Created b y

Deepak Chopra & Shekhar Kapur

Script - Shamik Dasgupta
Art - Abhishek Singh
C olor - Ashwin Chikerur
Letters - Ravikiran B.S. &
Nilesh S. M ahadik
C over A rt - Jeevan Kang
Assistant Editor - Mahesh Kamath
Consulting Editor - M ackenzie Cadenhead
Editor - Gotham Chopra

VIRGIN COMICS
Chief Executive Officer and Publisher :
SHARAD DEVARAJAN

ChiefCreative Officer and Editor-in-C hief

GOTHAM CHOPRA

President
SURESHSEETHARAMAN

C hief M arketing Officer

LARRY LIEBERMAN

SRVP& Studio Chief

JEEVAN KANG
VP Operations
SAMARJITCHOUDHRY
Director o f Development
MACKENZIE CADENHEAD

Chief Visionaries 'V .* f 41*

DEEPAK CHOPRA, SHEKHAR KAPUR,

SIR RICHARD BRANSON

Special Thanks to:

M ark Franqos, Frances Farrow, Dan Porter,
Christopher Linen, Peter Feldman,
Rajti Puthukoral and Malllka Chopra

RAMAYAN 3392 A.D. Issue Number 2, October 2006 published b y VIRGIN

COMICS L.L.C. OFFICE O f PUBLICATION: 594 Broadway, N ew Yo rk. N Y 10012.
Copyright <02006, Virgin Comics L.L.C. A ll Rights Reserved. The characters
Included In this issue, RAMAYAN 3392 A .D ., and the distinctive likenesses
thereofa re properties of Virgin Comics L .L C . No similarity between a n y of the
names, characters, persons, and/or Institutions In this magazine with those of
any living o r dead person o r Institution Is Intended, and a n y such similarity
which m a y exist Is purely coincidental. Printed In Canada.
For advertising, licensing and sales Info please contact
lnfo®vlrgincomlcs.com o r (2 12 ) 584 -4 0 40 . www.virglncom ks.com
 IN THE D ISTAN T FUTURE/ A G REAT EPIC UNFOLDS. A R M A6AR H / THE LA S T B ASTIO N OF
HUMAN KIN D / IS PLAGUED B Y RELENTLESS ASURA DEMON A TTA C K S O N IT S VARIO US OUTPO STS.
IN RESPONSE, ARMAGARH*S CHIEF COUNCILOR DEPLOYS NEW BATCHES OF KSHATRIYA W ARRIORS
T O THE VARIO US O U TPO STS/ INCLUDING H IS FOUR SO N S R AM A/ LAKSHM AN/ BHAR AT A N D SHATRUGHAN.
R AM A/ THE ELDEST BROTHER/ ALONG WITH THE YOUNGER LAKSH M AN IS SENT T O THE UNEVENTFUL A N D DOCILE
OUTPO ST O F JANASTH AN. FRUSTRATED B Y THE RURAL ATMOSPHERE O F JANASTHAN A N D DESIROUS OF
CO M BAT/ THE FIERY LAKSHM AN M AKES H IS UNHAPPINESS KNOWN. BUT THEN/ A M ID S T THESE TRANQUIL D AYS/
JANASTHAN IS ATTACKED B Y A G REAT HORDE O F ASURAS WHO APPEAR SEEMINGLY OUT O F NOWHERE
UPON THE HORIZON. RISING T O THE OCCASIO N A N D FOR THE FIR ST TIM E EM BRACING H IS R AN K AND
DUTY/ R AM A PREPARES HIS BROTHER A S WELL A S THE ILL-EQUIPPED/ UNTRAINED/ AND
UNDER-MANNED JANASTHANfS FOR A BATTLE T O SURVIVE.
 W O T ^C O N
VOUI? ARMOUR. IT'S 0OIN0
TO 06 A LON© EVBflN®.
■Q

"IN FACT, IT MAY BE

OOP LAST, RAMA."

RISHT YOU ARE. TONK3KT

THEY’VE COME WITH A
SW 0ULAR INTENTION. AND
IT 19 NOT KINO TOWARD US
 ^ PRADHAAN-J1*, ^
HOW MUCH LONGER WILL
. THE GATES HOLD? .

CHIEFTAIN

THIS IS AN ARMAGARHIAN
FORT MV LOOP. THE GATES ARE
LINED WITH ISHPAAT FROM THE MINES
OF KHUNDGIRI. IT ONCE WOULD HAVE
^HELD BACK AN ENTIRE AKSHAUHINI*^
IF REQUIRED.

BUT I FEAR
^ YEARS OF POOR ^
MAINTENANCE HAVE ERODED
MUCH OF ITS FORMER A
INVULNERABILITY.

r 0 U T I'M EVEN /WORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE WALLS

THE MASONRY IS OVERGROWN WITH VEGETATION. THE
ROOTS OF THE CREEPERS HAVE WEAKENED THE MORTAR.
A CONCENTRATED ATTACK ON ANY WEAK PART
OF THE WALL MAY DEVASTATE THE
WHOLE FORT.
THEN ALERT THE
^ GARRISON TO KEEP A KEEN EVE ^
ON THE DILAPIDATED SECTIONS OF THE HEAVEN KNOWS
. WALLS. ANY ONSLAUGHT MUST BE HOW THE ASURAS REACHED
m _ BROKEN OFF IMMEDIATELY. SO FAR UNDETECTED BY
OUR SCANNERS/

~ PA/TYAS, YOU MORONS. ^

THEV ARE DRIVING THE RAM. THE
^ RAKSHASAS CAN BE TAKEN a
CARE OF LATER/
 ” LORD, ^
THEY HAVE TWO
LADDERS UP THIS
S ID E ...L ..L .. ^

” HOLD ^
THEM AT BAY,
BO V' I'M ON THE
^ DAITYAS. ^

^ T'THERE ARE ^
TOO MANY. I CANT ” FOR CLOD'S ^
V D O IT ALONE' ^ SAKE, JUST PRETEND
TO BE A SOLDIER...
IF EVEN FOR A
MOMENT'

HHHRRCNMN,

A R M A 6 ARH
 r THE JANASTHANIS ~
ARE PUTTING UP MORE
FIGHT THAN WHAT WE
EXPECTED, GENERAL .
VIV'6 HAN.

^ PONT BE FOOLED, ^
WE'RE WAGING WAR AGAINST
ARMAGARHIANS, TATAKA. YEARS
OF DISUSE MAY DULL THE
SHINE OF AN ISHPAAT BLADE,
^ BUT CAN NEVER BLUNT ^ GENERAL... I AM ^
ITS EDGE. HUNGREEEE... IT'S BEEN
YEARS SINCE I TASTED
HUMAN FLESHHHH...WHAT
CAN WE DO TO TAKE
^ D O W N THE FORT? ^

^ LIEUTENANT ^ THE POWER IN

TATAKA, PULL BACK r MY STAFF IS ALMOST ^
. OUR FORCES. ^ DEPLETED BV BRINGING THIS
WHOLE ARMY THROUGH THE
LOKA* RIFT. BUT THERE IS
STILL ENOUGH TO SEND .
A SOLDIER ACROSS. ^

WHAT...
RETREAT?/

^ NO... ^
REINFORCEMENT. •LOKA - DIMENSION
 ^ HOW IS THE ~
GARRISON HOLDING, | T INCOMPETENT F O O L S ,^ M B
^ LAKSH? < THEY HAVE NO IDEA HOW T O ^H
DEFEND A FORT. STILL, I CAN ■
SEE SOMETHING STRANGE )
^BELOW ; THE ASURAS ARE y '
BACKING OFF.
----- 7 r -----T MAYBE
B THEY HAVE
^ ^ ^ K S & ^ ^ ^ G IV E N

^ PONT
COUNTON IT.

~ THIS
A RETREAT. W VOU WERE ^
THEY ARE UP 10 r RIGHT; THE EQUIPMENT IS
^S O M E T H IN G .^ ^ ^C HAVENT S E E N ^ ^ B ANCIENT AND UNUSABLE. AND
ANY VAYU YAANS* WITH ^ THE SCOUTS DIDN'T MAKE IT.
V THEM. HOW DID SUCH A VAST ^ W E 'R E ON OUR OWN. ^
ARMY REACH THIS PLACE
TOTALLY UNDETECTED?
^ HAVE VOU ESTABLISHED
ANY CONTACT WITH a
ARMAGARH YET?

NO NEED TO
^ WORRY, LITTLE BROTHER. ^
AS LONG AS WE CAN DEFEND
THIS FORT, NO HARM WILL A ” NO FEAR IN ~
A >v COME TO US. ^ ME. BUT IT'S NOT LONG
TILL THEY BREACH
THE WALLS,

CONSTANT
r VIGILANCE, MY ^
BROTHERS... PROTECT
THE WALL AND WE'RE SAFE
INSIDE. THE ASURAS WILL TRY
PENETRATING THE PERIMETER
. OF JANASTHAN. THE WAR A
^ IS NOT OVER VET.'
STANDS
^ WE'VE BEEN ^
BREACHED... SECURE
THE WALLS' ^

w 6 0 0 IS ^
GREAT. RAVAN
IS GREATER. ^

HAIL
RAVANNNN

C 700°
 IT'S BEEN AN
HOUR AND NO MOVEMENT
ON THEIR SIDE VET. MAYBE
^ THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

^HMMPH-.FAT CHANCE^
HAVE YOU EVER FOUGHT
ASURAS BEFORE,
^ KESHAV?

I CAME 10
W JANASTHAN A FEW ^
r YEARS BACK WITH THE 1
PREVIOUS GOVERNOR. I'V E
m UM...NO, SEEN THESE DEMONS IN
r I WAS BORN AND ^ ACTION WHILE I WAS
BROUGHT UP IN . POSTED IN KHUNDGIRI. .
JANASTHAN. WE NEVER L THEIR POWERS ARE A
.H A D TO FACE THESEA ^^S U P E R N A T U R A L.
^ BASTARDS.

GAAAAHH

AAAARGH'

ASURAS... BUT
HOW? FROM
^ WHERE?' ^
 - 4 >j
' ' g rab^
ON TO MY
< HAND/ V
TH E WALL
WITHSTOOD. W EU
BE SAFE FOR
A WHILE."

THINK AGAIN. HAVE A

CLOSER LOOK* RAMA:
SUICIDE BOM8ERS."

URRRRGHH...^
THE WALL...
HOW MUCH
DAMAGE THEY
HAVE P O N E '^

'D A M N THOSE IDIOTS. THEY ”

CALL THEMSELVES MARTYRS
BUT THEY'RE JUST HOPELESS
^ PAWNS FOOLED BY v
A MADMAN.
 * ALL MEN AT jM
ARM S' BARRICADE THE ^
RIFT IN THE WALL' THE ASURAS
MUST BE STOPPED AT
^ ALL COST. OTHERWISE
r m — WE A U P IE ' ___ C

^ LET THEM COME.

r THE STONES AND MORTAR \
MIGHT HAVE FALLEN, BUT THEY'LL
. FIND A WALL OF SHARP STEEL
X . AND RESOLVE BLOCKING A
^ N ^ _ T H E I R W A Y .^ ^ ^ ^ U
W k . A T " WE'LL
( FIGHT TO M
DEATH' J

NO CHIEF,
FIGHT TO LIVE.

~ HA HAH HA ^
HAAAA...AT LAST.
^ AT LAST... _
ON STANDS NOVEMBER 2006
ON S T A N D S O C T O B E R 2006
ON STA N D S NOVEM BER 2006
 r HEH HEH... ~
FUMSV BOV, CARVE
YOU UP... ©OOP
V MEATTT...
^ SO TW S IS ^
HOW IT ENOS? DEATH
^ UNTO ME. ^

BACK
O FF'
 0HH...V ILE
BAK5HA6A.
HOLD ON. I 'L l
GET VOU TO THE
► VAIC7VA*. ^

^ ACE YOU
INSANE, LAKSHMAN?
YOU HAVE LONG
^VEARS TO LIVE.^

^ ALL WE ^
HAVE LEFT 16
THE GLORV OF
. OUR FIGHT... .
 SUMMON
THE FLAG
BEARER.

THEV HAVE RAISED THE

FLAG, GENERAL SHAN. THE
. GOVERNOR REQUESTS *
^ AN AUDIENCE. ^

AND NOW?
.STATUS?^

NOT GOOD, ^
OUR NUMBERS ARE ^
SEVERELY DEPLETED.
THEY'VE DRAWN BACK FOR
A WHILE, BUT I DOUBT WE HOW IS ^
^ CAN TAKE ANOTHER 4 LAKSHMAN
ATTACK. FARING?„

W’ MY LORD. THE
ASURA VENOM SPREADS
IN HIS BLOOD. WE NEED BETTER ^ S O HE ^
EQUIPMENT, AND THE VAIDVA DESIRES TO
^ HAS NO ANTIDOTE... ^ k PARLAY... .

HSSSSS...THE ^
BLUE MAN....HRRR LET
HIM COME. I DESIRE TO
DRINK THE JUICES OF
^ HIS HEART. A

~ YOU SHALL DO NO <

SUCH THING LIEUTENANT
MAARICH, IF YOU WISH TO
KEEP THE OTHER LIMBS
ATTACHED TO YOUR
RLTHY B O D V ._ ^ ^

r I'V E BEEN
OBSERVING
YOU FROM A
. DISTANCE.

L A SOLDIER WITH ^
LIMITED RESOURCES BUT
AND WHAT UNLIMITED WILL A GENERAL
DID YOU LACKING AN ARMY BUT
OBSERVE? ^ COMMANDING A
A PEOPLE,
W WE'LL SURRENDER THE ^
r FORT IF YOU GIVE THE 1
WOMEN AND CHILDREN SAFE THEN WE R G H T ^ ^ B
PASSAGE. THE COMBATANTS r TO THE LAST MAN, ^
WILL LAY DOWN THEIR WOMAN, AND CHILD. YOU ARE
WEAPONS. YOU CAN TAKE WE MAY EVENTUALLY A REMARKABLE MAN,
US PRISONERS AND DO LOSE BUT YOUR FORCES YOUNG GOVERNOR. I'M
V WHATEVER YOU WISH A WILL SPILL MORE BLOOD . IMPRESSED WITH
^ BUT NO HARM ^ THAN THEY HAVE EVER ^ ^ V O U R VIGOR. ^
SHOULD COME k KNOWN. THIS I SWEAR A
TO OUR KIN... THIS TO YOU. ^ I

VERY WELL,
r YOU CAN LEAVE. WE WILL ^
NOT TAKE ANY PRISONERS,
NOR WILL WE SPILL MORE
BLOOD. LEAVE THIS TERRITORY
AND NEVER COME BACK. A
^ JANASTHAN IS OURS. A
 WHAT' PNC? LET
~ THE HUMAN SCUM LEAVE ^
JUST LIKE THAT? I PROTEST. THIS
IS DIRECTLY AGAINST THE ORDER OF
THE HIGH COMMAND. EVERV SINGLE
v HUMAN SHALL BE SLAUGHTERED^
^ AND EATEN.

^ THIS IS A D IR E C T ^
AFFRONT TO LORD ^ SILENCE T A T A K A . '^ ^ ^ *
CAVAN'S SOVEREIGN WILL. YOU WOULD RATHER
YOU ARE MAKING A I FACE LORD CAVAN'S \ W t
^ S E V E R E M I S T A K E '^ CONSEQUENCES THAN V O U ^ ^ H
. FACE MINE. I ASSURE
^ ^ V O U OF THAT/
THE DECISION'S
BEEN MADE. .

AS A TOKEN ^
OF MY GRATITUDE
AND APPRECIATION
I OFFER YOU
^ MY SWORD. ^

V yo u ARB
REMARKABLE ASURA^
INDEED, GENERAL. I AM
RAMA. MAY I KNOW
THE NAME OF SUCH AN
^UNLIKELY N AR KIAN ?^

I AM VIV'SHAN, ™
AND IF FATE DECREES,
WE SHALL MEET AGAIN..
^ SOMEDAY. ^
1 IN ONE
h o u r -bu rn
THE FORT/
 A MONTH LATER.

ARMAGARR
IT'S OKAV ^ WE WON? ^ FORT JANASTHAN
LAKSK VOU'RE SAFE JANASTHAN. EXISTS NO LONGER MV ^
NOW. WE'RE BACK IN BROTHER, BUT WE MANAGED
ARMAGARH. ^ TO SURVIVE. THE SETTLERS
^H A V E RETURNED SAFELV J
TO ARMAGARK

^ WE SURRENDERED ^
w RETURNED... ^ THE FORT AND SAVED FOUR
VOU MEAN...VOU . HUNDRED ARMAGARHIANS
bw MEAN... ^ IN EXCHANGE.
^ VOU WHAT?.' ^
VOU BEGGED THE
ASURAS TO SPARE
^ OUR LIVES? ^

I DIDNT BEG 4
LAKSK I NEGOTIATED;
HUMAN LIVES ARE MORE
PRECIOUS THAN STONE
^ AND MORTAR. ^

WHAT HAVE VOU > LEAVE ME. THIS IS SACRILEGE...

DONE?'... AT LEAST YOU'VE GONE AGAINST THE
VOU COULD HAVE LET PHARMA O F A KSHATRIVA WARRIOR.
ME GAIN THE GLORV VOU SURRENDERED EVEN THOUGH A
OF VEERGATl-SPAREP KSHATRIVA IS TO DEFEND HIS LAND
ME THE SHAME AND . WITH HIS LAST BREATH. /
BURDEN OF TWS.' /

THERE IS NO
r GLORV IN DEATH ^
BROTHER. I DID WHAT
I HAP TO. I DIDN'T WANT
. TO LOSE VOU. TRV TO .
^ UNDERSTAND. ^
THE COUNCIL HALL

------ --------------- l e t s no t o v e r lo o k
THAT BV DESERTING JANASTHAN, RAMA
r SAVED THE POPULACE—OUR OWN BROTHERS AND ^
SISTERS. MOREOVER FOR THE LAST TEN DECADES WE HAVE
BEEN COMPLETELY CUT OFF FROM JANASTHAN. IT NEVER
V HAD ANY VALUE AS AN OUTPOST. TELL ME, FELLOW a
COUNGLMEN, WHAT IS, OR WAS THE WORTH OF
i \ , JANASTHAN SAVE ITS PEOPLE?

WELL SAID COUNCILOR kAALNEMI. AS WE CAN

INFER, THE MAJORITY O F THE COUNCIL ACCEDE
EVERYTHING. TO THE FACT THAT RAM A'S ACT GOES AGAINST
w THE LAWS AND VERY BELIEF OF KSHATR1AN .
L . DHARMA. IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR /
CODE THEN, HE SHOULD BE
COURT MARSHALED.

^ MAHARAJ ^
DASHRATH YOUR
^T H O U G H T S ? ^

RAMA IS MY
S ELDEST SON. ANY
/ COMMENT I MAKE WILL \
f BE TAINTED BY MY AFFECTION \
AND SUPREME ADMIRATION FOR HIM
I APPEAL THE COUNCIL TO GRANT ME
THE PERMISSION TO ABSCOND MYSELF
FROM THE DECISION-MAKING. BUT AS
A REQUEST I'D LIKE TO PRAY TO THE
v GODS FOR THEIR FINAL JUDGMENT. A
\ LET RAMA VOICE OUT HIS PLEA /
/IN FRONT OF THEIR MIGHTY J L
OMNIPOTENCE.
 SOLDIER, DO YOU
HAVE ANV LAST WORDS
BEFORE YOUR FATE
IS DETERMINED? ANV
CONFESSION?

” I'V E NOTHING
TO CONFESS. THERE I S ^ ^ ^ B S |
NOTHING WRONG IN J B tM
WHAT I P IP . Al L ™
I REQUEST IS
ii^ n S k ^ F A I R JUDGMENT.

I BELIEVE IN
MV SON, AND I BELIEVE 6 UILTV
IN VOU. SPARE HIM...
SPARE HIM... ^
 RAMA, SON OF DASHRATH, HEIR OF
THE IKSHVAKU CLAN, VOU ARE GUILTY
OF TREASON AGAINST YOUR NATION.
HENCE VOU ARE BANISHED THIS VERV
MOMENT. FOR FOURTEEN YEARS VOU
WILL LIVE A LIFE OF PENANCE IN THE
OUTLANDS. IF VOU SURVIVE, VOU
MAY HUMBLY RETURN.

IF VOU ARE DETECTED

ANYWHERE IN OR NEAR
...YOU SHALL
THE HALLOWED GROUND
OF AMARGARH OR BE EXECUTED
IMMEDIATELY.
HER OUTPOSTS...
LEAVE... LEAVE NOW,
IN THIS INSTANT.
The original Ramayan is the greatest tale ever told.

It is, seriously.

The original was spoken - yes, spoken by the Indian poet

Valmiki - about 2,500 years ago. Part of what makes the
original story so cool is in fact the source, because legend
has it that before Valmiki turned epic poet (he composed
the story via 24,000 stanzas) he was actually part of a
legendary group of bandits that roamed the countryside
and had quite the outlaw image. Hence, even the story
behind the story is a very rich one.

You have to understand that in the East, the Ramayan is so

much more than the simple description we give it to try and
explain it in the west, “The Odyssey of the East." Ramayan
is the quintessential, seminal myth, the story that is the
forebearer of all others. It is the story that every kid growing
up, still to this day, hears from his/her grandparents. Its
heroes, Rama, Lakshman and Seeta are worshipped,
literally. Even its side characters, such as Hanuman, the
monkey king, are the stuff that legends are made of. So to
reimagine it, to tinker with it in any way, shape, or form is a
most challenging and tricky task.

And yet, if you’re a creator, how can you not have a take on
the Ramayan - the greatest tale ever told?

Our goal from the start of this project was never to retell the
original because we wouldn't be able to do it justice. It'd be
like trying to do a highschool rendition of Star Wars - you'd
be doomed to failure and humiliation. Instead, our mission
was to use the original Ramayan as inspiration, let it infect
us, seduce us, terrorize us, and then to spin a new yam by
standing on the shoulders of greatness.

Our Ramayan, set in a post-apocalyptic future of 3392 A.D.

is a collective effort. We've tapped the wisdom of
creators like Deepak Chopra and Shekhar Kapur,
relied on the creativity, research, and endless
work of our creative team including lead
Singh and Ashwin Chikerur, writer Shamik Dasgupta and
the man who inspires and leads them all in India - our
President, Suresh Seetharaman. But more than anything,
we've trusted that original epic in all its eternal majesty will
provide the pulse that keeps our collective creativity going.
So far, so good.

I'm not going to gush about our own work because that
would be lame. But I encourage you to take a chance on
Ramayan 3392 A.D., read an issue, survey the art and
send us your thoughts. Because it’s everything we are!
about as a company and as story-tellers. It's why you tell ,
stories and I'm proud of what we've done so far.

Gotham Chopra
Editor-in-Chief
If you're like me. have grown up on movies, eagerly As for what’s next on the horizon, more very cool iconic
await opening weekends for big popcorn flicks, scour filmmakers - the type that you hear their names and
smaller theaters in your neighborhood for indie and you know their style, their look and feel, and the tones
foreign films, then you have in your head a list of o f their stories.
film-makers that are your favorites.
The obvious question is, will these comics become
Well, imagine for a moment that you had a chance to go films? We certainly hope so, but in building the comic
to those filmmakers on your list and say to them: “Come we don’t get distracted by dreams o f red carpet
collaborate with a team of artists and writers. Bring your premieres, nifty after-parties, and box office bonanzas.
creativity and use the engine that we have created to A great comic is its own craft, not just a storyboard for a
develop an idea and showcase it to the world via a film.
really cool comic. Do what you do best - tell us a story
you have and watch it evolve from an idea into a visual And that’s been the revelation so far. Because as much
comic book universe." as we've been learning from our partners, we've also
observed them learning from our trade - the way great
In short, that’s our “Director’s Cut” line of comics. As comic stories are told, episodically, viscerally, visually.
many have already heard, we're launching the We think the Director's Cut is awesome and boy, are we
Director's Cut with acclaimed action filmmaker, John glad we thought o f it! We hope you love it as much as
Woo. John is working with comic book superstar, Garth we love putting it together. Please send us ideas via our
Ennis and our illustration studio at Virgin Comics to webpage (www.virgincomics.com) of other film-makers
create the new series, Seven Brothers, launching in you want to see in comics. We plan on creating quite a
October. Quite a debut even if I say so myself. Our next canon and we're happy to keep adding to our list.
Director's Cut is with Guy Ritchie, entitled The
Gamekeeper. It'll be on the rack early 2007.
Gotham Chopra
Editor-in-Chief
TIGERHIU-

ISSUE 1_ . ,
GARTH ENNIS
SUGGESTED ft)R MATURE REA0E8S JEEVANKANG