PAID
^ TAXES FOR THE LAST RVE YEARS. ^
ARMAGARH DOESNT EVEN RECOGNIZE THEM
AS THE CITIZENS OF OUR NATION. HAVE YOU
t SEEN THE PRODUCTION REPORTS OF A
THIS WRETCHED PLACE?

MAYBE.

RAMA, FOR TWO

^ DECADES THEY'VE NOT ^
UPGRADED THE FORT'S TECHNOLOGY.
PLEBEIANS' WHY CANT THEY UNDERSTAND,
LACK OF NECESSITY DOES NOT MEAN LACK
OF INITIATIVE FOR PROGRESS?

^ GOOD TO ^ w IT SHOULD BE
MEET YOU PILOT A SMOOTH JOURNEY,
^ JAYANT.' ^ LORDS.

I WOULD HOPE SO.

r YOUR REPUTATION PRECEDES^
YOU AS THE BEST IN THE FLEET.
I INVESTED A FEW MUDRAS TO
SECURE YOU AND A LITTLE MORE
TO ENSURE BHARAT AND
SHATRUGHAN EXPERIENCE
L . A LITTLE TURBULENCE' A
ON THEIR RIDE,

^ CAN YOU BEUEVE ^

THS? THEIR PRIME FUEL
^ IS WOOD?' +
r RAMA, ARE ^
YOU EVEN LISTENING
^ TOME? ^
YOU KNOW,
. RAMA...

OCCASIONALLY.
~ ...YOUR TALENT - HA HA HA... PONT
FOR ANNOYING PEOPLE WORRY LITTLE BROTHER, TWO
IS AS UNIQUE AS YOUR YEARS OP CLOSE PROXIMITY IN
COMPLEXION. PONT JANASTHAN WILL MAKE YOU .
^ PATRONIZE ME. ^ e ET USEP TO IT.

^ THE CHARIOT^
IS REAPY TO TAKE
s . OFFLORPS. ^
THEN LETS F L Y ^ ^
JAVANT, CANT WAIT TO ^
e e r t o janasthan. g o o d
> LUCK ANPGOPSPEEP^
TO US.

MAY THE
~ (30PS BLESS MY SONS ^
SUMANTRA... ESPECIALLY RAMA.
^ HE IS SO PIPPERENT FROM .
THE OTHERS.

YOU MUST BE PROUP

TO SIRE SUCH A GEM OF
A BOY, MAHARAJ. I ENVY
v . VOU FOR THAT. 4

^ I CANT BELIEVE ~
FATHER APPOINTEP YOU AS
A GOVERNOR OP A WHOLE
^ SETTLEMENT.
YOU WONT ^
NEEP THESE
ANYMORE. THEY'LL
RUIN YOUR FIRST
^ IMPRESSION.^

^ WELL, SOMETIMES ^
I PONT BELIEVE FATHER
SIREP YOU AT ALL"VOU
v NEVER SMILE ^

SOTELLME
r LAKSH... WHAT ARE YOU^
EXPECTING IN JANASTHAN?
IT SEEMS YOU ALREAPY
KNOW A LOT MORE
k ABOUT THE PLACE ^
l i w THAN I CO.

WELL MY
IMMEPIATE CONCERN... ^
RATHER, APPREHENSION IS
THAT, SOON AS WE LANP
. WE WILL BE HOUNPEP ^
^ ^ B Y HORPES O F ...^ \
 “...THOUGH IT IS NAMED
‘FO R T JANASTHAN, I DON'T
EXPECT T O SEE MUCH. IT'S
MORE AP T T O BE CALLED
A TREE HOUSE THAN A FORT..,

"...THE FIRST ONSLAUGHT

O F VILLAGERS WILL BE
FOLLOWED BY A SECOND
VOLLEY I PRESUME..."

M h
 "...-SOME SELF-IMPORTANT CHIEFTAIN
AND HIS ENTIRE CLAN FORCING THEIR
CRUDE WELCOMING RITUALS ON TWO "...I AM IN MORTAL FEAR THAT
UNSUSPECTING ARMAGARHIANS... AT NIGHT WE WILL BE
COMPELLED TO PARTICIPATE IN
THEIR HEATHEN FESTIVITIES...

lACHHMAN'JI*... ^
HAVE SOME BHAANG
FOR A CHANGE, ITS MADE
^ OF COW MEAD. ^

“...WHICH SHOULD INCLUDE DRINKING AS WELL

YOU'LL NOTICE WE HAVE NOT STOCKPILED ANY
SURA* AND THE RUSTICS WILL DEFINITELY FORCE
US TO CONSUME THEIR COUNTRY LIQUOR..."

^JUST A S IP ^
UGH...THE NAME IS ^ LACHHMAN'JI, IT
7LAKSHMAN, NOT LACHHMANV MIGHT CHANGE
THANKS, BUT NO THANKS FOR fcYOUR MOOD.^
l YOUR OFFER. I DON'T a '...I'M AFRAID I'Ll HAVE
DRINK BHAANG*. TO STAY DRV FOR THE
NEXT TWO YEARS..."

ARMA0 ABHIAN VINTAGE LIQUOR

“HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT VILE

CONCOCTION THEY MAKE
IN THE NAME OF LIQUOR,
WHAT PUTRID INGREDIENTS
THEY MAY USE.

MMMM...NOT
BAD ACTUALLY.'
EARLY N EXT MORN/NG.

BCN ~eO G ET ME
SOME MEDICINES. YOUR LOT
MUST HAVE SOME POTION
THAT WOULD REMEDY SUCH
A HEADACHE.

UM... LORD, THE

f WOODSMEN WHO WENT >
T O GATHER TIMBER LAST
^ EVENING HAVE NOT /
RETURNED Y E T . ^ 1

BAH/ WHO
^ CARES? THE LOUTS ^
PROBABLY G O T DRUNK AND l ^ r AND DON'T
LIE SENSELESS SOMEWHERE IN y FOOL YOURSELF. ^
THE WOODS WHILE THEIR WIVES YOUR KIND ARE NOT
L AND CHILDREN WORRY KNOWN FOR YOUR
THEMSELVES TO INSTINCTS. KNOW YOUR
DEATH. k PLACE: G ET ME A
MY MEDICINE. ^

CHEAP " I'M SORRY, LORD. ~

COUNTRY I'LL G E T SOMETHING FOR
LIQUOR.
.YOUR HEADACHE RIGHT
AWAY.

r I WOULD BEG
T O DIFFER MY LORD.
. W... WHAT'S THAT?/

r MY LORD'
LOOK, IN THE
^DISTANCE".

BAAP RE*'

^ RING THE
ALARM... LOCK THE V
GATES... CALL M
^ RAMA/

V ARE UNDER
ATTACK/
 HOW MANY AT LEAST THREE
ARE THERE? THOUSAND STRONG,
MY LORD. THEY SEEM TO
. HAVE APPEARED OUT A
^ r>P NOWHERE.'

r LOOKS LIKE THEY ^

HAVE ALSO BROUGHT
THE WOODSMEN
^ WITH THEM U

r BEEN ^
WAITING FOR
THIS. ARE
VOU READY
k . RAMA? A

•VO WE HAVE
ANY CHOICE?"
 ^JANASTHANIS...^
MY BROTHERS AND
t SISTERS... A

f FOR THE LAST FIFTY YEARS YOU 1

HAVE FLOURISHED IN THIS LAND. VOU
HAVE MADE THIS PLACE SOMETHWG MORE
THAN JUST A REMOTE SETTLEMENT OF
L ARMAGARH. YOU HAVE MADE IT A
HOME AND HLLED IT WITH /
LIFE AND LOVE.

/ THE ASURAS ARE

V HERE TO STRANGLE YOUR ^
LOVE AND SNATCH AWAY YOUR
LIFE. THEY WONT BE CONTENT BY
TAKING AWAY YOUR LAND, YOUR
BELONGINGS, YOUR TREASURES...
THE ONLY THING THAT CAN SATE
k . THEIR LUST FOR VIOLENCE,^
IS OUR LIVES,

FOB OUR RIGHT

TO SURVIVE'

^ TODAY WE ^
DEFEND OUR FORT,
OUR HOMES, AND
^ O U R FAMILIES.
TODAY,
*VBFk3HT.
ATTACK.